MFA news

No. 8. October 2006

"Gods world & The iPod"

Just last week my husband gave me an early birthday present. One I kind of asked for. He presented me with a tiny little gadget that looked like a memory stick. He said put the ear plugs in your ears and enjoy.

It was a new experience. Suddenly everything was rosy with lots of the feelgood factor. I was listening to my favourite music and it was as if I was in a new world, a perfect one! I could not hear any little boys crying. If the phone rang I could not answer. If someone was outside the office door asking for help (maybe his wife or child was sick and he has no food, no money and no medicine) he would just have to knock for a long time because I was not aware of him. I was in my new world, even if it was just a short escape for a few moments from the real world.

I don’t seem to get used to the poverty, sickness, death, suffering and injustice that is so much part of life around us. Often I feel like escaping from it all to a world where there is no suffering. A better world.

My prayer is: Lord help me to know the things that I cannot change, recognise the things that I can change and the wisdom to know the difference.

Mrs. John & her 3 children; her kitchen; and her new roof.

Beyond these shores

We all call her Mrs. John, although her name is Brenda. Her husband, John, worked for MFAZ from our beginning in March ‘02. He was often sick, but by the time we found that he was HIV positive, his body was too weak and frail to cope with the Anti-Retro Viral medicines. He died in June ‘04, aged around 36, leaving behind a wife and 4 children. His 3 year old son John Junior died in June ‘06, also from HIV/AIDS.

Mrs. John has no income, yet she has 3 children to feed and support. The Lord has moved our hearts to love and support this family. With the discretionary funds that we receive from our supporters we pay for all 3 children to go to a good school run by an Australian mission. Every month Mrs. John gets some money to feed the family. She had no bed and half of the roof on her house was missing. Our carpenter made a bed for her and we put new roof sheets ready for the rainy season, which is about to begin. We paid for all 3 children to have an HIV test, Praise God they are all negative.

Mrs. John will probably never live in total comfort but at least she won’t struggle to survive, thanks to your support.

MFAZ is not just about mechanics, but it is all about people.

I joined Mechanics For Africa (Zambia) in January 2004, as Lecturer in Mechanics Theory and Workshop Practise. Prior to my coming to MFAZ, I had worked in various training institutions with a number of years of teaching experience.

My wife and three children were very committed Christians and this at times made me very uncomfortable. As head of the family I did not readily join them when they said grace at meal times and even prayed before going to bed. They tried to involve me in their daily praise and worship sessions. To avoid these awkward situations I started finding excuses for not coming home early. Instead I teamed up with my buddies at the local pub, and had great fun drinking and gambling till the early hours of the next day. During this time I was faced with a lot of challenges financially, socially, with my family, and at my place of work.

Upon joining MFAZ, I discovered that every Monday morning the week began with a Bible study, which included all members all staff and students. I was delegated to assist as joint bible study group leader, which I found very hard to take part in. Gradually changes started to take place in my life. The study of the book of Leviticus made me redraft and reconsider what my ultimate goals in life really were. I began to take a keen interest in what was happening around me in my daily Christian living. There was this inner voice that was rebuking me constantly and consistently reiterating the need for me to change in every aspect of my life if I was to find true peace.

One day, after years of futile search, self-evaluation and wondering, I gave my life to Jesus and asked the Lord to forgive me for all my sins. I soon discovered to my great surprise how wonderful and rewarding all things became if one gives his life to Christ.

I have discovered the true bond in family unity and togetherness that was missing all along. My wife and children are happy and the performance of my children has greatly improved! My relationships with my employers and fellow workers have drastically improved for the better. Each day that dawns brings forth new hopes and experiences, and I’m forever thankful for all this.

My prayer of praise and thanksgiving is to Almighty God for blessing me with this opportunity of working at MFAZ. My thanks also go to the people who have made it possible for this project to continue making that change in peoples lives. MFAZ has not only benefited the students trained here but it has also had life changing effects on other Zambian people.