A Family Serving Jesus Christ in Zambia, Africa

Gila Valley Team Update -July 18

2009-07-19T00:13:00.002+02:00

Today was an awesome day of ministry in Nyimba! The GVBC team went out to several different villages and shared the Gospel with the people there. This morning, Kendall and Benjamin Phiri traveled to Mozambique to teach the large crowd of Mozambiquans that had gathered at Meze to hear the Gospel and teachings from the GVBC team. When Kendall arrived in Meze this morning, there were over 150 people waiting for him. The day before there were approximately 320 people that had traveled to meet the team and hear their testimonies and lessons from the Bible. When Kendall arrived he explained to them the difficulties that we had faced in attempting to get proper documentation to cross the border. The people were understanding and the visit from Kendall made the apology and teaching a lot better. During their time in Mozambique 7 people prayed to receive Christ. While they were teaching there the team was sharing Christ in Nyimba. Total today, 30 people prayed to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior!

Praise the Lord for the new brothers and sisters in Christ in Nyimba and Mozambique!

Pray for the team as they continue evangelism and prayer walking on Monday.

Pray for the Jesus Film as it is shown in the Nyimba boma (town) on Monday night at 6:00 p.m.

Pray for the work that will take place in Dziko (zee-ko) Village, Tuesday-Thursday of this week.

Pray for a church to be planted in the Nyimba boma near the villages of Kampala and Ben.

Although we were not in Mozambique, we decided to have MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) for lunch! It was a fun time with our Zambian friends! It was actually good food!!!

Jumbe had Chicken and Noodles.

*Praise the Lord for Jumbe. Last Monday, he was hit by a drunk driver on a motorcycle and was hit on his side and back. We all went to the hospital to pray for him on Tuesday. He was released from the hospital on Wednesday and has been a translator and awesome friend to Tar and Chris! Praise the Lord!*

Yesterday, the ladies, Zeria, and Benjamin began witnessing in the Police Camp. They met a family that was very concerned about their son, Rafael. He had been lured into a Satanic cult and was in deep bondage and was being oppressed. The ladies promised him that they would return today (Saturday) to pray for him. When we arrived at his home this afternoon, he was not there, so we promised his sister that we would be back on Monday to pray with him. As we began to walk home, Rafael came running up behind us. Immediately when he approached us, no one recongnized him. What we then learned was that a pastor from his family's church had come on Friday night and he was set free from the demon that had held him in bondage and he prayed to receive Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior! Rafael was FREE and was a NEW CREATURE! On Friday as the women tried to read Scripture to him, he never made eye contact, he placed folded arms upon his knees and buried his face, then just left the house. Today, we shared Scripture with him and before we began he said, "I want to get my Bible!" We had an awesome time with Rafael and in the words of our great friends, Zeria and Benjamin, "look at this boy...he is FREE...REALLY FREE!!!"

Jane, Miranda, Zeria, Rafael, Benjamin, Elaine

Gila Valley Team Update -July 17

2009-07-17T15:12:00.003+02:00

July 17, 2009

The team arrived home from Katete around 12:30p.m. with news of no visa for Mozambique. The border officials brought a lot of concern and fear into the team, but we know for sure now that God wants them to glorify and testify His name in Nyimba. They are out in the Nyimba boma (town) today sharing their testimonies and inviting people to see the Jesus Film on Monday night.

Pray that they would be bold in their witness.

Pray that the people of Nyimba would accept them with open arms.

Pray for God to use them in mighty ways to plant a church in the boma of Nyimba.

Praise the Lord for closing the door to Mozambique, not because we didnt want to go, but His plans are bigger than ours!

Pray for Zeria, Benjamin, and Jumbe as they translate for the team.

Enjoying Zambian sugarcane with Zambian friends at the Helgren's house!

Preparing to cross the Luangwa River by canoe to see if the immigration post in Zumbo, Mozambique would assist us in receiving a pass to enter Mozambique.

Chris, Jane, Elaine, Miranda, Benjamin, and Tar at a Baobab Tree near Luangwa

Gila Valley Team Update #2

2009-07-17T10:14:00.002+02:00

Today is Friday, early this morning around 6:30a.m. they began traveling to the border of Mozambique and Zambia through a town called Katete. There they are going to attempt to purchase a visa to enter Mozambique in order to travel there to begin ministry this afternoon.

Pray for effective travel back to Nyimba from Katete in order to pack up and head to Mozambique.

Pray for the travel to Mozambique to be smooth and for the vehicles to travel well.

Pray that as they get set up in Mozambique that all will go well.

Pray for Tar, Elaine, Chris, Miranda, and Jane as they practice their salvation testimonies in Chinyanja and as they start evangelism in the villages tomorrow morning.

Pray that all of their fears would be erased and that they would fully rely upon the Holy Spirit in all circumstances and conversations.

