Reaching Into Tonga Land

First please accept my apology for taken several months to update this. My reasons are multifold. Primarily, I hit a slump. Over the last several months our building work had really transitioned into more of a maintenance role. Our desire to be more directly engaged in ministry with national Zambians hit some snags to say the least. Any way, after much prayer and many conversations some doors have begun to open. Yesterday we came to Siavonga for what at this point seems to be a temporary arrangement, but we are here. We will come and go at least over the next several months as we attempt to complete a flat in Lusaka and a few other small construction jobs.

We have asked the pastor of the central Baptist church in Siavonga to assist us in forming an evangelism team (church planting team) made up primarily of the leadership of several other local churches. We will try to help train them and encourage them of the call God makes for churches to reach outside their walls and help others develop a body of believers. This is a new endeavor for us to say the least. I ask you to consider joining us in prayer:

1) For the preparations of an initial meeting to help cast some vision and stir the hearts of those willing to participate
2) That we might walk in the Spirit towards those places that God is already at work and that we might join Him in what He wants to accomplish
3) That God would begin to soften the hearts of Tongas in the rural villages who have never heard the love Jesus has for them and that they might not perish prior to that opportunity.

Currently we have several possible areas to work in. One is a village we found in the spring. We were asked at that initial visit if we would come back for them. On our follow up visit we met some resistance. Some believed we were Satanist. Others were more receptive.

Another area is about 60 kilometers down the lake only accessible by boat. Logistically that is a problem because we don’t have a boat. We hope to rent one on occasion. There are 3 villages near each other and there was another missionary who worked in that area about 5 years ago. From what we can tell at this point nothing has sustained.

We were told a few days ago there have been two people coming in from the bush asking that a Baptist church be started in their village. Our desire is to find them. We have been told by some that much of the area we will try and reach will be inaccessible by vehicle when the rains come. We of course pray for good rains, it is necessary. We have considered trying to acquire a 4wheeler.

One of our struggles is the temptation to scratch the surface in as many areas as time allows, but we are concerned that would not last. We are praying we can have the fortitude to go deep in a few strategic places and in key people.

We know this challenge, as all, is not about us but what God desires.

It is clearer now than in any point in our lives, God desires to use His children to reconcile lost and dying people to Himself. Thank you for being a part of our lives as we witness God “Building Beyond the Horizon”.

II Corinthians 5: 17-19
... this means that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun! All this newness of life is from God, who brought us back to himself through what Christ did. And God has given us the task of reconciling people to Him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. This is the wonderful message He has given us to tell others.