Camp Deborah
ZambiaCamp Deborah is an ongoing project of the Women’s Guild of the Presbyterian Church in Zambia. The women bought some acreage of land outside Lusaka, the country’s capital, and are building a “camp” on the site. They started by raising chickens and selling them to food stores. While this is ongoing, they are spending their profits on a number of projects. They have drilled a well for water, planted fruit trees as the beginnings of an orchard, and have now begun construction of a multi-purpose conference center building.
Eventually the camp will have a worship center, a conference center, a farm and dormitories for students of a school. They hire local unemployed people to help with the work, and are diligent and focused on their vision and dream. The faith and spirit of these women is and will be a blessing to the people who live nearby and on those who are helping with this project.
Christ’s Community Church helps financially support this mission on an annual basis.
Camp Deborah Update
I talked with you during worship in July about how our mission contribution is helping Camp Deborah in Zambia, Africa. I have received some additional information about the progress the Women’s Guild is making, and want to share with you their blessings and joy.
Our 2013 contribution was used to expand the chicken raising project. If they can raise enough chickens, a supermarket chain (Shop Rite Africa) will give them an ongoing contract to supply chickens for their retail stores. Not only will the money raised in this way be used to fund the (recently started) first main building project on the Camp Deborah site, but it will also allow them to hire a number of unemployed people from the area around the camp.
The Women’s Guild has recently paid to have a borehole drilled (see photo below). A borehole is a long, narrow well used to access underground water. It is covered with a hand-pump to prevent contamination and to ease access. This is a very big deal, and allows people using the camp (for meetings and conferences, and eventually for children who will use school facilities there) to have pure and clean drinking water.
Our contribution goes a long way in helping with the mission and goals of this very passionate, energetic and faith driven group of women at Camp Deborah. They are grateful for our interest and continued support. – Linda Martin
