Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

This August I will be joining a team volunteering for two weeks in Zambia with the charity Mission Direct.

I will be living and working in and around Lusaka, alongside the Evangelical Church of Zambia (ECZ).

Some of the time I will be involved with a project which aims to help improve the facilities at a Primary school called "Kiine School" founded by the ECZ.  I will be helping to build classrooms as well as playing and having fun with the children!

Some of the the time I will be visiting projects that run programmes to help vunerable people and children at risk, clinics providing medical care, food for those living in slums, health education teaching basic hygiene and health care.  I will visit a "child dump centre" where babies and young children who have no one to look after them are literally "dumped".  I will be working alongside local churches to show the Jesus film and tell the gospel message to people who have never heard any "good news" before.  I go with the expectation that we will be extending God's Kingdom in every way.

Zambia was previously the British Colony of Northern Rhodesia.  There had been significant debt relief recently; however Zambia still ranks 165 out of 177, on the UN Human Development Index. Over 60% of the population live on less than 50p a day.  Average life expectancy is 40 years. Infant mortality rates are amoungst the worst in sub Saharan Africa.One in five mothers is HIV positive.  The HIV infection kills around 80,000 people each year.  65% of hospital beds are occupied by HIV/AIDS related patients.

To see what inspired me to want to go to Zambia with MissionDirect, visit the link below : )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FQMDW6mp1Y

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Thank you so much for digging deep and donating.

Instead of 50th Birthday presents this year I am asking for money which will go towards helping to buy things for the children at Kiine School.

Please support and pray for me.

All my love

Sarah x