I had the great privilege of meeting Mr. Mwale, Jonathan’s dad, while working at Shine Zambia in June. As many of you know, the A to Z Literacy team has been keeping tabs on Jonathan as he has progressed through school. Now in grade 10, A to Z is providing the funds needed for Jonathan to attend Munali Secondary School for Boys.
Mr. Mwale wanted to meet face to face to thank us personally and express his deepest gratitude. As he spoke, Jonathan sat quietly, head down, listening, respecting his father. I was moved by watching the two of them, so when I began to respond to Mr. Mwale, tears poured out instead of words.
Trying to pull myself together, I explained that even on my hardest day in Crystal Lake, Illinois, my roughest moments, nothing compares to their days in Zambia. Life is so much more difficult.
Telling Mr. Mwale that we believe in his son, that we are inspired by Jonathan, motivated by him, and trust him, was the highlight of my day.
A to Z Literacy Movement Blog 
Mal, it’s eye-opening to see parent involvement with Zambian students. With all the stresses they have in their lives, I just wasn’t expecting that Jonathan’s father would want to come to school – or even be able to come – to express his gratitude. It’s plain to see how Jonathan has grown to be the wonderful young man he is