At Hands at Work, our volunteers are called by God from all over the world to serve the most vulnerable in Africa. Each of us has a unique story of how we were transformed when we stepped out in faith and were obedient to His call. Blessings Sambo shares his story and the journey that has led him to fully trust and serve in his local area in Zambia.
“I grew up living with my parents, but when I was 16 years old, I moved to stay with my uncle in a different town who was working in the mines. From there, my life became really challenging. My uncle was frequently abusive, so I sometimes spent nights with a friend for safety. This continued for more than seven years until I was forced to leave.
With nowhere else to go, I went to the town of Serenie, where I helped a friend plant a church. Sharing my plans with another good friend of mine, they shared it with the church elders, who then invited me to stay with them. I ended up living with them for six years. During that time, I wasn’t working, but I was studying practical theology.
In 2004, I moved to the community of Ndeke, which is across from Mulenga, where we are working in Zambia. Shortly afterwards, I felt the Lord laying it upon my heart, through reading God’s word, to care for the most vulnerable. I had started reaching out to the vulnerable in Mulenga, and it brought me great joy. There was a great fulfilment in my heart. I remember some people started mocking me because they had heard that I wasn’t getting paid. They didn’t know why I would do it for free.
Eventually, a friend recommended a Bible school in South Africa where I could further my studies. In 2008, after I had graduated from Bible school in South Africa, I returned to Zambia and planted a church in Mulenga. I wanted to go to a Christian university in the United States and pursue a degree in theology. I had even applied. It was at this point that I met George Snyman, the co-founder of Hands at Work, who was visiting Mulenga for the first time.
As we drove together in the car, I confidently told him that I had plans to go to university, but he encouraged to prayerfully consider the way forward. At first, I thought that he was just against me going to the States but looking back, I am so grateful that George spoke into my life because my journey working with the most vulnerable children has been more fulfilling.
Soon after, I began serving as a Care Worker in Mulenga and was part of a team caring for the children in our community. In 2010, I joined the local Hands at Work team in Kitwe and today, I am part of the Zambian Regional Support team.
Throughout this journey, God has taught me what it means to be a true servant of God and what it means to live a life of humility. I have seen the way that our Father’s heart breaks for the poor and vulnerable. I have learned a lot from people who come from different cultures, and I am grateful for the opportunities that have been given to me in exercising my spiritual gifts through sharing God’s word.”
Blessings lives in the Luanshya in Zambia with his wife and children. Blessings served with Hands at Work from 2010 to 2023.