A Look Back at Team Zambia 2014

Team Zambia Conclusions

 

Well, this last entry was written somewhere in the sky above England after a stopover in Rome as we were heading to Washington D.C. for one more plane change. The 20+ hours of flying is not easy but to a person each team member will tell you that they would do it all again! (Maybe not tomorrow, but eventually- they would certainly do it all again.)

 

To all of you who were on our team as family members who "let go" and for all of you who prayed and gave to "help us go"- we say a huge Thanks.

We know that it is impossible to quantify all that God did this week through reports, testimonies and numbers- partly because we only see the tip of the iceberg of God's work from the vantage point of this world.  I always think that perhaps I led the young man to Christ this week that will become the next great African Billy Graham...it could happen.

This quote from an unknown source has become a favorite of mine: "Any ordinary person, given enough time, can stand under an apple tree and count the apples on it, but only God can look at the seeds inside a single apple and know how many trees they hold."

 

Under the capable hands of our International Mission Board personnel, we learned so much about this place and culture that are new to us. For example, after one day of doing hut to hut evangelism it was clear that we needed to adjust our approach. With the help of Jeff Lowe, our missionary in Zambia and Krista Tope, a team member that has experience living in African culture, a gospel presentation was developed. Through an illustration, stories from scripture and a simple gospel presentation we were able to slow our pace and spend much more time with each person or family to which we witnessed. As a result, we made fewer visits but were assured that more of the decisions were authentic conversions. This also set the stage for Pastor Jere to follow up with those who accepted Christ and now need to be baptized and discipled.

And- even with this much more methodical approach our evangelism teams presented the gospel 126 times and saw 47 people pray to receive Christ.

The people who were saved were invited right on the spot to be a part of Chamba Valley Baptist Church and it will be their job to follow up with them to disciple them. However, Jeff has asked for us to pray for them as they are contemplating a church plant and need God's clear direction as to when and where to do so.

 

The invitation to come to Zambia to do evangelism/church planting and VBS came after I accompanied Nathan Lorick here last year and met Jeff and Robyn and other IMB personnel. They were brave to host us since they were taking our word that we would bring a great team that would be well trained and have servant hearts.

Normally, short term teams go home and the missionaries go through an evaluation exercise and then either issue another invitation to come back or simply thank the team and let that be that. I was so excited that before we even left Zambia that Jeff met with our entire team and told us that we were an excellent team and that He was praying for a partnership that would last well into the future.

 

As the Pastor over Missions here at Castle Hills, I want to thank you for being a church that reflects God's heart for the nations. I want to thank you again for giving and praying. I am so excited for the days ahead because our new pastor Matt Surber's record shows that he has that same heart and will lead us in completing the great commission to hasten the Lord's return. 

Oh Yeah- and to the 900+ facebook friends who have viewed our blog and prayed accordingly, I remind you that you had a part in every person who's life was changed for eternity.

Here are some random pictures I hope you enjoy.

to the neighborhoods and the nations for His glory,

Donnie