Today in the Mission Yearbook - Empowering girls through education

Addressing menstrual health and hygiene issues reduces school dropouts, improves livelihoods

March 12, 2022

Cecilia Shawa teaches girls at Mphamba Primary School in Lundazi District, Zambia, about feminine hygiene and reproductive health.
(Photo by Melissa Johnson)

An African proverb says: “If you educate a man, you educate an individual, but if you educate a woman, you educate a nation.”

One of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals is to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” because “education enables upward socioeconomic mobility and is a key to escaping poverty.”

Matthew 25 calls us to eradicate systems and structures that keep people and communities poor.  Just as there is overwhelming data that educating girls empowers a nation, there is also clear evidence that girls often leave school due to cultural and personal issues related to menstruation.

Growing awareness of this concern has prompted some ministry partners in Africa to make menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) a priority to help girls stay in school.

Cecilia Shawa, a feminine hygiene educator with the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Synod of Zambia’s Health Department, interviewed girls and young women about how menstruation affects their lives. While she knew that menstrual health management in Zambia was a challenge, she was saddened by the story of one young girl, Loveness, who was surprised and scared by beginning her period at school. Because she was unprepared, her school uniform was soiled. Her classmates, including the boys, shamed her. Lacking a facility where she could clean herself, Loveness ran home. She was so embarrassed she went to live with her grandmother in Malawi. Loveness didn’t return for a year and a half, and she didn’t attend school during this time. When she did return, she was still so traumatized by her experience that she changed schools. Loveness’ story is not unique. In areas where water and facilities are lacking, the onset of menses increases girls’ vulnerability to dropping out of school.

Improving access to safe and healthy menstrual hygiene education, materials and facilities helps reduce poverty. A child whose mother can read is 50% more likely to survive past the age of 5. Each extra year of a mother’s schooling reduces the probability of an infant dying by 5% to10%. The risk of maternal death is 2.7 times higher among women with little or no education. Countless studies have shown that every year a girl stays in school, her income can increase by 15% to 25%. An educated woman will invest 90% of her income into her family and is more likely to send her children to school, continuing the legacy of education and helping break the cycle of poverty.

Cecilia and the CCAP Zambia Health Department are working to educate girls, women and men about MHH and reproductive health to help keep girls in school by reducing the stigma that surrounds menstruation. They also are sustainably producing washable, reusable feminine hygiene kits and making them available and affordable for women in communities across Zambia.

By addressing MHH in schools, mission partners are supporting girls’ education and confronting systems that keep people living in poverty.

Melissa Johnson serves as health education program facilitator with the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian Synod of Zambia Health Department.

 Jim McGill serves with the Evangelical Church in the Republic of Niger and the Presbyterian Church of South Sudan to ensure sustainability for clean water and sanitation at the community and user levels.

Let us join in prayer for:

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Janeen Lush, Accountant 1, Accounts Payable Office, Administrative Services Group (A Corp)
Catherine Lynch, East Coast Regional Representative Presbyterian Investment & Loan Program

Let us pray

Generous God, as you have given so freely to us, we give you thanks that, as possible, we are able to freely give to others. May your Spirit sustain the many helping hands, and may your blessings bound for those being served. Through Christ we pray. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Mission co-workers continue to serve Zambia from Atlanta

Charles and Melissa Johnson: “We’re still working. It’s just harder”

January 26, 2021

The Church of Central Africa Presbyterian Health Department team makes a presentation of masks and washable, reusable feminine hygiene kits to the Lundazi Correctional Facility. (Contributed photo)

Charles and Melissa Johnson served as ruling elders in their home congregation, Northwood Presbyterian Church in San Antonio, and now as mission co-workers in Zambia. In both places they found joy and strength in the strong sense of community that surrounded them. Now sheltering in place in Atlanta at Mission Haven, short-term housing for mission co-workers, they are busy staying connected to partners, supporting churches and finding that sense of community in new places.

“We join a different worship service virtually each Sunday,” said Charles Johnson. “We have also participated in Bible studies, minutes for mission, and even a story hour for children. We asked what we can do for them and offer our prayers of support for their community. We tell them, ‘We are all in this together.’”

The Johnsons serve in Zambia at the invitation of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Zambia Synod, working to expand the Church’s efforts in its holistic ministry of community development, food security and improved health. Charles serves as a development specialist and Melissa is a health education program facilitator.

With a degree in agronomy from Texas A&M University and years of experience in farming, Charles’ work is focused on developing an agricultural income — farming for profit to help sustain Chasefu Theological College in Zambia. He is also an instructor in sustainable agriculture at Chasefu, teaching students to feed their own families and providing them with knowledge of new farming techniques to lift up their new congregations and communities. He also works with Chasefu’s model farm project, a training center for small farmers.

Melissa is working with the CCAP Zambia Health Department to facilitate the development and implementation of health education programs that have been identified to improve maternal and child health, to address hygiene issues of girls and women, and to raise awareness about nutritional needs of children and adults.

