Although CFCC has gone to Zambia each summer since 2005 there is a long history of missionaries in the area that is important to understand. The international missions agency, SIM (Serving in Missions), has been in Mukinge since 1910. At that time it was called Sudan Interior Missions. Since 1910 the mission base at Mukinge has seen growth. Currently, the mission, which is surrounded by remote African villages, contains a 175 bed hospital, an orphanage, a basic school of 140 students, an elementary school of 40 students, a girl’s secondary school of 500 students, three nursery schools, a business office, and numerous smaller groups. Since the 1990’s SIM has partnered with the ECZ (Evangelical Church in Zambia) in ministry. The ECZ is a Zambian Christian denomination. CFCC was introduced to the Mukinge area through two people who served there prior to their membership in our church. JJ and Jennie Iagulli worked in the schools there. It was actually Jennie who began the ministry as a single woman who went to Zambia to teach in 1999. After she and JJ were married that they lived and worked for a year there. Upon returning to the States in 2003, JJ and Jennie moved to Myrtle Beach from Chicago and joined CFCC. It was at that time that the partnership between our church and the local ministry organizations in Zambia began. The first trip CFCC took to Zambia was in June of 2005.

How much is the trip? $2,500

Do I have to pay that up front? No, but a $200 deposit is required about 4-6 months in advance. You also do not have to pay for the trip out of your pocket. Many people raise the money through "faith letters" or by working through the Commissioned Café at CFCC.

Will that cover the entire trip? That cost covers everything from when we leave Myrtle Beach to when we return, except for souvenirs and non-ministry experiences like a safari.

When are we going? The 2007 Zambia trip will be for two weeks in mid June. Once the dates are finalized we will post them.

Where EXACTLY are we going? To a mission base in the northwest province of Zambia, Africa, called Mukinge.

How long will it take to get there? Depending upon the route we take it may be between 24-48 hours total travel time.

Will we be flying the entire time we travel? Probably, but it is not out of the question that we take a local bus. And at least one of our flights will be in a 6 seat plane.

Where will we be staying? It depends because of housing changes on the mission base, but usually it's been in a concrete block house with very basic amenities and the occasional loss of running water and electricity.

What do I need to do before leaving besides raising the money? You are highly recommended to be up-to-date with the following shots/meds:

How should I pack for the trip? Men and women should pack differently for the trip. See the link below for specific packing instructions. Ultimately, you'll want to leave as much behind to help the people as you can when we leave so don't plan to take your Sunday best. Also be prepared to carry to 50 pound bags per person as we try to carry as many supplies as possible for people in Zambia.

What can I expect to be doing each day? The tasks we will perform on this trip are such a wide range that each person going should be ready to serve in numerous ways. Each person on the team should expect/prepare to: evangelize, lead two devotions, preach one sermon (men only), conduct a seminar, lead Bible studies, do construction, participate in sports ministry, and be able to carry on a conversation! We have many ministries there, for more detail please go to the ministry projects page.

What is the weather like when we're there? The average high is 80 degrees and the average low is 45 degrees. Remember that the house has no heat so the nights and the mornings get VERY cold. There will be no rain in June.

What will happen if we get sick over there? Every effort will be made to minimize the potential for sickness among team members. We will discuss this at length before we go, but it is also good to note that there is a hospital there with a highly qualified staff.

Should I be worried about my safety? When traveling anywhere it is good to be causious but Zambia is a very peaceful, stable African nation. We will not be entering any war zones.

How is the food? Everyone who has traveled to Zambia has enjoyed the food. It is very different but many of the tastes are similar to that of our own. We also take plenty of American comfort food!

What is the time difference between the East Coast of the U.S. and Zambia? We will be 6 hours ahead in Zambia.

Will we be able to communicate with anyone back home? Prepare yourself and your family for very limited communication as such services are hard to support in a third world nation, but we are working on improving the communication for our team.

How do I know if I can really help over there? Anyone who is willing to learn, get dirty (literally and figuratively) and share the love of Christ is qualified to go.

Whom do I contact if I'm interested in going to Zambia or if I have any questions? Please contact J.J. Iagulli & Jennie Iagulli 843-903-0092.

Prayer is an essential element to the Zambia trip. From the organization of the team, to the preparation, to the travel, to the health to the ministry and beyond, without prayer this trip would not work. Here is a timetable of the prayer requests for this trip:

There are so many ways to contribute to the ministry. First and foremost prayer is needed. If you have not looked at the prayer page, please see how you can pray for us. Secondly, we need to carry supplies to give to the different projects in and around Mukinge. A detailed list is on the projects page of the website. All the supplies that we take must be small, light and able to handle the long trip.

Ultimately, money is the biggest way that people can contribute to this trip for two reasons. It is easy to carry and spending it there helps the economy. Our objective is not to give handouts but to raise people up through our support. In fact, all monies distributed are considered investments. In most cases monetary gifts will allow individuals/groups to create self-sustaining business ventures that will provide money, work, and a better standard of living for many people there. Also, monetary contributions allow us to immediately impact the local economy. That is a great way to provide jobs and to move people further away from the rampant poverty.

