A New Path

It has been awhile since I have written a blog…The Lord has done a lot in the past month in the way of molding me and teaching me as well as leading me on a new path. Since the school was out of session, I spent a large amount of time at the orphanage helping the children improve their English. There is one boy in particular with a learning disability who I worked with over and over again using clay. It became so discouraging at times because he would spell the word over and over and then forget the next second. Even though it was hard, the time I spent with each child was so special. The rest of my time was spent covering library books with plastic so that the children can use them. Each day, God had to give me his grace sufficient for me because I did not feel I was being used in the area I am called to and I was not trusted by the organization, due to many untrustworthy people who have worked there in the past. The Lord has now led me in a new direction that seems it was planned for me before I came back to Zambia.

Before I came, I had spoken to an organization called Overland Missions about possibly doing a project with them, but I lost contact until I came to Livingstone and found myself surrounded by many missionaries working for this organization. I had a meeting with the director of the project and he explained more about the project and that they really needed a social worker. I explained my situation with Ebenezer and I was told to pray if this was the right place for me. After meeting many people working on the project of Overland Missions and feeling God’s release for me to leave Ebenezer, I decided to pursue the position at Overland Missions. It is a Christian organization committed to spreading the gospel deep into the bush of Africa. The project I am working with is called the LIFE project and is considered the humanitarian arm of the organization. They have started 18 preschools in many different villages and want to connect healthcare and care for orphans and vulnerable children to these schools. Their vision is to empower the people and give them enough support for them to be self-sustainable so that they can move onto other villages. The project is exactly my heart for Africa and the approach is the approach of a social worker, very holistic. I have gone into one of the villages with one of the project leaders to see the preschools and was amazed to see how well a preschool can run in the middle of the bush in a mud hut. They have toys made from local materials (bottles, caps, cans, egg cartons, milk cartons, etc.) and the teachers are from the community.

They would like to bring immunizations from the local clinics into the preschools so that they are available to the children who may not otherwise receive them. They are also helping the community to start community gardens which will help feed orphans and vulnerable children. Overall, the gospel is given to each community through each project and God’s love is evident. As we drove out to the village, we brought a little girl with us who had recently undergone three operations on her arm which had been fused to her body after she fell into a fire pit. Overland Missions helped pay for these operations and allowed the girl to recover at their base. I have never seen such a beautiful smile and her big brown eyes filled with such joy when she returned home. I am looking forward to all the excitement and challenges that come through this project. The one thing God has asked me to let go of is the great desire for a paycheck and instead desiring to be where God wants me because He will provide for ALL my needs. I will need to raise $2000 a month for living expenses, retirement, and administration costs. I will also need to raise $5000 for a three month training as well as money for a car to drive into the bush and to the base which is in a village outside of town. I will need a work permit next year as well. I know my God is big enough to provide these things though I still need prayers to trust Him that He will provide where He has sent me.

God has continued to reveal more of his nature through a Bible study I have been going to every week with some other missionaries on the tabernacle. It is so fascinating how the pattern He gave to the Israelites to build the tabernacle represents so much in our relationship with Him today. Perhaps the biggest thing I have learned this week is about Elizabeth and Zechariah who were “righteous” in the sight of God yet could not bear a child. What was so easy for everyone else seemed impossible to them and yet it was because God chose them to do something supernatural in them. Zechariah entered the holy place and spoke with God and his prayer was heard. They bore John the Baptist who paved the way for our Savior. I want to believe that for myself during the times where it seems so easy for everyone else, but so difficult for myself. God will make a way for me, but He may choose me to make a supernatural way for me.

I have also seen God’s hand this week when I visited the only hospice in Livingstone, set up by a Catholic Priest, with some others from my church. Men, women, and children are given dignity and comfort as they die of all kinds of diseases there. Many have HIV and have been abandoned by their families. I was shocked as I walked in and saw people who looked like skeletons as they were so thin from their disease. We shared with them the good news of Jesus and rejoiced as many knew Him already or accepted Him for the first time. We listened to them, touched them, and loved them in whatever state they were in and God was glorified. I look forward to returning and continuing in prayer for each of them. Vincent, a 14-year-old boy who is blind and cannot walk or talk; Alice, an old women, in pain for 11 years from sores on her legs, Paulina; a woman with TB (most likely AIDS) whose family abandoned her, but says she is not afraid to die; John, an old man who cannot talk, but was able to communicate his desire to receive Jesus; and many more who’s names and stories I cannot remember, but they are remembered by the Father…

God has molded and shaped me and is continuing to do so. He has provided an American my age named Nicole and several American missionaries to love me and care for me at my point of need. I have been filled as I pour out to others though I continue to yearn for your prayers.

