Greetings from Luanshya!
Life here is never actually "mundane." There are always surprises on the horizon and that brings both good and bad experiences. A flying stone send from the vehicle ahead can crack a windscreen (windshield) in an instant creating a very interesting design right across my field of vision. For "just $1,000" I can get that replaced. I didn't know that "just" and "$1,000" could into the same sentence. This is not good news!
The current teachers’ strike is not a good thing, but we have had an increase in students coming into the Christian Resource Centre for the past week. Many of them come in school uniform because they go to school hoping that classes have resumed only to find that the teachers are still refusing to work. Consequently they come to the CRC to read the books we have. A number of new students have joined the Mail Box Club programme that Sherry oversees from the CRC. We are encouraged that people are sharing what they have learned through their lessons with others. This is good news.
Work among the youth continues. During these "days off from school" a number of high school boys have been spending their time in the Youth Centre keeping occupied with the various board and table games. This ministry has been a true blessing to many and we are pleased to be a part of keeping the youth out of the bars. Sherry has just begun lessons on the final chapter of Daniel during the weekly youth meetings. This week the young people will look at the first four verses of chapter 12 and next week conclude the chapter and book. It has been a long haul through the book of Daniel, but the youth have grasped some of the events that will be taking place in those last days as well as examples to live by through observing the life of Daniel. Pray for the young people of Luanshya as they seek truth.
In the Men's Bible Study last Sunday we examined Acts 4. Some of the questions included: What risks do we take when we try to witness to people about Christ? When, if ever, have you been challenged or threatened because of your beliefs? What steps can you take to better prepare yourself to explain the gospel to unbelievers? When has the testimony of another believer strengthened or encouraged you to boldly witness for Christ? Finally the question that stopped the class cold: Who is one person you can tell about Jesus’ offer of salvation this week? Each of the men was asked to name one person to whom they would talk about the Lord this week. The men had to look at their week and decide who would be approached about their eternity. One man said, "Several." I asked him to name one. He stumbled. When we think about reaching the "world" for Christ it seems easy. When we think about the individual and concentrate on how to reach that one person for Christ the question becomes personal. Ultimately each man mentioned a name of someone they would either invite to church or at least give a book about the Lord. It isn't evangelism if we aren't evangelists.
This week I will be in one of the rural churches. I went out to the village a few days ago to meet one of the leaders. The road is horrible and it will take nearly an hour to get there. I am glad I went then because I would have been 30 minutes late for the service – not unusual for them, but unheard of for me.
On a personal note, Colin finishes his course in San Antonio on Thursday. He is a "Aircraft Load Master". He now goes to Florida for a few days to learn how to parachute. Actually, he will learn how to land when parachuting. That is the hard part. Jumping from the plane is apparently "easy". Then he will spend a few weeks in Washington State learning how to live on bark and leaves. Then he will go to Oklahoma where he says "the wind comes rolling down the plain." After all the training he will be in Hawaii for 3 years. Thank you for praying for him during his training and for continuing those prayers as he is begins his assignment. With the excitement in Asia over the past few days this is cause for concern.
We appreciate your prayers on our behalf. With the planned ministries and the unplanned events, we know Who hold the future.
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.