Greetings from the field! After being away for seven months, we are grateful to be back and would like to share a brief update on all that the Lord has done during this time. We began our furlough in December and spent the next few months traveling over 3,000 miles, visiting many supporting churches and dear friends. It was a blessing to reconnect, share what God is doing here and be encouraged by your love and prayers.
While we were stateside, we also had the joy of welcoming three new grandchildren into our family — Astrid Mae arrived in December, Mickeal IV in January and Annastasia in May. What a precious gift each one of them is, and we are so grateful to have been present to welcome them into the world. We also got to spend time with our other three granddaughters — Addilyn, Aurora and Isla Kate. It was a much-needed time of bonding with these beautiful babies.
Since returning to the field, we hit the ground running! Just five days after our arrival, we welcomed our first team. It was a wonderful group comprising both Romanian and American members. Their ministry and fellowship were a tremendous blessing, and we praise God for all that was accomplished together.
During their time here, we began building a cellar to store vegetables and two solar-powered freezers. These will help provide sustainable food storage for the community. We also built a smokehouse. It was a joy to teach the Zambians how to cure meat using salt and smoke — a crucial step toward achieving greater food security and self-sufficiency. In addition, we demonstrated how to preserve vegetables using salt, empowering them with practical skills to make the most of their harvests throughout the year.
During their time here, we began building a cellar to store vegetables and two solar-powered freezers. These will help provide sustainable food storage for the community. We also built a smokehouse. It was a joy to teach the Zambians how to cure meat using salt and smoke — a crucial step toward achieving greater food security and self-sufficiency. In addition, we demonstrated how to preserve vegetables using salt, empowering them with practical skills to make the most of their harvests throughout the year.
Two of the men on the team also took the initiative to build desks for our community school, providing much-needed furniture to help create a better learning environment for the children.
In addition to these projects, we hosted a Vacation Bible School every day, with over 100 children in attendance. It was a blessing to see so many young hearts eager to learn about Jesus and experience His love through songs, Bible stories, crafts and games.
There is no slowing down! Our home church team arrives on July 15, followed closely by a BMMI team on July 17. We are excited for the ministry opportunities ahead and look forward to seeing how God will continue to work through each visiting group. Thank you for your faithful prayers and support. We could not do this without you, and we rejoice together in all that God is doing. Would you continue to pray with us for God to guide and sustain us during this time?
Note posted to Facebook on July 15: This is not a post I would typically make, but Sharon and I need to purchase another 4×4 vehicle. I know many of you have reached out in the past to ask how you can support us, and I prefer not to ask for funds. The roads we travel daily are extremely bad. If you have visited us, you can attest to the “Free Zambian Massage” you receive on each journey. The Land Cruiser we currently have has done us well, but we need something a bit more reliable. We have found one that we believe would work well for us, but vehicles here are at a premium price. The one we are praying about is about $25,000 plus shipping and import fees. Please pray for us as we are searching. If you would like more details on how to support us in this effort or would like information about the vehicle, please send me a message.