Pray also for the translators (Zeria, Mrs. Maseko, Benjamin, Samson, and Gideon) to clearly translate English to Chinsenga so that the Gospel is heard clearly without fault.

Please pray also for Lily. She has been very sick for 24 hours now and is not well.

Pray for quick recovery and good rest.

Mozambique Update

2009-07-16T13:16:00.002+02:00

Praise the Lord that the team from Gila Valley, New Mexico arrived healthy, happy, and did not have a battle with jet lag at all! All of their luggage arrived and we only lost one trunk full of American goodies. Since they have been here they have been to visit the District Commissioner, the immigration officer, the hospital to visit Jumbe after an accident, the market, the tailor to have suits and shirts made to remind them of their time in Zambia, sang songs, shared their testimonies with nationals, and seen the difficulties missionaries can face in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Since I posted last, a great deal of time has been trying to get legal permission for them to enter Mozambique. Today they traveled 3 1/2 hours to Zumbo, Mozambique. This trip was by road and boat to find out that they must have a Mozambiquan visa to enter. Tomorrow (Friday) is the day that we are supposed to go and share the Gospel in Kasenga and Meze. They will travel with Kendall 2 hours from our home to Katete to try and buy a visa in order to share Christ there. Please pray that they are able to get the visa. If they are not able to, then we know that God desires for us to minister to the people of Sinda and Dziko, here in Zambia. Pray for Meze Baptist as 25 people anticipate their baptism this Sunday. Pray for their hearts to understand and be gracious if we are unable to arrive there. We praise the Lord for this team! They are amazing...flexible, fun, encouraging, in love with Christ, and full of excitement to see when, where, and how God is going to work in and through their lives during their time here in Zambia!

Mozambique Concern...We Need Prayer

2009-07-12T19:52:00.002+02:00

We just received a call from Leonard Banda in Mozambique. He said that the Border Officers have told him that we are going to have to travel 5-6 hours to Zumbo to receive a proper letter of documentation in order for our volunteer team and us to enter the country to do ministry. Many times prior to this, Kendall has asked about the proper channels we must go through in order to enter the country. He made a trip to Zambue and received clearance from the District Commissioner and the Police Chief. PLEASE PRAY for Leonard Banda as he goes on our behalf to Kasenga tomorrow to meet with Filipo (Vice District Commissioner) to clear up this matter. PLEASE PRAY for this to be resolved, for the border crossing to be smooth, and for us to be safe in our travels there. We leave Friday and will return home on Sunday. Thank you for your love, concern, and earnest plea before the Father on our behalf and the Nsenga of Mozambique who are anxious and excited about our arrival.

They're Here!

2009-07-12T11:34:00.004+02:00

We have just arrived back in Nyimba after a busy, yet incredibly fun week with Kenny, Lesley, and Tyler Vines! Praise the Lord for their safe and happy arrival in Lusaka! They have officially received their work permits and PASSED their Zambian driving test and are waiting for their driver's licenses. Lesley has found the great places to shop and Kenny has been introduced to life as a daddy and handyman in Zambia. We had a great time playing games with the Kimbrough's and Schwarz each night and enjoyed many good meals together! We are so excited about seeing God use this family to reach the Kunda people of Luangwa.

Canaan Baptist Church

2009-07-05T21:36:00.003+02:00

Lily, Lauren, and I had dresses made this week at the market here in Nyimba! We were so excited to wear them to church today! Lauren matched me and Lily picked out her own chitenge and green ribbon! We had to have a picture made before we went to church!

We attended, Canaan Baptist Church in Minga Stop today. It was a great day of worship and encouragement after a difficult week of ministry. The most encouraging part of the service was the 10 women that prayed to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior! We were also so encouraged by the leadership of this church, the congregation, and the fact that all of the leaders had one wife and all of their wives were active members of the church! Praise the Lord for this church! Pray that they continue to grow strong in the Lord, the church is 4 years old! Praise the Lord for the godly leaders leading this church!

Deacon Patrick Phiri and his son, Patrick were dressed identical! He was so cute!

The Phiri Family generously opened their home to us for lunch! Patrick is a teacher of mathematics for 8th-12th graders at the Minga Stop Secondary School. We had a wonderful afternoon with the Phiri's!

Ruthie (21 months) and Lauren (17 months) had a fun time playing together!

Nyimba Agricultural Show 2009

2009-07-05T21:12:00.002+02:00

To start off our family day on the 4th of July, we attended the Nyimba Agricultural Show. We were so excited to see what all was there. It was a big deal with a gate to pay and a huge grass fence all around! It was cold and windy so our visit was brief, but it was neat to see all of the crops that are grown here in Zambia. Everyone in Zambia is a farmer, so this event was a huge help and encouragement to the farmers. People would bring their crops and they would be judged and receive a prize for quality of the crop!