If you feel lead to give toward my new role in Overland Missions, please contact me and I can give you the information as it is not quite ready yet. I will be coming back to the U.S. at the end of December as well to visit and fundraise. Please also contact me if you are interested in helping me put together a fundraiser. God bless.

erinnhartzell@yahoo.com

Love

"Love is when someone doesn't have clothes and you feel like that person is you, but it's not." Martha, age 10, Livingstone, Zambia
This is the beautiful quote that one of the girls at the orphanage said during a time of encouragement. All of the children are so beautiful and have so much to offer. Ebenezer truly has been a place of refuge for them. For little Martha who was the head of the household - cleaning and taking care of her baby sister, for Anna who's sister was selling each pair of clothing she would obtain, for Sheila who had a hole in her heart that no one knew about and was taken to South Africa for surgery paid for by Nelson Mandela, for baby Esther - a child so malnourished and full of intestinal worms that her stomach was literally making it hard for her to breath, and for so many others who have a story I haven't yet heard about. All of the children come from desperate circumstances, the lowest of low, the most vulnerable, and yet God has redeemed each one of them. They have so much to offer as you have seen from Martha and they never cease to humble those around them.

This week was a sad week because one of the teachers in the school passed away suddenly. The day before I was in her classroom talking and laughing with her and the next morning she was gone. It is still unknown how she died, though it is suspected it was an aneurysm. It was heartbreaking and a huge blow to Ebenezer school. Please continue to pray for her family (her husband and 3 children), and the rest of the staff as they suffer this huge loss. This is an all too common thing here in Africa for many reasons I'm sure. It made me realize once again how fragile life is and the mere moments I have with someone could really be their last. I am learning to take advantage of these small moments to learn from these people, share Christ, and share life. Today, I met a man on the streets who told me he has AIDS and is on ARV's. He wanted something to eat as he had not eaten in 2 days and was very weak. He smelt of beer so I asked if he had been drinking and though he denied at first, he told me sometimes he felt so much pain he just wanted to cover it. I shared with him about the overwhelming love of Christ and the freedom found in him and then I prayed for the man. I bought some food for him and prayed that this man would be set free from his addiction and his pain. I don't know where his heart is, but I know God is faithful in working in people's hearts. His name is Meshach. I pray he will have the same faith as Meshach in the Bible and will face hardships with that same presence of God. Please continue to pray for him as well.

Through many discouragements and feelings of hopelessness, there have been lights through people like Boyd and Betty. Boyd had been living on the streets when I first came and through much work and determination, he is now in school doing well, very involved in church, very polite, and he loves God. Betty lives with her brothers and father in a very small shack with no electricity or plumbing and many times no food. She is 17 and will finish high school next year. Every time she needs school fees, the Lord provides in miraculous ways and her faith is so strong. I listened as she told me that even when she has no food, she knows her God is faithful and loving. She humbles me so much and draws me closer to God. She knows He is the only reason she is still alive and passing 2nd in her class. She will go on to do great things and continue to encourage those around her.

Please continue to pray for these people, the children and staff at Ebenezer, strength through discouragement, and a closer relationship with God. I have prepared to do many things here that I have not been able to do which has been discouraging, but I'm always being taught to WAIT and hear from God. It is very hard as I like to do things and see results, but that is not always what he wants. There is always blessing in the waiting and I have started to see it through having time to spend with the children, blessing the staff through organizing and encouragement, and allowing resources to be used through sorting them (books and donations), but I still need encouragement that what I am doing is making a difference. I would also appreciate prayer for continued financial assistance and direction as to where the Lord is leading me (for how long I will stay here and with Ebenezer, etc).

Please enjoy some pictures of the kids and the school/orphanage on facebook. If you don't have facebook and would like to see the pictures, I can send a link to you.

Adjustment Once More

I’m back home in Zambia and feeling so many feelings once more. Each time I come back there is a whirlwind of emotions that flows over me. I feel so happy to be here again amidst people so hungry for God and community, lonely for girls my age to pour my heart out to, sad at all the pain and heartache that I see people face here, and angry that I feel helpless and out of place at times.

My first week here was certainly interesting, difficult, and exciting all at the same time. The second night I was here, the power company turned off the power at the place I am staying and took Alice to the police station saying she was using an illegal connection. We had to go find her to see if she was alright. It ended up being fine, but we have not had power for a week now because she is negotiating how much she will pay with the power company and she is waiting for school fees to start coming in. There was also a domestic dispute in the house with some people living here so they had to leave. I had to help calm them down. I also found out that the neighbor boy who lived behind us last time had fallen out of a truck and it ran over his leg. He had to have it amputated which was very sad to hear because he was studying so hard to be a plumber and electrician. Now, I don’t know if he will be able to get a prosthetic one or what will happen.

