"But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you . . . pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare." ~Jeremiah 29:7
Seek the Welfare of the City
There's a different story behind this gate now. Chaisa Lifeway Christian Academy meets here. It's a place of safety. Laughter and words of encouragement are heard here. Children learn to read and write. Along this street the music still pounds from the neighboring bars beginning early in the day and glass bottles line the street ready to be filled with homemade beer to sell, often to those who should use the money to buy food for their families. The children in this community face many hardships, but each child who walks through this gate is entering a place of new beginnings. Once a place that led to nowhere except the cycle of poverty and despair; now a place that offers hope for a brighter future.
There are 17 Lifeway Christian Academies all throughout the city that meet in places with their own unique stories. It's been an honor to work closely with 4 of these schools over the past year. I love what each of these LCAs represent. They are places filled with love and passion for children who just need to be given a chance to thrive. In these LCAs a generation of this nation's forgotten children are being prepared to lead the NEXT 50 years of Zambia.
Where is the welfare of a city found? Within the walls of its communities. What happens behind these walls matters.
At the end of the second term we asked our teachers to choose students and do home visits. This is one of the reports I received from the head teacher at Chainda LCA. "Chisomo is a hard-working boy. We visited his home because recently he lost his daddy. We were welcomed by his mother who was very happy to receive and host us. We did not find the boy at home but affirmed him to his caregiver. We encouraged the mother to put everything in God's hands as He is the only provider of our needs. We also appreciated her for the time with us. The caregiver thanked each one of us for visiting and encouraging her. She was happy to see Chisomo, her only child to have reached grade 7, at the highest level of education among his siblings. "
Seventh grade is a important year in Zambian education. Not all students make it beyond primary school. It's hard to imagine, but that is the reality for so many children here. Many of our students are the first in their families to reach milestones like entering secondary school. Options are limited for the uneducated, but kids like Chisomo hold the welfare of the city and the nation in their educated hands. He is the NEXT 50 years of Zambia. In two months time he will begin secondary school. He will be leading the way and setting the example for his family-- one step closer to fulfilling his potential and the dreams he has for his life.
But me He caught– reached all the way from sky to sea; He pulled me out of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos, the void in which I was drowning. They hit me when I was down but God stuck by me. He stood me up on a wide-open field; I stood there saved– surprised to be loved! Psalm 18:16-19 |
Pray to the Lord on Its Behalf
Please join me in praying for the children and teachers in the Lifeway Christian Academies.
- Pray for the 2500 newly sponsored children who will begin school in January, many of them for the first time ever.
- Pray for the preparations for beginning our own secondary schools with the addition of 8th grade in January.
- Pray for God to send qualified and loving teachers to fill the numerous positions that are open due to our rapid growth.
- And pray for me that I can serve the people of Zambia well as I begin my second year here.
In Its Welfare Find Your Welfare
It is helping people see themselves through a Genesis 1:27 lens-
as people made in God's image, fully human, fully valuable, and fully capable." -Beth Luthye