27 November 2018

Greetings From Luanshya!

Nancy Chanda came to us 18 years ago as a frightened 10 year-old orphan who had been severely abused and neglected. As she grew, we recognized her ability to lead and teach. We encouraged her to go into education as a vocation. She has excelled in her training and is a graduate of Mufulira Teacher’s College and is now a qualified High School Math and Science teacher. A few weeks ago, she let us know that she had found “the one”. Last week we met Alick and had a serious conversation about responsibilities of marriage and caring for our Zambian daughter. He was a bit intimidated… and that’s good.

Alick and Nancy have begun their pre-marital counseling and will be married at Fellowship Chapel on 29 December 2018. Patrick will perform the ceremony. We are proud of Nancy’s accomplishments and look forward to seeing her grow both in her vocational, familial and spiritual life with her soon to be husband. Please pray for them in this life journey together.

Sherry continues teaching the ladies class at the Christian Resource Centre. They have entered the next phase of her series on “Bible Study Methods”. This week is part two of “Interpretation”. The lesson is entitled “Handle With Care”….rightly dividing the Word of truth. Along with the class, they ladies are spending time in prayer for pertinent needs and requests that they would not normally share in the public forum. Relationships continue to build, opportunities abound in intertwining their lives as a “sisterhood”. Please pray for the class and for Sherry as she teaches and trains for the future.

The Bible Correspondence School continues to expand. After the new year begins, we will be sending a shipment of courses up-country for use in one of the local churches. We shared, some weeks ago, about a young man named Ben, who has entered into fulltime ministry in a local church. His desire is to use the bible courses as a starting point for the various programs of the church. Pray for Ben. Pray for Sherry as the work expands.

The rains have begun. This has an effect on our ministry as it sometimes hampers movement into the rural areas as roads become impassable due to heavy mud and fallen trees. We are thankful for those who live in the rural areas and are able to trek into town by bicycle or foot to collect training material and bible courses. These same believers then go to the rural churches to share the Word and ensure that the believers continue to be fed spiritually during this time. Please pray for safety in travel and protection for both chapels and homes during the torrential rains.

During the Adult Sunday School class at Fellowship Chapel, we have begun the video series “Life and Ministry of Christ”. The first few lessons lead up to the birth of the Messiah so it is very timely for this period of the year. We will continue through the series as the congregation enjoys their “virtual” trip to the Holy Land via video. Seeing the Holy Land is an eye-opener for the local believers. Though most will not have opportunity to visit in person, the videos bring the reality of the Promised Land to them and bring the Scriptures to life. One of the ladies remarked that “the teaching at Fellowship Chapel and the Ladies Bible Study has helped her to grow more in the last year than she has in her entire Christian experience”. This encourages us as we construct the spiritual building that incorporates God’s children. We begin with the foundation and build from there.

Your prayers and support keep us …

Together in His Service,

24 October 2018

Greetings From Luanshya!

We have had an interesting couple of weeks. Some ups, some downs yet, we know that God is in control and where He leads, we will follow.

Many years ago a young man, with a Mozambiquan background, visited the Christian Resource Centre with a group of friends from the local boys high school. Curious, he enquired what was offered and how he can be a member of the library. And that was just the beginning. Through years, Ben, has been a consistent visitor and user of the facility and all that was on offer, including the bible correspondence lessons. That also involved the Youth Centre in the back of the building. Fun is fun, especially with fellow teenagers wanting be with the “right” crowd. Nearly fifteen years later,  a graduate of Bible College and having written and dedicated his thesis to Sherry, Ben phoned her  to inform her that on November 4^th, he will be installed as the Shepherd of the sheep at the Katumbila Baptist Fellowship. He wanted to let her know that “I am who I am today because of the beginnings and rooting I received through you and the work at the Christian Resource Centre.” Please pray for Ben, his young wife and new baby as they assume a leadership role and encourage the saints. We have provided him with the tools (books, study guides, etc.) to begin his personal library.

This past week we have had a series of unseasonal storms and severe winds. Gilbert Simwanza, with whom I work closely, had half the roof of his house torn off and the Lulamba Chapel, near his home, was completely destroyed. Only six roofing sheets from that building have been recovered. The rest have flown into oblivion. Brother Simwanza was sitting in front of his house at the time of the storm and the roof flew over his house. Fortunately, he was not injured and his wife was away from home. The same storm caused damage to another mission station and tore the roof off another church along the line of the storm. Please pray about this situation. The church, literally, has no place to meet at this point.

Every day Sherry steps outside at 10 in the morning to get some “rays” for about 15 minutes (doctors orders). When walking out the other day, she saw a young man sitting on the pillar out front of the office. She enquired what he was doing and if she could help. Jack immediately said, “I believe the Lord wanted me to be here. I am a new believer and I am hungry for the Word. Can you help?” And so begins the story of a yet another young person. Sherry brought Jack in, walking him through the library, showed him the courses and he immediately sat down with his first book and will return next time to register in the Bible correspondence lessons. Will he be another Ben? Only the Lord knows and we pray so.

