Things working together for good!

It's 20 years since I, Tim, first came to Zambia and its been really good in the last couple of weeks to see God weaving things from the past and present together. The above photo is of me with a guy working at the side of the Mufulira Road where Kaniki Bible College and Kapumpe Christian Primary School are located. Like last year, we were glad to go to Kaniki with the DTS students to see how we could help the school and orphan project we established back in 2012/3. Plus as trustees for the U.K. charity that still supports the projects we also wanted to do what we could. 

Having met with the trustees online just a week or so before we headed to Kaniki we knew the school  had various practical needs including the construction of a new access road. The pupils currently use the Bible college driveway (shown above) but with now more than 140 kids a separate entrance has been requested. Thinking they might be able to help, we quickly asked an NGO in Mkushi called 'Mission Geeks' if they might be able to help. We know these guys well and were delighted when they said they would literally fly over to the school while we were visiting to assess how they could help. They looked at all kinds of things including the access road but then, being very practical guys, asked on their way out why we dont ask the people outside our grounds to help. You see, for the last couple of years the main (Mufulira) road has been under construction and the machinery being used, perfect to meet the school's needs. If you look closely at the above photo, you can even see one of the huge 'grader' machines literally parked at the end of the college driveway! Now, the school and orphan project co-ordinator, Naomi (who we've known since 2005), had actually tried to ask for help before but the Chinese construction bosses didn't speak any English! But, knowing on this years DTS we have a married couple from Kenya, who amazingly are fluent in Mandarin, I decided to walk to the roadside to see who I could find to speak to!

Naomi (project co-ordinator / overseer) with Doreen (Chinese speaking DTS student)! 👆🏻

When I got to the road, I couldn't see any Chinese immediately nearby, so approached a Zambian worker instead. I explained what we wanted and he said he'd have to ask his boss and call me later on. He took my mobile number and then asked my name. When I said my name was Tim, he looked at me and suddenly removed his dark sunglasses. He said "You're not Tim, as in Tim and Gemma?! You put me through school back in 2015, paying for my grade 11 and 12! I'm Baron!!" - It was so amazing!! (He's the 'guy' with me in the photo at the top of this blog and riding in the grader above!)

Immediately, the name rang a bell and he assured us of his help - Gemma had actually agreed to take Baron into the orphan project all those years ago despite the project actually being full, because she just had a feeling about him! Again, just so amazing, and to see Baron jumping up into the machines we so needed and so clearly in good relations with all the operators was a massive boost to our confidence levels!  

Thus began a week of early morning and evening conversations with both Chinese foreman and Zambian operators who all seemed willing to help but under great pressure to meet their normal work deadlines - understandable as the president is meant to be officially opening the main road in December! But with both Chinese speakers on our team getting green lights from the top bosses and friends among the Zambian workers it seemed our ducks were all lined up. 

We're so pleased the school road is now well underway! And yet it's just one example of God weaving things together. - There's even a U.K. charity now called the 'Weave Foundation' that was set up in the last couple of years by someone else who first came out to Zambia on one of our teams and this years DTS has ended up working with 2 of their project partners (one of them seemingly by total random chance - or, of course, by God's good, sovereign and incredibly graceful plan!). 🙌🏻