Greetings from Luanshya!
It has been a few weeks since we had an opportunity to sit and jot our notes. This is due, in part, to the fact that our internet service has been absolutely awful and also to the fact that Sherry a few days away from home and drove down to visit friends in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
The work has continued to be challenging. During the school holidays there was an increase in the number of school children who attended the programs at the Christian Resource Centre. One young man stopped me today and apologized for not coming into the library to continue reading the book called "The Godmakers" (an exposé of Latter Day Saints). He has recently found a job and does not get off work until 5 p.m. I suggested that he talk to his boss about either taking early or late lunch so he can continue reading the book. He thought that was a great idea and promised to try. It is encouraging to know that we are having an impact on the lives of not only children but young adults in Luanshya.
One of our young men, Moyo, has recently moved to Chipata. Chipata on the eastern border of Zambia which is 12 1/2 hours away from us over some very poorly paved roads. He phones me once a week just to see how we are doing. He is continuing his discipleship course "by extension" because the distance is too far to sit with me on a regular basis. He is just about to finish the third book of seven and phoned last night to let me know that he is preparing to send it back for correction. While we are happy that he has found a vocation in which he can be of service, it is a loss to the local church to have this vibrant young man move so far away. Please pray for Moyo as he prepares for his life and service to the Lord.
Sarah Bwalya is expecting her second child any day now. Her husband, John, came in to tell us that she had just spent three days in hospital with a serious case of malaria. As we have mentioned before, malaria is the number one killer of children and pregnant women in Zambia. She is feeling better but is currently staying with her parents, here in town, until after the baby is born since the nearest health clinic near their village, where they teach, is 45 minutes away by bicycle. Not the best mode of transport for a woman in labor. Please pray for Sarah and John as they prepare for this newest member of the family. Also pray that John will have his request for a transfer back to Luanshya honored by the Ministry of Education. He really wants to be back with us in the English speaking work.
This coming Sunday I will have the opportunity to go to the village of Kasongo, about 16 miles from Luanshya through the bush (jungle). I have been looking forward to this meeting for two months. Witchcraft is prevalent in this village and we have been informed by reliable sources that it has even crept into the church. Please pray that God will give me wisdom and the right words to say and that the members of the church will be honest when confronted with the problem. I have personally dealt with witchdoctors in the past and if necessary will do so again.
Your prayers are always appreciated.
Together 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.