Within hours of arriving in Lusaka (Zambian capital), we were on the road to Kaoma - about 250 miles west of Lusaka. We were travelling in a Harvest Help Landrover with Andrew Jowett, Director of Harvest Help, and Jenny and Rose, who also work for Harvest Help. After about 30 miles, the road degenerated into a potholed and cratered surface and we were forced to drive along a bumpy dirt track on the side of it. What had we let ourselves in for?

After bumping along for another 30-40 miles, the road improved. We arrived at Mukambi Safari Lodge, in Kafue National Park, for lunch and in the early evening we went on a drive to see the animals. We spotted elephants, impala, hippos, puku (a local species of deer), vultures, warthogs, and a tiny bush baby. Zambia has some excellent safari parks – but that was not the real purpose of our visit.

The next morning, we met up with the project workers from Kaoma, who took us round various projects being supported by Harvest Help. First, we visited a village where treadle pumps had been provided to help irrigate the fields. We then moved on to visit various farmers who had started harvesting  their own seeds  - to avoid having to buy them each year, and to generate income. By about 3pm, we found ourselves on a bumpy dirt road blocked by a fallen tree – and we still had two projects to visit in outlying villages!

We split up and Rebecca and I headed off for a village where the women had established a bank to support money-making projects – such as knitting, weaving and making brooms and doormats. Rebecca was invited to give a speech. She talked about how she and her friend Nikki had raised money for Harvest Help at school. We shared a meal in a village hut, which included nshima, a staple dish made from maize - a bit like mashed potato.

We stayed overnight in a “guest house” in Kaoma. There was electricity but no running water – it had been off for several years. The following day, we headed back to Lusaka – a six-hour journey on more bumpy roads. After a very comfortable night at the Intercontinental Hotel, we set off for Naluyanda – about 25 miles to the north of Lusaka.

There, we visited more farmers and a school. The school had 1300 students, but only classrooms and teachers enough for a quarter of that number. So the children came to school in four shifts, with each session lasting two-and-a-half hours. We met with members of the environment club who were learning how to grow crops without using expensive fertiliser.

The Nalayunda project helps a total of 4,000 farmers in the local community and a major theme of the project is helping them to develop business projects. In the afternoon, we visited a meeting of two village banking groups, where they were sharing ideas. There was so much enthusiasm, it was like an evangelical meeting.  A lot of the business ideas came from the women, who appear to be more responsible with money than the men!

In the last few days of our visit, we were able to relax. We went down to Lake Kariba and visited Alex Kasenzi who came to the UK four years ago and spoke to us at St Cedd’s. Alex took us to see the Kariba Dam and for a boat trip on the Lake. He also presented me with the wonderfully carved Nyaminyami stick which I have been showing off in church recently!

Zambia is a beautiful country, and though there is much poverty, we were warmly received wherever we went. We were also struck by the strong Christian faith of the people. Before we started our meal in a Kaoma restaurant, one of the project leaders said grace and gave thanks to God. How often does that happen in the UK?

I asked Rebecca for three words to sum up Zambia. She came up with – hot, friendly and pedestrians. Everywhere people are walking. Even in the most sparsely populated areas you come across people walking by the side of the road. It reminds us that we take so much of our comfortable lifestyle for granted. As we move into another New Year, let us give thanks to God for all the blessings we share and commit ourselves to help those less fortunate than ourselves.

Andy and Rebecca Sentance