The last 2 summers, I have traveled to Africa on short
term missions trips. The first year I
went to Namibia with my youth group. The
adults and students (about 25 high schoolers) worked in schools, an orphanage
and a soup kitchen for children in a very poor area of Walvis Bay, Namibia. I
was so touched by the children but also by the pleas of the teachers (once they
found out I was an educator) to share resources and teaching techniques with
them as they don’t receive professional development once they leave their
training, as we do in the states. So, I
made plans to return the following year to Namibia to provide professional
development at two of the schools where I had been the previous year. Although the professional development didn’t
necessary look like I thought it might, it was just what the Lord had planned….flexibility is the name
of the game in Africa!
While in Africa again, I decided to make a stopover in
Zambia to visit friends and help at Lifesong School for Orphans. I spent my week with Mitzi and Sandy (two of
the Lifesong missionaries serving in Zambia) giving tips on pulling small
groups and adjustments I would make in the classrooms based on my very quick
observations. It was a wonderful time. Mitzi and Sandy asked me to stay but I needed
to return home to see what God had planned for me in Mckinney. Very quickly, God closed doors that I thought
had been opened just for me and made it very obvious that I was to return to
Zambia (the writing on the wall I had asked for). After about 4 months of denial (ha!), I began
to pursue a move to Africa, working with Lifesong for Orphans and my church,
First Baptist McKinney, to become a missionary in Zambia. The process did not move as quickly as I
would have liked but has kicked into high gear now.
While in Zambia, for the next 18-24 months, I will be
working at Lifesong School for Orphans as an instructional specialist. I will be working with teachers (training
them in new teaching techniques…especially
for reading, writing and second language acquisition), Luke…the headmaster as he
learns the primary piece (having 14 years of secondary experience) and with
students…pulling small groups to
help speed up their grasp of the English language through reading and
writing. Lifesong School has as its
mission to share the love of Christ with children in the Kitwe community by providing
education and provision to the future leaders of Zambia. I am getting the opportunity to help with
this mission through my love of education.
At this point, my biggest challenge is
fundraising. In order to live in Zambia
for 18-24 months, I must raise about $100,000.
My church has sponsored a fourth of the need, and I have begun the task of fundraising with friends and strangers
alike. I know that my God will provide
for what he is called me to do, and I am so appreciative of you for giving me the
opportunity to share my story with you through this letter,
in order to tell the story of Lifesong, orphan care and my plight to raise the
funds necessary to go.
As of today, I have raised about two-thirds of the
amount needed to go. The money raised
will be used to pay my monthly expenses…a
salary, if you will, while I live in Zambia.
The expenses include rental of a missionary home and a share of
a car, household expenses such as electricity and internet as well as food,
medical insurance, supplies that I might use at the school and other needs as
they arise.
Would you consider partnering with me? You may not be able to go but can support the
work being done with these sweet children by giving to my mission in
Zambia.
There are 3 ways that you can support or give to this
mission that God has called me on:
First, you can pray…pray
for God’s provision so that I can do the work he has called me to. Pray for the hearts and souls of the young
children and teachers with which I will be working. Pray for the long term impact on Zambia as we
work to train up future Christian leaders to work in the government and high
offices in order to exact change throughout all of Zambia.
Second, you can give a monthly or one-time donation
through the Lifesong for Orphans website at…
Monthly: https://www.lifesongfororphans.org/get-involved/support-a-lifesong-missionary/monthly/?missionary_choice=Cobb
Monthly: https://www.lifesongfororphans.org/get-involved/support-a-lifesong-missionary/monthly/?missionary_choice=Cobb
Or, third, you can send a
check to Lifesong for Orphans (include my name on the memo line, Kristie Cobb) to:
PO Box 40 Gridley, IL 61744
I thank each of you for your prayerful consideration…and how you can help me
get to Zambia. Thank you again so much
for your support on this venture.
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