BUILDING CHRISTIAN SCHOOL IN ZAMBIA, AFRICA

It's easier to build strong children than to change broken men. Fredrick Douglass. 

European and British colonisation, corruption and poverty are key factors that are felt by the older generations in Zambia. Even though there are many churches in Zambia, sometimes very little difference is realised without the transformational power of God and discipleship. We believe that the church should be fully orbed and have a multi-pronged influence in society. We had an inkling that God wanted us to help raise the next generation and work with children In Zambia to help close the gap.

A few years ago, we started to support a pastor under our care by fundraising and selling my paintings. I had actually raised more than was needed and wondered how I could invest the surplus money wisely. When the opportunity arose in a local village to start a school I was delighted. My husband suggested that before we start our own school/ transformational project, we should set up a pilot school in Lusaka (without much risk) to learn as much as we can so our future endeavours would be successful.

We put feet to our faith by taking the first step to start a school with a local pastor and earlier in 2015 a little dream of starting that pilot Christian preparatory school was realised.



The local pastor was generously willing to help us and together we worked to pioneer a little school on her property. We used the church building she already had established. With some of the money I had raised we built a toilet block and finished walls and transformed the church into a classroom.

My job description during the following weeks were bricklayer, spirit level holder, teacher, principal, maid, bookkeeper, administrator, photographer, videographer, fundraiser, painter, babysitter, purchaser, bossy boots, pastor, disciple maker, friend, bulldozer, wife, mother and stress monkey. After a few weeks of frenzied activity, we got to enjoy watching the children play at the school.

The first week did not come without incredible challenges. Initially, I felt we could only start with 20 children for sustainability reasons. Some parents whose children were not accepted during orientation were angry so they ended up vandalising the church/school premises. It put great pressure on relationships and there was a definite tension in the air and conflict was abounding. At some points, we all had to fight discouragement and spiritual warfare. Witchcraft is prevalent in the area and evidence of curses around the building were also discovered by my husband.

I would spend my nights praying, unable to sleep trying to get a sense on what God was saying. Finally, the Lord was promising breakthrough and encouraged me to keep going despite personal discouragement. Many times it was not just being constantly lied to, manipulated, and cheated that discouraged me, but most of all it was myself; my self-doubt, lack of confidence and entertaining accusations.



I had to keep giving it to God and I kept reading the word and praying until I would feel peace and victory for the next challenge that lay ahead. I asked for help from my intercessor friends to pray for our every need. Much of the success we had is a credit to their faithfulness in praying. God would speak to different ones who did not know the situation and speak so accurately. God also gave me prophetic dreams of guidance before events would occur which also gave me great courage. I would also take joy from the children laughing and smiles. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was really making a difference and changing lives. The children had tangible, fresh hope. They had affordable education. With Lance's business background and my educational background and by the Lord’s grace and favour, the school grew very quickly to 53 students and we were able to make it self-sustainable for the teachers wages and water bill too.

Sometimes the hardest thing to do is simply start. After starting, it seemed to create a momentum of its own. People from around the world started offering help with generous donations and offering services to support our vision.

On the final day of our leaving, we ministered to some of the parents in an open-air meeting. I was determined to see darkness driven back. Lance preached a great sermon about the Father's heart and the Spirit of adoption. So many people were healed and delivered and even one of the staff of the school got saved.

Furthermore, in a different rural area, we are currently in negotiations for a sustainability project where the Council is offering to grant us land to build another school and transformation project which will encompass a Church plant, agricultural and business opportunities.

We would like to saturate the Southern African region with our Dream schools teaching children to dream again, offering a world class alternative to the poverty they face every day. Our future Dream children from a remote Village wanting an education.

I think we have barely begun to scratch the surface of what God wants to do, but at least we are one step closer to bringing about a transformation in Zambia and beyond.

Pastor Lance & Belle Wolter
Hope Gold Coast, Australia