One thing I love about being part of our business training class is getting the chance to see the excitement in the eyes of the entrepreneurs for the opportunity to learn!
….and there is always the celebration of graduation!
A Day In Zambia
•September 8, 2011 • Leave a CommentWe were treading along the dusty road towards Green Hill School when Bwalya asked us if we would like to stop for a quick hike. He pulled over and we headed up the hill known by the locals as “Miracle Mountain.” As we neared the top, echoes of voices became clearer and clearer and we could hear the tunes of worship rising high above the trees. Bwalya asked us if we’d like to join in and as we neared the group of about twenty men and women, their joyful noise filled the air with clapping, dancing and singing. They welcomed us in to the circle and didn’t even laugh at us for our less than rhythmic attempts of joining them in their expressive style of worship. It was a beautifully clear, sunny day in Zambia and with one voice, we all lifted praise to our God. They didn’t know us and we didn’t know them but in the minutes that passed as we all sung together, it didn’t matter. There was a unity that ran deeper than any cultural or language barrier could prevent and a love that we had all been tethered by. And though we hadn’t even exchanged names, we already knew the truest thing about eachother – that each of us had been saved by a grace much bigger than any of us. And so we lifted our voices as one.
I don’t know why the locals call that place “Miracle Mountain”, but for each of us who were visitors that day, we experienced the miracle of the Body of Christ coming together in a way that will forever be etched in our memories. Our Zambian brothers and sisters blessed us so greatly that day and we look forward to the day we can worship with them again in heaven.
Stay tuned for more tales of adventures from our time in Zambia and also many pictures to come….
Dallas Happy Hour
•August 4, 2011 • Leave a CommentThanks to everyone who came out to our Dallas Happy Hour to support Empower Zambia’s upcoming trip! We’re excited about our new group of entrepreneurs!
celebrating worship, art, & culture
•March 4, 2011 • Leave a CommentAs Empower Zambia works within two very different cultures, we wanted to take time to celebrate the beauty in the differences of societies and heritages, while remembering the One who created them all. Last week, on Fuller campus in Pasadena, several students threw a fundraising event for us beautifully depicting various forms of worship developed through several cultural avenues. There was jazz, gospel, acoustic guitar, stand up comedy, slam poetry, a photography exhibit and more. I love the reminder that there is no formula to worshiping God. How creative is He who established culture, so how vast are the ways enabling us to adore Him?
Drink Well
•December 30, 2010 • Leave a CommentEmpower Zambia is selling Well Coffee to raise money for our efforts to promote direct trade coffee bean purchases in Zambia. Well Coffee is a local Dallas roaster with an incredible vision and product. Contact me if you are interested in a bag! Live Well. Love Well. Drink Well.
Become a Fan of EZ
•November 23, 2010 • Leave a Comment
Empower Zambia now has a Facebook page! Become a fan and get up to date stories, photos, and information from EZ. Just click to join.
Co-Op Up and Running!
•October 4, 2010 • Leave a CommentFour of our entrepreneurs started a community store with their loan money. By combining their loans, they were able to hire another member of their village to build them a shop – now not only are our entrepreneurs benefiting off this co-op, but Steven (the builder) was provided with a job as well. By the time I left training, they had already started construction. Building is over, products are bought, and the store is open for business!
Mr. and Mrs. Tembo organizing the products inside
The shop is located on a main road into the village. Perfect!
A before photo. The start of construction several months ago.
Thank You Eventbrite!
•September 14, 2010 • Leave a CommentLast week I was given the opportunity to speak at DFW Unplugged about Empower Zambia and was honored with the proceeds from the event. Eventbrite put on an incredible business symposium, and the tech community in Dallas ended up raising $1,400 to further our program in Zambia!! Zikomo (thank you!) Check out this awesome event company at www.eventbrite.com
A little something called Tax Exempt
•August 25, 2010 • 1 CommentI write to you with great news! Empower Zambia has been officially recognized by the IRS as a public charity with 501(c)(3) status. All donations made will now be considered under this status – it will be tax deductible. This gained status is such a blessing for our organization, and will help us provide business training and entrepreneurship opportunities for so many more people in Zambia, Africa. The Lord has been so faithful to us as we pursue the sharing of the Gospel of Christ through the teaching, serving, and application of edifying business practices.
step up and be recognized
•July 30, 2010 • Leave a CommentTo say I am proud of the accomplishments of the entrepreneurs participating in Empower Zambia would probably be an understatement. They really amaze me with all they are able to do, and quite often inspire me to think beyond my limits. From raising families, to working in the farms, to educating the children, to providing for the orphans, to making medicine to benefit the community, to being selfless wives, to running their own small businesses, these women prove to me we are capable of much more than we sometime give ourselves credit for or even acknowledge.
As much as they inspire me with their lives, one thing I am totally impressed with is their incredibly good dance skills. I know Africans have a reputation of being good dancers, but this group is seriously acceptable. Promise. My attempts to keep up with them is really humorous to say the least, but I had no idea I was in the midst of award winning dancers. The class informed me this week that the Empower Zambia group, along the Cultural Dance Group, received the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives Award after winning the Lusaka District Agriculture Show as best Woman’s Club and Dance Group. They were awarded 5 bags of mealie meal and bread flower. Not only this, but they won third prize at another competition, who presented them with 200 chickens for their poultry house. This also landed them a slot in the Commercial show taking place tomorrow. I’m still trying to figure out what this group doesn’t do.
photo by Whitney Warnes Photography
