Mickeal & Sharon Quillman • Zambia
The last couple of months have been so packed full of exciting things happening, so this update may be a bit longer than usual. We would both like to thank the BMA Missionary Care Team for bringing us in for the National Meeting in Conway and the Care Conference in Hot Springs. It was a surprise for us and our family to be back in the US after only 9 ½ months serving full-time on the field in Zambia. It was a great to be able to catch up with old friends and make many new ones.
An added blessing was that we were able to celebrate the first birthday of two of our granddaughters, Aurora and Isla (who were born just a few weeks before we moved), attend the dedication of Aurora at Temple Baptist Church in Jonesboro for Mother’s Day and also attend the kindergarten graduation for our oldest granddaughter, Addi. Thank you to the churches that reached out to us while we were in the US. I wish we would have had time to come and visit each one of you.
The trip to the States enabled us to finalize our permanent work permits. In Zambia, you cannot be in the country while they are being applied for and cannot return until they are fully approved. The last part is something we were not aware of until we landed in Johannesburg on the way back home. We knew we had to be out of the country to apply, but not that we couldn’t return until they were approved, since our temporary work permits were still valid. This little fact allowed us to have an unexpected two-week layover in Johannesburg.
Upon returning to Zambia, it was time to prepare for our first team to arrive — in only five days! We spent that time collecting the needed supplies for our team project — constructing the building for our newly planted church, Chabantu Missionary Baptist Church. The team from Temple Baptist Church in Jonesboro, headed up by Pastor Andy Neal, arrived and we went to work. We began by digging the holes and footing for the building, then placing the poles in the ground. It was a great experience for those in the village to work alongside us as we measured and worked to ensure the building would be square. The first pole we set would act as our “cornerstone” from which everything else would be set. This was a great time for Bro. Andy and me to take a timeout and teach on the importance of “The Cornerstone” for the church and in our individual lives. It was a great visual lesson for those who we were working alongside. The building is not yet completed, but we will update everyone on the progress as it continues. While I was heading up the construction, Sharon was with part of the team working with the children from the village school. During the team’s visit, we were able to sit down and have a traditional meal each day with the men from the surrounding villages. For those who had never eaten a traditional village meal, it was quite the experience. I think two of the men survived on peanut butter crackers and beef jerky for the entire week!
On Sunday, Andy Neal preached from Mark 1:14-15, proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. Three of the men we have been praying for stepped forward at the end of the service and prayed to receive salvation! The headman of Chibinga’s brother also came forward to be baptized after being saved during our Christmas program. We then piled into the back of our trucks and drove many of the church members five or six miles to a small “lake,” used for watering cattle, to baptize. The ladies from the church provided our music and sang worship praises in Chitonga the whole way there and back. Once we arrived, we began shooing the cows out of the way so we could bring the crowd to the water. Bro. Andy and Bro. Clinton joined me out in the lake to baptize our new brothers in Christ. It was an amazing experience, and I think the cows enjoyed it, too.
One of the last days we were in the village, we were able to utilize having two preachers on the team by having a mini conference. During this time, Andy Neal and Clinton Morris were able to teach the many who came about the Authority of the Word of God and Evangelism. The men used the Evangecubes to show the life of Jesus and how to share the gospel. It was a wonderful experience for everyone. After the lessons the church presented us with a program as a way of thanking us for all we’ve done. There was singing by a few men with their homemade guitar, singing by the children from Bicrof Hope Academy Chibinga and a skit based off Revelation. Once the program was finished, we began passing out shoes donated by Temple Baptist Church, dresses donated by Round Mountain Baptist Church in Fayetteville and toothbrushes donated by Steve and Michelle Schmidt and Higginbotham Family Dental of Jonesboro. The day was filled with smiles and laughs as we all waved goodbye and drove back to Livingstone.
Sharon and I are now sitting at our kitchen breakfast bar, taking a small breather from all the excitement and craziness of the last two months. We are preparing to take Mike, our welder, back into the village tomorrow and the remainder of the week to complete the building, but first I must find a rental truck for us to get there. The day after we returned to Zambia, we were driving to meet up with our translator and the radiator exploded. After getting the truck back to a mechanic, it was thought that the water pump and thermostat had gone bad, causing the engine to drastically overheat and build up pressure. We also discovered the temperature gauge was not working and was showing normal temperatures. We are searching for a replacement engine. As of this message, we have located one in South Africa and are beginning the negotiations on pricing. Please pray with us that we can get this engine for a good price and that it solves all the issues we have had with our vehicle since purchasing it. We would like to have it shipped and installed before Sharon’s parents arrive in two weeks. We are looking forward to sharing with them why God chose Zambia for us.
