They always say that, "the Power of God can not be measured." Please take your time and read the full story of Chabamba Johnstone who led his life of misery, living in a ram shackles house thatched with grass and built with mud, walking ten {10} kilometers in a road full of sharp stones bare foot from home to a certain primary school every morning from grade one {1} to grade seven, one who didn't test the warmth of the blanket from his birth till at eighteen years, and one who was nearly killed by his father because of his honest. Now he has amazing blessings after persevering with the hurdles of life. He recently bought a house in Lusaka – Zambia and a vehicle after serving as a United Nations Police in Liberia.

Chabamba Johnstone doesn't remember whether it was in the morning or evening, August or September when he was born, yet his late elder sister, the second born in the family of nine children told him that "maybe it was in the evening of August 18, 1974."

His real name is Chabamba Johnstone. He was born in 1974 at the village called Lumpa in the northern part of Luapula Province in Zambia. He is the sixth child in a family of nine children; six men and three women.

His mother was a house wife, while his Father was a bricklayer by professional. He worked for a certain white man's company. Since he was young, he doesn't recall the name of the company. Besides, the name of the company is not known to him as he was not told while his mum and dad where alive. His mum and dad are both the late. His Dad died in 1995 and Mum in 1997. Both of them died in Mansa District the Provincial Headquarter of Luapula Province in Zambia.

Their death was a right blow to him and the family as a whole. His young brothers remained as double orphans. They did not have any one to lean on. Despite them being old, they didn't acquire enough knowledge to make them live independently. Even though his father was incapacitated with a certain disease before he was born, he had knowledge to share with them. He used to guide every child on what to do and what not to do whenever he was okay.

He always give credit to his late mother. She remained strong to see them grow. She was supporting her children in every basic need that they were looking for at that time during their father's incapacitation. She managed to educate the third born up to grade twelve {12} level. She educated her through selling local okra from the bushes of Mansa to Lusaka. He even got the job as a direct entry Police Officer. His name is Chabamba Emmanuel.

He is the source of inspiration to the Family from the time he was born up to now. He has also contributed to the well being of the family. After being employed as a Police Officer at the rank of Sub Inspector, he took both of us {my immediate elder brother called Chama David and me} with the intention of educating us. He managed to educate both of us up to grade twelve {12}. He even gave the fourth born {Mr. Chama Davy} money as capital to start the business which he is doing even now. He also educated the last born in the family called Kapya David up to grade twelve {12} and now he is at University of Zambia doing Bachelor of Arts in Nursing. Credit goes to him {Mr. Chabamba Emmanuel} because he abandoned further education for the sake of educating his fellow children. He is now at the University of Zambia doing Public Administration. Chabamba Johnstone's immediate elder brother is working as a Fisheries Officer and he is a Police officer at the rank of inspector.

His education back ground is full of ups and downs. He started his grade one at the age of ten {10} years. He is not sure as to why he started his school at that old age. But he thinks, it is the distance between the school and home where they were staying. The Primary School was called Mbaso Primary School. It is situated in the northern part of Mansa District. He was there from grade one {1} to grade seven {7}. While there, he remembers he did not put on any type of shoes and had no uniform. At one time, they were separated from their friends who had uniforms on the parade. Hence, they used to have a separate parade. This was making Chabamba Johnstone to feel low to his friends.

Even though he was having materialistic and psychological problems, he was able to perform well in class. He was only passing the second from grade one up to grade seven. He only remembers two times when he passed number three and seven. Thus, he was recommended both at home and at school for the good behavior and the intelligence he had at School.

He managed to pass at grade seven to grade eight and went to St Clements Secondary School. He had good marks hence he was taken to the Catholic School. He did his Junior Course there for two years. Unfortunately, he failed. He has no concrete reason for his failure to succeed to grade ten {10}, yet he can cite that one of the contributing factors was that of his illness in 1991. He nearly died in that year. Up to now he does not know exactly the disease he was suffering from. Some people told him that he was bewitched. Thus the all year ended without proper learning. Fortunately he recovered in 1992 and wrote the Exam and ended up failing grade nine examinations.