In late January 2020, the Johnsons began hearing about the new virus hitting China. By late February, the virus was beginning to take hold across the globe. On March 13, even though there were no cases yet in Zambia, the Johnsons made the three-hour trip to Chipata to stock up on groceries with the intention to shelter in place. They had received word from a Peace Corps friend that there were rumors that the Peace Corps was pulling volunteers out of certain countries. They soon received word that the Peace Corps was immediately evacuating all volunteers from Zambia and an email from PC(USA) asking about their thoughts about the situation.

Although they wanted to stay in Zambia, Charles has a medical condition that puts him in a high-risk category, so they made plans to leave.

Charles has been unable to send lessons to students but has been working via WhatsApp with the CCAP/Zambia General Secretary in areas such as harvest of crops at Chasefu and construction of the storage facility. Melissa has helped the CCAP Health Department learn to navigate Zoom so they were able to participate in the rollout of a new strategy for Days for Girls, an international health and hygiene program. The CCAP program temporarily quit making hygiene kits and started making masks. They donated 150 masks and 40 washable, reusable feminine hygiene kits to the Lundazi Correctional Facility. An additional 1,000 masks were made and distributed to several CCAP/Zambia secondary schools.

Melissa worked with the CCAP Health Department to help craft a proposal to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance to help provide COVID-19 brochures and education, handwashing stations in some of the most vulnerable families and personal protective equipment and sanitation supplies for the three CCAP rural health centers.

Melissa said CCAP has been working to educate Zambians about truth vs. myths about coronavirus through a WhatsApp group. Some of the false information circulating among the community were that only white people could get COVID-19 and that the virus is caused by 5G networks.

The Johnsons are grateful that they’re able to be near family. Their daughter and son-in-law graduated from Georgia Tech and decided to remain in the area.

“We are still doing the work that is important to us,” said Charles. “It’s just a little more difficult right now.”

 Kathy Melvin, Director of Mission Communications, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us join in prayer for: 

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

Olanda Carr, Presbyterian Foundation
Darla Carter, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray:

O God, when the world’s needs seem to overwhelm our ability to help, let us remember that you ask us to give what we have, not what we do not have. By your Spirit, we can do more than we ever dreamed. Give us faith to trust your Word and obey your commands through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Church of Central Africa Presbyterian and the PC(USA)

Partnering in God’s ministry for health and wellness in Zambia

March 20, 2020

Rev. Abednego Kunda presents delivery beds to Margaret Msimuko, council chair, Lundazi District; Davy Wadula Zulu, M.D., Lundazi District Health Director, Ministry of Health; and L. F. Balungisa, M.D., hospital administrator, Lundazi District. (Photo by Melissa Johnson)

With support provided by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP)’s Synod of Zambia created a Health Department in 2016. During its first few years, the CCAP’s Health Department has been focusing on building and improving infrastructure, strengthening the health of women and girls and ensuring availability of preventive medicine and personnel.

“The lives of thousands of rural Zambians have improved greatly,” according to Richard Willima, coordinator of the CCAP Health Department. “In terms of infrastructure, the department has been able to repair a borehole at its Egichikeni rural health center, build a much-needed mother’s shelter at Egichikeni and begin construction of a rural health center at Phalaza,” Willima wrote in the CCAP Health Department’s December newsletter. “In addition, the PC(USA) supplied beds at Ndaiwala and Egichikeni rural health centers.”

Willima said the PC(USA)’s support has assisted the CCAP’s Health Department in developing a healthy, trusted partnership with the government of Zambia as it has become an important stakeholder.

Through the Healthy Women, Healthy Families initiative, the CCAP’s Health Department has opened a Days for Girls Enterprise, the first certified Days for Girls Enterprise in Zambia. Four staff members have been trained in sewing feminine hygiene kits as well as teaching business and marketing and helping girls learn about menstruation and personal hygiene.

The PC(USA) has supported the program with sewing machines, materials and funds for trainings and kit distributions at local schools. Days for Girls helps reduce the stigma associated with menstruation and helps keep girls in school to complete their education. This enterprise has begun to receive requests for Days for Girls products across Zambia, which will create income and sustainability for the project and its staff.

The CCAP is currently hosting a life-saving cervical cancer screening, treatment and education program funded by Presbyterian Women’s Thank Offering. Since Zambia has the highest rates of cervical cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa, this program is focused on spreading awareness of the disease and encouraging women to take necessary precautions, including cervical cancer screening. The program is primarily for women in the three communities of Zambia with rural health centers.

The PC(USA) and the CCAP also are partnering to help prevent malaria, one of the primary causes of death in Zambia. Although the government of Zambia’s Ministry of Health is doing its best to prevent malaria, there are many needs still to be met. The malaria prevention effort is helping to reduce malaria rates at the Synod of Zambia’s two operating rural health centers.

