17 July 2014

News from Zambia - 16 July 2014

 

16 July 2014

Greetings from Luanshya!

There are times when someone reminds me just how fortunate I was to have the heritage I enjoy. A friend wrote:
 
"My parents didn't go to church. My mom was Catholic and my dad still is a Jehovah's Witness. This is probably why they didn't go to church. As a child, I loved going to Sunday school. I can't tell you how thankful I am for bus ministry! And those who spent their Sunday mornings, giving us kids an opportunity to go to church.
 
One Sunday, your grandma had our class over for Sunday dinner afterward. This was unfamiliar to me and I loved it! It was such a great experience! She gave me a Snickers when she took me home and that's when I knew I wanted to be a Christian! CB (Calvary Baptist Church) was so great to me as a child, and I have such wonderful memories of Sunday school & riding the bus. It was such a big part of my life, and who I am now, really."

Perhaps this is why I am so keen to reach out to young people and children with the Gospel. A few weeks ago we mentioned an expansion of the rural ministries to incorporate Child Evangelism Fellowship into the children's ministries. Tomorrow (Thursday) CEF will conduct their first Bible study in the Kafubu Dam West village. In a few weeks several of the parents in KDW and Mwewa will be attending the CEF training in Luanshya. It is very exciting to see parents trained to teach the Bible to the children in their villages.

Andrew, our youngest Lighthouse Children's Home ward, continues in his studies, his small business and his church ministry. His outreach into the community of Luanshya is expanding and he is showing an incredible level of maturity – especially for an 18-year-old youth! Other businesses in Luanshya are asking for his help with their information technology requirements including banks and the Luanshya Municipal Council. The greatest compliment we have received is that his integrity is above question! We are proud of his progress and for God allowing us to have a part in his growing process.

Sherry's work at the Christian Resource Centre/Reading Room continues. We recently gave the facility a facelift with fresh paint and minor repairs. The same has been done for the Seminar Room and we are now working on the Youth Centre which will be re-opened following the Provincial Mock-Exams which started today in all the high schools.  The Source of Light Correspondence Bible School is still operating and a number of local students have expressed their appreciation for the lessons and some are using them in home Bible studies with neighbours.

Sometimes we have duplicates and triplicates of books in the library. This morning Sherry gave a box of study helps to a young man who is studying at a local Bible school. He used to be a student in the Sherry's correspondence school but wanted more after he completed all 60 courses. He followed that up with an extensive discipleship course with me. Late last year he started his first local church. You can see how our various ministries complement one another and come full circle to the point where those we have trained go out into the world and make their own disciples.

Your prayers and support have made it possible for us to remain…

In His Service,

Patrick & Sherry