Phil's ZMS Newsletter - September 2008

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