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CONTAINTERS OF HOPE ARRIVE
They are here!! There was much joy and celebration when the two shipping containers we sent last June finally arrived in Ndola in mid-November! There were many delays due to a truck shortage in Mozambique and routing issues but as the containers were unloaded our Zambian partners and staff were amazed and blessed at the contents. They could not imagine receiving so many blessings in these two big boxes! Kirk and Jerry Bean went to Zambia for a month to oversee and assist in the unloading process of the containers, as well as to help re-assemble the truck and both drill rigs. Ron Ryde, a Canadian volunteer with heavy equipment experience, came for the month as well to lead in the re-assembling, testing and making the drill rigs and truck operable. We could not have done it without the hard work and expertise of Jerry and Ron. A Huge thank you to these men who helped bring it all together at the end. |
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| Containers being unloaded in Ndola; November 8th. |
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ZIMBABWE TRAINING
While Kirk was in-country the cholera crisis in Zimbabwe came to our doorstep. A pastor from Harare came to meet SHIP Zambia to be trained to make bio sand filters. (He had heard of our success in eliminating cholera in two communities through the introduction of bio sand filters and hygiene training.) He was given initial training in sand filter fabrication and was sent home with a sand filter and a filter mold. Our Zambian team went to Zimbabwe in December to conduct additional training with the pastor and his team. We thank God for this opportunity and that we were positioned with skills to respond immediately to this pastors request for help. SHIP would like to thank Cambria Rotary Club who covered the up-front costs for this intervention and provided funds for an additional training in March for several ministries in Zimbabwe. It is our hope and prayer that these efforts will help address this staggering cholera epidemic. |
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NEW SEASON
We definitely feel the hand of the Lord in this new season & are excited to have the privilege of being part of what the Lord is doing in Zambia. |
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Current Needs:
· General Operating & Administration Funds
· Agriculture Vocational Program Funds
· Support for Kirk & Denise Schauer |
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DRILL RIG TRAINING
Ray Newmyer, an amazing driller from Colorado, arrived just after the new rigs were re-assembled to provide advanced drill training to our drill crews. He did a fantastic job despite many obstacles with technical problems and weather. We are so grateful for his generous giving heart and expertise in training our Zambian drill team. |
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Strengthening our Agriculture Programs
The downturn in the economy has had a dramatic affect on Zambia as more and more people suffer from rising food costs and staggering unemployment. With this new crisis SHIP feels the urgency at this time to build up our agriculture program and provide agricultural training in the communities we already serve. There is a need for agriculture expertise in Zambia and SHIP would like to gather the support from those who have the heart and skills to address this crisis. Upcoming fundraising activities will support this new endeavor.
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Blood:Water Mission Grant Received
WONDERFUL BIG NEWS!!! SHIP’s 3 year proposal to Blood:Water Mission (BWM) was approved by their board! The timeframe for this project is June 2008 to December 2010. This grant will establish or restore 383 water points (providing safe water to over 331,000 people), build and install 2,950 bio-sand filters, (providing safe water to over 44,000). Numerous participatory hygiene trainings, sanitation promotion trainings and construction of demonstration latrines will be provided in communities in the Copperbelt and Lusaka Provinces in Zambia. WOW! This grant is allowing us to fund up to 80% of our water development projects and is propelling us forward to a new level. In this new level will be greater responsibility and a greater need for us to raise funds to provide for the infrastructure that will make SHIP sustainable for the long term and to support God’s Kingdom work in Zambia. This also opens the door for us to begin to build the agriculture side of the ministry and focus on incorporating a HIV/AIDS component to our hygiene training. |
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MOVING TO ZAMBIA!
As a result of BWM grant and SHIP growing to a higher level of output and accountability, Kirk and Denise feel God’s leading them to move to Zambia in April. Their desire is to be available for what the Lord is doing in Zambia and to mentor our Zambian Staff during this time of growth More details coming in the next update! |
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