A Good Day!!!

Today has been a pretty good day. I was preaching at a church in Chingola today, to about 100 people, and ive got to say im buzzing at the moment. I preached on faith (hebrews 11 if you're interested). I had no idea but it turns out the pastor and some people in the church were given the same message by God this week. Don't you just love it when God turns up!!! There was a real sense that the Lord is saying something to this church about the importance of faithfulness and how we respond to this challenge! it was exciting.

Anyway im off to the bush tomorrow until Friday. We are camping out in a village not far from
Chingola. We will use this village as our base, and travel out to see some other churches in the area each day, visiting rural communities, running some ministry time with them and basically getting alongside them. I am told that not many Westerners go into the villages and live alongside the people there so it should be interesting.

What else have I been doing with my time! Some finance stuff for the mission out here and 1 or two other practical things as well!

I was also offered the chance to go to Cape Town the other day, for 6 days in September . On Friday I was going. it was basically a holiday, no work involved. After some prayer though, i have decided not to bother. I am already planning 6 days in Livingstone at the end of the trip, to see Victoria Falls and some of the parks in that area. So if id gone to Cape Town i would have nearly two weeks holiday...it would have been nice but thats not really what i came out here for. There is a lot of work to be done with the Ministry here.

Respect

We met some more pastors today...to set up our visits to the bush in the next 2 weeks. Its incredible to see how passionate some of these guys are about seeing their rural communities transformed. One pastor had workn up at 3am this morning, travelled over 30km on a fairly ropey looking bike to make our 10am meeting this morning. He got up so early because he didn't want to be late!!!!

The dedication these guys show is awesome. Makes me think about my own attitude really - i struggle to wake up for a 9.30 church service back home. Its really a privelige to be spending time getting alongside these guys.

We have now made plans to spend 10 days in the next 2 weeks out in the bush, visiting various village communities, taking part in what i guess you'd call some crusades, with some basic teaching and prayer, engaging the entire communities hopefully, not just the church leadership.

These villages are crying out for more practical help as well. Basic agricultural training would make a big difference out in these rural areas!

Anyway im preaching on Sunday, possibly to about 300 people. Its a great opportunity. Please pray that it goes well

Mission

So today we met a group of African church leaders from rural Zambia....to start a way forward for our mission here in the CopperBelt Province. Whilst it was fascinating, its also difficult to convey the amount of problems the rural church here is currently facing. Most of these churches are very poor as you can imagine and there is evidently a material need here. Perhaps even more sadly, though the churches are very divided and don't really to work together. I was astonished today to hear of one village, where no more than 5,000 people live, but are served by 13 different churches all of different denominations, and hardly any of them have any kind of dialogue with the others. The pastors are woefully under resourced as well. Most pastors in Zambia tend to head for the big urban centres, such as Lusaka and Kitwe, once they are fully trained, as its much easier to raise support there. I have an awful lot of respect for these guys we met today, who have responded to Gods call and are working out in the bush, sometimes totally overstrecthed.

It can be a bit overwhelming though, hearing about all these problems. Today reminded me of when I was in Angola a year ago, hearing about some of the problems that country is trying to recover from after 28 years of war

The next few weeks are certainly going to be challenging, no doubt about that, but this is where I want to be, right in the thick of it!! Im sure this is what God made me for!

Zambia

So, i've been in Zambia a few days now...its fair to say its been an interesting trip so far!!!

We spent our first night in Lusaka, staying with the African rally champion, who also happens to be a Christian and a huge man utd fan...so we got on well! On Wednesday we started to make our way North and West towards Chingola. En route, we stopped off at a friends house in Kitwe. I got into a conversation with this white Zambian guy, who pretty much talked at me for about an hour, telling me how proud he was to be Zambian and that he had as much right to be here as any black man. I wasn't arguing with him, but was slightly taken aback by how fiercely proud he was of his heritage. This guy was a fifth generation descendant from colonial Brits.

Anyway, we're in Chingola now. The accommodation is surprisingly good. I have a bed, there is running water and we even have a garden. With the sun shining every day, it doesn't feel too much like mission at the moment. In truth, we're getting everything set up in out two flats at the moment and the mission will start on Sunday. Needles to say there are a few things that don't work...this is Africa after all!! The toilet keeps leaking, the power keeps going out and my mobile phone isn't working properly. Ah well, thats part of the experience I guess!!!

And so it begins.....

So tomorrow i head out to Zambia....as part of my 6 week visit. Im flying out tomorrow evening from Heathrow. Im really hoping BA don't lose my bags this time - that would be the third time this year i would be extremely unlikely if that was to happen again!

I'll arrive in Lusaka early Tuesday morning, and then we'll make our way to Chingola, in the CopperBelt Province of Zambia. Chingola will be our base for most of the 6 week trip.

Im looking forward to the trip now. All the packing has been done, most of the funds have been raised and im ready and raring to go. i'll update you upon my arrival!

Getting Ready

well ill be in Zambia in just under two weeks! Its tough trying to get everything ready atthe moment. Its one thing organising all the practical things... travel insurance, malaria tablets, tents etc, but its more difficult preparing my spirit and mind for what lies ahead in the next couple of months

Usually, I have to admit, I strt to think about these things when im sat on the plane, but as im going to be in Africa for 6 weeks, slightly longer than in the past, im trying to prepare more in advance this time. I've really been challenged to up the ante on my devotional with time with God, studying the Word and in prayer. The obvious benefit is simply knowing God, what he wants me in Zambia for and how hes going to use me. I certainly feel like im being challenged anyway, financially and in my walk with God. I definately feel like im stepping out at the moment

me

No going back now

My flights to Zambia have been booked today...awesome...and my funds are coming in to pay for them...even better. I finally recieved written confirmation from work that my 6 weeks leave have been authorised as well. ....Praise the Lord!!! I will be flying out on the 4th August and won't touch UK soil again until September 16th.

Please keep praying as well for the detoriating situation in Zimbabwe. Zambia does border Zimbabwe, and the Zambian president Levy Mwanawasa has come out recently to say that the siutation there is an embarassment to Africa. He has been one of the few African leaders to publicly speak out against Mugabe and his henchmen. Scary I know! Please keep praying