This initial trip to Zambia was a vision trip in order to learn about disability work already being done there & how we could help it. Unlike France, we had never been to Zambia or to southern Africa before.

We worked primarily in Lusaka with the Special Hope Network. It was founded by Eric & Holly Nelson in 2010. Their vision has grown into a passionate & generous community creating a world for children with intellectual disabilities.

The July 28 Night to Shine in Lusaka welcomed 220 guests with special needs. It was a joy-filled afternoon event celebrating these Kings & Queens.

We also visited 3 different Special Hope Network educational centers where 250 children ages 0-12 with intellectual & developmental disabilities come for training & socialization. The staff is extremely dedicated to these children & their care givers.

I was happy all 4 pieces of luggage with children’s clothes arrived in Lusaka. The children will enjoy wearing these gently used clothes given by 10 New Jersey families.

While in Lusaka, I was able to meet up with Pastor Joseph who oversees the ministry of AWANA in sub Sahara Africa. This covers 30+ nations, including Zambia.

After Lusaka, I flew to Livingstone for a 3 day visit.

Livingstone is named after the missionary & abolitionist David Livingstone. I visited the Livingstone Museum.

While in Livingstone, I met an American couple & their friend who had come from serving on another ministry service trip in another part of Zambia. They had been with some workers with Operation Mobilization who also work with disability.

I met an American woman named Diane from Nebraska at the hotel restaurant. Her Zambian son-in-law Kenneth is from Livingstone. They begun a non-profit association called RISE Literacy Zambia that ships books from the U.S. to Livingstone to help improve literacy.

While eating at the Johannesburg, South Africa Airport, I met a Zambian woman named Maria. She asked to share my phone charger for her phone. She was traveling to Australia on a fund-raising trip for the charity Our Rainbow House, which provides education & nutrition to orphans & vulnerable children in Zambia.

Finally, I found an excellent taxi driver in Livingstone named Jabes Mwale. He is very dependable, friendly & fair-priced. His What’s App phone number is +260 97 7190864. If you are passing through Livingston, please consider using his services.