I have been at LPP for a long time and have been eager to have the opportunity to experience the beauty of Zambia and Hope School. To say that this trip exceeded my expectations would be an understatement. I feel so much gratitude for going on a trip like this and for meeting and becoming friends with the fantastic staff and students at the Hope School. When we got off the bus and arrived at the school, the entire school community awaited us on the road. They greeted us with a song as we walked in. I was immediately overcome with emotion and felt incredibly welcomed. From then on, it felt like we had always been a part of their community. Throughout our week on their campus, we had the opportunity to see the amazing things they are doing in their classrooms, teach side by side with their staff, help serve lunch to the whole school, and were introduced to some of the incredible programming they have created and implemented. Some highlights of my trip include:
- The Leaders and Teachers at Hope School
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- Hope School is run and led by absolutely incredible humans. Every adult on their campus exudes joy and happiness. They lead in a confident, kind, and caring way that creates an environment that allows the students to thrive.
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- The Library and Reading Buddies
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- It was incredible to read with the same reading partner in the library every day. I enjoyed reading books and having conversations with my reading buddy, and it was a wonderful way to get a better understanding of the students’ lives at Hope School.
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- Learning Bemba with Ba Charles/Teacher Ngoma
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- Each morning, our days started by learning the language, Bemba, with Ba Charles and Teacher Ngoma. I loved getting this opportunity and found it very helpful when we were at the school and at the markets buying things.
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- Playing in the Courtyard with the Students
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- I will never forget flying kites with the kids and seeing the pure joy as they chased me while I ran with the kite. It was also fun to play frisbee and learn new games they taught us.
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- The Farm
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- Seeing how much the farm has grown since we last sent LPP teachers (in 2019) and how the school is able to harvest so much food and feed all of the students at their school with the food from their farm was incredible. They have fish ponds, cabbage fields, banana trees, and chickens, just to name a few of the items they grow.
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- Spark Ventures Community
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- Being able to travel with Spark Ventures was incredible. One of the highlights for me was the diverse group of people who came together for a fun, emotional, and successful trip. Everyone came on this trip with an open mind, open heart, and eagerness to learn and grow. I am forever humbled by what I learned from the Hope school and the people I traveled with.
On this trip, I was fortunate enough to travel with three other LPP teachers. I feel forever connected to those teachers, to the Spark Ventures organization, and to the Hope Community School. This trip changed my life and opened my eyes to a different, wonderful, beautiful, and hopeful community that I am incredibly grateful to have been a small part of.