Zambia #5

Today, our team traveled to two different areas in Lusaka for home visits with Beit CURE patients. First, we were welcomed into Rebecca's home in a more densely populated area of town. Rebecca, 18 years old, has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Over time, her muscles tightened and contracted in easy that made it impossible for her to walk. Her mother had to carry her everywhere, even as she continued to grow taller and heavier. The surgeons at Beit CURE hospital released those contractures and provided both a wheelchair and a walker to assist with her mobility. Today, staff from Beit CURE noticed Rebecca's custom wheelchair needed some repairs. They made a list of necessary parts and promised to return next week for repairs. This will save her family the expense and challenge of hauling her wheelchair on crowded public transportation all the way to the hospital.  

Sadly, Rebecca's father passed away last year and her family has struggled greatly since then. Despite their challenging circumstances, Rebecca's mother and sister greeted us warmly and welcomed us into their living room, a small room that felt even more cozy with our team of seven visitors. Every chair was decorated with a colorful, patterned fabric, some obviously hand-made with great care. The plain concrete floor was sparkling clean. Rebecca's mother graciously offered seats to all of her guests, while she seated herself on the floor in a corner of the room. With a smile that lit up the room, Rebecca proudly showed us her ability to stand with her walker. She is so happy to be able to attend school now because she dreams of helping other kids some day as an orthopedic surgeon.

Next, we visited Lizzy in her home in a greener, more suburban part of town. Lizzy, 16, had several surgeries at Beit CURE starting about 5 years ago to heal a dislocated hip caused by a rare form of tuberculosis. Bubbly and energetic, Lizzy proudly showed us a favorite game of Zambian girls that looks like a combination of jump rope and hopscotch, including a song. You would never imagine she was the same girl with a badly misshapen leg in her "before" photos. She brought a pitcher and bowl of warm water for hand-washing and served our entire team a tray of traditional Zambian vegetables and fresh cold water. 

We have been learning about love in our devotionals this week and I have been reflecting today on the way Zambian people show their love with hospitality. Two families, with very different homes and resources both gave their very best without reservation. The best looked different in each home; one more humble, one with greater resources, but neither could compare to the material abundance found in most American homes. Both families were eager to express their gratitude for the care and new life their child had been given at Beit CURE. Each family gave fully from their hearts to share their time with us and make us feel welcome and comfortable. What a beautiful picture of the true meaning of hospitality! The greatest gift of hospitality is not the fine food, drinks, or even the most perfectly decorated environment. We brought a few bundles of food for each family, but they gave us the even greater gift of their time, genuine presence and warm welcome into their lives.  

- Sara for the team