Thursday, July 10, 2008

much with little...learning from Zambia


Lesson number One: much with little

Perhaps one of the greatest learning curves from the Zambian front is how much gets done for the Kingdom with so little resources. Zambia has between 70 to 80% of it's people saved. They have outposts that are led by local officers all over the place... they helped to build the education system... they dig wells in strategic places...

one outpost I visited (Chikombola) was building a hall to accomodate for the rainy season coming up and I asked how that worked... here it goes:
every family contributes some bricks and then they build it together... the only tools were some homemade ones... people even helped dig the foundations with their bare hands.
I told them that we had buildings (too embarrassed to tell them how many and how lavish they are) but not enough people... their problem is the opposite. And maybe that's what helps to build the kingdom. They certainly aren't short of spiritual resources... they have hope, energy, and life - perhaps their investment in the things that matter most (i.e. PEOPLE instead of projects) have helped them to grow the actual church instead of concentrating on what they don't have in physical resources - they've enjoyed what they do have (community and Holy Spirit - the essentials of church).
I'm just thinking - but if we stopped complaining about a lack of physical resources and took to the spiritual battlefield... perhaps we'd advance the kingdom???

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks Danielle - brings to mind Acts 3v6 - Silver and gold I do not have, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. Appreciative Reader.

Anonymous said...

I have also been on a mission trip and found that they lack material goods in the country I travelled to but have what is most important - FAITH, LOVE and COMMUNITY. Give me that anyday. God Bless