I'm Mariah! A little bit about me: I'm an elementary education major at Texas A&M University (Class of 2013--whoop!) and I'm from Southlake, Texas. I love my friends and family SO much and God blessed me way more than I deserve with the people he put in my life! I like ice cream, Justin Bieber, painting, singing, and the color purple! But, you probably already know all of this if you're reading my blog... :)
WHAT is the issue?
Zambia is a landlocked country in sub-Saharan Africa. There are 12 million people in Zambia and half of them are under the age of 16. That means half of the country is children. Such a large percentage is due to the high death rate from extreme poverty and the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Of the 6 million children in Zambia, more than 1 million of them are orphaned. Zambia has the 5th highest death rate in the world, and the average life expectancy here is 38 years old.
Simply put, Zambia needs some lovin'. The country is racked with poverty and darkness, so we come to bring the light of Christ. The light of Christ chases out the darkness, the darkness flees from the light. Praise the Lord! The Zambian government and culture doesn't care about the children in the country, but Jesus does. We are called to be the hands and feet of Christ, allowing Him to use US to touch the lives of His children. And THAT is what Family Legacy, Camp LIFE, and my time in Zambia is all about.
What is Camp LIFE? Camp LIFE is a "week-long camp held throughout the summer for orphaned and vulnerable children in Zambia, Africa. Each summer, hundreds of Americans come to Zambia for one or two weeks to lead a group of 10-12 Zambian children. We sing songs, play games, teach the Bible and each orphan gets a new shirt and a gift at the end of the week. Almost 10% of the country of Zambia is an orphaned child and we want to show each child how much God loves them. For many of these children this is the best week of their entire year." (familylegacy.com)
"I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you." John 14:18
WHEN will I be in Zambia?
I leave for Zambia on May 31st-- only 10 days from today! I can't believe how fast this day is approaching! I will be in Zambia for five-ish weeks, and I'll be returning to the states on July 3rd!
WHERE is Zambia located?
Family Legacy is based in Lusaka, Zambia, which is the country's capital. We work with children from the slums of Lusaka and surrounding areas.
WHY am I writing this blog?
God had blessed me in sending me to Lusaka, Zambia this summer for the third time! I created this blog for a couple of reasons... First of all, I will be using this as my personal journal as I serve on summer staff in Zambia. I have found that it's important for me to document what the Lord does in my life (and in the lives around me) so that I can remember his power, his sovereignty, and his faithfulness. Secondly, I want my friends and family to be able to know these things and be encouraged by them as well. I know that when I get back to the states at the end of my time in Zambia, I won't remember all of the details that make up the miracles that are going to happen here; so, I want to document them when they happen so that y'all can be able to experience and appreciate God's power alongside me!
But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.
Acts 20:24
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