Inelly, who had a botched surgery on her foot, is continuing to receive treatment at a private clinic as she prepares for a skin graft.  She is in much better spirits and the doctor is really happy with the way things are progressing.  She’ll have a long recovery, but because she is HIV negative, she has a good outlook for the future.

Emory has been treated for intense leg pain.  She is feeling better, but is struggling a bit still.  Please continue to pray for her.

Brenda, suffering from similar symptoms, received the same treatment and is doing much better.  She has so many children in her house, she says she has to get better fast!

Gertrude went to visit Annie, our librarian, in the village last week.  She has been fighting TB and has been off for some time.  Thank God, Gertrude found her feeling much better.  Her family said she’s been very sick and is just coming around to the corner.  We sent along some good food and Gertrude brought her a lovely dark blue dress that looks great.  She still has a long way to go, but we’re just thanking God for how far she’s come!

Thank you, friends, for your prayers!  And special thanks to all the people who bought health cards last year!  Your generosity has literally paved the way to life for these ladies.  May the Lord bless and keep you all, giving you his perfect peace.

Thanks to Pawcatuck Middle School and Skoll Foundation for your help providing   blankets for our students!

Check out this short video from Gertrude!

Florence came to us one day and told us a sad story.  Her nephew was living with relatives, an aunt and uncle, in Livingstone.  The caregivers of this nephew – Webster – called Florence one day and said they were through caring for him.  Shaking her head, she said, “And now they’ve chased him from home.  The school has called me to see if I will take him in.”

Florence arranged transport for the boy to come to Lusaka and took him in.  She can barely sustain herself and her own children, but the commitment to family in Zambia is strong.  It’s unfortunate that when so many family members are so poor, often the orphans do ‘get chased’ to another relative to share the burden.

Once Webster arrived in Lusaka, Florence came to us again.  This time hoping that we could do something to help send Webster to school.  She brought his results from last year – and they were all Ones (or what we’d call straight A’s in the States).  Chikumbuso sends a lot of kids to school; in the past few years, we’ve seen a number of our students do really well, getting great grades and going on to further education and jobs.  This is what we strive for.  So when we see a student dedicated to learning and striving to get good grades for his future, you can bet that we all want to be a part of helping him.

But, where does the money come from, we have to reasonably ask?  We agreed to pray and ask Jesus about this boy and about bringing some money to add him to our group of Grade 8 students that attend Ng’ombe PTA.

Jesus was so good!  He brought in an undesignated donation that we were able to apply to adding Webster to our roster.

Now we’re praying and asking again…

God has been good to the students of Chikumbuso.  We have nearly all of our girl students sponsored for education and many boys, too.  The focus worldwide on the gender gap for girls has prompted many to sponsor girls for education and micro-enterprise all over the world.  We celebrate this and do everything in our power to see our girls succeed at school so they can ‘rise up’ after high school.  However, we also know that things can’t totally change for girls, if their peer boys keep the same old attitudes about women and their roles in the family and workplace.  Our girls’ lives won’t be changed significantly if we don’t continue to educate boys and keep them out of poverty by giving them an education and life skills.  And, maybe most importantly, we continue to create an environment where we talk about issues and model behavior toward women that is life-giving and affirming.

We currently have 39 unsponsored boys in Grades 7-12.  Would you consider sponsoring one of them at $250 per year? Would you consider that through sponsorship of these boys what a difference your voice and letters make in a young man’s life?  I’ll never forget a conversation I had with a teacher here… he was explaining how a student lacked motivation.  It wasn’t what I thought, though – it wasn’t motivation to work hard – it was motivation to dream a different dream.  To dream of a different life than the one experienced in his orphaned life, in the compound, in poverty.  He was longing for the motivation that can only come when a young man has someone to look up to, admire, and emulate.

We need sponsors like this for our young men that will inspire them to dream new dreams.