Despite all the craziness, I have been able to see so many people that I had missed and see some of the fruits of my work from last time. Many of the children I was working with last time are doing so well. This week I started at Ebenezer though it has been a little crazy with visitors coming from Australia. I met the children and heard some of their stories and helped clean the houses for the visitors. I am blown away by the way God has provided for this organization and raised up these children. These are children who come from the lowest of low in the most desperate situations and they are being raised up as leaders. What a story of restoration! I can’t wait to hear more and be a part of their lives. Next week I will have more of a schedule to help me to understand my role, but for now I am enjoying friends and the visitors who have come. Ebenezer just bought land for a farm in order to grow food for the children and the workers and to teach the children farming techniques. They are also building a home for babies. I’ll be moving next week to a one bedroom place by myself until my friend Charity can move in with me (after 2 months).

The Lord has reminded me once again that it is not about the skills and knowledge that I have, but about what He can do. Every time I rely on my own knowledge and skills, He brings me back to reality and I feel helpless until I see the work He can use me for if I am just willing…

Dear Friends and Family,
I have some exciting news to share with you. On August 26th, 2009, I will be boarding a plane for Livingstone, Zambia to begin a 6-12 month period of community service with Ebenezer Child-Care Trust, a non-profit Christian organization committed to serving orphans and vulnerable children in Zambia.

As many of you know, I graduated from California State University, Long Beach this May with my Master’s degree in social work. I also volunteered for 9 months last year in Zambia where I started a child sponsorship program and raised money for a small preschool. It has been a lifelong goal of mine to achieve an advanced degree in counseling and continue to work in Africa where I can serve people in great need. This dream is finally becoming real.

Ebenezer Child Care Trust was founded in 2001 as a small feeding program for street kids. Mrs. Ranji Chara, pioneered this project. They were initially able to feed street kids a few times a week, according to the funding they received. As funds grew they rented out the 1st house in June 2001 and moved the street kids into it. They now had a stable home environment and a sense of family life. Today, Ebenezer has built three houses for Orphans and Vulnerable children. Construction is presently on the way in building a Home for Babies who have been abandoned or neglected due to the death of their mothers. By the Grace of God Ebenezer has been able to acquire land for building their new children’s homes. They have also been able to acquire a 40 acre farm land for Agriculture purposes. This would enable the project to be more sustainable. They also hope to put up a building to train orphans and vulnerable children in Agriculture, so that they may learn a life-skill as well as open a Medical Center when funds are available. A medical center would provide basic health services and education to orphans and staff at the homes and also those from the school and surrounding communities.

Ebenezer currently provides accommodation for 30 orphans and street kids. The children receive parental care from the house-mother and staff in these homes. Ebenezer also runs a Primary School located a few kilometers away from the orphanage. The school provides free education for over 280 orphans and vulnerable children and also supplements their diet with a highly enriched porridge, and lunch. The children enrolled in this school come from the neediest parts of townships in Livingstone. They are provided with all school supplies, clothes, shoes, food, counseling and loving care by caring staff.

For 6-12 months I will work with orphans and vulnerable children helping them to gain the skills and resources they need to become healthy adults. This means I will be counseling children who need additional support after losing key family members, tutoring children, teaching English courses, and responding to circumstances as they present themselves. This is a chance to use the skills and knowledge I have gained to serve others.

To be able to help at Ebenezer, I need to find a way to raise $1800 to cover my plane ticket and $400-500 a month to cover basic living expenses and to meet tangible needs while in Zambia. I am writing to ask you to prayerfully consider offering your support and prayers and I am very appreciative of any donation you can offer. All gifts are tax-deductible through a 501(c)3 organization called Generosity in Action that Ebenezer uses in the U.S. Ebenezer is a registered charitable organization in Zambia under Registration Number C/697. It is governed by a Board of Directors in Zambia. Quarterly financial statements are sent to their main donors and close supervision of this project is undertaken at all times.
If you are interested in donating, you have the option of either donating on-line at www.generosityinaction.org or sending a check payable to Philanthropic Ventures Foundation to:

Generosity in Action
c/o Philanthropic Ventures Foundation
1222 Preservation Park Way
Oakland, CA 94612-1201

Please make sure to note that the money is allocated for Ebenezer Child-Care Trust-Erin Hartzell. You will receive confirmation of the qualifying donation and 501(c)3 status directly. Also, by checking with your employer about a corporate matching gift program, your donation could go even further.

Thanks very much for your kind consideration. I appreciate your continued prayer for me and the entire organization, in addition to the countless numbers of hurting people in Zambia.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding my trip, please feel free to contact me via the contacts seen below. I also encourage you to visit http://www.ebenezerchildcare.org to find out more information about the organization itself.

Again, thank you so much for all of your support. Know that your donations are not only helping me, but are helping a very needy community in Zambia.

Sincerely,

Erin Hartzell
erinnhartzell@yahoo.com


Ebenezer Child-Care Trust Mission Statement:
“A place to call home and someone to call Mother.”
* To rehabilitate orphans/street kids and to help them become responsible citizens one day.
* To educate orphans in formal education and in vocations such as carpentry, agriculture etc.
* To make the project as self-sustaining as possible by growing our own vegetables, raising
chickens and goats for meat and building homes to eliminate rental costs.