Kendall, Lily, Easton, Jumbe, Lauren, and Zeria at the Show

Lily was braving the wind and cold!

This was one of the displays from the Farmers Co-ops here in Zambia.

Rape is one of our favorite "relish" to eat with nshima. It is a lot like collard greens.

Groundnut (peanut) shavers are used for livestock feed.

I thought that this crop was unique. Cat whiskers. They will preserve it and eat with nshima during the dry season when relish is hard to find.

From top left to right: Corn (maize), sorgham, peanuts (groundnuts), soy beans, Bandara nuts

You can see all the produce they had. I wanted everyone to see the kind of crops that are grown and produced in Zambia!

There were acrobats that were quite entertaining!

The excitement was too much for Lauren!

The Red, White, and Blue...

2009-07-05T21:04:00.004+02:00

I was so excited for this 4th of July because my friend, Vira had sent all of the kids their own 4th of July shirt! I had fun taking their pictures before our family festivities began. It is not easy to get 3 kids, (ages 4, 2, and 1) to stand or sit still, smile, look at the camera, etc. So, I take what I can get and laugh at the rest!

*For more on our 4th of July, visit our family blog at:www.thehelgren5.blogspot.com!

Amuna a Chikhulupiriro

2009-07-03T19:24:00.015+02:00

"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news,who proclaim peace,who bring good tidings,who proclaim salvation,who say to Zion,

"Your God reigns!"

Isaiah 52:7

Meet Kendall's dearest friends, "Amuna a Chikhulupiriro" (Men of Faith) from left to right:

Samson Lungu, Gideon Tembo, Josias Daka, Leonard Banda, Derek Daka, Laxson Mumba

Each Friday when Kendall arrives home from Mozambique, I cannot wait to sit down with him and hear the stories of the day, hear about the people that he met, who rode in the truck, and most importantly how much the men that are traveling with him are learning.Many times we share with you about what is being taught and who came to Christ and about the people in Mozambique, but we have failed to make mention of the men that are truly teaching the Word of God and are missionaries as well!

Each week, Kendall comes in and smiles and says, "I love those guys...I really do. They are my friends and they support me, encourage me, and teach me so much!" Our prayer from the time that God called us to Zambia is that He would bless us with men such as these to help us and walk with us in our ministry. Without our Zambian brothers and sisters encouraging us and teaching us and advising us, our ministry would be very difficult and challenging. Each day we praise the Lord for the amazing friends He has given us that love us enough to correct us, assist us, and put their reputation on the line to walk alongside the mzungu (white man).

The awesome thing about these six men is that they have come together, from different churches, villages, and tribes in order to share Christ with the Nsenga people from Kompo to Zambue. I could go on and on about each one of these men, but will say only a few words about each. (Can you tell how passionate and excited I am about the relationship and friendship that Kendall has with these men?)

Samson Lungu- faithful friend who has been walking with Kendall since the first day we stepped foot in Nyimba.

Gideon Tembo- his heart is full of the joy of the Lord and has a deep passion when he shares about Jesus Christ, an awesome church planter in his home village and a man of integrity.

Josias Daka- he has the joy of the Lord and a true servant's heart. He once jumped off the back of a moving bicycle in order to greet me (Joy) as I walked down the road with friends.

Leonard Banda- first convert in Mozambique, man of peace, and a genuine concern to see those around him know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.

Derek Daka- "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." Colossians 3:16 Derek touches the hearts of the Nsenga by speaking their heart language through song.

Laxson Mumba- quiet and humble leader who follows Jesus Christ and desires to see the people of Mozambique come to know Him.

Pray for each of these men. Pray that the passion that burns within each of them would not be extinguished in the slightest bit.

Pray that these men would be an encouragement to one another and to the people of Mozambique.

Praise the Lord that He has set these men apart to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ and that they have been obedient to His call!

Paths Crossing Again...

2009-07-03T18:52:00.005+02:00

God has an incredibly unique and amazing sense of humor when He allows us to cross paths with friends not only once in life, but twice.

Kendall and I were both friends with Kenny Vines while we were attending Southwestern Seminary in Texas. At the time that we were friends with Kenny, Kendall and I did not even know each other! A great deal has changed since either of us has seen Kenny. But on July 7th, our family will meet the Vines Family, Kenny, Lesley, and Tyler for the first time! It is amazing how God has orchestrated our steps and blessed us with the amazing opportunity to minister with this family in Zambia.

Kenny and Lesley will be our closest neighbors and will be serving the Lord in Luangwa, Zambia working in Zambia and Mozambique.

Praise the Lord for Kenny and Lesley's obedience to the Lord's calling on their lives!

Pray for Kenny and Lesley as they say their goodbyes to friends and family in Texas.

Pray that they would not be overwhelmed with the events that are before them.

Pray for the Vines and Ferguson families as they say goodbye to their children and grandbaby.

