One Year in Zambia! An Update from Jon and Jo Jake
The Mission Geek’s plane!
Jon and I are deeply grateful to God for reaching our 1-year milestone here in Mkushi, Zambia! Life has been exceptionally busy, but we are loving every moment of our work and involvement in the community. Hudson is nearing the end of Grade 2, while Boaz is set to start pre-school next March when he turns three. He’ll be attending morning sessions from Monday to Friday, which will be a big help with our childcare routine.
I (Jo) have recently begun volunteering at a local community clinic, focusing on improving maternity care accessibility and overall service quality. Next week, I’ll lead my first educational training session for the staff on conducting clinical audits—an exciting step forward in enhancing clinic practices.
During the October half-term, we hosted a Youth Retreat Day that brought together 30 young people aged 12 to 21. The day was filled with games, teaching, worship, and plenty of food, centered around the theme of storing our treasure in heaven. We were delighted to welcome Mary and Sylvester Mwamba as special guests; they were our neighbours in Sachibondu from 2018 to 2021.
Jo back in her midwifery uniform.
Jon doing some innovative engineering at one of the Mission Geek projects!
This year has been a significant learning curve for our Mission Geeks team. We’ve navigated challenges such as power outages, difficulties communicating with project partners due to disrupted cell networks, and various technical issues with the plane. These obstacles have given us valuable time to reflect on our mission, refine our vision, and strategise for more effective outcomes moving forward.
Looking ahead to 2025, we plan to relocate to a new site with a leased airstrip and land where we can build a permanent hangar, complete with storage facilities, offices, and a workshop for training personnel and equipment repairs. We’re hopeful that our recent funding application for the hangar and associated buildings will be approved by the end of 2024. However, we still need to raise funds to level the airstrip and secure its licensing with Zambia’s Civil Aviation Authority. To support this, we’re launching a GoFundMe campaign dedicated to covering the airstrip preparation costs, and we would be immensely grateful for any contributions to help make this initiative a reality.
Thank you for your continued support and encouragement!
By Jo Lake
The boys playing at the giant "sandpit.”