Seeds planted on Copperbelt soil

This first week at Kitwe, we have been able to get oriented to this new environment, begin to build friendships, and plant seeds. We arrived on Sunday night. Monday, we got oriented, did laundry, took a walk around the area… Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, Jon Chen and I went to CBU (Copperbelt University) to connect with students, particularly the men who are involved in the Wednesday and Thursday bible studies, though others as well. Also, we joined for the Wednesday and Thursday men’s bible studies. I met with students on Friday as well, while Jon Chen and Chapo prepared for the Navigators National conference. It has been so neat to see the Holy Spirit move and bless us with opportunities and conversations. “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8) The wind blows indeed… Here’s one example: one day, Jon and I were planning on seeing if we could meet and talk with some of the guys who go to the Wednesday or Thursday bible study. As we were on our way and right outside of the first room we were going to visit, we encountered Gershom, who we had met the day before. Gershom is a friend of some of the Nav. bible study guys; he lives several doors down the hall from them. We started talking to him, he invited us to his room, we met his roommates, and we ended up talking to them for 1 and a half to two hours about a variety of spiritual topics! We were able to dig into the word together with men who we had just met (or met the day before). That afternoon we only met with one of the guys we planned to, yet we were blessed with fruitful discussion with others we didn’t plan to… Also, we’ve been blessed with words to say, such as when Jon Chen explained truths using an illustration of a frog / tadpole that came to mind on the spot.

It has been great having my friend Jon Chen with me at Kitwe… Jon Chen… friend that I can have fun and talk with… teammate who I can work together with… a more mature man, a great man of God who can teach me much, who I can observe and learn from…

This first week we planted seeds: seeds of truth, seeds of friendship… seeds that we plan to follow up on and that we hope will grow and produce much fruit… As Paul said, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” (1 Corinthians 3:6-7) Ultimately, it’s God who moves hearts, God performs miracles, not us. Praise the LORD! He is moving, transforming, even in just these past several days. This morning we leave early for National conference in Lusaka. 4 students from CBU (Copperbelt University) are going with us to National conference! Blessings, Matthews, Gerald, and Situmbeko. I’m excited for National conference, to continue to learn, to see the Lord moving, as well as see Aaron, Nathan, Dan, and other friends from Lusaka that I haven’t seen in a while.

PRAYER

Our desire and prayer is for the LORD to build up leaders and laborers to reach out and love the people of UNVZA, Ridgeway, and CBU long after we are gone. As Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field“(Matthew 9:37-38).

I know for me, it is a challenge to reach out and love people, such as these students I am beginning to meet. I desire boldness to love. May Aaron, Jon Chen, Dan, Nathan, I, and our brothers in Christ speak God’s word with great boldness, as we strive to love the people we interact with (Acts 4:29-30, Ephesians 6:19-20).

Thank you for your prayers and support! “Your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).