Pray for safe travel, beginning on Sunday, July 5th, that they would make connecting flights in proper time.

Pray that Tyler sleeps well and travels well on the very long flight!

Pray that Kenny and Lesley will have a peace about their travels and their calling to Zambia.

Pray for Kendall and I as we are with them their first week in Zambia.

Pray that we will help them to feel welcome and at home in their new home, Zambia.

Helgren Family Prayer Letter- July 2009

2009-07-01T20:11:00.011+02:00

Recently, I saw that one of our fellow missionaries began posting portions of their family prayer letter on their blog. I read it and thought, "DUH...why don't I do that too?" For those of you who don't receive our prayer letter, this is a monthly letter that we send out to our prayer partners, who we fondly call, "our warriors". The letter is basically an update of what is going on with our ministry to the Nsenga people of Zambia and Mozambique, prayer requests and praises! Here is the letter for July.

Crossing Borders of Zambia and Mozambique to share the love of Jesus Christ with the Nsenga People.

Leaders can either encourage a group to grow or discourage them into complacency. Some will debate that “leaders are born” and the opposition states that “leaders are made”. As we learn more about our leaders here in Nyimba we are discovering that some people are born with the characteristics of a leader and others have been chosen as a leader, but are in need of training in order to be a godly leader. We have realized that in order to strengthen the churches, we must invest great amounts of prayer, teaching, and discipleship so that the leaders that have been chosen by the churches will lead the Baptist churches to follow Jesus Christ in all that they do, in and out of the church.

Pray for Mr. M as he has been elected as the new chairman of the Nyimba Baptist Association. Pray for humility and wisdom as he begins to challenge and lead the association. Pray for the deacons, treasurers, secretaries, and pastors of the churches of Nyimba. Pray that corruption would be void in the congregation and that in all transactions and activities in the church that God would be glorified. Pray that as we continue to teach and encourage the leaders that they would find what we teach valid and applicable to their churches. Pray that we could teach them to seek wisdom from God’s Word.

Praise the Lord for the five members of Gila Valley Baptist Church in New Mexico that are coming to serve with us among the Nsenga of Zambia and Mozambique! Pray for Chris, Miranda, Jane, Elaine, and Tar as they travel to Zambia on July 11 and return home on July 25th. Pray for their traveling mercies and for luggage to arrive when they arrive. Pray for their families in New Mexico. Pray that we will use them where God wants them to minister and not our wishes. Pray for safe travel into Mozambique, good health, and for God to be glorified and the name of Jesus to be proclaimed in all that we say and do!

“Therefore I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing praises to your name.”
2 Samuel 22:50

During the month of June, 70 people in Mozambique and Zambia have come to Christ
The Vines Family will arrive in Zambia in July and begin serving in Luangwa, Zambia!
Praise the Lord for the thousands of Southern Baptists that graciously and generously give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering that supports our vehicle, housing, and much much more!

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.”
1 Chronicles 29:11

Strengthened By Your Prayers,
Kendall, Joy, Lily, Easton, and Lauren Helgren

What is a Deacon??

2009-07-01T16:33:00.010+02:00

On Saturday at the Nyimba Associational Meeting, Kendall told all of the church leaders that he would be more than happy to come and teach them concerning any matters in the church that they were uneducated about or unsure of. Immediately, the pastor at Chansanje Baptist Church , Laxson Njobvu, approached Kendall and asked him to come on Wednesday, July 1st, to teach about the role of deacons in the church. Kendall was so excited that they had invited him, he studied God's Word to see what it said about the qualifications of a deacon and their job within the church. Here are a few of the passages that Kendall taught from in order to teach these church members about the character, role, and selection of deacons within the church body.

1 Timothy 3:8-13 describes the character of a deacon:

"Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach. Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things. Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households. For those who have served well as deacons obtain for themselves a high standing and great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus."

Acts 6:1-15 describes the need for deacons, the way of choosing and ordaining a deacon within the church. Acts 6:3-7 gives specific details of how the disciples chose deacons to assist in serving the church. Below is Acts 6:3-7.

"Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. The statement found approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch. And these they brought before the apostles; and after praying, they laid their hands on them. The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith."

It was an encouraging morning and we were so happy that churches are asking to learn things that they are lacking knowledge about! Praise the Lord for the 19 men and women that attended the lesson this morning! Pray that these leaders and church members will take what they have heard from God's Word and apply it in their congregations. Pray that the congregations will receive God's Word with an open and pure heart.

