Visiting GEMS Clubs

Saturday morning at about 9:00 Catherine was here to walk with me to some clubs. Yesterday, she said we would visit Mtendere Baptist and Salvation Army. This morning it was King of Glory, Word of Faith, and Come to Jesus. First we walked to Word of Faith, no one there. It was 9:20 and they don’t meet till 10:00. So why did we start off at 9:00? Then we walked to King of Glory, I truly got into the Kalingalinga compound. Catherine took me on many shortcuts; it seemed as if we were going right through people’s yards. But in all reality I think they actually were little alley ways

King of Glory meets in Idah’s yard, if you want to call it that. It is the dirt area that is between her house, the outhouse and a fence of shrubs. There was one bench, and two blue plastic chairs, and an old wooden couch, along with 3 really old soft chairs. One of the counselors walked up and dropped her Bible and books on the soft chair and the dust just flew! Idah told me they use to meet in a public area and every time they went there, there would be other groups having a program and they would be turned away. So they just started meeting here. She showed me her roster; she has 43 Awareness names and 37 Advanced. They began by singing, songs that I am beginning to know and that I can sing along with. They sang one that repeated the phrase God never changes, over and over. It had several verses telling all the ways He never changes, in the summer when it is warm, He never changes. In the winter when it is cold, He never changes. When problems come and problems go, He never changes. Then the double, double song! They all love singing that one.

The King of Glory GEMS singing at their club meeting

What a voice in the compound! To hear these girls all gathered here next to Idah’s house, just singing and praising the Lord! God is being glorified through the girls gathering and their voices raised in song.

Praying for their Sister Club in North America

 

After singing they said the aim, twice. Then Idah, took out the Sister Club prayer poster, and held it up, and they took turns praying for their sister club. When it was time for them to go into their small groups, I gathered them together and took a picture. How I would love for Bob to be able to build them some benches when he is here, but that probably wouldn’t be wise. Although, I think most of the other clubs meet in schools or churches, where they have plenty of benches or desks. I didn’t stay long enough to see how they did their lessons, but when girls are sitting with other littler girls on their laps, how do they color. Even as we were walking away, several other girls were still coming. Oh, and then the boys, they were there and listening and singing and squeezing right in. I think there are boys in every picture of the clubs I took today.

Praying for her Sister Club

The King of Glory GEMS and Counselors

                  The younger Awareness Group

 

The older Awareness Group

                                                              The Advanced GEMS

We left the King of Glory club in Idah’s yard and headed over to Word of Faith!  They were meeting in a different room, on the opposite end of the building where they were meeting when we were there last. It was a bigger room and somewhat brighter. Catherine said these buildings are an orphanage, but I didn’t see any children? How I was blessed, at the amazing difference from my last visit there. I remember walking away with the team, and we all were just sad, because they didn’t have a clue to what to do or how to do it. We later found out that they spoke very little English. Even though they attended training every day, they didn’t understand what we had presented. Now Precious was teaching the Advanced girls, she was speaking in English, she had them reading from scripture, she was writing on the chalk board, and asking them questions, all in English! The two older counselors were working with the Awareness girls and boys! They were all coloring their pages.

Club Coordinator Precious and the Advanced GEMS

One of the BEMS (Boys Everywhere Meeting the Savior)

who so want to be included

Word of Faith GEMS Club

From there we walked to Come to Jesus GEMS club. They meet in the church right behind Pentecostal Holiness Church. As we were walking, we passed Marjory a counselor from Word of Faith, going to her club. She said she was late, but that she had begun to do her wash very early, but the water had been turned off, so they had to go get water from a neighboring compound, for her to finish. We also, passed Maxhilda, a counselor from Apostolic Faith Mission club, and her husband. She was on the way to the clinic; they think she has malaria again. Life is so hard here!

When we got to Come to Jesus, they were just getting into their small groups. Again the church is very dark inside and difficult to see. There was just one counselor and one CIT. The other counselor was ill this morning. I had them come outside for a group picture.

Come to Jesus GEMS Club

As I passed by PHC I snapped a few pictures of the small GEMS groups meeting there. They use several CIT’s and they are doing a great job of teaching. They are encouraging and praising the girls when they know the answers to the questions. That club always makes me smile!

Pentecostal Holiness  Awareness GEMS

PHC Awareness GEMS

Oh how I rejoiced in my morning. A club that the team didn’t think would have a chance was going above all my expectations. A club that doesn’t have a place to meet gathers in the counselor’s small side yard. A club using their CIT’s allowing them to teach the younger girls and watching how far they’ve come since being a GEM themselves. To hear them say how GEMS has changed their lives! The CIT’s will be the women someday who lead GEMS in Zambia! A simply amazing, God blessed morning! Can’t wait until next week, to see what God has to show me!