Greetings from Luanshya!
It is not very often that I have an opportunity to sit and listen to someone else preach on a Sunday morning, but last Sunday was just such a day. John Bwalya (our adopted Zambian son) preached a sermon from Psalm 127 reminding us that unless the Lord builds the house the builders are working in vain. When John came to us several years ago to tell us that he and Sara wanted to get married we spent nine weeks in pre-marital counselling with them. We used the book Before We Say "I Do" by Marvin A. McMickle as our workbook and both John and Sara had homework assignments each week. As we listened to John preach building Christ-centered families we remembered those sessions with them a few years ago. We are so pleased to see his spiritual growth and his leadership skills both in his home and in the church.
On Friday, Sherry's youth class studied the book of Ezekiel - the Strong Man of God. A reader can't read the prophet Ezekiel's writings three minutes without encountering the strange, the phenomenal, the wonderful. In his own unpredictable manner, Ezekiel told his readers about the Lord; he genuinely desired that people understand who God is. How needed are his words in our own day! Ezekiel wrote, preached, dramatized, warned, and prophesied for more than two decades. With great enthusiasm and imagination, he vigorously declared God's message before an exiled generation of Jews--discouraged captives who needed a strong leader. Because modern minds see humanity as awesome and God as tiresome, a big dose of Ezekiel is long overdue. May God emerge and, in all His glory, eclipse humanity beneath His almighty shadow. A contemporary of Daniel and only a few years older, Ezekiel spent his ministry as a living illustration of God's relationship with His people Israel. The young people were left with four timeless principles we can all learn from Ezekiel: 1) Those who significantly impact others for God have God's hand on them, God's Word in them, and God's message speaking through them. 2) Truth gains authenticity when it is modeled. 3) Nothing is impossible with God. 4) There is always hope when we focus on God's glory. This week, Daniel--A Man of Integrity.
Yesterday we had two guests visit us in the Christian Resource Centre. Andrew and Grace Maina are missionaries from Kenya to Zambia focusing on youth. They saw the display window and stopped in to see what we had to offer. They were very excited about having access to reference books as well as reading books for their young son, Nathan. This afternoon I had an opportunity to spend about 30 minutes with Andrew talking about his dreams and goals for his ministry. Please pray for Andrew and Grace as they serve the Lord in Zambia.
Next week marks my 28th year as a missionary to Africa (Zaire then Zambia). It has been more "eventful" that expected and more fruitful than I could have imagined. I thank the Lord for His strength and guidance through the challenges of the past 28 years. I thank the Lord for protecting my children as they endured the challenges of being "MK's." I thank the Lord for bringing Sherry into my life to share our lives and ministries.
We also thank you for your prayers and support as we remain...
Together in His Service,
Patrick & Sherry
Patrick & Sherry Coleman
P O Box 90010
Luanshya,
Zambia
Off: 260 212 512359/512539
Res: 260 212 510033
Cell (P): 260 966 780113
Cell (S): 260 966 780112