The Transplant Church

2009-06-28T19:28:00.004+02:00

Today we went to Madalitso (Blessings) Baptist Church. As we drove to the church, Kendall was telling me that they had bought a new plot and were going to build a new church on the new plot! As we drove along the road, we came to the place where the church should have been and it was gone, with the exception of three benches. It was crazy! Kendall said, "Oh my goodness! I was just here two weeks ago and they have removed the church since then!!" We decided to turn around and go back down the road we had just traveled and go to the new plot. To our utter surprise, they had MOVED the entire church building to the new location! It was crazy! They didn't think that it would be smart to waste a good building, so they just took it apart and moved it down the road about 1/2 mile and they have already erected the main trees for the church! It was so encouraging to worship with this church. The leaders at Madalisto are incredible and really have the gift of encouraging and empowering. Praise the Lord for these leaders and the congregation that is motivated to get the "new" church built! This is a picture of the "old" Madalitso Baptist Church. This was the first Sunday that I did not take my camera! I was so mad at myself!

Helgren Haircut Day

2009-06-28T19:16:00.003+02:00

When we moved to Zambia, one of my many questions was "what do you do about haircuts?". Well, there are a few places in Lusaka that you can get your haircut but I have decided to cut the kids hair at home. It is always a fun day when we cut hair! Last night, I was looking at the Boyle Family's pictures and their little girl, Kendyl (who was named after our Kendall), had the cutest haircut! I showed it to Lily and she agreed that she needed that haircut too! So, after church today, I cut her hair! She is so happy because she has hair just like Kendyl (kind of)! Easton got his mop cut, and Lauren Callaway had her FIRST haircut! She was such a good customer! I am learning how to cut hair, but thank goodness we live out in the bush, so if I really mess up, it has time to grow before we go back to the big city of Lusaka!!

Lily's "Kendyl haircut"

The first cut of hair!

I love her face! Precious!
She survived her first haircut!

Speechless...

2009-06-26T19:50:00.002+02:00

Last weekend, I taught at the Nyimba Women's Associational meeting. My friend, Mrs. Tembo and Mrs. Chipanga came from Petauke to teach the women as well. Usually, I rush home from meetings and blog immediately. This time was different. My heart was full but my words were scarce. I failed to put into words how I was feeling and how I truly felt the meeting went. Some of the words that came to mind were...excited, overwhelmed, confused, misunderstood, dumbfounded, frustrated, and tired. Praise the Lord that 25 women prayed to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior! Pray for the women that were and are living with evil spirits. My heart is heavy and my words are few. Please forgive my lack of description of this meeting, but please pray for the women of Nyimba. They have deep troubles that can only be rectified by the love and salvation of Jesus Christ. Pray for them to let go of the evil and satanic acts that they participate in all for the sake of "tradition". Pray for the leaders of Nyimba that they would care enough about the women they lead to grow in their walk with the Lord in order to lead these women to salvation.

Kasenga Village, Mozambique

2009-06-23T13:02:00.005+02:00

Kasenga Village is located 51 kilometers/30 miles from our home in Nyimba. The travel time to reach Kasenga is about 2 hours. Kasenga is 1 1/2 kilometers from Meze (see older post for more information on Meze). Currently, Kendall and the men traveling with him are teaching in Kasenga 'B', there are two other portions of Kasenga, 'A' and 'C', that they have not reached yet. Pray for Kasenga 'B' to begin to share with their neighbors in 'A' and 'C'. As of now, there are 12 new believers in Kasenga. Continue to pray for this village and Collin as he teaches there and encourages the people.

From left to right: Robert Tembo from Kasenga in Mozambique, Derek Mumba from Mwengelele Baptist in Kacholola in Zambia, and Laxson Mumba from Mwengelele Baptist in Kacholola. Derek and Laxson are two of the four men who go into Mozambique from Zambia each week.

Robert Tembo lives in Kasenga Village. He comes to all of the meetings but has not received Christ, that we are aware of. He is one of the only people in Kasenga Village that can read. He has a Bible and is reading the Bible to the new believers in Kasenga so that they can hear God's Word.

Collin teaching the people. Collin is a new believer and is from Meze Village. He is the one who went to Kasenga Village after his conversion and began sharing Christ with people and began to meet with people on his own. He truly is taking the Gospel to his brothers and sisters. Collin is also teaching people to read in Kasenga using a book published by the Baptists called "Mwai", it is a literacy book with Christian stories and words.

This large tree is called a Baobab Tree. The one in this picture is very young. They grow very very tall! Kendall teaches underneath this tree in Kasenga Village.

The children of Kasenga

The yellow jug that the lady is holding contains dried corn. She pours it into the "bende"(ven-de) (what they pound the corn in). After they pound it with the "munsie" (moon-see) then they will sift the corn and pound it again.

The game that this boy is playing is called "Nkhuli" (N-koo-lee). He has a stick with a thin strip of chitenge (fabric from skirts worn here) material tied on the end and he whips the stick and spins the nkhuli. The nkhuli is the plug that is placed in the bottom of the "bende" that they use to pound their corn to make mealie meal (their staple food). Watch this amazing video! It is quite short but you can watch it over and over again!

