news from zambia
CHAMBISHI
Thank you, Duncan, for the books you sent me; “The Prophecy of Daniel” and “The Real Christ”. They have helped me understand some scripture concepts which I did not know before. I do value the brotherly relationship in Christ which exists between us. I told my tutor Sis Sherry Luskin who is in America about you and your wife, Cindy. Glory be to God Almighty for bringing us together as we study His word in righteousness awaiting His coming kingdom. May the Lord Jesus Christ return soon to set up God’s kingdom.
Bro Christopher Mwewa
CHIBOMBO
I wish to open my writing by thanking the contributors of articles to Gospel News. We learn a lot of things that happen to our brothers and sisters and we learn a lot from the messages. Nevertheless, I would like to encourage the publishers to continue in their work. Concerning the global economic crisis, we keep on praying for the smooth running of the Magazine.
The only way we can overcome the falling standards of living in most African countries is by working hard in terms of food production. Another factor is prayerful Bible reading daily and remaining faithful all the time. In this vein, God will richly bless us.
The financial meltdown is something that reminds Christians they need to be very careful in their dealings. We have to strive always to do good. Jesus, the Son of God, suffered in this wicked world before he overcame it.
Therefore, as people who are made in the image of God, we need to emulate Jesus and his sufferings if we want a place in his kingdom. If this is what we want, then it is up to each individual to strive to overcome the world.
Bro Ignatius Chilekwa
CHINGOLA
I am very glad to write you this letter and I hope it finds you both well. Thank you for the pamphlets you sent me. Unfortunately the books sent by surface mail have not yet been received. I would like to receive two Bibles for my wife, Florence, and myself. The ones we are using are not in good condition.
Bro Pinoty Chimbele
Comment: Alas, we are finding that Sea Mail parcels are taking up to four months to arrive, but we can no longer afford to send them second class airmail.
KABOMPO
I am now re-united with my wife and children that were a million miles away from home. Peace of mind are now restored, just as I cherish the peace and hope of life in the Lord Jesus until his coming in accordance with the peace and hope of the scriptures (Rom 5:1-5). This has stabilised my faith in God through Jesus Christ, putting to shame the oppressors that could not bear to help me in the spiritual burden that I underwent.
My genetic sister has provided me with Zambian Kwacha to enable me to travel from Kabompo to Senanga and back with my family. Now I am able to enjoy a Biblical marriage. I am now more than happy maintaining my marriage with my wife until Jesus parts us or returns. Nothing is impossible with God, only with man.
Bro Wellington Mukuma
I first learnt about the Christadelphians from a newspaper in 1979 in the city of Ndola when I was staying at 5 Chavuma Road, Kansenshi compound. The newspaper carried an advertisement for a postal Bible course by the Christadelphians. I wrote for enrolment which was free, and in just three weeks I received the first lessons.
My Bible course was shortly terminated as I moved from Ndola to Solwezi and due to the loss of the study materials and the address. But while in Solwezi in 1990, I met a cousin, Mr Michael Samundengo, who was also studying the Christadelphian Bible course and introduced me to Bro Ron Kitchen, then Christadelphian Linkman for Zambia, who enrolled me for the 40 lesson postal Bible course. My teacher was Sis Christine Jarvis of the UK.
In 1994, I was again transferred to Kabompo from Solwezi but this time the word of God planted in me was bearing fruit. I started preaching about the Kingdom of God to the people of Kabompo district. The first person I preached to was the office orderly in my office at the place of work, Mr Joseph Kapimpa who lived across the crocodile infested Kabompo river, crossing the river in his small dug-out canoe every working day.
The gospel of the Kingdom of God was spreading in the honey-rich town of Kabompo through the distribution of pamphlets. I was photocopying using our own resources because of the love I attached to the work of preaching the gospel of the Kingdom and to personal contacts regularly.
In July 1998 Bro John Palmer baptised me at Changa-Changa Motel where I was to go from Kabompo. This journey took me two days as most of the 360 km gravel road was in a bad state and I spent a night sleeping on the bus.
Considering the joy and salvation which is kept in heaven for me to be given at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ when he establishes his Kingdom on earth, it is time for me to spend resources, money and materials on preaching the gospel. I must warn people that the Lord Jesus Christ will judge the world so they should pay attention to the Bible. They need to understand God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David so that all nations will be blessed by Jesus when he will be sent as judge and ruler of the entire world. Faithful believers will be priests and kings ruling and judging the world with him from the city of Jerusalem in Israel. This will be the joy of every faithful believer.
The happenings in the Middle East are real and fulfil Bible prophecies, so we believers should indeed watch and look up for the return of the Lord. This is imminent, so let us not any longer love the world but let us love his return from heaven. May it be soon – Amen.
Bro Reuben Musole Kaambeu
Photo: Bro Reuben Musole Kaambeu
My prayer is beyond my understanding, brothers, for the great work of God for helping people to be in the kingdom to come, with real peace. I’m happy to hear that you have sent a parcel to me by sea mail of about 6 kg, which I hope and trust will be useful to all participants of the North-Western Fraternal.