After failing his grade nine, he went to Mansa for Continuing Education where he repeated in grade nine but due to financial constraints he failed to continue there. Luckily enough, his elder brother Mr. Chabamba Emmanuel took him to Mpika District in Northern Province of Zambia where he continued with his education.

For chabamba Johnstone to be taken to Mpika and continue his education was not easy. His brother had just completed his training, then he got married, and he also carried his immediate elder brother. After Chabamba Johnstone remembered how he struggled from grade one grade nine and how he got ill all the sudden he started crying and begging to go with him. Then at last he accepted to go with him.

When he arrived in Mpika, he found that all Schools had submitted grade nine entrants for that year. Hence, he was told to repeat in grade eight. It was to his advantage because he did not learn much in that grade due to his illness. He repeated in grade eight at Mpika Basic School. He did his grade eight course in 1993. His brother was transferred to Zambia College of Agriculture as the Officer-in-Charge at a Police Post. He also got transfer to Chilufya Basic School. He completed his grade nine there and went to write his grade nine examinations at Mpika Basic School. He emerged from the examination as the second highest student in the District. He went to Mpika Boys Secondary School to do his senior level.

It was not easy for him in grade ten {10}. They were mocking and beating them heavily. Thanks to the almighty God that he passed through that trying moment. Due to his honest and intelligence in grade eleven {11}, he was chosen as a prefect. Thus things became lighter at the institution for him. He used to give his elder brother and his friends food whenever he was on duty. Then, in grade twelve, he was chosen as a Vice Sports Prefect. Thus, he started traveling wherever there were sports. Finally he completed his grade twelve {12} in 1997 and had a division one {1}.

After completing his grade twelve {12}, things became hard. He traveled to Lusaka hoping to find a Job there but unfortunately he failed. He went to Livingstone {the tourism capital of Zambia} also hoping to find Job but to no avail. He came back to Lusaka after hearing his results. He started a small business at Kamwala market with his second brother. Despite staying with his elder brother and having little money, he was finding difficulties whenever he got drunk. While selling at Kamwala market, he sat for interviews at Evelyn Hone College. He was picked to do a certificate in Library studies.

Hence in 1999, He went to Evelyn Hone College to do Library Studies. Using the little money he got from a small business at Kamwala market he managed to sponsor himself up to the end of a course. The course was for a year. He again got stuck of what to do next because he finished all the money to his studies and the remainder he reserved with his brother-in-law, died without leaving a will or any document that he was keeping money to him. Then, the advert for recruitment of Police Constable came out from the press. He went to Northern Province where his brother was, to do the interviews. He did the interviews and was picked to train as a regular Police Officer at Zambia Police Training College.

He went there in August 2000. He found that the training was tough. He nearly ran away. There were heavy mockery and burring. He went there when he had twenty six {26} years and due to his age and body, all the instructors were on him. They were usually mocking him that he was older than his age. He thanks again to the almighty God that he completed that training in 2001.

After completing his training, he remained at the college as a Librarian. There was no Librarian at the college Library before. Hence it became difficulty for him to organize and put in place the systems to use in the Library. He had to lobby for funds from the Administrator for the running of the Library and materials for the Library from other institutions which was not easy. But he glorifies the Almighty God, for his success. Today anyone who has passed through the Zambia Police College can bare witness the way the library looks.

In the year 2002, he continued for his diploma lessons as a part time student at Evelyn Hone College. Despite the long distance from home to the college, he sacrificed the little money he was getting as a Police Constable Salary to pay for transport and for his School fees. In the year 2003, he completed his diploma course in Library and information Science while working as a Police Officer.

He also did his driving course at Zambia Police Training College under driving school in the late 2003. Driving at first was scaring for him. At one time he was even in an accident during United Nations Driving Test, but he managed to have confidence on the road later.

