Classroom Sponsorship

While at Chikumbuso recently I was asked to take one of our younger students who had an eye infection to the pahrmacy to get medication. And although this girl sees a lot of "muzungus" around the community center she had never been one on one with someone like me before. She put on her brave face and got in my car. The pharmacy was not far, just down the dirt road from Chikumbuso. The pharmacist willingly checked out her eyes and prescribed an ointment to rub in them twice a day.  It was an easy fix, no clinic, no prescriptions needed.  Walking to the car we happened to pass an ice cream shop so I asked her if she would like one for being so brave.  "Yes mama," she smiled.

As we stared at the buckets of ice cream in the case before us trying to decide on a flavor we heard a shout, "Mama Linda"!  I looked up to see a tall, handsome young man smiling at me from behind the counter. 

"Mama, you might not know me but I know you. I grew up at Chikumbuso and you put me through high school as well. Mama, look at me now! I am the manager of this store! Please let me buy your icecreams. I am so happy to see you!"

What a gift for me to meet this man.

I share this story because it is a great reminder that we may never know all of the individual lives that have been changed nor the lives that our students lead once having left Chikumbuso but what we do know is that the education of these children is essential in helping them move forward in their lives.  What they do we the education we give them is up to them.