Empower : Tents (Education, Skills and trades) for the next generation”

The questions we will always ask is will the work that we will do in any community  contribute to the free flow of the gospel, to its clear understanding and acceptance, or will it not? The only person who can changes people’s hearts and minds is Christ. The Tent building teams will be composed of peoples of all  skillsets, careers, trades and gifts  that will work with the local missionaries to train and implement all kinds of projects either  individually or in teams.

Here’s an example of how this will happen:

The first Chiefdom (‘Chisunka)’) that Compass 360 Missions will work with has an estimated population of about 20,000 people spread over 10 villages. When we first met the chief, he shared a strategic plan in which they had identified secondary (middle/high school) education and trades/skills training as high priority. Almost 70% of the people are illiterate and 65% have not attended and/or completed high school. 60% percent of the children are able to attend 10 poorly resources government primary (elementary) schools. Some girls and boys that had attempted to go to secondary schools further away had done so at a cost: living in unsafe housing, engaging in child labor or being victims of child trafficking. Most girls have ended up in child marriage. The HIV epidemic that had ravaged the country in the 90s had not spared Chisunka; the HIV prevalence rate is a little over 13%. These challenged are not unique is not unique to this area, as most rural areas in Zambia are in very similar situation – if not worse. However,  Chief Chisunka has a heart for his people. He knows that his people need an attitude change, in addition to education, trades and skills training and he wants them to be part of the process..  He contributed 250 hectares of land which had an existing but dilapilated building water and electricity. He also says the best way for his people to raise funds to contribute to the project was through farming, their main sources of livelihood and economy; neighboring Congo as their biggest market.

And the partnership was born . We know that the people of Chisunka and many other Chiefdoms like it need Jesus;  through partnership fueled by the gospel the people of the trajectory of their lives will change and give the next generation  of leader and give a hope and ad future to the next generation.