Happy Daddy, D-Daddy, Paw Paw Day!

2009-06-21T10:48:00.007+02:00

Kendall, Richard, and Spike are three men who love the Lord and have an amazing dedication to their family. We praise the Lord for blessing us with these men! Happy Daddy Day! We love you!

DEDICATED TO OUR FAMILY AND SERVING JESUS.

ALWAYS KNOWS HOW TO HAVE A GOOD TIME!

DARES TO BE UNIQUE...

DOESN'T FEAR THE KITCHEN AND KNOWS HOW TO BAKE!

YOUNG AT HEART, FULL OF LOVE, AND A STRONG MAN OF GOD.

"We Love Daddy"

Joy's Dad is "D-Daddy" so for his card, I dressed the kids up like D-Daddy. He is a coach (Lily), a minister (Easton), and a big Auburn fan (Lauren).

Kendall's Daddy is "Paw Paw" and he loves to play golf, so Lily and Easton dressed for a golf game and got their golf clubs out for his card picture!

The Tea Party

2009-06-16T20:20:00.002+02:00

Monday afternoon, Kevin and Suzie arrived at our house for a one night visit. We always enjoy having the Rodgers come to visit. I was so excited that Suzie came and I wanted her to meet our neighbor, Sarah. I gave Sarah a call and she was so happy to hear that we were wanting to come by for a visit that she said, "I am putting the kettle on now for our tea party!" The kids were so excited to go to Sarah's house and to have a tea party. We packed everyone up and made our journey! We had a wonderful time visiting with her and eating some pumpkin bread, roasted pumpkin seeds and some tea. What a wonderful afternoon we had!

Hannah Rodgers and Lauren

Sarah and me, my long lost Canadian sister!

Hannah, Suzie, Lauren, Sarah, Zeria, Easton, and Lily...the Tea Party Gang

Walking home after a fun time with friends! Look at Lily and her pink purse on one arm and her puppy in the other! Priceless!

Paul and Timothy Weekend

2009-06-13T19:10:00.007+02:00

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:23-25

Earlier this year after our training in South Africa, I began praying about how God would allow me to really focus on a small group of women that I could encourage, mentor, and invest time in. In April, God laid it on my heart to invite a few leaders from Petauke to come and teach, encourage, and love the leaders in Nyimba. I invited 4 leaders that I know have a personal relationship with Jesus and asked them to bring a young woman that is a Christian as well that would be a future leader in the church. Then after learning each woman would have a friend that could encourage and love them in a unique way. After much prayer and planning, God's plan was executed with amazing grace, love, and excitement.

On Thursday, 3 leaders from Petauke and 6 women from Nyimba all gathered at our home. We had a weekend of games, worship (singing and dancing), teaching, learning, discussion, and a great deal of excitement! I was so excited to have these women at my home for this weekend. God really used the 3 leaders to teach and encourage the women. The Nyimba women were so encouraged that they invited the Petauke leaders to come next weekend to teach all of the women of Nyimba at the women's associational meeting! Praise the Lord! I was so fearful of jealousy and fearful that the Nyimba women would feel like the Petauke women were better than them and either not listen and learn or become discouraged. Praise the Lord that neither of these things happened.

What next? I cannot wait to see how God is going to continue to develop these relationships and what God is going to do when these women unite in order to encourage each other on to good deeds and love. They have already planned another Paul and Timothy Weekend in September! Thank you for your prayers!

The Petauke Leaders

Please pray for the women below:

Adis Daka- Chisomo Baptist Church
Josephine Tembo- Home missionary in Petauke at Kawere Village

Amai Lungu- Chairlady for the Nyimba Women's Association and leader at Mtilizi Baptist

Amai Mwanza- Leader in Petauke

Amai Mwenda- Leader at Chisomo Baptist

Amai Sakala- Leader at Nyimba Central Baptist

Bertha Phiri- Leader at Sinanongwe Baptist in Petauke

Christina Tembo- Leader at Mnyazi Baptist in Nyimba

Please pray for Christina. On Thursday morning her daughter gave birth to twins. Both of the infants passed away on Thursday. When I arrived to bring her to the meeting she met me at the road to share the awful news. Although she has endured this tragedy, she still came to the meeting on Friday. The women had a great opportunity to encourage and love her and they took that chance to demonstrate God's love to their sister, Christina.

Daisy Chipanga- Leader at Kawere Mission in Petauke

Amai Maseko- Leader at Nyimba Central Baptist

Zeria Nkhoma- Member of Nyimba Central and a huge advocate for the partnership between Petauke and Nyimba!

Typical Zambian meal, nshima and relish. I loved serving friends at my home!

They had small group time of studying and discussing God's Word.

