News from Zambia - 13th April 2005

Greetings from Luanshya!

We are pleased to give a positive report on Colin's leg situation. Last Thursday evening Dr. Mulla operated on Colin's leg and inserted a steel plate next to the lower portion of his femur. The plate is held in place by nine screws. Colin came through surgery very well and I stayed one night in Lusaka with him. I came home on the weekend to preach in Luanshya then returned on Monday morning to Lusaka. The doctor was pleased with Colin's progress and the condition of his surgery site and released him on Tuesday with a complete set of instructions on what not to do concerning his recuperation. The bone seems to be mending, according to the x-rays, and Colin is able to get around fairly well on crutches. We appreciate your prayers on his behalf. Please continue to pray as the leg heals. The plate will remain in place for approximately a year and a half. At that time the doctor will go back in and remove the plate.

The Lord had been blessing. One woman came into the Resource Centre last week and told Sherry that she was very pleased that her entire family, adults and children, are taking the Source of Light Lessons. In the evenings they sit around the living room and talk about what they have learned from their current lessons. Please pray for them and others as they continue to study God's Word through this ever-growing ministry.

Several weeks ago we asked you to pray for John and Sarah Bwalya as they are teaching in a rural area. This morning John came in to see Sherry and told her he was using her program for youth meetings in their school. The local Superintendent of Schools for his District has given her blessing on this program. John and Sarah are working with both boys and girls using school facilities. This would not be possible in public schools in the United States, but God has left this door open here in Zambia. We are thrilled at the fact that this young couple are able to utilize the information that they have gathered over the years and sharing with other young people. John was also invited to speak in a local Baptist Church in a village near his school on more than one occasion. The seeds that we have planted in John's heart are being planted again in areas where neither Sherry nor I have ever visited. Please continue to pray for John and Sarah as they minister both in the schools and church in their rural village setting.

School holidays have begun for the month of April. The College and Career class is down slightly in the attendance yet there are still those who are working and living in the area that want to continue the series of lessons while their college friends return home for the holiday. So, Sherry has gladly obliged and will provide lessons on Christian living through the examples, both good and bad, of various Bible characters.

On Sunday we are in a series called "The New Testament Church". Last Sunday we spoke about Christ as the Head of the Church, Christ as the Cornerstone of the Church, Christ as the Bridegroom of the Church. This coming week we will answer the question, "How does someone get into the Church of Christ?" Even the children were enthralled with the lessons giving input from time to time.

We sincerely appreciate your prayers on our behalf, especially over the last two weeks concerning Colin's accident and the expenses involved in medical treatment and travelling back and forth. We are pleased that quality medical treatment could be found within Zambia thus avoiding expensive travel outside the country. God has provided every step of the way.

In His service, Patrick & Sherry