Eight years of Fly 'n' Build in Zambia
Carmel, Western Australia
Ursula Borgas

In April 2008, a ‘Fly ‘n’ Build’ team from Western Australia, will be returning to Zambia to complete more projects including a five room classroom block for the primary school. They aim to set up a library in both the primary and high school. They want the primary school to be run as a community school. They also hope to build a dormitory for the girls.

^{The team helping construct water tanks at a previous trip.}

The Zambia ‘Fly ‘n’ Build’ team was established in 2000 by Seventh-day Adventists. They ‘flew’ over to Mupapa in Zambia to assist with the orphanage and to ‘build’ and construct some basic necessities for the community. In 2007, they completed a quadruplex to accommodate teaching staff. They also built water systems, reticulation and irrigation systems on farms.

Eight years ago, the Mupapa School only had a few classrooms, no books, electricity, practical equipment or water to the school. The fly ‘n’ build team’s work over the years has included water to various places around the school, providing a pump at the river to provide irrigation and domestic use for the school and fencing around the school. They also provided electricity and equipment to the science labs.

Enid and John Eaton were the main people that started the Zambia fly ‘n’ build trip and are still running the trips. John Eaton who has been going since 2000 said, “I don’t know why I was born in Australia but I’m sure glad I was. Every time I go to Africa I thank God for what we have and take for granted. I’m also grateful for the opportunity to help those who are so poor.”

 

The last group of people that got involved in the fly ‘n’ build trip to Zambia in 2007 consisted of 18 people arriving at different stages of the projects. Half of those people were from Karratha in Western Australia, including Pr Mark Ellmoos, who ran the spiritual emphasis program for the students. 36 people were baptised at the end of his program.

Pr Mark Ellmoos said, “The students responded very enthusiastically and 26 of them took their stand for Jesus and were baptised in the river on the final Friday afternoon. The Zambian young people are very responsive to the gospel. They are dignified, polite, friendly and affectionate.”

The fly ‘n’ build team goes to Zambia once a year for two to four weeks with return trips to complete projects. There are different people that go on the trips each time and they are asked to contribute a sum of money to assist in the projects. Along with the money that the individuals contribute to go on the fly ‘n’ build, various other forms of support are given.

Adventist Churches in Western Australia have supported the Zambia fly ‘n’ build projects. Carmel College, Western Australia, raised funds in 2007 for projects. Support also comes from many individuals from the Adventist Churches and the public.

Contact Enid Eaton on ph: +61 8 92917303 for tax deductible donations.