Friday morning the women asked me to prepare food that I LOVE...they would say "songulusho" (something that you LOVE). I told them that we would have Mexican food because I LOVE it!! We had tortillas, meat, spanish rice, beans, and salsa. We lined up and fixed our own plates, just like America! They really enjoyed seeing how Americans would "do dinner". This was such a fun time! After our Mexican, we danced and sang, then when the sun went down we watched the Jesus Film in our backyard. As a surprise, the women had popcorn and coke during the movie. Our neighbor, Chilufiya and her 4 teenage kids came over as well. Pray for them, they do not know Jesus.

Amai Tembo taking her first bite of Mexican food!

God blessed this weekend. All of us were encouraged in one way or another. Pray that the excitement and the new friendships that were built will remain and grow in Christ! God is GOOD!

The Welcome Wagon

2009-06-07T18:10:00.004+02:00

Today kind of felt like we were the welcome wagon to Sinai Baptist in Kacholola. Kendall and I have enjoyed asking people in Nyimba to come to church with us. Last week, our friend, Sarah from Canada came with us and this week Kendall's friend, Jumbe and our guard, Paul came with us. It was so fun to have two new friends and Zeria come along with us. Not only is it encouraging for them to attend another church, but it encourages the church we attend. Sinai Baptist was a church full of young people and the leaders there are excited to learn from Kendall's leadership training time twice a month. As we greeted the church members, our hearts were broken to see so many witchcraft charms around the necks of children. Immediately, I began to pray that God would speak through Kendall in a mighty way to convict them of this incredible evil. Praise the Lord that 20 people prayed to receive Christ today! We were so overwhelmed with the joy and happiness that this church had for our attendance today. It was a truly awesome day of worship and one filled with an amazing ending with 20 new brothers and sisters in Christ!

Mount Sinai Baptist Church in Kacholola

My precious blessing from the Lord and my sister in Christ, Zeria

Paul Masiye ( our guard) and Jumbe (Kendall's friend)

Two of the leaders of the church dancing and singing

Mount Sinai Baptist seeing us off.

The entire church always goes with us to our truck and wishes us safe travel as we prepare to depart. It is like leaving family after a wonderful time of fellowship.

Videos: Boys drumming and the congregation singing as we walked to our truck

10 Things...

2009-06-03T20:03:00.006+02:00

As I write this blog, I am so humbled and excited and honored that God has called us to be a part of His plan for the Nsenga people to know Him and the power of His resurrection. So many things have been happening lately, and I wanted to take some time to share 10 of those things with you. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness and His wisdom in all things!

1) Kanchulu Village in Mozambique- Leonard Banda (the first convert in Mozambique) found this village and began surveying and asking the people about their relationships with Jesus Christ and Leonard has discovered the deep desire that this village has to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." Matthew 5:14-16

2) Meze Village- Colen will be the leader of the new church in Meze, when one is established. Praise the Lord for his heart to learn and follow God's Word. Praise the Lord also for Collins and his evangelistic spirit and desiring to share Christ with those he comes in contact with.

"May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. All glory to God forever and ever! Amen." Galatians 1:3-4

3) Thomas Mwanza- Came to our gate selling watermelons and from that transaction, Kendall began to ask him about what church he attended. Thomas shared with Kendall that he attended the Baptist church in the Copperbelt of Zambia, but when he moved to Nyimba there were no Baptist churches near his village, so now he is attending the Jehovah's Witness. He began to ask Kendall to come and share Christ in his village and desires to see a group of people gather each week to worship and pray together and plant a Baptist church. Praise the Lord for this awesome encounter. Kendall will meet with Thomas in his village within the week.

"All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals, and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved." Acts 2:42-47

4) Youth and Basketball- Jumbe met Kendall on the road one morning and approached him to speak with him about his job as a missionary. Long story made short, Kendall has been talking with Jumbe about beginning to have a time of Bible Study with some of the youth in Nyimba. God has opened a door for Kendall to teach American Basketball at the High School in Nyimba once a week and hold a small Bible Study in conjunction with basketball. Praise the Lord that God has opened a huge door for Kendall to use his love for sports and youth in order to share the light of Jesus Christ with the youth of Nyimba.

"There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4:12

5) Nyimba Women's Leadership- God has really begun to enlighten Joy's heart as to the needs of the women in Nyimba. She has realized their lack of understanding of God's Word and the basic training that is necessary in order to effectively lead and encourage a group of women. Pray for Joy as she uses the time with several leaders in Nyimba, June 11-13, to teach them and encourage them in their role as leaders in their churches.

