We have just returned from a trip to Zambia.
There are many moments in our work in Kantolomba that become milestones, turning points, things that happen that seem to shape the course of the project. A huge one happened nearly eight years ago when Regina became pregnant at age 12. I was heartbroken, and I also knew that I couldn’t know whether this was “good” for Regina or “bad.” Over the years, with the help of Theresa, we attempted to see how we could assist Regina, but it was complicated and she eventually moved away to Lusaka. It was a significant letting go.
But Regina inspired the shape of the Girls Program. Her experience underlined for all of us the need for structured support and one-on-one encouragement for girls of this age. There are so many forces working against their opportunity to stay in school and eventually go on to learn a skill or profession.
As you might have read in the blogs, we made the decision to select five grade-one girls to go to a private English school. These are the girls indicated by our pre-school teachers as already, showing a zest for learning at this early age. The mothers had been asked to come to the Living Compassion property one afternoon. As each mother arrived, Theresa explained in Bemba that Living Compassion wanted to start a new part of the Girls Program, a pilot program to choose a small handful of girls to enter a private school in grade 1, thus immersing them in an all-English, very academically supportive environment from the very start of their education. The mothers were universally thrilled. Tears, laughter, and joy showed on each of their faces. One mother said to Theresa, “If you could see inside of me right now, you would see how my heart is dancing.”
We were sitting quietly discussing other things, waiting for the last mom to arrive. In the middle of our discussion Theresa suddenly pointed towards the gate. “You won’t believe it, Jen! This is the mother of little Karen arriving. I never knew who Karen’s mother was. I can’t believe it. Look who it is!”
I stood up, wondering to myself who could this mother be that I would know? I only know the co-operative members and I knew none of them as little Karen’s mother. As I peered down the path I was stunned. There was beautiful Regina walking towards us, a toddler on her back.
Theresa (left) and Regina
I was literally speechless, tears welling in my eyes. Regina approached with a shy smile on her face and we simply embraced. She sat down and Theresa explained, as she had with each of the other mothers, what we were proposing for Karen. Regina listened and repeated at each interval, “emkwai,” a phrase that is the equivalent of “prego” in Italian, in this context meaning “I understand/I am with you.”
Regina is now 19 years old, mother of Karen, 7, and Juliet, 2. I had goose bumps as Theresa and Regina finished the conversation, Regina gathering up Juliet and placing her on her back, marveling at how lives are changed in single moments.
“God works in mysterious ways,” Theresa and I remarked to one another as Regina walked out of the gate of Living Compassion. “She is back in the family.”
Join the Celebration of Courage, Generosity and Family as we come together to support another year of transformation in Kantolomba. Your contribution matters and ripples out for years and generations to come, in ways we can never imagine.
In Gassho
Jen