'For the past four months the water tank at James and Elosia's has been sitting on the ground', wrote Faith Solt from Flying Mission Zambia. 'Yesterday that changed. A truck with a crane came to Flying Mission to pick up the twenty-foot tower that had been made for the tank to stand on. Since we are still in the rainy season, the road to their house was very muddy. The truck got stuck about 1/2 mile from their home. We were very fortunate that it had a hydraulic lift to raise it up.  We were then able to put some small trees under the tyres. Forty-five minutes later the truck pulled up to their home. 

'What a blessing that I was here at the right time with the aeroplane'.

Flying Mission Zambia pilot Andy Kradolpher explains further:

Plans are constantly changing in Africa. On one recent flight, Flying Mission Zambia pilot Andy Kradolpher was unable to fly to a hospital because the airstrip had fallen into disrepair and had then been transformed into the vegetable patch! Not much good for landing a light aircraft on....

The effect of this was that the passenger that day had to make a long journey by road to replace the short flight – the very thing we are trying to reduce with our aviation services to rural Zambia.

FMZ pilot, Andy Kradolpher describes one of his flights for Flying Mission Zambia:

Like every other flight I  have done in Zambia, this one was unique! The task was multifaceted; medical research, plus hospital evaluation for both the government and a mission organisation. A Zambian medical student, Mr Chisoso, was along to evaluate five rural hospitals.

The trip was scheduled to take 3 days.

‘Tiyanjane’: coming together. Ladies from the locality of Flying Mission Zambia's base outside of Lusaka have been doing just that most weeks for some years now. One recent meeting stands out as special. Faith Solt, one of the FMZ missionaries who helps them, describes it:

‘We took all eight hand crank sewing machines to the home where the Tiyanjane women meet. Eyes sparkled as the ladies watched and then threaded the machines.  Using scraps of material, they started to practise sewing, using one hand to turn the crank whilst guiding the material with the other hand. 

Good news: Prince is mobile! If you've read here about Prince in the item, Want to make it happen for Prince?, you'll know he needed wheels. Some folks in UK sent out buggies for disabled children in Zambia and Prince has been allocated one of those. It's the all-terrain type, with big wheels. 

The intention is that it will enable him to manage the rough ground around the village and school until his wheelchair from USA arrives. His friends are already happily pushing him along with them so now he can be 'just one of the boys'!

The Rondaval! We're pretty sure you have seen it pictured in previous news reports. Built from an upturned satellite tracking dish, the former owner of Chilongolo used it as a shelter for his charter flight passengers. When Flying Mission Zambia took over the property, it became the meeting place for Rainbowz, the Bible Studies, Fellowship meals, Prayer meetings, Easter Sunrise service, Farewell parties, distribution of soccer kit - many, many relationship-building events. Now, with the development of the base extending, it is in the way, so it is coming down!

For several years we have been telling you on this news page about the work that has been going on at the Flying Mission Zambia base at Chilongolo to provide a suitable maintenance and storage hangar for the aeroplanes we use to assist rural Zambia. The infrastructure is steadily taking shape.

Just recently Bryan Wilson, our Managing Director, reported:

When Michael and Jenni Sampson joined the Flying Mission Zambia team, they needed to find a place to stay. After living in rented accomodation for a while they decided that they could both meet their own housing need and also enhance the facilities of the base by building a house on site at Chilongolo. (Read all about its beginnings in the item, Building the Kingdom - and the infrastructure).

In mid-January they moved in.