24 September
Wednesday was a long day starting at 6:30 an d arriving at our destination just north of Kasama at 6pm – the roads were long dusty and pot holed which made for interesting driving. The seminar began on Thursday with a very enthusiastic group of people. This region has 6 Samfya Bible School graduates working in it and a couple of GLO grads. They are working together as church planting teams and are endeavouring to see one new plant in new areas each year.
It was humbling to hear their commitment to the gospel and the efforts that are going in to reach into areas that are predominantly Roman Catholic. They have also sent people away into new areas to start churches – they have a real missions mindset.
The challenges they presented to us in their work is that none of them have bicycles. When they go to new church plant areas they also need bedding as if they take theirs, the family is left with nothing. Also in moving to a new area they need to rent a house (mud brick!!) and need resources to help with this. Currently they try to raise funds for this from their 10 churches, however funds are very tight.
It has been very challenging to see and understand the work that these men and women are doing. They are committed to the truth. What a blessing to come and encourage them in this vital ministry.
We have now travelled further north, past Mbala to Mpulungu. This town is on the southern end of Lake Tanganyika – it is a fishing town. Today we begin meetings with the graduates from this area and their church communities. Please pray for us for strength – the temperatures are very hot and humid. Everyone is well but tired.
27 September
Well the challenges of our time away only continue to grow. Here at Mpulungu we have come to a busy fishing district. It is hot and humid here, the streets are nothing more than rocks! We have been wonderfully cared for by our hosts, all sent to homes around the area. It is a beautiful place with the backdrop of Lake Tanganyika, however the needs of the people are still the same.
The church leaders and graduates from the Bible School here are working hard in church planting and growing the church. They also have a mission mindset, having planted churches in remote places, one even 130kms up the Lake in a river valley area. The astounding thing is that there are many un-evangelised areas here in remote locations. These people have a heart to reach out to these places. They want to send more people for Bible School Training to equip them for this work. It is so humbling to see their commitment to the truth.
Where we have held the training meetings here has been on the foundation of their church which has a makeshift grass roof structure at one end – they have been more committed to funding the church planting and evangelising and have not had the extra money to build a church building!! All the team were involved in the small group training sessions sharing about God’s grace in their lives.
The needs of the graduates here is much the same as Kasama area. They need strong mountain bikes – it is very hilly and remote – getting to the church plant areas is difficult. They need tents and sleeping bags, resources to help when they leave their families for up to 2 months at a time. They are also asking for help in training their up and coming leaders. The work these men and women are doing is wonderful – may our hearts be further opened as we as a church invest in this vital ministry.
A troubling thing here is the influence of Islam. They have come to this area and they are offering free education for children. They also offer food on a weekly basis. They are not preaching so much, but trying to get the hearts of the children and then the families through education and food. Pray for the two men that have started a work in evangelising these people caught in an evil system.
The chairman of the Samfya board comes from Mbala 40kms from here and he is also working to encourage and help the work, reaching out to remote bush areas. Pray for him as he tries to give some oversight to this work in this region. We go to his house today to have lunch after our Sunday service.
Tomorrow is the long arduous journey back to Samfya – please pray for safety and that the vehicle will hold up well!
28 September
Greetings, we did not manage an internet download, so here is another small report downloaded with the other two reports. We finished up at Mpulungu today with the morning service where I taught through Ephesians 2:8-10 and then Stephen shared his testimony.
We drove to Mbala and had lunch with the chairman of the board of Samfya Bible School. It was wonderful to hear his heart beat. We then drove to Kasama and are staying with Marko & Stephanie Vedder, missionaries from Germany. Tomorrow we take the long arduous drive back to Samfya – probably 10 hours over some very bad roads.
Thank you all for your prayers, we value your support and interest. We are all very tired, but challenged so much by the commitment seen to Christ by our Zambian brothers and sisters.
Tuesday Roger & I travel to Ndola to obtain our visas for the Congo, and then will try and be in Lubumbashi by 2nd or 3rd of October.
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