Heartbreak vs. Inspiration
One of my favorite things to do when I come to Zambia is to record what we call Transformation Stories. These are stories of children in incredible and challenging circumstances who are steadily transforming their lives through education and the support of Hope Ministries.
Today, Pastor Judy and I walked through Twapia, where the school is located, and we visited the home of Paul, a smart and diligent student whose mother has been in prison for three years. He lives with his six siblings and his uncle, who often leaves the children alone because he has to leave town to find work. On his most recent trip out of town, he had to rush back because Paul’s brother David came down with malaria, from which David was still visibly ill when we visited their home.
To imagine these children’s lives can be heartbreaking, and for me it often is. But in my best moments I fight the instinct to feel pity or pain and instead feel inspired to find ways to enable communities like Twapia to provide children like Paul and David with the education, healthcare and nutrition they need to become their very best selves. Here’s hoping that this trip will be one more step toward solutions like that!