Greetings from Luanshya!
2004 has officially closed. There was no excitement in our little town. Everything was shut down and depressed. I spoke to three businessmen this week who are ready to "pack it in" and look for greener pastures. Still we see God working, especially in the lives of the people who utilize the Christian Resource Centre. In the Source of Light Bible Correspondence program we enrolled 29 new students, 280 lessons were distributed, 232 were corrected and 29 certificates of completion were awarded. Colin has been helping in the Resource Centre for the last few weeks while home from school. It has given him an appreciation of what happens in Luanshya during his absence. It has also helped him to realize that there are a lot of young people in our area who have a real hunger for the Word of God. He leaves to return to school this coming Sunday. Please pray for him as well as our students in the weeks to come.
One particular man, named Mr. Zulu, was reading our copy of "Active Spirituality" by Chuck Swindoll. He came into Sherry's office convicted about what he was reading. He requested extra time to review the book, read the Scriptures and pray over changes that needed to occur in his life. Please pray for Mr. Zulu. He is a professing Christian but his church is not in line with biblical doctrine. He is on the verge of making some changes in his life.
The week before Christmas we put together a box of duplicate books. When regular users of the Resource Centre came in, we gave each one the opportunity to choose two books for Christmas. The thrill of seeing their faces as they received their surprise is more than we can express. Being able to equip national believers for ministry is why we are here. Please pray that these tools will be utilized effectively.
Malaria and cholera are present in Luanshya in a very big way.
Yesterday afternoon we heard that several people have contracted cholera and at least four have died from this extremely contagious disease. We are boiling our water and have told the members of the churches with whom we work to do the same and to be extremely careful about letting their children play in dirty water. Nevertheless, children being children, this is always a dangerous time of the year. Please pray for the health and well-being of the believers. Most of these families do not have a consistent source of clean water. Many of them have to carry water in used oil jugs often up to three or four kilometres. We are blessed that the Lighthouse Children's Home has it's own well so our children are not drinking contaminated water.
For the next few weeks I will be doing a study from the 23rd Psalm on Wednesday evenings. The Sunday School is studying relationships focusing on jealousy this week. The younger children will be discussing temptation. On Sunday I will begin a series discussing the "Purposes" for Christ's suffering on the Cross. I am looking forward to this particular series as I have been studying it for the last few months.
All that we do is made possible because of your prayers and support on our behalf.
In His Service, Patrick & Sherry
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This is a regular (almost) update of the multi-faceted ministry of Patrick and Sherry Coleman who serve the Lord in Zambia, Africa.
About Us
Patrick was born and raised in the Los Angeles area of California. He moved to Lubumbashi, Zaire, (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) in 1985. In 1991 he was evacuated from Lubumbashi because of civil unrest. Patrick based his family in Luanshya, Zambia.
Sherry was born and raised in a Jewish home in New Jersey. She came to know the Lord as her Messiah and personal Saviour when she was 17. She came to Zambia in 1990 to administrate a correspondence Bible school. She also taught in area schools and in churches.
They met and were married on August 1, 1997.
Today both Patrick and Sherry Coleman serve the Lord together in Zambia. Their ministry responsibilities have grown. They own and operate the Lighthouse Children's Home with six AIDS orphans, they have opened their personal library to the public in Luanshya through the Christian Resource Centre, Sherry still has a correspondence Bible school and Patrick still works with local church leaders as well as serving in leadership at Fellowship Chapel in Luanshya.
Note from the Web Guy
Greetings from the Web presence of the Coleman Ministry. Please check the archives for any posts you may have missed.
This is the Colemans' oldest son, who is responsible for this website. My father refers to himself as "Technologically Reclined". Despite my best efforts to make posting to this site as easy and quick as possible, he insists on using the worst method available and occasionally forgetting to notify me for more than a year.As a result, sometimes posts get added in the background. They do not hit the front page, which only shows the latest update I have received, reformatted, and republished. As of this writing, I have a dozen posts to put up and back-date, and more coming in. I estimate that I will finish this effort by late July. Maybe not this year, but it will be a July.
So please, peruse the archives.