He got married to Gladys Chilufya in the year 2003. It was not an easy experience because she got pregnant at a time he was preparing for his exam. They had their first born baby girl few days after finishing his diploma course exam on the third of January, 2004. They named their child as Charity Mwila. The one who named her is his sister from his Father's side.

He stayed with his wife from 2003 up to date. He started life with a humble beginning. He didn't have anything. The only thing his wife found with him was; a TV, Bed and Mattress, which he bought from his first salary while he was on Training. While he was with her, they led and are still leading a quite life.

In the year 2004, on January 03, they were blessed with a baby girl. She was born in George Clinic, George Compound-Lusaka. He was happy to have a child even though he wanted a baby boy. He thanked Jehovah for his precious baby. He Glorifies Jehovah for bringing her on earth through him. His sister named her as Mwila Chabamba Charity. Thus the year 2004, was a year for baby sitting to him. It was a year he tried to change his career from Police to another institution but he failed.

His wife is a trained primary teacher. She completed are training in 2002. She was not posted till mid 2006 when she was posted to Eastern province as a primary teacher at one of the schools there.

The year 2005 was a year when he faced challenges of success in life. He was invited for interviews as a magistrate. Unfortunately for him, he failed. He also attended interviews at Management College as a senior Librarian but unfortunately he did not succeed. In October 2005, he attended interviews for United Nations as an United Nations Civilian Police at Zambia Police Training College in Lilayi. For Jehovah's grace, He managed to pass the tests. Out of six hundred plus Police Officers who sat for interviews, only seventy six passed. Chabamba Johnstone was among those who passed.

Then, on 22 ^nd January, 2006 five of them Chabamba Johnstone inclusive {Zambians} were sent to Liberia to maintain peace. He was very happy to see himself in an aero plane in the sky. He realized that no one is special only determinations and dedication to the almighty God that work. Imagine! From Lumpa Village to Liberia for peacekeeping, from no shoes to having more pairs of shoes, living in a grass thatched house to buying a house and his own vehicle. They passed through Kamuzu Banda International Airport in Malawi and slept in Kenya. Then on the 23 ^rd January, 2006, they started the Journey from Kenya to Roberts international Airport Liberia via Abidjan. They reached Liberia around 15:00hrs.

They were picked from the airport to Kailondo Hotel by their fellow Zambians who were already serving as UNMIL UNPolice and one Philippine from UNMIL Induction Section. It was an exciting time because they met people who left the country for sometime back. They briefed them the situation in Liberia and how they were surviving.

In the morning, the UN Bus came to take them to induction classes. They learned up to Lunch time. The most disappointing experience was the one which he met at the induction training. They did not go with any dollars from Zambia. The government failed to pay them Traveling Allowance citing that they applied very late for the money. The American UNPolice Lady Madam "T" was their Mentor during induction. Due to the fact that they didn't have money for upkeep, she took that responsibility. Chabamba Johnstone felt was ashamed and embarrassed by his government. Fortunate enough after four {4} days, they were given some advance allowance enough to settle their credits.

In his life he only thanks Jehovah for every success. Both Matende Hurst and he were posted to Fish Town River Gee County as advisors. When they arrived in Fish Town, they met Ruslan Holubstov a Ukrainian. Chabamba Johnstone was given the task of Community Policing and his friend as a motor transport officer. He worked diligently in all the towns of the county. He set up community forums all round the county and sensitized the communities on security matters. The people were so inclined to local traditions. It was not easy to sensitize them on security issues but he thanks God, that managed and people started appreciation his presence in the county.

The Team Leader was transferred to Monrovia and they remained with Charles Nuwagira a Ugandan. Instead of changing him from Community Policing to another section, he only added on another responsibility as a records manager. Thus he had two responsibilities instead of one like his Friends at the site.

His future plans are to build a children Library and Information Services in all parts of the Zambia. He always remembers the way he suffered in researching for the assignments until when he reached college level where he found the Library full of outdated and out of situation information.

The above stated story is a true story. I am Chabamba Johnstone. With determinations and prayers to the almighty God, no one can hinder someone's progress. Really God has Grace for everyone who seeks him!

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