James's update
Dear Friends,
We thank the Lord for partners back home who uplift us and the work here in prayer! Recently, I was reminded of how important it is to keep everyone praying when I was not allowed into Namibia on a minor technical matter that should not have prevented my entrance. It made me remember we should not take anything for granted and seek the Lord over each detail of our work in this life!
SUMMARY: We are currently involved in three building projects-- two churches and a residence hall for Copperbelt Ministerial College. The Lusaka Ministerial College has moved into its second year, and will begin offering classes on Tuesday evening and Saturday for working students. The orphan ministry has a business start-up project just getting underway now. We have added another church planter who is supported by the ministry, Adamson Shamfuti. Pray for us!
Church Planting:
The past several months have been full of activity as usual. We have added another pastor to those whom we support in spreading the kingdom of God. His name is Adamson Shamfuti, and I have known him since my first visit in 2006. He has about 10 years of experience in the ministry among various baptist churches, and has reformed in his doctrine the last few years. After an internship at our home church here in Lusaka, Kabwata Baptist Church, he went back to the Copperbelt where he has just been made pastor of Lubutu Baptist Church. He joins Marshall Kasongo, Francis Nyati, and Mondesters Hakanyanga as men who are supported from churches in the States through LION of Zambia. We have also been encouraged by the development of Ibex Baptist Church, which is a church plant near us. I've preached there a few times and one of our students from CMC, Kasango Kayombo, is heading up the work and, Lord wiling, should soon be ordained into the ministry there.
Lusaka Ministerial College:
The Lusaka Ministerial College is progressing well and we are looking forward to offering evening and Saturday classes next term starting early September. This will help accommodate the many men who work full time and therefore cannot attend our daytime classes. We have about 20 students right now for the daytime, and look to have another 10 or so coming in September. Also, we've distributed about 10 Kindles to students, loaded with 60 plus books each. This has proven a great and economical way to provide a library for each man. The students have to pay approximately $100, about half the total cost to us for the device. Sponsored students receive them for free. I will be teaching two classes next term. About once a month or more, I go to a church of one of my students and preach there. It has been very encouraging to see the progress they are making in personal and corporate reformation. It is not uncommon to have members of these churches telling me how much they have seen their pastor grow, and how thankful they are for what he is learning. Praise the Lord!
Copperbelt Ministerial College:
The Copperbelt Ministerial College has a lot of fresh faces as well. I was there a few weeks ago with Salvador Gomez, who did an excellent job teaching Christian Ethics. Thank the Lord for sending him! The men warmed to his ministry to them very much. We have about 25 students there, plus another 15 or so who have concluded their courses and are working on papers and assignments . They should finish these things by the end of this year. We hope to have a graduation ceremony in April 2012. The residence hall for the students is under a roof and in the final touches stage. It should be ready for use when students attend the October module, so we're excited about that! It will help the college be self-sustaining since it will function as a lodge when the school is not in session.
Kabanana Orphan Ministry:
Construction on the Faith Baptist Church building in Kabanana (Lusaka) is just reaching roof level and will hopefully soon be under roof. It is bigger than originally planned, so it will easily seat the present church members and have plenty of room to bring in others from the "highways and bi-ways" of the area. This building will serve during the week as a base of operations for the Kabanana orphan ministry. Katryn Belke will use it for the weekly tutoring of some of the kids that need extra help, and it will also host the different meetings we have with children and guardians. Speaking of guardians, we are in the final week of a business start-up project for the guardians of the children we sponsor. Please do pray that the Lord will bless this effort to help these families become financially independent! You can read a lot more about what goes on in this part of the ministry on Megan's blog or Katryn's blog and the e-mail updates.
Williamson Family:
The family is excitedly looking forward to going back to the states for a couple of months from November to January. We will be able to visit our families over the holidays, our home church, and some of the sister churches as well. The kids are doing well in school, and Grace especially seems to be finally settling into the routine craziness that is our home. James preaches most Lord's Days lately, teaches classes always, and manages the colleges and projects. Megan is teaching Caleb and Jackson (5 and 7 years old), and also overseeing the workers and work of the orphan ministry. A couple of the kids have been pretty homesick lately, and could use your prayers as well. As well, my wife and I often feel the need and desire to be closer to the Lord, especially when we see all that is on our plates to do in the home and in the ministry. We would appreciate your prayers for that!
Thanks so much for remembering us, and may the Lord's grace be upon you in abundance through Christ our Savior.
James Williamson
LION of Zambia
Lusaka, Zambia
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