You probably have noticed Megan is not Zambian. Megan is from Chicago and has lived in Zambia since 2006. She has worked with Arise Africa since August of 2011. Megan helps us on all of our education focused work as well as planning and organizing mission trips from the Zambia side. Megan spends most of her time working with the schools that we partner with and assessing their needs. She also works with our child sponsorship officers on report writing and other situations that come up. Megan has a great relationship with the government of Zambia in the social welfare and child protection services and helps us with the paperwork and getting children in our full custody.
Interesting Fact About Megan: I have a little sister that was adopted from Zambia and lives in Chicago.
Funniest thing about working with Americans in Zambia: "Americans have a hard time forgetting about the watch on their hands and just living life over here sometimes, its funny to watch them learn about 'African time.'"
Dream for Arise Africa:"My dream for Arise is that we grow solid and steady and that we show the love of Christ in every aspect of our work."
Megan raises all of her support through Arise Africa for her living expenses.
Brenda helps run our child sponsorship program and certainly plays the motherly role to all of us. She is extremely caring and loving. We are convinced she is the Zambian mother Theresa and we are all waiting to see her sin in ANY way at some point! (some of us have bets going) Brenda is in charge of 20 kids who receive help each month through their American sponsors. She helps pay their school fees, feed and clothe them, disciple them, and visits their homes on a regular basis. She is in their school everyday with them. Brenda writes bi monthly reports for each child and sends photos and letters from the kids as well. Brenda puts up with all of our crazy personalities and truly takes care of MANY more (including our entire team) people that the 20 kids she is in charge of. She has a heart of gold! Brenda has one son, Jefferson who is 18.
Funniest Thing about working with Americans: “I love to work with Americans because they are real and they have a heart of a child! They are hard working and most of all they like to have great fun. It makes me feel free and laugh when am with you guys!”
Interesting fact about Brenda: “I love to watch comedies and I love dolls.”
Dream for Arise Africa: “My dream is to see Arise Africa being truly used as a channel by God to help the children and adults of Zambia and Africa at large. I want to see Arise Africa expand to other nations in Africa and be a place of refuge for the hopeless child."
Susan Gondwe quite possibly has the best singing voice in Zambia. She is amazing at worship and loving on her 20 kids in the child sponsorship program. Susan and Brenda work at the same school with their kids and take care of the many things associated with our child sponsorship program. Susan in particular has two children who require special medical attention on a regular basis and she takes them to the clinic and watches their health. Susan will be getting married in June of 2012.
Funniest Thing about working with Americans:
Interesting fact about Susan:
Lucy Viola has some serious energy! And we love it! Lucy has no problem getting in a game of jump rope or singing at the top of her lungs when she is working with kids. Her heart and passion for children in Zambia is very evident. She works with 20 kids in our child sponsorship program and makes sure they are cared for. She works in their school and helps tutor them, feed, and clothe them.
Interesting Fact About Lucy: "I am one big kid on the inside, I love kid's movies, and I sing Veggie Tales songs in the shower!"
Funniest thing about working with Americans: "Most Americans are very independent people so because of this sometimes they are a bit too comfortable with knowing how to do things in our culture. Then they make a mistake and then come back to you and it is funny to watch them interact with culture. They always are so nice and willing to learn and I love that about them."
Dream for Arise Africa: "My dream is that there will be continued great unity between Zambia and the American side of Arise Africa and that we take child sponsorship to another level where not only the kids who are in primary school are sponsored but to where these kids that we have started with we can sponsor them to college level if possible. We give them a great foundation in primary level but I want to see my kids receive college educations to become great leaders for Zambia. I would like to see us be able to expand to other parts of Zambia as well."
Soloman is our go-to guy for just about everything. Soloman works to help Bwalya everyday on various tasks within Arise Africa. Sometime he might be at community schools checking on projects or delivering food for child sponsorship. He also helps write reports to the USA side of Arise Africa. Soloman is the 6th of 9 children.
Interesting fact about Soloman: "I spend most of my free time cooking, writing poetry, and rap music though none of it has hit the studios yet!"
Funniest Thing about working with Americans: Soloman has not had the wonderful experience of workin with an Arise Africa mission trip. Stay tuned to hear his thoughts after the June 2012 mission trips!
Dream for Arise Africa: "My dream would be to see all the children in our child sponsorship program have the opportunity complete their education through college and become responsible citizens who will contribute to the growth and development of Zambia. It would be great to see managers, directors, ministers, or even presidents come from among these children."
