Sorry this newsletter should have been done in October as it’s mostly about the five weeks I had at Covenant College during September. I’ve just been in Lusaka for the past four weeks at OMF but didn’t get round to doing it!

Farming God's Way

During September I was at Covenant College where we continued to take every opportunity to teach FGW. A local farmers group called Chambale came to the college one Monday for a full days teaching both in the classroom and out in the fields. They were encouraging as they joined together to form the group with the sole purpose of seeking ways to make their small farms self sufficient. This is the only way out of poverty for Africans, waiting for 'hand-outs' does not make them faithful in the 'talents' God has given them in the form of land, rain, sunshine and the ability to work.

This is one of the main teachings within FGW so it's encouraging when we are asked to come and teach these principles. During the PTI Chipata conference in August I was asked to come back and teach FGW to the Pastors. So on Sept 20th 60 people gathered at Chipata Day school to hear the message and method.

FGW combines conservation farming, long term sustainability of the land and environmental awareness all with many Biblical applications.

One of the problems faced this year by all the farmers is the price of fertiliser, last year it was 120,000kw per bag and this year in Sept it reached 260,000kw per bag. This massive increase is the effect of influences from the West which has a direct and often devastating effect on the lives of poor people who haven’t a clue why suddenly the price they pay for food and fertiliser doubles in such a short time.

6th Graduation Ceremony

On the 3rd October the 6th Graduation ceremony at Covenant College took place. Seven more students had completed their three years of Pastoral training. This brings the number of CC graduates to 40 since it started 8 years ago.

The District Commissioner, David Tembo and his wife Nisi attended the ceremony and he spoke encouragingly to us of the help that CC brings to the community. They are good friends of ours, having come from Calvary Baptist Church in Chipata to take up the post of DC in Petauke. It’s a blessing to have a Christian in this local government position.

Covenant College

On 12th August Obed Cornelis Molenaar was born and in September a dedication service was held at a nearby church. Five other parents also joined Cees and Miriam in acknowledging the Lord’s goodness in the new lives and promising to bring them up in the ways of the Lord.

Christian Education Fund

I seem to have neglected to mention CEF for sometime but it continues to work with the Community schools in a better way than ever before. Marjanne has a regular programme with several of the schools to monitor and teach the teachers. This work takes time and patience and can only be done properly when individual teachers are given continuous ‘one to one’ classroom training.

During this year God bought to our attention a Zambian girl who has had three years training as a teacher for community schools at a Zambian mission station in the Copperbelt. Her name is Dorica and she has now joined CEF to work alongside Marjanne. This is so encouraging as it must be our aim to take on local people to carry on the work. It also means that twice as many teachers are being taught every week.

PRAYER POINTS

• Pray that those that learn about FGW are faithful in using the knowledge.
• Pray for the graduates that have now gone out into full time Ministry with the many challenges they will face.
• Pray for Dorica that she may be a great help to CEF both now and in the long term future.

Thank you for your continued support,

Love Phil

PTI Conference

August was the time for four PTI conferences in Zambia. From Mongu to Mansa, Chipata to the Copperbelt. Alan Levy and Ken Brownell came to do the first two and Peter Seccombe the other two. I helped with the organisation of the Chipata conference. Meetings earlier this year helped us set up an organising committee of church leaders from the town. Praise God they did a faithful job and the conference went well. I met Peter at the airport on Sat 9th August and we travelled straight to Petauke and then onto Chipata the next day. The conference was held in a secondary school and 75 Pastors attended mostly from the rural areas around Chipata. Peter's main teaching was from 2 Thessalonians and two Zambian Pastors, Kabwe Kabwe and Gilbert Mbangu tackled pastoral issues particularly relating to cultural difficulties that clash with the Gospel. For info on PTI go to www.pastor-training.org.

 I am going back on Sept 20th to teach FGW farming to the same group along with their wives. So we hope to have around 200 people. Yes that’s me trying to stir the big pot of nshima. I thought I would show the ladies!…………but it's not as easy as it looks!

Old MacDonald's Farm

The first week and last two weeks of August I was at OMF. The boys were on holiday and helped with various jobs. The large area now under drip irrigation is starting to produce a lot of the vegetables required to feed them all. They also helped to construct two Haygrove poly tunnels which will be used to grow tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables that do much better in the rainy season under cover. They worked hard and the trellising etc will be completed in September in time to plant everything mid October. Work on the boy's new dormitory is progressing. The first three rooms should be finished soon. They are all working out who they are going to 'room' up with and which room is theirs!

Zambian President Dies

August also saw the passing away of President Levy Manawassa. He died in a Paris hospital following a massive stroke. 

He was a good President and fought hard against corruption. In what turned out to be his last speech to the nation he spoke of the reconciliation with his political rival who had publicly wronged him. He told the nation that he himself was a sinner who needed forgiveness! He also said he wanted to leave one legacy 'a peaceful Zambia'. He then left to go to the SADC meeting in Egypt not knowing that the way he would return to Zambia would be in a coffin amidst a cavalcade of about 200 vehicles. His body arrived back on Saturday 23rd and we went up to the Great East Road to see it pass.

Thousands lined the street, there was a true sense of loss and there was peace. May it remain during the forthcoming elections and in the future. Many waved flags with the picture of Manawassa.

The little girl holding this flag is Christina, remember the story of the baby born on the back seat of my truck? This is her! Cute!!

Prayer Points

• Pray for the nation of Zambia at this time of uncertainty 
  
• Pray for the MD's and all the children they look after. 
  
• Pray that the Pastors taught at the PTI conferences will be faithful with what they have learnt.
  

Thank you for your continued support.

Love Phil