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of the lives of believers in Zambia, young and old and to prepare them for service in the Kingdom of the Lord.

Together in His Service,

26 September 2018

Greetings From Luanshya! 

September has been a month of highs and lows. During the first week we lost a good friend after a ten month battle with cancer. Eve and Dick Jarvis came to Zambia after retirement and have been working among the deaf. Eve felt that “something” was wrong and travelled with Sherry to South Africa last November. She was diagnosed with stage four-cancer. Sherry was with Eve throughout her treatment from diagnosis to her last breath on 3 September. Please pray for Dick Jarvis as he deals with his loss. He and Eve would have celebrated their 48^th wedding anniversary in November.

This month we also started classes at the Bible school. This is always a high point of our ministry. The classes include the Life of Christ, A Walk Through the Bible, Basic Christian Living and Biblical Stewardship.

One of our early wards came to visit recently. Augustine Kaoma was abandoned by his family as a child. Though he was not officially under our supervision, we began caring for him while he was going to school. He ultimately finished night school while helping Sherry in the Christian Resource Centre. He left us in order to pursue a business opportunity and today he has his own transport company. He married a young widow and adopted her daughter as his own. He told us that he learned how to love and share because of what he experienced under our care. Today he and his wife have four children and he kept telling the children, “remember, this is grandma and when you grow up and visit Luanshya, you need to make sure you visit grandma and grandpa. They are important people.”

Sherry’s Thursday afternoon women’s class is going strong. This quarter they are learning not to just be “under the Word” but to be “in the Word” for themselves. One of our goals is to equip the saints and how better to do this than to actually teach them how to study the Word of God. Sherry’s methodology is similar to that of what she learned under Dr. David Reid…Historical background, doctrinal teaching, personal application.

Kaponda Mulapwa is an evangelist in the rural areas of the province. He supports himself fishing along the river where he lives. Fishing season is closed at the moment so he has come seeking to take discipleship lessons with me. We are enjoying the bible study and I am learning much from this seasoned Bible student. I was told that we learn all our lives. When we stop learning, we start to die. My few hours with Mr. Mulapwa every Monday is a great way to start my week.

In the difficult times and the joyous times we rejoice in the fact that God is blessing as we are seeing victories from the distant past as well as recent time. Tour faithful prayers and support makes it all happen!

Together in His Service,

News from Zambia - 1 August 2018

Greetings from Zambia!

Yesterday I celebrated my 33^rd anniversary of the day I first stepped onto African soil. Little did I know then what lay before me in the next three decades! I spent the day meeting with the Mobile Mission Maintenance International Alliance Board. MMM formally commenced in Australia in 1975 with two families becoming the first mobile mission maintenance team living in mobile homes travelling itinerantly from project to project at the direction of a Mission Council.

Their Mission Statement says: “MMM exists to enhance the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the ministry of building, both people and facilities, to serve Christian work and workers in God’s global Kingdom.”

 
 
Meanwhile, Sherry returned from South Africa where she went to assist in the care of Eve Jarvis as she prepares to return to Zambia later this week. She also counseled a young, deaf woman from Fellowship Chapel who has made some unfortunate life choices. She has had some substantial success. Sherry has also assumed the primary role of interpreting the services at Fellowship Chapel for the deaf.

Over the years MMM has expanded from Australia to New Zealand, Hong Kong and Zambia with plans to expand into South Africa. The operation in Zambia is unique in that we have a Bible Institute and Vocational Training Centre that not only builds churches, clinics and schools, but also actually trains students to build while studying the Bible.

MMM Zambia celebrated their 30^th anniversary this year. Over the past 20 years MMM VTC has helped to build Sherry’s office, repair the driveway in front of our house and built the Fellowship Chapel. It was a blessing spending time with these selfless servants who strive to “Serve Those Who Serve.”

Two weeks remain in the second term at the Bible College. Sherry’s classes will sit their finals this Friday while mine will sit for finals next week. It is always encouraging to see the growth of our students. Speaking of which, this past week we participated in the graduation ceremony for the last set of students. In total there were 89 graduates who have gone into the world to be “salt”. We praise the Lord for having had a part in their lives.

Next Thursday Sherry heads back down to South Africa for, hopefully, the last review following her shoulder surgery. Your prayers are  and have been greatly appreciated for this period of recuperation. Though there may be no further visits with the surgeon, physio will continue for another six months so she can gain full range of motion and return to regular activities.

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.

Together in His Service,

News from Zambia

 

25 April 2018

 

Dear Partner in service,

 

Greetings from Luanshya!

 

What a month we have had! Sherry has been dealing with her new routine of stretching, exercising and getting her right shoulder back into shape. She gets up at 5:30 every morning and spends an hour with stretching  and now strengthening exercises. She then goes to her office and continues to score correspondence courses and answering questions that members of the community have as they study in the reading room. She has restarted the Ladies' Bible Study that was postponed until after her surgery and even participated in a youth seminar last Saturday. She has also resumed signing lessons and sermons into sign language – even though her signs are limited in size.

