May 2026 Familiar Faces : A Return to Kamaila Community
One week in Zambia.
It sounds like such a short time, but for the team it felt like so much had already happened.
The days had been full, the pace relentless, and for some of us, our bodies were beginning to quietly remind us of that.
A stomach bug had been making its way around the group, and so five team members stayed behind to rest and recover while the remaining five of us Ses, Candi, Scarlet, Matt, and Ashlee set out for Kamaila Community.
For three of us, it was a particularly special day.
Ses, Candi, and one of our team had visited Kamaila the year before, and returning to a community after twelve months carried a different feeling altogether.
Friendships and connections had already been formed, and there was real joy in knowing that familiar faces were waiting.
For Scarlet, Ashlee Matt, this was their first visit, and we loved being able to share it with them.
We travelled with Booki, Victor, Niza, Cecilia, and Peter — the local African leaders who serve so faithfully in this area.
The road to Kamaila doesn't let you arrive quickly, forty minutes of dust and jolts and slow, careful navigation. When we arrived, the welcome we received was warm, enthusiastic, and genuinely moving.
Care workers, children, and visitors greeted one another with a sense of joy that set the tone for everything that followed.
The morning began with worship, dancing, prayer, and introductions, every care worker and child sharing their name, filling the space with celebration and connection.
Ses then shared a word of encouragement from the Bible with both the care workers and the children. It was a beautiful reminder of God's love and faithfulness, and it grounded the rest of the day in something deeper than the busyness of a schedule.
Afterwards, we split into smaller groups for Holy Home visits.
These visits are always a highlight for our team.
They allow us to see beyond the care point and gain a deeper understanding of what daily life looks like for the children and families we meet.
Sitting in their homes, hearing their stories, and witnessing their realities helps us appreciate both the real challenges they face and the extraordinary resilience they carry with such quiet dignity.
After the home visits, we returned to the care point to share a meal with the care workers and spend more time together in worship before beginning the long journey back.
Back at the house, we were reunited with the rest of the team, who were thankfully feeling much better after a day of rest.
The evening was spent the way the best evenings are sharing stories, reflecting on what we had each experienced, and enjoying dinner together.
As the conversation went on, we found ourselves once again struck by this beautiful country and the remarkable people we are privileged to meet.
Returning to Kamaila reminded us of something we believe deeply: that strong ministry is built on relationships.
The care workers and community leaders we met that day bring a focused, wholehearted love of Jesus to everything they do and spending time with them reminded us why we had come.
Kamaila has already left a lasting mark on our hearts.
We left again grateful for the welcome, the stories, the worship, and the reminder that showing up, year after year, is itself an act of love and ministry. 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.
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