De Jong Zambia Report July 2012

Transcription

1 De Jong Zambia Report July 2012 God promises us in Isaiah 41:9-10, You are my servant; I have chosen you and have not rejected you, so do not fear, for I am with you, do not be dismayed, for I AM YOUR GOD. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. The final analysis is who our God is! We trust in the God who created us, who redeemed us, and who sustains us. Therefore, we can rely on His promises in this verse: Do not fear for I am with you, Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you and I will uphold you. With these assurances, we, as God s people, can trust Him to use us as His servants because He has chosen us. In spite of our frailties and some of the dumb things we do, He does not reject us. Instead, He uses us to glorify His name! We saw servants of God serving Him faithfully in the countries we ministered in. We want to introduce you to some of them who serve our God in Zambia. We were there for three weeks in February. Davison and Tess Zulu. They live in Luanshya. We met Davison and his late wife, Jean, in 2009 when she and Sylvia bonded together as fellow believers. As a couple, they had a fruitful ministry to the widows and orphans. God laid on Davison s heart a desire to start an organization called JAFI (Joy Again Foundation International). David helped him refine their policy, by laws, and articles of incorporation documents. Sylvia formatted them. The Zambian government approved JAFI incorporation in JAFI has been operating on a very, very small budget, but they have been having a fruitful ministry amongst the widows and orphans since then. Shortly after we left in 2009, the Lord used cancer to call Jean home to heaven. Davison continued to train women to be caregivers so they could minister to the scores of widows who came to them for help. God brought Tess into Davison s life and they were married in May We saw Tess share the compassion for the widow and orphan ministry, alongside Davidson, during our visit. Davison is also pastor of Grace and Truth Church in Luanshya. He holds Bible studies for the widows and orphans with a vision to provide them with vocational training. Davison arranged for Sylvia to teach a JAFI Widow Bible Conference (168 widows attended) and meet with other widow groups in different settings. He arranged for David to teach a leadership conference for pastors and church leaders. We were also able to share God s Word with the orphans that JAFI is responsible for. Your gifts made it possible to help many widows, pastors, and orphans with meals, food, books, school supplies and colorful balls. We went to see Davison s growing maize crop. God used us to introduce Davison to the leaders of other ministries, such as Joyce Kaoma, CEF (Child Evangelism Fellowship) Director of Zambia, who has agreed to become a JAFI board member, and Phil Hunt, Director of the Central Africa Bible College. As a result, Davison has an invitation to read Sylvia s book, Widows of the Old Testament on the radio station in Kitwe, the third largest city in Zambia. Pray that all of the details can be worked out for this to happen. JAFI really needs financial support for their ongoing ministry. What a blessing it would be to the orphans and widows. Please consider supporting a JAFI orphan with school fees per year ($30 Grade 1-5; $36 6-7; $80 8-9). We can arrange for you to receive information, a picture and a way to correspond, if you would desire. Another very real need is monthly support (even one time gifts) for JAFI (any amount) to help their ongoing ministry.

2 Sammy Zulu. Sammy is a grandson of Davison Zulu. He is the pastor of a large Reformed Church in Luanshya. He provided a vehicle for us to use while in the Copperbelt area. He also arranged for us to have widow and leadership conferences in his church. Ruth Munkubanda Powell. She grew up in Zambia. Her father was led to the Lord by one of our fellow missionaries, Dr. Bob Foster, who started the Mukinge hospital in the Northwest part of Zambia in the village area of Kasempa. After his training, her father started planting churches and teaching school. God in His sovereignty took him home when he and a student were struck by lightning. Our lead verse is truly being fulfilled in Ruth s life. She thanked us for bringing the gospel to her country. She and her family are products of missionary endeavors. She was able to get a good education in Zambia. God led her to a missionary who helped her start some Good News Clubs. She became the national CEF director for Zambia and eventually took training so she could be a CEF instructor to train CEF workers. In 1993 she was invited to come to the states to an International CEF conference and was invited to come to Cleveland, where she met her future husband, who was also involved with CEF. They married in 1998 at which time she moved from Zambia to Cleveland. They have three children. She has opened up CEF work in several schools of the Cleveland area. After years of dreaming about how to reach the orphans in her home area of Zambia, God led her to start Village Hope in Her dream was to start a school where skills and trades could be taught, so orphans can sustain themselves when they become adults. God provided 14 acres next to her brother s residence in Kasempa and in 2011 they built a storage building. She has a professional blueprint which includes an orphanage with living quarters, a chapel, a library, and classrooms where the orphans can learn various skills. At her request, we visited and walked the site of 14 acres and prayed for God to provide builders and money, so Village Hope can become a reality with buildings, personnel, and orphans. Fran Schrader. She has been a faithful missionary with AEF, the mission we served with in South Africa. She served many years at the Mukinge hospital, a ministry started by the late Dr Bob Foster, also a missionary with AEF. Although retirement age, she continues to serve our Lord in the Kasempa area where the hospital is located. Even though from Pennsylvania, U.S., she is a true Zambian. What a blessing to stay in her home for two nights and to reminisce the good ol days from the 1950 s to the present. Village Hope is located close to where she lives. She adopted a number of local girls, most of them now adults. One of them has started a school nearby, which is under construction. Fran is a present day Amy Carmichael of Zambia. We thank God for these faithful servants who are making an impact where they live and beyond. They are seeing the promises of Isaiah 41:9-10, being fulfilled in their lives and the lives they are impacting for Christ. It is our desire to encourage them with our prayers, finances, s, and challenging other believers to stand alongside them as well, with their skills, prayers and finances. David and Sylvia De Jong david@dejongministries.com sylvia@dejongministries.com Send regular support to: Africa Inland Mission P.O. Box 3611, Peachtree City, GA Designate: David De Jong Support Send ministry & special project funds to: Interlink Ministries, Inc. P.O. Box 460, Applecreek, OH Designate: De Jong Ministries (not on the check) and how it is to be used.

3 Davison & Tess Zulu were married May 2012 Davison with grandson. JAFI office is in his home A special time with the Zulu family JAFI Administrative Team gathered for tea at the lodge where we stayed. Pastor Sam Zulu is 2 nd from left. JAFI Caregivers encourage and help widows/orphans. The doctor (3 rd from left) treats their illnesses JAFI Caregivers meet for devotions and training on Fridays. Each one visits widows and orphans regularly Luanshya - Sylvia teaches Widow Bible Conference using a interpreter JAFI widows at the Bible Conference. Some prayed to receive Christ as Savior. It was a joyous event

4 Caregivers prepare meal for 168 widows Thank you God, for providing this abundant meal Each JAFI widow received a bag of maize Ndola We expected a few widows in a home but all these widows gathered in a church. They expressed their desire for Bible teaching and training to earn a living. Some trusted Christ as Savior. Kitwe A meeting with widows and widowers JAFI orphans came for their special day with us. We had Bible stories, music, gifts, food and drinks Visit to Central Africa Baptist College in Kitwe Leadership Conference with pastors and church leaders in Luanshya

5 Visit with Joyce and Steve at Zambia CEF Headquarters Joyce prepared a special lunch for us Fran s beautiful family in Kasempa. Daughter next to David is a teacher, and is building a school We enjoyed seeing her school being built, on our several mile trek to the Village Hope 14 acre property After walking the boundary of the 14 acre property, David rode on a bicycle taxi David went over the plans with Village Hope s potential builders and Ruth s sister. David preached with Davidson interpreting Davison s church gave us their offering which we gave to their widows for a work project