 

Next week she will return to South Africa to see the surgeon and physio-therapist for another post-surgery review. The surgeon is pleased (and impressed) with reports from Sherry about her progress thus far. We appreciate your continued prayers for her recovery.

 

Classes at the Bible institute are on end-of-term recess. Students will be working on the campus during the break in preparation for construction of new student housing units. Since we are training bricklayers, we have a team of workers. Our training team will be working with professional builders overseeing the construction. The school is still in the process of raising funds for the construction. We will build as funds are available. Please pray for this project!

 

Last Sunday I was invited to teach and preach at a church I helped to start 15 years ago. I was pleased to observe that this rural congregation continues to remain faithful in their community outreach. Benson Chomba (The man with whom I started the church) is fifteen years older, but his enthusiasm remains strong. I thoroughly enjoyed the two choirs singing and the believers praising God for His grace and mercy. After the service we ate a lunch of various local dishes.THIS is why we are here! Sharing God's truth and training church leaders. This was truly a day of fellowship!

As we continue to teach, preach and counsel members of our community we are always thankful for the faithful support of our ministry partners. We realise that we cannot do this without your prayers and consistent support.

 

Thank you for making it possible for us to remain…

 

In His Service,

Patrick & Sherry

News from Zambia - 14 March 2018

The Doctor was not able to reconnect the entire pectoral muscle to Sherry's shoulder. The tendon from the clavicle to the arm is still intact but caution and observation are being done to ensure that he does not need to operate again to anchor this. Particularly since there was a large amount of calcium obstruction that had to be removed, leaving quite a bit of space which may cause stress on the tendon. She wears a sling 24/7 (even to bed) to keep her shoulder immobilized except when she does limited physiotherapy as approved by the surgeon. Basically, she does everything with her left hand and arm and will continue to do this until the end of May.

Yes, she has to return to South Africa next Monday to see the surgeon on Tuesday so he can determine if the operation was successful or if he needs to go back in to anchor the tendon. 

She is faithfully taking her post-op medicines. The last pain pill was taken over the weekend so she is "toughing it out" for a week, but if the pain continues we WILL be making a call to the surgeon for permission to take more pain medication. Thank you for continued prayers in this regard.

Ministry wise, we both continue to lecture at the Vocational Bible School in Ndola. I am teaching two courses, one on Practical Christian Living and the other course is Basic Theology. Sherry is teaching "The Life of Christ" and "Secure In Christ—A Walk Through the Bible on God's Faithfulness". Our first year class has 35 students and the second year class is composed of 20 students. Your prayers will be appreciated for the students as well as for us.

Last Sunday I preached at the Kangonga Blind Centre Chapel three times that morning. Their choir, though small, has a beautiful sound, for those interested, I have a video on my Face Book page. After the services, I sat with several of the men and had a good Q & A period where they asked some very personal and poignant questions. Please pray for these church leaders as they endeavour to lead and train other leaders in their church. Discipleship is always key in any fellowship and we are pleased that this appears to be the focus in many of the churches we participate in at this time.

A further example of successful discipleship was the Bible lesson we heard tonight from John Bwalya at the English speaking "Fellowship Chapel". As we sat listening to his message, we were impressed by the fact that it was biblically sound and very practical in its application for daily Christian living. We are pleased with both John and Sarah's dedication to the Lord and faithfulness to their extended family, including their children. John and Sarah are integral parts of their community and are often asked to counsel young couples who are experiencing trouble in their marriages or pre-marital counselling.

At the Christian Resource Centre, church leaders and the general community continue to utilize the various materials that we have made available. Just last week Sherry loaned one of the computers to a church leader for use in preparing his Men's Christian Fellowship lessons. He was overjoyed to see all the bible material on the machine at his fingertips. The expression on his face said it all. Correspondence lessons continue to be distributed. In the last month, despite her current disability, Sherry has marked well over 100 exams with another 50 plus on their way out in the next few days. We would ask for your continued prayers for the ministry of the Christian Resource Centre.

The Thursday afternoon women's Bible studies are on-going. Sherry is nearly finished with her series on 1 Peter "Hope Beyond…" and is already working on the next series for the class. Pray for wisdom in preparation and for this continued outreach into the community.

Some have asked for an update on the cholera situation. As of this writing, Luanshya continues to be a "cholera free zone". Regular outdoor market cleansing are done, shops that sell produce are inspected, some have been temporarily closed for a day or so until they get their act together. The lime and plastic sheeting we provided as well as the counsel has been utilized and we will follow up shortly to see what else we can do to help in maintaining the current status. Thank you for your prayers and support in this area. Lives have been saved and protected because of your faithful generosity in all areas.

In spite of physical limitations, God has enabled us to continue to serve in His work. This has been made possible because of your prayers. Thank you for allowing us to remain…

In His Service,

Us

Patrick & Sherry Coleman
P O Box 90010
Luanshya, Zambia
colemanpg@gmail.com

coleman.sherry.i@gmail.com