May 2026 - Dusty Roads and Open Doors: Our First Day in Community

Today was our first day visiting community here in Zambia. We travelled to a community in Mt Moriah, and it was a day that was equal parts beautiful, confronting, joyful, and heavy.

Our first stop was Luanshya service centre, where we met Chester, Mavis, Sylvia, Quinn, Samson, and Annie.

The team welcomed us warmly and spent time explaining the structure, purpose, and ethos behind Hands at Work.

It was incredibly encouraging to hear how Hands at Work operates both globally and locally within communities. What they have built is not a charity model, but a sustainable way of bringing Jesus into some of the most remote and vulnerable communities by caring for children and, through them, supporting entire families.

From there, we headed into the community itself - Mount Moriah Community. As the bus approached, children immediately began running alongside us.

What surprised us most was how quickly connection happened. The moment we stepped off the bus, the kids ran straight toward us, and naturally many of us found ourselves instantly playing games with them.

We played Simon Says, Duck Duck Goose, throwing games, keepings off, and other action-based games that did not require much English. Joy and laughter translated easily. One thing we noticed almost immediately was how many of the little girls gravitated toward the women on our team.Later, we played games designed to help us learn the names of both the PCGs and the children. There were 115 children present.

Andrew then shared a short Gospel message with the children.

He reminded them that although we as humans can struggle to remember names and faces, God knows every single one of them personally. He knows their names, their faces, and their stories, and each child has purpose and value in Him.

While the message was intended for the children, I think many of us on the team needed that reminder too.

Before lunch we spent some extra time simply sitting, talking, and playing with the kids. Lunch itself consisted of nshima (maize), vegetables, and a protein source of small fish or sardines.

One of the hardest moments of the day for me (Sneha) came during the meal distribution. There was a roll call system to ensure meals were allocated properly, but because Hands at Work specifically serves the most vulnerable children in the community, there were also children present who were not supposed to receive food that day.

I felt deeply conflicted standing in line knowing I had access to a meal while potential vulnerable children nearby would miss out. It was heartbreaking. In our debrief that evening Andrew offered a perspective that cut straight to the heart of it.

This is exactly why we advocate.

So that injustice can be made right and so that as many vulnerable children as possible are provided for. We have the resources...

The question is whether we are willing to use our voice for those who have none.

After lunch, it was straight back into play mode, by this stage, the children were far more comfortable with us. Many of the girls wanted to hold our hands, touch our skirts, rub our skin, or play with our hair. There was such innocence, curiosity, and affection in those interactions.

Saying goodbye was drawn out. What made it even harder was watching the children run alongside the bus as we left, waving and smiling with so much joy.

By the time we returned to Kachele Farm , we were physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. We had an early fellowship dinner at 5:30pm with Frank and Krystal from Canada, along with Gloria, Mel, Becca, and Barney.

Of course, after dinner came a game of Uno No Mercy.

We finished the evening with an hour of team debriefing, processing the experiences and emotions of the day together. It was encouraging and heavy all at once. Please pray for strength, physical health for the team as they adjust to Zambian time and spend long days in community and unity within the team as we continue on this journey together. The contents of this media represent the sole views and opinions of the author, not of Hands at Work or any other groups or persons.