The ecclesia needs 10 copies of Bible Basics to cover all the brothers, including Bro Goodson Kufuna in isolation. Also, two for lending to students, so that in all we need 12 copies as well as 2 or 3 copies of ‘The Real Christ’. It is my humble prayer, may the God of real peace and happiness guide you in His work until we meet in the Kingdom.
Bro Charles Muhupu
KABOMPO
We are sending our love to Duncan and Cindy in Riga and the 30 brothers and sisters at the Riga ecclesia. We are praying for them and their baby that they keep in good health, and that the child will grow in wisdom and grace from the Lord.
I have also discovered that you are the one the Lord used to bring me to the Lord through the adverts you put in the newspapers in the years 1979-1980. You are the messenger the Lord used to call me to Himself. This link is a big one for it also comforts you when you know that the number of those who responded to the adverts grew, for the word cannot return empty but accomplishes what it was sent for.
This exhorts us all that our preaching will not be in vain but the Lord’s word we preach will bear fruit, since it is our duty to preach and it is God’s grace to choose who He calls. That is why I sometimes cry when I realise that the Kabompo ecclesia’s first love has gone down, for out of 13 baptised brethren, only four now are remaining. Bre Charles Muhumpu, Wellingto Mukuma on the side of men and only Sis Cecelia Muhumbu on the side of women, and little preaching is being carried out. There is need to restore our love for the Lord and preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God, so that we should not be like the shepherds of Israel who only took care of themselves and not the flock. They ate curds, clothed themselves with wool and slaughtered the choice animals but did not serve God.
The Kingdom in which there will be no famine, no financial meltdown, no war, no diseases and, above all, for us in Christ Jesus we have the prospect of being clothed in immortality, glory and honour, and to help the Lord rule the earth. Please do not be deceived, but know for certain that the Kingdom of God is going to be a divine political empire to be set up on earth at the return of Jesus Christ. He will set up the millennium and he is going to be king of that Kingdom (Rev 20:6).
So let us have joy so that our conduct now should be to live striving to please the Lord because we shall be judged at the judgement seat of Christ to reveal the motives, actions and characteristics of all those responsible to prepare the righteous for the granting of immortality (Rom 14:10; 2 Cor 5:10)
Please pray for us. My wife Meldah has to undergo an eye operation at Kitwe Eye Clinic on the Copperbelt about 500 km from Kabompo to remove a squamous cell carcinoma.
Bro Reuben Musole Kaambeu
Photo: Some members of Kabompo Ecclesia with some Bible students. Kabompo Ecclesia members: Top, left to right: No 2 Haggai Kaambeu, No 5 Reuben Kaambeu, No 6 Meldah Kaambeu (holding our last born son, Daniel), No 7 Kenneth Chinjamba.Bottom, left to right: seated No 1 Timothy Kaambeu, No 2 Richard Chikanda, No 3 Charles Muhumpu, No 4 Denies Njapau. The rest are Bible students except Bro Nelson Bwalya (now asleep in the Lord) who visited Kabompo Ecclesia in 2004; he is standing on my right top No 4 from the left. This was during the baptism of my son Haggai (top left No 2) by the Kabampo river seen in background.
KABWE
I am glad to remain on the list of those receiving Gospel News and items. Please continue sending me whatever is there.
We had a fraternal and Bro David and Sis Lynda Nicholls led a regional group meeting in Lusaka. One brother and sister were baptised. Yes, brother, I appreciate and accept the work you are doing is not easy, but always I put you in my prayers. It is nice to hear that the old building you told me about is complete and is being occupied. We meet in a brother’s house for our meetings but we are looking for a place where we can build our own ecclesial hall, God willing.
I want to have as many books as possible to read, here in Kabwe Ecclesia.
Bro Greenwell Kunda,
KAFUE
Thank you for sending me Bible Basics in Chichewa and Gospel News which I am happy to read. The books you are sending help a lot in making us become spiritually self-sufficient. I was very happy the day I received a parcel of books. If I were a bird I would have leapt and flown in the air with joy.
Jesus wants us to be like him, faithful in all our ways, loving and pure in our minds and worthy to be called in truth a brother and sister of Christ. When they said to Jesus ‘Your brothers and your mother are outside waiting to speak to you’ (Matt 12:48). “He said, ‘Who is my mother and who are my brothers;, pointing to his disciples. He said, ‘Whoever does the will of my father in heaven, the same is my brother and sister and mother’”.
Bro Jealous Silungwe,
KALOMO
I enjoy receiving and reading Gospel News. I get strengthened from the sharing I get with the brothers and sisters all over the world. It is true the economic crisis has resulted in troubling our lives too, and this shows that Jesus coming is soon and we should always be ready.
