Michelle's mom died giving birth to her. As per Zambian culture, Michelle went to live with her maternal grandmother, then an uncle, then her older sister. Michelle struggled through school, stopping and starting when the funds were not there for her to attend. When she was 20 years old and looking for money to attend 10th grade, her father who she hadn't seen since she was 1 year old sent for her. Again, Zambian culture states that you go where your family tells you to go, so Michelle packed her things to go live with her father.
This move brought her to Mapanza and into our lives. Being the niece of our house mother Margaret, we were able to build a relationship with her. New Day paid her school fees for Grades 10-12 in return for her working at the orphanage during her school breaks. Michelle soon came to us and asked if she could live full-time at the orphanage. She fit right into life at New Day and soon became the assistant house mother for our girls house. For 2 years she poured herself into the lives of our kids, leading soccer practice & games, scrubbing toilets and washing clothes, and helping with homework. She became our family. We watched her give her life to Christ, graduate from high school, and get her Grade 12 exam results - she passed!! Her scores were not high enough to get into nursing school (her dream) but she knew God still had another plan for her life.
It became clear early this year that Michelle was ready to move on from New Day and continue her education. After looking at several trade schools, we encouraged her to believe God for something big, so she went and applied at a university. Michelle was recently accepted into Cavendish University (out of London) based in Lusaka, Zambia. She has chosen to major in Social Work.
Michelle's college costs, though cheap by American standards, are expensive for any Zambian. She has $760 in savings from working at the orphanage, which is a huge amount of savings for any Zambian. She also has invested some of her money, buying curtains wholesale from South Africa and then reselling them for profit. She is living in Lusaka with her sister and is attending a church near her house.
Michelle's dream will not be possible without the help of others. Her college education will cost $1500 per semester for the next 3 years. This amount includes tuition, fees, and boarding. Her first classes start in October, and she needs $740 (using her savings for the rest) to begin classes.
We know that many people have heavy financial commitments of their own, but I wondered if there was a church, a Sunday School class, a family... who might be willing to give $250 per month to help Michelle attend Cavendish University. If you are interested, if God is tugging at your heart, please email me at blutidwell@sbcglobal.net - thanks and God bless you!
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