In the many opportunities that I have been given to speak about Chikumbuso, I am repeatedly asked, “How did this project start?” Yet I have come to realize what people are really asking is how did something so lovely get off the ground.. how did I overcome my own fears to reach out and start something so grand?  My reply has always been “I just stepped out to help one widow.”  It happened through one person at a time.  This stepping out in obedience has got to be one of the best things in my life!  Over the past seven years Chikumbuso has been able to bless and unite a beautiful community of people in Love. It has built women who have hope and purpose in life and in response to this love these same women bring light into their community. Many children have been given a chance to learn and grow and now turn so freely to give that same opportunity to a neighbor or a friend.  As the founder of Chikumbuso, there is nothing that pleases me more than to see how Jesus blesses this project over and over again because of its commitment to do for others. You are part of this commitment and an essential part of the growth and steadfastness of this project. Whether you have given financially, supported us through prayers, sponsorship, or volunteering, Chikumbuso Project would not be where it is today with out your unending love and support.

So it is with a heavy heart that I inform you that I will be leaving Zambia this year. The Chikumbuso community is also my community. It is where I hang out, where I have found friends, soul mates, healing and love. It is where I have grown as a woman, teacher, and leader. It is the place of my renaming.. “Mama Linda.” What an honor.  It is the place where I have come to know all of you and where your support and love has played into my life. The good news is that I am leaving Chikumbuso in the hands of many capable women, names you are all so familiar with – Gertrude, Beauty, Maureen, Jane, Vera, Catherine, Emory, Mary, and all the very capable teachers. So many women and men that have grown through the challenges over the years and are now ready to stand on their own. And my gift to Chikumbuso is that I leave to these women, Lisa Veitenhans, who, over the past year has grown to love them enough to guide and direct them, cry and dance with them.

My husband has taken a job in NYC and Isaac and I will follow him. There has never been a time in my life when change has been easy. I struggle with new surroundings. I struggle with emptiness; streets that have no names, unfamiliar faces, and the general disconnect from daily life that when you are in the midst of it seems to go on forever. And this time is no different. I am fearful but I take heart in a quote by Pascal which says, “Fear not, provided you fear; but if you fear not, then fear.”

I fear, but where Christ says, “Fear not” (John 14:27) I will seek to be alert and trust that there is one more place to step out and help one more…

God is with us wherever we go, in the days, weeks, and years of our lives.

Linda Wilkinson

Founder Chikumbuso Project

Chikumbuso Women and Orphans Project

Check out the gallery for more photos!

Our friend, Margi, is visiting Chikumbuso to do computer training.  Check out these photos and videos below to see what’s happening.  Imagine!  Beauty is learning to type!

Computer Training 1

Computer Training 2

Dear Friends & Family,

On November 23, 2011 Dailess Nalwamba, a coffee barista from Blue Moon Cafe, won the 2012 Zambia National Barista Championships. It was an amazing day. I had closed Blue Moon early so that all our staff could attend the awards ceremony. When they called Dailess’s name as the Champion my staff rushed the stage, threw her into the air, and began chanting “Blue Moon, Blue Moon, Blue Moon.” They even starting dancing the Blue Moon Slide, which I didn’t know existed. It was great to see all our hard work and practice pay off.

We are now working to send Dailess to the birthplace of coffee, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from February 15-19, 2012, to compete in the Africa Barista Championships.  After Addis, Dailess is off to the 2012 World Barista Championship in Vienna, Austria, from June 12-15, 2012.  These are two high-profile events and we are excited to get to represent Zambia at each. On top of this, we are also working to be able to send one of Dailess’s fellow baristas from Blue Moon with her to each event. The issue….we need to raise some money to cover their travel and registration costs.

I’d like to kindly ask for your help by donating $40 to buy a ticket to the Mini-Golf Tournament & Marlin Lunch Fundraiser on January 28^th. Marlin is our local steakhouse and the steaks are wonderful! I realize almost all of you will not be able to go to this event. But, if you do buy a ticket we will organize for a lady from the Chikumbuso Women’s & Orphans Project to take your place.

Chikumbuso is a fantastic organization that helps over 85 single mothers and widows by teaching them sewing skills, cooking skills, and life skills. They also provide free schooling for over 300 kids in the Ng’ombe area. I should also mention that all of my staff at Blue Moon Café come from Chikumbuso. For many of these ladies, having the chance to laugh over a round of mini-golf and eat a delicious meal at one of Lusaka’s best restaurants will be a once in a lifetime experience. Visit www.chikumbuso.com to learn more about Chikumbuso.