The schools:
We are so excited that we have been used by God to make a dramatic impact upon Mukinge. In the past two trips we've been able to provide a total of $2,000 to the girls' secondary school. Most was used to provide scholarships for 8 students who would otherwise not have been able to go to school, and some was also used to buy specific items that were needed. We were also able to provide countless pen's, pencils' and other school supplies for all four schools.

The orphanage:
In the last two years we were able to provide over $2,200 for the orphanage. $1,000 was used to buy a transformer that will help provide electricity. $1,000 was also used to begin a chicken farm that will help generate even more money. Finally, $200 was used to buy boots for workers at the orphanage.

The Hospital:
We have given the hospital medical supplies and $250 which was used to buy baby formula for malnourished children.

Other:
We've given 8 garbage bags of clothing which have been sold to raise money for other groups around Mukinge. We've also given away many clothes, toys, Bibles and other items to people in the local villages. We've provided approximately $500 worth of supplies to various missionaries as well.

Carolina Forest Community Church is committed to long term investment to Mukinge and to Zambia through sending finances, supplies, workers and of course prayers. The main purpose for going to Zambia is to establish long-term relationships that will lead to an exportation of resources which will provide opportunities to enable the people of Mukinge to reach out to their community and ultimately their nation. - all to glorify the Lord.

This can occur in many ways because the various groups we partner with can have a tremendous impact in the community and the nation of Zambia. For example, there is a great need (and a great opportunity) as HIV AIDS is devastating the nation. The students who are attending the schools will be the leaders of Zambia very soon and need support as they prepare to step into those leadership roles. We also invest in the local churches, the hospital and the orphanage as each of these groups has a tremendous impact on their community and the nation of Zambia.

Please help us as we partner with the Evangelical Church in Zambia to continue to expand God's kingdom.

Mulunda Miaka Orphanage: Pamu and Menda Kanshamba had a vision to start and orphanage to provide a much needed service to the children of the Kasempa District of Zambia. Because of diseases like HIV/AIDS and malaria many children are orphaned and have no where to go because families are overwhelmed with the burden of too many children. The orphanage is still in the beginning stages as they have a garden, orchard and the foundation laid for two buildings. They are also inthe process of building large chicken coops to raise more money. More information on the orphanage can be obtained on the website: mulundamiakaorphanage.cfsites.org

Needs & Prayer Requests: The orphanage needs children’s clothing, blankets. They mainly need money as they are still building the orphanage. They must still pay for more buildings, plumbing, electricity, etc. Pray that the funds and government approval come in a timely manner for each phase of the project. Pray also that the transition for Pamu and Menda and their children is a smooth one. They will both be giving up jobs and a home at the hospital to operate this orphanage full time.

Schools: TThere are four schools we work with in and around Mukinge: two preschools, one elementary school (grades K-6) and a girls’ secondary school (grades 8-12). Each of these schools is completely operated by Zambian Christians and teaches approximately 650 Zambian children. To these children education is the only way they can have a life above poverty. Also, important to remember is that these children will be the leaders of a nation losing 33% of its population to AIDS and other diseases in the next ten years.

Needs & Prayer Requests: Each school has different needs. The two nursery schools and the elementary school primarily need supplies (there is a supplies list below). The elementary school can use money to buy curriculum while the two nursery schools can use “Vacation Bible School” type curriculum. The secondary school also welcomes supplies, but they have very many needs that only financial donations can cover. None of the 500 students carry textbooks to classes because the school cannot afford them. They also face other challenges like starting the day without a proper shower (because the showers are broken), without enough equipment for science labs, without electricity, without water and at times without food. The school has plans to add more.

Hospital: Mukinge hospital is a 175 bed hospital that was the first institution to be established in Mukinge. They have a great reputation in the Northwest Province of Zambia as people have been known to walk for 3-4 days just to come for treatment. They provide an outpatient clinic, a mens’, womens’ and pediatrics’ ward, a theatre, a pharmacy and a nurses training school. More information on the hospital can be obtained on the website: http://www.webmissions.org/mukinge/

Needs & Prayer Requests: The hospital is consistently understaffed and under funded. Currently, their biggest need is a fulltime surgeon and financial support to reach the needy community. Prayers are needed for staffing (especially a surgeon) and for wisdom and guidance as they move into uncharted waters with new leadership.

Relational: Mukinge is such a remote place that it can make a person stir crazy sometimes. Our ministry is to encourage the missionaries to stay steadfast in their calling to Mukinge. We encourage through a variety of ways: preaching, leading worship, bringing supplies from “home”, etc.

Village Evangelism: Mukinge is in the “bush” but it is surrounded by many villages. We often go out into the villages to meet with people and share the Good News of Christ. We also put on seminars, preach in local churches and meet with local church leadership.

Needs & Prayer Requests: We often carry with us sweets, balloons and small toys for the children. Also Christian leadership curriculum we can carry for the church leaders is an excellent resource. From time to time we are asked to meet the needs of people who just do not have the financial means to live life and money is a huge blessing we can provide. Pray that our ministry in the villages will help, and not hinder the missionaries work, and that it will reap eternal dividends even though the time there is short.