MARCH, 2023 UPDATE!

Just recently, we started our weekly treks to the village again. We had taken two months off to allow farmers time to tend their fields during the first rains. The village ministry is significantly more challenging due to the long travel times, washed-out roads, linguistic barriers, and cultural traditions that keep the people from accepting the Gospel. There’s so much that undermines the work of God here, but these subtractors only remind us that the need is great. The sheer amount of open depravity and disregard for God only confirms the necessity of our presence…

To meet this growing spiritual need, we’re laying the groundwork for a village Bible School based at Chiyembekezo. Though our primary goal will be to educate our disciples further and equip them for ministry, these classes will be open to anyone. We’ll be able to influence the entire region as we preach the Gospel, establish sound doctrine, and incorporate these new believers in a Bible-believing church. Establishing a theological school has always been one of our long-term goals, so we’re excited to see this vision come to fruition. God has blessed us with a growing team, allowing us to accomplish more than one family can alone. With more team members on the way, we’re thrilled to imagine what doors will open next!

Just as we’re using Chiyembekezo as a platform for reaching the surrounding villages, Hope Bible Baptist Church is growing in its influence in the city of Chipata and throughout the Eastern Province. We’re currently in the process of organizing the church, its constitution, and registration. Once this work is complete, we’ll be free to start our radio ministry. We’ve recorded our first episode and hope to have several done in anticipation of launching “TheChristian Round-table” broadcast!

Perhaps you’re reading this report and are considering a path forward in missions. Know that our ministry has room for more men and women as we serve the Lord in this Sub-Saharan country. You can apply via our website at www.HopeZambia.com by following the “Team Hope” link on the top header. Is God calling you into the regions beyond? 

A Little Letter From Lisa:

With most of my long covid symptoms having reduced to manageable levels, there are some lingering issues, my eyes being one of them. So when I saw a floating black spec in my left eye disappear when I shifted my vision, I assumed it was another “eye glitch.” The spec surfaced in another corner of my vision a few seconds later. As I figured how long this Season of Black Specs would last, I felt a tickle on my nose and removed my glasses. …to see a tiny ant crawling around the frame! I laughed out loud at how relieved I was that this “new symptom” was merely an insect invasion of African proportions. I’ve come a long way from my early days in Zambia when insects were my biggest cultural issue; these days, I’m glad when it’s “just a bug!” 

Subscribe to our Podcast:

Have you subscribed to our podcast, Let’s Talk Missions? Join us as we review the great commission from the vantage point of the American church. How can we get involved, and what should we know? Stay updated by LIKING our Facebook page or by following us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon / Audible, Pandora, Podbean, Google Podcasts, or wherever podcasts are found! 

Work in the Village:

As work begins again in the village, we look forward to implementing new ideas to help spread the Gospel and make disciples. Sometimes the greatest opportunities require thinking outside the box. The challenge has always been in finding those who are seeking the truth. How do we meet these people and engage them in conversation? Some of these villages are far from each other, and with little to no communication via the internet, phone, or TV, disseminating information is mainly done through word of mouth. This mode of interaction is fine, but it requires us to go everywhere to meet people where they live. We’re switching gears this year as we set up a booth in the local market. Thousands of people visit this one location weekly as they resupply and shop. We pray that we can take advantage of this opportunity and use the market as a platform to reach the masses with the Gospel.

Support the Team:

The last couple of months have found Beth in churches from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and New Jersey to local congregations in New York! Fundraising can be challenging, but there’s no greater cause to support than sending the Gospel to places where Christ is unknown. Beth will be directly involved in the church planting effort as she disciples women and works alongside children in our city and village ministries. If you’re interested in financially supporting Beth, please follow the link below to her website. Thank you! 

How Can You Get Involved?

People value working with us at Hope Zambia because of our good name and hands on experience in the field. We’ve earned the trust and confidence of many people, churches and organizations throughout the last 22 years in Zambia. From our time with mission teams and college internships to making sure donations are secure and wisely used, we take our job seriously. Would you consider joining #TEAMHOPE in financially partnering with us as we minister the Gospel in Eastern Zambia?