06 June 2013

News from Zambia 29 May 2013

29 May 2013

Greetings from Zambia!

God continues to bless and open new doors for service.

A couple of weeks ago a local church youth worker came into the Christian Resource Centre and told Sherry that he was concerned about the young people in his church who were constantly bombarded by the immorality of various entertainment media in Zambia. (We have heard similar concerns from friends around the globe!) Sherry showed the youth leader some of the material from the "Source of Light" Bible correspondence curriculum that we have in the CRC entitles "Love: Dating and Marriage." They have planned a Youth Conference for Saturday, 8 June, at the CRC Conference Hall. The topics will include:
1 - What is Love; The Three Kinds of Love
2 - Ten Reasons Why You Should Wait; Understanding the Sex Drive
3 - Dating; How To Say "No"
4 - Love is More Than a Beautiful Feeling; Ten Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
5 - How to Experience God's Love; Parts 1 and 2
6 - How Can I Tell If It Is Real Love?; Choosing Wisely

So far there are over 40 registered participants for the day-long conference. Please pray for Sherry as she leads this vitally important meeting to reach out to teenagers who desperately need role models in their lives!

Two Sundays ago we travelled to the Kafubu Dam (where I go every Thursday afternoon) and I baptised 18 "new" believers just below the dam in the Kafubu River. This was originally planned for February, but the rains made the river a bit to swift for the people to get into the water. This was the first baptism for the church that meets at the dam for FOURTEEN years! Some of those baptised had come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour several years ago, but they were waiting for "permission" to be baptised. It took me some time to convince them that baptism is not something for which believers need "permission" because Jesus commanded it in Matthew 28:19. The man who started the church in his home is actually a bit older and would have a difficult time physically baptising in rushing water so I was asked to do this. In so doing I also taught several of the men how to baptise new believers and told them that they did not need to wait until they had a crowd.

After explaining the process and interviewing each person who came to be be baptised, we walked 30 minutes along the river bank to a place that would allow us to baptise as well as allow the many spectators - some from neighbouring churches in Ndola - to witness this event. One of the men stood beside me to "help" - but to keep a watchful eye for snakes and crocodiles. As each person was baptised the congregation sang and applauded. After the baptism we walked back to the house where the church meets and celebrated their first communion service. The members of Mukolwe Chapel gave this congregation a wooden tray to hold the small plastic communion cups that I provided thanks to friends in the States. As we continue to travel to this rural area I will be teaching more about how to evangelise and administrate this local assembly of believers. Hopefully this baptism and communion service will encourage them to expand their outreach into the village around them. Please pray for the Kafubu Dam Chapel as they grow in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

By the way, they have started to build their own chapel so they will be able to move from the house to their own meeting place when the rains begin later this year.

There is more to share, but this letter is limited in space. Thank you for your faithful prayer and financial support as we continue…

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