Photo-A-Week #7: Growing up in the Nepal Children's Home

Though I have plenty of photos to choose from, the ones showing the lovely children in the Nepal Children's Home have always caused my heart to smile. I want to take the opportunity this week to share with you this special joy that I dearly hold.

Since the establishment of the Lovelight Society’s Children's Home, I have visited Nepal three times (in 2008, 2009, and 2011). In 2008, the children were still small. I didn't know much about them until I read their profiles one day. I was grieved when learned about their tragic past. Some of their parents passed away in various circumstances when they were very young. Some were neglected from basic care. Some were sent to forced child labour such as washing dishes in restaurants. One thing was common among them: they lacked parental love.

Because they had suffered so much so early in their lives, I cannot express my feelings of satisfaction when I saw them smiling and laughing so genuinely and freely. We have saved their lives. Their precious lives!

In each subsequent trip since first meeting them, I saw them grow taller and stronger. They also excel in sports and academics, winning many awards and certificates. Most importantly, they continue to smile and treasure growing up together in this home as brothers and sisters. 

The photo you are seeing was taken just a few months earlier this year by Shanta, the dear Papa of approximately 35 children. The girls were enjoying a field trip together. They have grown more since I saw them last time!

- Joe

最近趕製新的照片冊──加德滿都的磚廠。整個人都很投入在磚廠的故事及照片中，在寫稿及定稿之時，惟一心中有歡悅，甚至感動，有想哭的感覺，就是看到離開磚廠、進入兒童之家的孩子們的相片。不用他們親自說話，他們的臉龐、笑容、衣著、行動，表達著他們的幸福，他們可以去遊樂場，郊外旅行，有生日會，以前這些對他們來說，都是幻想，現在卻是他們的生活。

他們長高了，成熟了，他們珍貴他們的「家」，像兄弟姊妹一樣一起生活、學習。

這是Shanta──他們的「爸爸」替他們拍的生活照！

- Violin

Photo-A-Week #6: A Ball Made of Rags and Plastic Bags

Every football fan is following the Euro Cup 2012 this season. But did you know who won the Africa Cup of Nations this year? Neither did I until I started writing this photo-a-week entry. It was Zambia after beating Ivory Coast in a dramatic 8-7 shoot-out in February.

Football (or soccer for those in North America) is the most popular sport in Zambia. It is common for children to begin playing football at a very early age and continue well into adulthood. Despite its popularity, however, finding an actual football to play with is a rarity in this poverty-stricken country. Instead, children typically make their own balls by tying together discarded rags and plastic bags.

I still remember how happy and grateful the teachers were when we donated a simple football to their school. I could only imagine how much more excited the children were when they started playing with it. Perhaps for many of them, it was the first time in their lives touching a real football.

A missionary team will be setting off to Zambia later this month. Please pray that we can bring these children more than toys and games, but also true happiness from God's love and salvation.

- Joe

Photo-A-Week #5: Sad News from Zambia

Last Wednesday, I learned that two of the Grade 7 boys studying at the Chalubemba Basic School in Zambia were hit by a bus and died at the scene. Earlier this year, another girl in the same class died due to abortion and lack of proper medical treatment. Because I have visited the school two years ago, these news especially struck me at a personal level.

They were so young yet their lives were ended so prematurely. In fact, due to numerous diseases, lack of medical facilities, malnutrition, illiteracy, and various other social problems, death is a lot more common than what you would expect in most other countries. According to the World Factbook in 2011, the average life expectancy of a person in Zambia is 38.63 years old, ranking it at 221 out of a total of 223 countries listed. Comparatively, the average life expectancy of a person in Canada is 81.38 years old (approximately 2.1 times more than Zambia).

Canadians, Zambians, and wherever you are from, though we are located in different parts of the world, we are all humans. We all deserve the right to live our lives to the fullest. Therefore, I consider such growing disparities in life expectancy as our collective tragedy. Through the education programs from Light and Love Home in Zambia, I sincerely hope that we can help more people to attain the knowledge, skills, and morals to improve the quality of their lives.

- Joe

去年探望在贊比亞我們所資助的學校，與學生們活動，其中七年級的學生，英文程度稍為好，可以溝通。看他們上課，看他們做話劇（為我們表演），與他們玩隊長球。預備今年六月再去，相信他們興奮地等著我們，我們也開心去見他們，因為不再是陌生人，全不相識，然而這星期聽到其中兩名學生在上學的路途中被公車撞倒，當場死亡，連同早些時候因嘗試墮胎而死亡的女生，這七年級的學生已不再一樣。原來再見不是一件易事，因為他們的見識、生活條件、資源……威脅著他們的生命。希望六月中探望時，將永生的盼望帶給他們。

- Violin