The month of October begins the hot season for us here in the southern province of Zambia. Many things will soon be taking place. Farmers will begin planting, the elephants are making their way back for water and food and the rain will be here within a few weeks.
For the past two months, we have been making blocks for the church building. This has been a new experience for Sharon and me — driving to collect sand from the roads and digging up rocks a few kilometers from the church instead of just going to purchase blocks from a hardware store. With the help of the men from the local villages, we can make about 300 blocks per day. Once the blocks come out of the form we had crafted, they must sit and cure for 14 days. These blocks must also be watered three times per day to ensure that, once they are complete, they will be strong and able to stand on their own for many years.
This reminded me of why Sharon and I moved from a small town in Northeast Arkansas to the rural areas of Zambia, Africa. Our heart is to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who were previously unreached. II Timothy 2:2 has been our battle cry as we reach out into these local villages: “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”
God began preparing us for this ministry many years ago, allowing us to gather “sand and gravel” from the many pastors and leaders who took the time to pour into us. Now as we are preparing the “blocks,” we must ensure that everyone is transformed into the image of Christ. We meet weekly for Bible studies within the villages and offer biblical foundations for many new believers, as well as those who are still seeking. I meet three days per week with men who have a calling upon their lives to be pastors, teachers and leaders — training them to reach their own community. Sharon is beginning to meet with the ladies from the local villages to offer a more in-depth biblical teaching designed just for them.
Our prayer is for the local community to have pastors and leaders who can go and plant churches, raise up leaders and begin to multiply the work of the Lord. There are a lot of tools and curriculum available, and we utilize those as that, a tool; but the foundation of our teaching comes from the Word of God. Everything we do here is centered on the Bible. I remind the church, pastors and leaders every time we meet that the Word of God is our anchor to truth. When we teach and preach, everything should come from His Word and not just an opinion.
We have already given out over 400 Bibles in local languages to the community. Sharon and I want the people to know that what is being taught is not from us, but from God. This is the “watering” of the blocks, the daily encouragement to read for themselves what God is saying.
We even have a woman in our church who is working to teach those who cannot read in any language to be able to read the Word of God. We have others who are having their children read the Bible to their families. We have also placed three proclaimers from “Faith Comes by Hearing” that reads the Bible in the local languages. These proclaimers are placed at a headman’s home in three different villages and reads the Word of God all day long. Anyone who comes by is able to stop and here the message from the Bible.
So, thanks to each and every one of you who have prayed for us, sent money for us to purchase these Bibles, sent the funding to help build the church and to those who have poured into us for so many years. Without you, we couldn’t do what we are doing here. We all have an influence where we are planted. Whose blocks are you going to water today?
Prayer Requests
• Spiritual warfare
• Senior headman Patrick to accept Jesus Christ as the One true God.
• Andreás, headman Raymond’s son, he has severe seizures.
• Chabantu Missionary Baptist Church plant.
• The new community school, Chabantu Baptist Academy, and the 58 children (and growing daily) that are attending.
• Dan, Felix, Lackson, Winford, Michael and Mapiki as they are attending pastoral and leadership training.
• Mainza, Tekla, Nora, Christabell and three ambuya’s (grandmothers) who are in the ladies training.
Needs
• Monthly supporters.
• Bibles in local language.
• Finances to complete church building and school.
• Water trough for baptism.
• Solar pump for well.
• Proclaimers and Bible sticks from Faithcomesbyhearing.com
Praises
• The new villages that have been opened to us for Bible studies.
• Over 2,500 blocks have been made for church building.
• All the new believers in Christ!