Willima writes that perhaps the greatest support the CCAP Health Department has received from the PC(USA) is the sending of PC(USA) mission co-workers Charles and Melissa Johnson.

“Without Melissa’s help, none of the aforementioned projects would have been possible,” according to Willima. “Melissa and her husband, Charles, have been a great addition to the CCAP Synod of Zambia. We are very grateful for them and their dedication to serving the church.”

Because of the Johnsons, the CCAP Health Department has established an office and presence within the greater Lundazi community. They have also inspired friends and visitors from the U.S. to come to Zambia for short-term mission trips. Three groups have made the trip since the CCAP Health Department was established.

Emily Teerink, Young Adult Volunteer, and Melissa Johnson, Mission Co-Worker, Special to Presbyterian News Service

Let us join in prayer for:   

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
Dianna Wright, Office of the General Assembly
Angela Wyatt, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray:

Gracious and compassionate God, please open our hearts to the health needs of the people of Africa. May we continue to provide Christ-centered solutions to address these issues. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Today in the Mission Yearbook - Sharing a dance of joy across the continents

Mission co-worker in East Central Africa has a clear view of God’s work

February 13, 2020

The Rev. Paula Cooper says she’s “entrusted with a ministry and a message to share about how God is using me and what God is doing across the ocean.” (Courtesy of Paula Cooper)

As one of the newest regional liaisons hired to serve East Central Africa, I have been traveling a lot, and sometimes it feels as though I am living in and out of airports more than in my home in Lusaka, Zambia. You know what, though? I can’t complain! As I travel within the countries that I serve — Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia — I have the opportunity to see God’s amazing work through the hands, voices, eyes and feet of our international Presbyterian partners. Partners who are trying to repair the brokenness among God’s children. Partners who, in their own ways, are attempting to serve and provide for “the least of these” — through means like building and maintaining community schools and theological institutions; building health facilities and clinics; and ministering in hospitals, clinics and prisons.

“For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him?” (Romans 10:13–14)

All projects and ministries are designed with the intentions of assisting God’s children to see the transforming hope and light that God offers to all of us and to break the bond of brokenness. 

In addition to efforts of transformation, in spite of what appears to sound or be broken or hopeless within the large populations of the countries that I serve, there is an unexplainable dance of joy exulted in the worship services of “the least of these!”

“The Word (of God) is near you, on your lips and in your heart.” (Romans 10:8)

When I travel home to the States to visit congregations and presbyteries or attend mission network conferences to share my ministry and experiences, the attendees want to know more about our partners. I hear questions like, “what can we do to build relationships? What can be done for us to join in that dance of joy that our brothers and sisters demonstrate in worship?” They want to hear more stories of that despair being transformed into hope and joy, and I see them trying to envision how they can share in the struggle and the hope of our partners in Africa. They are inspired. They are interested. I hear it on their lips. I feel that it’s from their hearts. They want to come alongside our partners; to join in the work that God is doing across the ocean. 

“And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” (Romans 10:15)

I respond, exclaiming, “Let’s explore those questions. Let’s explore how we begin long-lasting relationships by reviewing mission resources. Let’s explore the idea of short-term mission trips. Let’s go join our partners in their worship services.  Let’s just go and join them in the dance! Let’s join them in the work that God called us to do. Let’s go and see, learn, teach, share, talk, cry, laugh and pray together.”

“So, faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17)

As I said earlier, it appears that I live in airports, but for the most part I can laugh about it because for some crazy reason, I love it! I think I love it because I am entrusted with a ministry and a message to share about how God is using me and what God is doing across the ocean. Also, I love talking about God! I have the opportunity — the blessing — to bring a message from Africa to the U.S.A. and vice versa! 

What a gift — to be able to link, to connect struggles, joys and desires of people who want to join hands with one another across the oceans; to see and hear how others get inspired and say they want to dance to that joy!

Let us all possess the “beautiful feet of those who bring good news” by sharing the wonderful ways God is using us to fulfill God’s missional work.

Rev. Paula Cooper; Mission Co-Worker in Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia; Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us join in prayer for: 

Mission Co-workers:
Rev. Catherine (Kay) Day (Rwanda)
Sherri and Dustin Ellington (Zambia)
Melissa and Charles Johnson (Zambia)
Rev. Janet Guyer (Malawi)
Rev. Cheryl Barnes (Malawi
Rev. Jeremy and Luta Garbat-Welch (Malawi)
Tyler Holm (Malawi)

PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff

Alex Spoelker, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Champaka Srinivasan, Presbyterian Mission Agency

Let us pray:

God, take us beyond our boundaries to see the brokenness among your children. But don’t stop there — move us to get involved; to build relationships. Move us to dance with you in the struggle and the joy! Move our feet, Lord! Give those who are involved and serving the energy and tenacity to stay in the dance! In Jesus’ name, we pray! Amen!