Zambia Student Trip 2022 - Day 4

Today we woke up bright and early to the smell of homemade crepes with fresh fruit and whipped cream. After rushing to eat our breakfast, we hurried to morning devotionals at 7:20 sharp where we learned of the importance of youth faith and ministry in the christian church. Devotionals went by fast and soon after we were assigned to pray for the patients and their families. Though language barriers held us back from saying everything we wanted, God’s word still came through despite our lack of understanding. We were then split up into groups where we were assigned to help out around the hospital. Some of the things we helped out with were: playing with kids in the ward, cooking food in the kitchen, sitting with the patients before surgery, shadowing the physical therapist, and helping out in storage. For the next three hours we did these specific jobs around the hospital learning a lot from the staff and patients. Lunch soon followed where we were served rice, beans, and vegetables. After satisfying our hunger and playing some football with the kids, our next task was to then finish the painting on the walkway we started yesterday. The painting was of footprints leading to specific parts of the hospital for the patients to follow. With paint overflowing on the ground and hands dripping with fresh yellow and pink paint, we finally finished the job. After that, it was time to play football with some of the staff after a long day of work. Though our skill was no match to the staff, who dressed like professional football players, we played to the best to our ability covered in dirt and sweat. The staff then invited us to a local braai, which consisted of eating Zambian food around a fire while telling stories. Arriving at the braai, which was in the woods behind Cure, we were welcomed to a setting of a local African village complete with a straw wall and hut. All sitting around the fire we ate a variety of meats and vegetables while some of the staff shared stories and cultural shocks they had experienced in foreign countries. We were all stuffed with the delicious food and good stories, when we packed into the van to make it back to the house. With the day coming to an end we shared testimonies, debriefed, and played card games.

By Kate

- Kate