December 2011

Dear Friends

During this year (2011) a lot of things have happened and a lot of changes have occurred.  But one thing stayed the same:  Jesus Christ is Lord.  He is Lord of Covenant College and we pray that together we can always shine the light of His gospel in Zambia and the rest of the world. 

In this Column is an update of the work we could do through the Holy Spirit during the last part of 2011.

On the last page of this newsletter we include an advertisement for a new lecturer at Covenant College.

Covenant College Farm – Phil Bailey

SEPTEMBER 2011

It’s a myth that farming in Zambia is just for the 5 months of the year when the rains are with us. The last season’s harvest was brought in during May, shelled and bagged in June, sold to the Food Relief Agency during July for which payment was received in August. A little time to rest? Just a few weeks! Early September we were back in the fields preparing the holes and by the end of the month putting in the lime and the fertilizer or one of the organic alternatives such as manure, compost, sunflower cake or maize bran. The students that stay over for the weekends were busy helping in this preparation work. It’s a great way for them to put into practice the ‘Farming God’s Way’ that we have been teaching them in the classroom.

We have about 5 hectares to prepare which is a large amount of work as we have always done this by hand to provide work for the men in the villages around us. But things have changed, harvests in the area have improved, people have more money and this year we have    struggled to get enough people to come and help us. This is a good sign and we must adapt. We have therefore adjusted one of the ploughs to make a ‘ripper’ which rips open a furrow in the soil into which we place the fertilizer/lime etc. This is much quicker than digging holes as it is pulled behind the oxen but the important thing is the principle remains the same, we are NOT turning over the soil (as with ploughing) which damages the soil structure and layers within the soil which leads to killing off the living organisms and bacteria which God placed there to keep our soils healthy.

During August we received our new Farming God’s Way shirts and caps. A friend in the UK organized these for us and at the same time   designed a new logo for FGW. Looking smart from right is Bilison, Jackson, Samuel and myself. The FGW team!!

Christian Education Ministry – Marjanne Hendriksen

How happy and thankful can you be when you visit a school and find the teachers always in, able to show their lesson plans and hearing them telling a Bible story! When you walk through a village and you hear in a hut a child singing: ‘Let the children come to Me… for theirs is the Kingdom of the Lord!’

But how sad and painful to visit a school and tell the staff that after some years of training and support we will not visit them again, because the teachers are not willing to be serious in Christian education.

Together with my colleagues Mwenya and Lungu we are able to visit about 10 schools every week. Some schools need a visit every week, because they just opened this year. For others once a month is enough to keep in touch with the teachers and their programme.

As you understand already from the beginning of this small sharing of CEM experiences, we have encouraging and discouraging school visits. It shows how dependent we are on our Lord in all that we do. Only He can change hearts of teachers so that they really see the importance of teaching the children daily in a Christian way. Only He can change hearts of parents so that they see the same importance and also the need of supporting the teachers. And we hope He will give you the burden on your heart to pray with us and work in this way together in the Kingdom of the Lord to reach out to children, teachers and communities in this part of Zambia. So that His name will be glorified worldwide!

Covenant College Graduation – Katie Lachman

On 30 September 2011, Covenant College Zambia Trust held its 9^th graduation ceremony and marked the closing of its 12th academic year. This year the College had 31 students, 7 of whom graduated on this special day.  The occasion was attended by over 200 people, including the District Agricultural Coordinator (DACO) and the District Education Board Secretary (DEBS).   The guest of honour was the District Commissioner.  The programme was presided over by Pastor Lovemore Banda, himself a graduate of the College and a member of CCZT, as Master of Ceremonies, with Dr. Heinrich Zwemstra and Rev. David Lachman officiating as College President and Vice-President, respectively.  We also noted with pleasure the presence of Rev. Cees Molenaar who was able to return to the College to join the day’s celebration. There was a heart warming and joyful atmosphere as we celebrated the hard work and achievements of our 7 graduates over the past 3 years.  Special music was provided by a choir of our own students.  Pastor Richard Mwenda, one of our local Trustees, opened with a brief devotional.  Speeches were given by the District Commissioner and the College President.  The graduating students each received either a diploma or certificate acknowledging the completion of their respective courses of study, and a hardcover copy of Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible as a gift.  Mr Phil Bailey and the DACO also addressed the students and presented each graduate with a certificate acknowledging completion of the Farming God’s Way course. The other students were each presented with their annual academic reports and a gift.  In closing, graduate Richard Tembo gave a speech on behalf of the graduating students. Afterwards a lunch was served to the guests.

We give glory to the Lord for sustaining the work of the College through another year, and look forward to what He will do in the future.

Zwemstras called to a church in South Africa – Joseph Pettitt (trustee)

The college principal, Heinrich Zwemstra, has been called to pastor the Reformed Church Pretoria-Annlin, in South Africa, starting on 15th January 2012. We are very sad to no longer have him and his family at the college, but glad that God has provided them this new avenue of service. Please pray that God would give Heinrich all that he needs to honour Christ by preparing God's people for works of service (Ephesians 4:12). Pray also for the whole family as they settle into a new home and a new area.

The Zwemstras arrived at Covenant College in 2008, and very quickly seemed to be at home among the staff and students, who appreciated their Christian character combined with friendly personalities. We are very thankful for all Heinrich's devoted and competent work as lecturer, vice-principal, and more recently as principal. We are also very grateful for all the ways Jacomien has helped the college, not least by her support of Heinrich and management of the college accounts. Of course their friendship and support to others at the college, as well as their children, Cobus, Nelrie and Anel will also be greatly missed.

Please urgently pray for the future of the college as we look for new lecturers and staff and consider how best to provide for our future.

Prayer & Thanksgiving – from the Team

• We commit the Zwemstra family to the Lord.  Heinrich accepted a calling to a reformed church in Pretoria and will be installed on 15 January 2012, Lord willing.
• We pray that the Lord will send lecturers to work at the College, especially now that the Zwemstra family is leaving.
• We thank the Lord for the graduates who successfully completed their studies.
• We pray for the health of Bilison Mwanza, the farm manager.
• We pray for a good rainy season so that the Farm and the people of Zambia will have a good harvest.
• We thank the Lord for committed churches who work in community schools.
• We pray for the Lachman family who are expecting the birth of their baby in December.
• We pray for all the missionaries who are on furlough this time of the year and presenting the work of the mission to different churches.
• We thank the Lord for good health in 2012 and the privilege to serve at the mission.

We thank the Lord for so many fellow believers who participate in the work of the mission in different ways.

Greetings in Christ,

The Covenant College Team

Job Advert

Covenant College Zambia Trust is looking for a person qualified to fill the position of Lecturer in Theology.

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