Home visit

We went to an area known as "the compound," where many of the children who attend St. Francis live. We had been at the school earlier that morning handing out M&Ms, so our group drew a lot of enthusiastic attention from the kids. We had twenty to thirty children following us as we walked, asking for "sweets," holding our hands, many laughing and posing for photos.

As one might expect, the living conditions at the compound are very sparse -- one-room shacks with dirt floors, no running water or electricity, make-shift furniture, no luxuries.

What I didn't expect to find was the strong sense of love and community I felt there. And all of the people who greeted us with smiles, shook our hands and were proud to introduce their families and welcome us into their homes. I can honestly say that in all of our experiences with the Zambian people, I will never forget how incredibly open, gracious and unassuming they are.

The visit to the compound really affected all of us, in a lot of different ways. I still think about it and I know there is more to gain from the experience but for now I'll just say it definitely helped me recognize that: people actually need very little to exist and be content; I shouldn't take anything I have for granted; and I should learn to embrace and find joy in all of the small moments because many times, those are the ones that matter the most.