A long-awaited welcome

The CMSI team to Zambia has finally arrived in Kitwe after an extremely disrupted and complicated journey that took 48 hours. Here are a few initial reflections from Rev Aaron McAlister.

Wednesday 10th July

Kitwe, Zambia is full of diverse horizons. Off into the distance one might see streets full of cars and buildings, a city struggling to find its way in a busy, ever-changing environment. But look again and you might see a different horizon, one filled with relationships where people greet each other as though they haven't seen them in an age.

Amid this changing scene are two lovely souls, our hosts on this odyssey, Keith and Lyn Scott. They are like father and mother to all who come to the St John's Seminary campus, welcoming them with open arms and giving them - us - full plates of food and more importantly, a home while we are here.

We have had a tough time getting here. We've been rerouted, delayed, rerouted again and our luggage is... somewhere. But despite these setbacks, we are here to listen, learn, support and encourage the people who Keith and Lyn invest in. It's the end of our first day. We're going to bed, the first bed we've slept in in three nights. It'll be a good night.