June 2009

Lusaka, Zambia

Letter from Pastor Arden & family in Zambia

Dear Congregations of the Sierra Pacific Synod

As your ELCA missionary in Zambia, I send you greetings from my family here.  The days shorten now and the temperatures drop as we enter winter in southern Africa, but we still experience our "built-in" northerner feelings of anticipation for a summer vacation and less busy schedules, like you do.
 
We are well, and hope you are also.  Thankfully, we have not experienced serious health crises over the past year.  We still have erratic water & electricity, which are annoying, but on the other hand, Leopard's Hill Road, where we live, has been tarred. 

Our 7 year old daughter, Alea, above, is thriving, as evidenced from her scratched up-legs, resulting from her daily afternoon adventures around our home.  Our other daughter, Chloe, has completed an intensive 11th grade.  Chloe was recently presented with the Council of International Schools' International Student Award, given to a student with the highest commitment to sustained interaction with students of other nationalities, languages, or ethnic backgrounds.  Of course we are very proud of her.  Below see Chloe and my wife, Susan.
 
Susan and I wonder what part of our bodies will ache next.  While exercising regularly has its benefits, it certainly makes one more aware of what isn't working properly.  We have passed through the year of the knee, and then the shoulder.  This is the year of the hip.

Pediatic AIDS Care

Here Susan is telling the new American ambassador to Zambia Donald Booth about the work of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF) at a Public Event in Lusaka promoting healthy lifestyles, in the context of AIDS and malaria.  Dr. Susan serves as EGPAF AIDS technical advisor.
 
Susan writes, "There have been many gains in the care of people living with HIV.  Transmission rates are dropping and access to treatment continues to increase.  Area which need to improve and which we are focusing on include increasing the number of children who access treatment and getting more and more pregnant women to take advantage of preventative medicines so that they reduce the chances of passing the virus on to their babies. 
 
Getting children onto treatment can be particularly hard as many health workers are less confident to treat kids.  Also, sometimes parents and caregivers struggle to tell their children their diagnosis and why they need to take medicine every day.  We have developed a counseling training program to help health workers gain skills to talk with children and families about living positively with HIV and AIDS."

New Church Preschool for Vulnerable Children

The social and economic problems resulting from death and extended illnesses of working-age persons attributed to HIV/AIDS are well known.  There are millions of children orphaned and more made vulnerable to extreme poverty because their parents are weakened by illness or because they have passed away.  Grandparents and other relatives are stressed in caring for larger numbers of children in the household.

In order to give such caregivers a daily rest, provide their children with nutrition and stimulation in a safe environment, the Lutheran Church in Zambia opened its new Hope for the Heart Outreach Centre in April 2009 in Lusaka, after many months of planning with Pastor Arden.  Fifteen children are enrolled, with a trained preschool teacher and teacher's aide.

Micro-credit Program

Kanyibombo congregation planted pumpkins (at left)among their maize last November, made possible by Microcredit loans.  During 2008 and early 2009 Pastor Arden and the Zambian staff performed analyses on the activities, payback and default rates of all the micro-lending groups (700 persons total) across Zambia, through interviews, field visits, and meetings with group leaders.  Almost half of the groups are demonstrating excellent performance, growing their own loan capital, and are worthy of further cash injection ($25-50 per person), and these final disbursements began this year.  In particular, rice and cotton farming has proven itself as an excellent micro-business for some of our congregations.  Below see pounded cassava balls (a common starch food) for sale in Zambezi by another microcredit participant.
 
Many Participants clearly "learned by doing."  They learned to plan, to budget, and to be accountable.  Some women reported that they felt more pride and greater self-esteem, and saw themselves as more respected by their husbands and communities.
 
The unsuccessful groups failed because of financial incompetence, disagreements, lack of diligence, corruption, or the diversion of the micro-loan for emergencies at home, such as medicine.  Our analysis is similar to other African development projects.  We are therefore focusing our resources on those who have shown they can pull themselves up out of the worst poverty with this program.  Please email me for the complete micro-credit progress report.

Training

Human Capacity building is a key requirement for sustainability of institutions and programs, including the African church.  Therefore, the ELCA supports training of congregational lay leaders in the areas of program management, financial management, children's ministry, music, worship leadership, theology, practical ministry, and HIV/AIDS.   In 2008-9 two large church women gatherings (see women in purple uniforms) were held with speakers and trainers on AIDS and Faith.  In September I am leading a 10 day short course for our evangelists.

Church Planting

As the ELC-Zambia works to build their spiritual, intellectual, and administrative capacity, I have also consulted with them in their need for proper buildings.  During 2008/09, they have constructed a strong 7 x 16 metre concrete block church in the rural Northwest, a key area where half of the congregations are located.  This building is now being roofed!  Building a church like this provides great pride for the Zambians, and also builds skills in planning, coordinating, negotiating, financial management, and local government regulations.  Henceforth, we have challenged congregations here to build their own churches, after which the ELCA may provide the funds for the final roofing, as an incentive.

Protecting Childhood: Play Park 2

We have some family projects, such as this large play park, recently dedicated and officially opened with a celebration at nearby Chibelo Basic School, which educates 2000 pupils.  Chloe, seen above, the play park designer, spoke, and the Strasser family handed over the play park to the school headmaster.  The large park consists of two towers, rope bridge, climbing tires, stairs, two slides, see saw, 6 swings, and numerous monkey bars.  All of this equipment was built on-site.  This playground was large, and required significant materials and labor to complete.  Below, see the rush of kids after it was opened!

Thanks for your commitment to sponsor me as your missionary in Zambia.  Thanks for remembering us & the Zambian church in your prayers.  Thanks for the birthday cards and kind gifts, which warm our hearts.  The ministries described above are made possible because of your generosity and the committed Zambians who I work with.  You are making a difference!

In Christ,
Arden & Susan Strasser, Lusaka, Zambia