Team Zambia 2016 Day One- Sunday

Team Zambia 2016

Meet the Team 

John Reynolds

John is a regional sales manager for FMC technologies. He has lived in San Antonio for two years and has been a part of Castle Hills Church for a year and a half. He is married to Tara and has a six year old son, Henry. 

Prayer Request: Pray that God would use us to literally change someones life. 

John Ekstrand

John is an active duty Colonel who is an Army Physician. He has lived in San Antonio for five years with his wife Carolyn and his children, Charlotte, age 24, Christian, age 22, Jonathan, 19 and Jessica, age 17. John currently serves as a deacon at Castle Hills Church.

Prayer Request: I would ask that God would use this trip to not only touch others but to draw me closer to Christ personally.

Zac Austin

Zac is an event manager with Fresh Success Marketing. He and his wife, Laurin and his son Atlas, (1 1/2 years old) have lived in San Antonio for two years and have been at Castle Hills for that entire time.

Prayer Request: Asking that God would give us a thirst to share the gospel here in Africa but that it would continue and I would share Jesus at my workplace as I have share him here.

Emily McComack

Emily is a former teacher and current stay-at-home mom who is married to Jason, a deacon at Castle Hills. She and her husband of 16 years have two children, Blake, age 9 and Lanie, age 5. Emily and Jason have been part of Castle Hills for seven years.

Prayer Request: That the Holy Spirit would give me the discernment to actually speak clearly what the Lord has put in my heart as we do hut-to-hut evangelism.

Madeline Thurmond

Madeline is a university student who lives with her parents and her sister, Finley who is 5 years old. Maddie has been at Castle Hills Church for 2 years where she is a group leader for 8th and 9th grade girls. She feels God calling her to Student Ministry.

Prayer Request: That Satan would not have any ability to cause division among us or to interfere with our ministry.

Hannah Watson 

Hannah is a junior at Reagan High School where she is involved in the Got Hope Club that raises funds to provide clean water to villages in Africa. Hannah is active in Castle Hills Student Ministry, works at the church in our childcare. She and her family have been at Castle Hills since 2003.

Prayer Request: I am praying that God would slow me down enough for me to clearly hear what He wants me to do to reach people for Jesus.

Abigail Flores

Abigail is 13 years old and will attend Garcia Middle School where she will be in 8th grade. Abigail’s family has been at Castle Hills for 11 years. Her mother, Kay has served in various capacities in our Kid’s ministry and her father Wayne is currently leading our Deacon ministry.

Prayer Request: That when I speak to children at VBS or share with people at hut-to-hut evangelism that it would not be my words but the words God would give me.

 

Lydia Hogan

Lydia is married to Mark, an elder at Castle Hills Church. They have three children; Jessica, age 29 and husband Adam, Josh, age 23 and wife Alysse, (and new baby Violet) and Jordan, age 21. Lydia has volunteered in kids ministry, student ministry and in our resource center for years.

Prayer Request: I am asking God that he would help me share clearly and concisely all that God has done in my life so they can see who he really is.

Rachael Heard

Rachael is a Speech Language Pathologist with Northside I.S.D She is a member of Northwest Park Baptist Church. Northwest Park has partnered with Castle Hills in our Zambia missions for the past 3 years. Rachael has participated in many mission trips throughout the U.S. and in International trips to Thailand, Africa and Israel.

Prayer Request: Pray for each of our team to enjoy a holy boldness as they share Jesus with children and during our hut-to-hut evangelism.

Caleb Bender

Caleb is 18 years old and will be a senior at Roosevelt High School. Caleb works as a lifeguard and has been involved in Castle Hills Student Ministry since 6th grade and has been on 8 mission trips.

Prayer Request: Pray that God would open our eyes to see people the way He does so that we can be used by Him to meet their needs.

Micah Smith

Micah is 21 years old and has served on Team Zambia for 3 years. He has been on 11 mission trips. He is a member of Northwest Park Baptist Church. He will be a junior at Howard Payne this fall and is studying to be an elementary teacher.

Prayer Request: Pray for overall strength and for us to totally trust in God in all we do.

Bob King

Bob and his wife Cindy have been members of Castle Hills Church for 20 years. Bob teaches the Encouragers Life Group at Castle Hills and works at our school with students who have special needs. 

Prayer Request: Pray that God would allow us to make the scripture come alive that says:
taste and see that the Lord is good.

 

Donnie Anthony

Donnie has been married to Trinetta for 31 years. They have three boys, Ryan, age 27, Joshua, age 25 and Dillion, age 23. Donnie has been on staff at Castle Hills Church for 18 years while Trinetta has taught at our school for 14 years. Donnie currently serves as Missions and Connections pastor.

 

Emma Whitis

Emma plans to attend Asbury University. She and her family live in Somerset, Kentucky. She attends Eagle Heights Church. Emma has been in Zambia for 3 weeks and will return to the states at the end of the summer. Currently she is a missions assistant to Robin and Jeff assisting them in all aspects of ministry.

The Lowe Family

Robyn, Hadassah, Jeff

Zoe, Levi

Jeff and Robyn Lowe and their children are career missionaries with the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Jeff serves as the associate cluster leader for the Zambezi region which includes several countries in Africa. Jeff and Robyn provide strategic leadership for our missionaries on the field and have been our hosts for our church planting mission trips for the past three years.

Arrival

After 22 hours in the air, we set foot on the blessed ground of Zambia, Africa.

We drove the hour or so from the airport to the Baptist Guest House and were able to get a shower and some missions orientation and some much needed rest. 

Day One- Sunday

On Sunday morning we were up early and off to church. It was such a joy to be able to attend Living Water Baptist Church, a church planted by Castle Hills Team Zambia 2015 last summer. In talking with the pastor of this sweet little fellowship we learned that they have grown from the 10 to 12 members that gathered last year to 35 currently. This may sound insignificant but in this environment, this is a good sized congregation.

It was so good to hear their small choir praising God in their native language of Nyjanga. Also, it was rewarding to see the faces of some that we led to faith in Christ last year. One such young man came and afterward told me his story. His name is Friday. He shared that when we witnessed to him last year that his three friends were with him but they were drunk at the time. Well, he stated- they are still drunk but he has attended Living Water Baptist Church for an entire year. Please pray for him. He recently had to leave his job to care for his dying mom in the village and when he returned he had no job. He is pictured here.