Chishi Island Trip

Friday afternoon saw us travel on the fisheries boat to Chishi Island where a conference was underway. We were cared for very well and being a fishing area we had some great fish to eat, not to mention the goat and village chicken!! The Island is quite large and has 3 CMML churches on it – they had come together for this conference. We think the Island population is around 3-4000 people. We used the tents that we brought with us and will leave them at Samfya for future teams.
I was able to teach on Friday night and shared the teaching on Saturday with the Bible school staff. I also spent time with the elders and challenged them about the role of the shepherd and the need to regularly evaluate their own lives to ensure the purity of the church. There is one Bible School graduate on the Island and he is doing a fine work. He has established youth and children’s ministries and he is regularly teaching at all the churches. Unfortunately the churches do not support him financially, so he must still work as a fisherman to survive. He is a godly young man – please pray for Immanuel as he has much work to do in very trying conditions.
The meetings were all held outside and at night we had a brought a generator so we could keep teaching. On Saturday night, after the general session message, Maria led a session with the women. She was shocked by the problems and questions that she faced. Immorality is commonplace, and it seems that many church leaders are not qualified to be leading. Her session did not finish until after midnight, such was the hunger form these ladies to know what they must do in their walk in Christ. Please pray for them – the difficulties they face makes our existence look very easy.
On Sunday morning I taught form 1 Thessalonians 4 with the call to “Excel Still More” including the instruction to abstain from sexual immorality. At the close a man repented and there followed a moving time as he was asked to stand in front of everyone and people then came past and affirmed him in his repentance. Another woman also came and repented. What a blessing to see God at work in these people. We do not even begin to understand the issues however – this man was a polygamist. To release a wife will mean she has no means of support – the church leaders there now have the responsibility to help him work through the issues that he faces – again please pray!
Maria and Kelssa were also able to assist with Sunday School. They worked with Agnes (the principal’s wife), who has incredible ability with children. The Bible School is trying to encourage the work of Sunday Schools in the churches to build into the lives of these kids and give them a good foundation. After the service we also had the privilege of witnessing the baptism of around 14 people. What a blessing to see people making a stand for Christ.
This weekend has been a huge challenge to us all. Seeing the humble circumstances of our brothers and sisters in Christ, the love that they have for the Lord, their service of us, the spiritual needs... how can we not respond in giving from the abundance that God has blessed us with? In distributing Bibles we found elders who did not have their own copy! How can one lead the flock of God effectively if he is not in the word personally? May God move our hearts as a church to support His work in this needy land.
On our return journey we stayed very close to another long Island for some time – there were hundreds of grass huts where fishing families live. We asked if we could stop along the way and have a look in a village area. We were shocked to see the living conditions. Houses no bigger than many of our bathrooms. This stop turned out to be very providential (and eventful as a drunk man tried to call down fire from heaven on us!!!), as we took a mother and her very ill 12 year old girl with us. She was severely dehydrated, probably with malaria and maybe other issues. We were able to get her to the local hospital and she was given fluids – we will follow up to see how she continues. If she had been left on the Island, she probably would have died, although we realise that she is not out of difficulty even now. Please pray for her – her name is Florence and we intend to visit with some food and to share the gospel with her and her mother.
This weekend has had a deep impact on us all. Please pray that we would have compassionate hearts to our Zambian friends. In getting back to Samfya we were able to sit and drink an ice cold coke that was so refreshing (the power was going!! Until 6pm!!). Most of our friends on Chishi wouldn’t know what a coke tasted like – it is an interesting dynamic living between two worlds. Our challenge is to do that with grace and compassion, imparting our very lives as Paul would say, that our brothers and sisters might know genuine love and be encouraged in faith.
The maintenance work has continued well – the new water line to the school is just about complete and Gavin is overseeing this. Sam has worked in re-plastering a number of buildings. Toby keeps us all entertained as well as helping Sam & Gavin. Maria is at a Christian School as I write to assess some help for them. Stephen and Kelssa are heading back to the clinic today to encourage this work along as it is just getting started.
Thank you for your prayers and support. Today we expect Roger to arrive and then Wednesday we drive to Kasama for more leadership training and then on to Mbala to do the same. We look forward to encouraging these graduates and their leaders. Please pray for God’s protection and blessing on His Word.