If you are able to purchase a ticket, we will send you an emailed video thank-you from the Chikumbuso lady(s) that you sponsored. It’s a small token of our appreciation and we think you will enjoy getting to see the smile you put on someone’s face. Our goal is to sell 100 tickets to earn enough to cover two RT plane tickets to Addis Ababa.

Details of how you can help out are in the attached flier. You can purchase your ticket…or TICKETS…by sending money to me via Paypal, by sending a check to my parents in Florida, or by sending a check to my friend Moges in Washington, DC. Please feel free to forward this email to other friends you think may want to help. Thank you in advance for your contribution.

Bob Keating

Managing Director

Blue Moon Café

Lusaka, Zambia

bob.keating.iii@gmail.com

260-0977-368-628 or 1-202-657-5671 (free international call to my Zambian cell)

It’s also the time that we do our major role call anticipating our big purchase of health scheme cards.

This year, however, the new government has increased the budget in the health sector and now Zambians can go to their local clinics for free primary care!  This will help tremendously with folks that would put off going to the doctor because they don’t have the money for fees.  It will also encourage check-ups for children under 5, a very vulnerable group.

This is fantastic news and we are all very thankful.

However, we have been raising funds for the purchase of this year’s cards.  We plan to ‘bank’ that money for the purchase of medications and treatments for our project members.  Even though everyone can go to the doctor and find out what is wrong – they may not be able to afford the remedy.  Banking money now will allow us to help our widows and students if and when they become ill.

A big Thank You! to everyone who has participated in caring for the health of our widows, orphans and grandmothers!  God bless you in 2012!

Click here for more information on Zambia’s announcement regarding this big change!

It is hard for me to put into words the experience of having President George W. Bush and his entire family at Chikumbuso. It was an incredible honor.

Many of you are asking me how this visit came about.

It is because Chikumbuso Community Center is a place he would not want to miss.

At a time when heads were reeling over the AIDS endemic ravaging Africa, President Bush showed an enormous amount of courage as he stood up to this global threat and came out with the PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) initiative. This is an initiative that has helped save the lives of those suffering around the world with HIV/AIDS.  Through hard work he was able to mobilize the American people into giving back to those desperately trying to rebuild their lives in the midst of such devastation.

Living here in Zambia I am witness to the lives saved through this program. Ninety five percent of our widows at Chikumbuso and many of their children suffer from this virus.

When I reflect on the women seven years ago and the hardships they were enduring, not only physically, but also emotionally and spiritually, I can see nothing but growth. They support themselves through a lot of hard work and commitment. Many of the struggles are still there. Death still roams the compound like a lion, devouring who ever it can find. Sickness is everywhere and healthy food is still an issue. Yet somehow each one of these people finds the strength with the help of their ARVs to keep on going and when they don’t, the rest of the community is there to lift them up. The members of Chikumbuso show what can be done when given just a bit of hope and direction. At Chikumbuso we do not carry the person, we give them skills to help themselves. It is totally up to them whether or not they pick up their burdens, give them to Jesus, and move on.

President Bush’s courage is only matched by the courage shown by these women. The beauty of his visit to us was that he got to see it in a very personal way. Women shared their stories and children shared their lives. I believe that President Bush and his family were touched deeply by the stories the widows told and the lives of the children at Chikumbuso.  He was able to see first hand what a difference his courage has made in their world.

Note the sign above the Presidents head in the photo below. It is one of the old WWII signs that I picked up in NYC, it is of a woman with a head scarf showing off her muscle. At the top of the sign it says, “We can do it”.

That should be the motto.

We can do it.  We are doing it.

We are changing the lives of many, many people both within the project and also in the compound of Ng’ombe.

World War II stole the lives of many American men and American women stepped up to the plate. The AIDS virus stole the lives of many of the widow’s husbands and they too are working to get back on their feet. The war on AIDS is not over but many battles have been won.

President Bush stepped out to make a difference and Chikumbuso has responded positively to the difference he made.

President Bush now knows that Chikumbuso would not exist with out this access to free drugs and we got to thank him face to face.

What a gift to the women.

The widows ended the program with a heartfelt song for the President that made us all cry.This song extols the works of President George Bush. It lets them know that the women have nothing to give but praise to God on his part. And one day he will receive his blessing in heaven.

Linda

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