Greetings from Luanshya!
Last Thursday we joined a number of our friends to conduct a presentation on "Child Abuse and Defilement" at one of the local schools. The response from the students surprised us. Many of these children are all too familiar with the instance of molestation and incest. Little did we know that our presence at this school was going to result in revelations that we could not imagine.
On Saturday we learned that some of our orphans from the Lighthouse Home were being targeted by one of the teachers at their school for particularly harsh punishment. This of course, came from the children and we are careful not to jump to conclusions based on what a child might say. On Sunday, one of the students from the school we had visited Thursday came to Sherry and said that she had heard from other students about the situation concerning our children. This outside confirmation of what our own children had only recently said raised an alarm. On Monday morning we met with the owner of the school as well as all of the teachers who have any contact at all with our children. All the allegations were denied, of course, but there was an admission that at least two of our children had been beaten hard enough to cause bleeding, bruising and swollen extremities. Earlier explanations that the children had just had an accident at school were found to be false.
We have been given assurances that this situation will not happen again. Nevertheless, after speaking with each of the children, individually, we discovered that they are terrified of returning to the same school where these same teachers will have access to them again. We feel as though we must remove them from this threatening situation even though we have had a very good relationship with the school in the past. To do less than this, would make us responsible for potentially dangerous situations in the future. The situation has been reported to the Social Service Director, in Luanshya, which is required by law whenever there is a "situation" involving any of the children. We did this in an effort to maintain a close relationship with this department.
We have spoken with headmistresses from two other schools in town. The children have interviews at these schools tomorrow and Friday. They will be placed in appropriate classes depending upon their academic aptitude. Meanwhile, the children are in the library with Sherry for a few hours every day where they are reading books and doing lessons with her in Math and English. Please pray for our children and pray for us as we continue to visit local schools expressing concern about the ever-rising incidents of child abuse and defilement in Zambia.
Working with children and young people is so vital in this country as over half the population is under the age of fifteen. Sherry continues to work in her youth lessons from the book of John. This week she taught about the fact Jesus is the Light of the world and because the Holy Spirit indwells the believer, we too are lamps shining the Light. It is unfortunate that men choose darkness rather than light. It is frightening that the incidents of child abuse has grown to such a proportion in Zambia that five and six year olds are familiar with the terms associated with these crimes. It is a daunting task but if we do not reach these children when they are young, they will not live to be old.
We appreciate your prayers as we endeavour to spread the Light.
In His Service,
Patrick and Sherry
Dr. Patrick and
Sherry Coleman
Luanshya, Zambia Africa