For the last few years we have sent a team from CCC to Vinjeru Trust School in Kapiri Mposhi, Zambia. This year the team is made up of Rebekah, Andrew, Jacob, Tiernan, Abi, Molly, Emily, Gabby, Emma, Adam and Caitlin.
If you would like to support the work of the team, you can give on our GoFundMe page – any donations would be gratefully received by our team as we seek to further support the amazing work in Kapiri Mposhi.
Read some reflections from this year’s team, and find out more details on their blog below:
11th April 2026
After a busy first week at the school, we had a fun filled long Easter weekend spending time with the Simbeyes and all the boarders.
On Friday, the girls took the boarding girls to Mushimbile for a hike and then on to the dam, where we had lunch. Some of the girls took a dip in the water—which turned into quite an experience for Bekah and Emily as they tried to keep over 60 girls safe in a very small swimming area! We finished the evening with a bonfire, a devotional, s’mores, and singing together.
While the girls were out for the day, the boarding boys spent time with the rest of the team. They had a competition to see who could find the biggest piece of wood for the bonfire, played capture the flag and undercover in the afternoon, and took on a challenge activity in the evening.
On Saturday, the team and the Simbeyes headed to Mkushi for our team day. We had lots of fun on the drive, stopping at DAPP (a charity shop in Zambia) and getting Hungry Lion for lunch. We then hiked up to the cross at Chengelo Hill, where Nasu prayed for us at the top. Afterward, we visited a farm owned by friends of the Simbeyes for a BBQ, a swim, and a drive around the farm to look for animals. Although we didn’t spot many, we had a great time riding in the back of a pickup truck, ducking under branches and avoiding spiderwebs—our own version of Temple Run!
On Sunday, we visited Grace Baptist Church. Even though we arrived 30 minutes after the official start time, we were still among the first to arrive! We took a short walk to a local shop for a drink before returning for a lovely Easter Sunday service. In the afternoon, we played lots of volleyball in the pool with the Simbeyes—a regular activity throughout the trip that brought out everyone’s competitive side. That evening, we were invited to dinner with some church members, where we enjoyed Zambian food and some of the team tried nshima and sugar cane for the first time.
On Monday, we spent the day with the boarders again. The boys had their day trip, similar to the girls’ outing, while the girls stayed on the school grounds for a fun day that included more games of capture the flag. In the evening, we had a céilí together.
By Tuesday, we were back to our roles at the school, preparing for the library opening on Thursday. Abi, Caitlin, Emily, and Molly joined the middle class on a school trip to the train station, which was a fun experience. We ended the day by joining the boarders for supper, watching the sunset from the water tower, and taking part in their devotional time.
On Wednesday morning, we joined the school staff for their devotional, then went to collect our outfits from Priscilla—everything turned out brilliantly, especially Tiernan’s full suit. In the afternoon, we had staff and CCC team versus senior boys in basketball and then the girls in netball, with the students winning convincingly in both matches!
Thursday was a very special day: the opening of the library. The morning was busy with last-minute preparations, finishing crafts, and organising resources for the primary school. The opening itself was a significant moment—the first large library opening in the whole of Kapiri Mposhi. The entire secondary school attended, and many clubs participated in the service. As many had predicted, Deborah “cooked” Adam in their final debate on e-books versus hard copy books! Andrew and Bekah gave powerful speeches about the importance of the library, as well as the meaning of grace, sharing the acronym they taught the school last year: God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. The ceremony concluded with Martin and Karolyn cutting the ribbon to officially open the Grace Library which is officially named ‘Leabharlann Na Grásta’
That evening, we said a difficult goodbye to the boarders. Bekah, Emily, Emma, and Gabby took some of them for a final jog—something they had been eagerly requesting as they loved this while Mama Becks was with them last year. We then shared our final meal in Zambia: a big BBQ with the Simbeyes and had desserts that Caitlin helped Nachilla, Nasu, and Tahila prepare.
On Friday morning, we got up early, said our goodbyes to the Simbeyes and to Jacob (who is staying for another three weeks), and headed to the airport, stopping at the Fig Tree Café along the way.
We arrived back in Dublin on Saturday, tired after two full and busy weeks, yet filled with joy, gratitude, and unforgettable memories. We are truly thankful to God for our time in Zambia and for the ways we saw Him at work throughout it all.
4th April 2026
We have had a great first week in Zambia, spending our time in the primary school, secondary school, and with the boarders in the evenings.
This week, Molly has been observing classes in the primary school and hosted a CPD meeting with the teachers to show them some of the resources she uses in her classroom that have been really helpful in her class.
Abi, Emily, and Caitlin have been in the primary school, joining in during PE classes and teaching art classes, creating displays with the children to add more colour to the classroom walls. During these classes, we also taught them a new song, “I’ve Got Peace Like a River,” and sang “Lighthouse,” which the team taught the children last year.
Gabby, Bekah, Andrew, Jacob and Tiernan have also started adding more decorations to the lower primary classrooms. They have been painting and preparing new book corners and shelves with pictures of a dinosaur, a tree, a rocket, and a butterfly.
Adam and Emma have been helping with school administration and finances.
As a team, we ran Team Challenge (games from Sports Extra) with both juniors and seniors in the secondary school, which was a great success.
Some notable moments from our first week in the school include Tiernan’s birthday on Monday; going to buy our chitenge material and visiting Pricilla to design outfits; and Adam attending debate club in the secondary school, where he got roasted by Pastor Mannassah’s daughter, Deborah. They are planning a rematch next week for the opening of the library, where she has said, “I will cook you in front of the whole school!” — find out how this goes in the next blog post!
Other highlights included a walk to the amazing shop for a cold Cola and Fanta after team challenge, a 6am team basketball game, and devotional time with the boarders – where Emily, Emma, and Pastor Vaughan Junior have led the devotions so far.
29th March 2026
Hello from Kapiri Mposhi, Zambia!
After more than 30 hours of travel, and plenty of movies watched across our three flights—we’ve finally arrived at Vinjeru Trust School, which will be our home for the next 12 days. The drive to Kapiri was filled with some very intense games of ‘Undercover’ on the bus – along with a stop at Karolyn’s parents, David and Liz, for a home cooked dinner along the way.
We were greeted with a big welcome sign on the steps of the guesthouse from the Simbeye children, and it was lovely to witness the reunion between the Tutty and Simbeye families.
As we settle into the school, we’re excited to explore and begin working in both the primary and secondary schools, getting to know the students and staff.