"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

6) Churches Encouraging Churches- Recently we learned of Ucha Central from Kacholola coming for the weekend to encourage and teach Mnyazi Baptist in Nyimba! Now, the women of Petauke and Nyimba are following in the same pattern. The churches in Petauke are established churches with a wealth of wisdom and solid leaders. Praise the Lord for our home missionaries, Mr. and Mrs. Tembo. Praise the Lord for the women of Petauke who have seen the need to encourage and teach the women of Nyimba in their times of worship and meetings together. The women of Nyimba have invited the women from Petauke to attend one of their meetings and the women of Petauke have invited the women of Nyimba to attend their meetings in order to encourage and strengthen one another. Praise the Lord for Petauke and Nyimba Baptist Women for wanting to encourage and be encouraged by one another. Pray that jealousy and competition would not become an issue during these times.

“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.”This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone." Titus 3:4-8

Mrs. Tembo and me

7) Nyimba Baptist Churches- Are very weak and in desperate need of godly men to step forward and make decisions for Jesus Christ. Jealousy and divisions are eating away at the health of the churches here. Many times they complain and are filled with jealousy, yet never take the time to seek out what God would want them to do and they lack the desire to be taught. Pray for these churches: Nyimba Central, Mtilizi, New Jerusalem, Mnyazi, Pwe Pwe.

"Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world?"

1 Corinthians 3:1-3

8) Chisomo Baptist Church- Praise the Lord for the faithfulness and devotion to the teaching and the application of God's Word in the life of this church. Chisomo is a fruitful church full of many strong believers! They are the one church in the Nyimba district that is truly following God's Word and seeking to know Him more. Pray for Benjamin Phiri as he continues to lead Chisomo in following Jesus alone!

"Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." Philippians 1:3-6

9) Wisdom and Readiness- Kendall and Joy, above all things, want to please God in all that they teach, say, and do. Pray that as we seek the Lord, in regard to teaching the people of Nyimba and Mozambique, that we will be pure in our motives, filled with the love of Christ, and desire, above all else, that the Nsenga people would have a personal, loving relationship with their Creator, King, and Lord Jesus Christ.

"Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel..." Ephesians 6:14-19

10) Utilizing the Obedient- Pray that as we prepare for our first team in July that we would listen to the Lord each day and follow His lead in the places in which we minister and evangelize. Pray for the Gila Valley Baptist team coming from New Mexico. They are so excited about this trip, please pray for good health and safe travel for all of them. Praise the Lord for their obedience to come to Zambia to share the love of Jesus with the Nsenga people!

"How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:14-15

A Joyful Gathering

2009-06-03T19:46:00.003+02:00

(We have been without constant electricity since Saturday, so this post about church on Sunday is very delayed.) Sunday we went to Sinai Baptist Church in Kacholola because the churches of Kacholola had gathered together for their associational meeting. There were 9 churches and well over one hundred people in attendance. Sunday was a wonderful time of worship and celebration. Kendall had the awesome opportunity to share the Gospel presentation during the worship service. 50 people prayed to receive Christ on Sunday. You may remember that in the past few months many people have come to Christ in Kacholola, Kendall and I know within our hearts that God is truly moving in the hearts of the leaders and people of Kacholola. Continue to pray for the leadership as they attend leadership training 2 times a month with Kendall. At the two locations where he teaches, there are 50 people in attendance each time. Praise the Lord for their diligence to learn God's Word and for the great times of discussion and discovery that they have each time during teaching.

Lauren danced during the choirs
The new leaders that were appointed at the associational meeting. Please pray for each of these leaders that they would not seek to be powerful but be humbled by their position of leadership and seek to follow Christ and God's Word as they lead their churches.

Two of the choirs that sang during our worship service.

Canadian Neighbor

2009-05-29T19:43:00.002+02:00

On Wednesday night we were privileged to meet our neighbor (5 houses down) named Sarah. Sarah is originally from Canada and is here working with the Farmer's Association in Nyimba. No, Sarah has no agricultural background but is a lawyer! We have become friends instantly and are so happy to have such a fun friend! Lily and Easton love to have Sarah read to them and jump on the trampoline! Sarah loves that we have internet and a real coffee maker! Praise the Lord for the blessing of new friends!

Bees and A Brave Man

2009-05-29T19:30:00.005+02:00

On Monday, we discovered a large population of bees on our water tank. The water tank is too high to really kill the bees so they have just stayed there. This morning, Paul came to the window and said, "Mama, the bees are now in the tree!" I said, "WHAT?!" I put on my shoes and ran outside to find this large mound of bees that looked like mud hanging on our tree. I said, "Paul, how do we kill them?" He said, "Let's go outside the gate and get some grass and burn it with paraffin (kerosene) and it will kill them." So, I did exactly what he said to do. And it killed the bees. We still have some on the water tank, but today's fire exercise killed over half of them. Pray that they would move to the tree from the tank so that we can extinguish them. It is scary to let the kids go outside and play because they just change location so quickly.

You can see the bees on the tree and the flames killing them.
Within a few seconds the bees were reduced significantly.

Then Paul used the rake to lift the burning grass directly to the bees. Zambians amaze me. They know what they have to do to take care of things and do not ever bat an eye or seem afraid.