Sis Juliet Mweetwa,
KAPIRIMPOSHI
Greetings to you all in the name of the Lord, the King of Kings. I feel very happy whenever I receive the Gospel News. The books are lovely and wonderful, and we enjoy much information from brothers and sisters worldwide. Please continue sending us more Bible stories and magazines so that we may be equipped, for the time of the Lord is drawing near. I would like also to inform you that Kapirimposhi Ecclesia is growing and we are now 13 members. But some of our brothers who already preach have no Bibles. Please send more books about the word of the Lord.
Enclosed are some photos of our new Ecclesial Hall and we thank our Linkman for Zambia, Bro David Nicholls and other for their support in this project.
Bro Chisosa Ostine,
Bro Ostine Chisosa, painting planks before roofing.
Srs Jennifer Kaluba, Mary Kaluba, Aginesis Chisosa and Maggie Chimfwembe with children having lunch.
Kapirimposhi sisters collecting building sand.
KAMUCHANGA
The Magazine and literature helps me very much in gardening, and farming as well as spirtually. Reading is a problem to me, my sight has become bad. Maybe it’s because of working in a factory of explosives – I don’t know.
I am very happy to hear all the progress in Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, in fact all the world. May God bless it all. I know how Bro Duncan Heaster and I travelled with Bro Graham Mitchell and preached the good news to the people here in Zambia, back in the 1980s. I shall never forget. I am sure that Duncan will also never forget, although he might forget my face, but as for me, I shall never forget.
Bro Katongo Davies Mulenga,
KASAMA
Please do not stop sending me Gospel News. I enjoy going through them, and they enable me to know how the world is going on in conjunction with knowing the world economic standard. Therefore, by reading the Bible and Gospel News I can know how to live and to do things in the society.
I do not yet fully understand the Bible teaching concerning demons. I would like to know more about it. How did the demons come into existence? Is it that someone with demons can make miracles or can they have a vision, and the vision can come to pass? Does it mean that demons are agents of the devil?
What of African witch doctors? What kind of power or spirit do they use?
Bro Kanange J Willie,
COMMENT. I know this is a difficult subject for many. I think the chapter in Bible Basics very helpful on this. We also have a booklet on ‘Demons’ and more recently Duncan has written a very detailed 460 page book ‘The Real Devil’ on this subject. Alas it is relatively expensive owing to the smallness of numbers printed and we are not in a position to send it out free of charge to everyone, it costs £6. Available of course free on the internet. MH
KASAMA
I enclose a photograph of the brothers and sisters of Kasama Ecclesia with the Sunday School students. Please kindly send me Bible Basics in both English and Bemba, and I would like to have bags of plastic forms to distribute in the area where I intend to operate .
Bro Joshua Mushili
Photo: Brothers, sisters and Sunday School students, Kasama Ecclesia
KASAMA
I send my heartfelt gratitude for CAT’s tireless contribution to my growth in the faith of the Lord Jesus. May our Saviour help it to keep on with the same zeal and spirit.
The people that have laid bare hidden messages in their books of expositions had to devote their time and energy in terms of the faith and prayer (Heb 11:6; 2 Chron 7:14) to provide for the new Israel of God (Gal 6:16).
I know that many people receive sacrificial assistance from the CAT. My appeal is, let’s make true and honest use of these contributions about God’s Kingdom so that, with our Bible beside us, they make us wise unto salvation (2 Tim 3:15). The word of God is incomparably more valuable than anything else and gives joy to the heart (Ps 19:7-11). Let what we get from the Bible change us for the better. To be stagnant in faith could be a sign of badly nurtured reading culture.
Bro Boniface and Sis Christine Simpanzye
KAZOMBE
We are now all under one umbrella, and are partakers of the one loaf in Jesus Christ through fellowship and baptism, we have come together. This is the divine will in the Bible, and it has done its work in bringing us together as brothers and sisters in fellowship.
Could you allow me to be included on the mailing list so that I start receiving Gospel News? My wife Josephine joins me in sending warm greetings to you.
Bro Jame Mwanda Kambobe
Photo: Bro Manda Kabunda & Sis Musonda Caristine (Kazombe)
KITWE
I am for the Lord Christ Jesus and the faith in me is ever growing. To whatever place I go, the gospel of our Lord is preached. Now I have a number of students I do coach but, sadly enough, the books are scarce. In whatever circumstances I am, helped or not helped, I am for the Lord Jesus Christ. So, brethren, continue sending Gospel News.
I have lost contact with Sis Betty Ashman and Bro Alan Ashman. I would like to pay tribute to Bro Kelly Sumayambola and family, for their effort showed to me in the spiritual manner during my stay in Kafue.
Bro Philip Chilambwe
Jesus said in Matthew 6:28, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothing?” “But seek first the kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you” (verse 33). Brothers and sisters, let us pray for each other until Jesus comes.
Bro Darkwell Mubanga
LUSAKA
Thank you so much for the literature that you sent me, and I am glad because you really make my whole life to be perfect in the sight of the Creator. I am asking you to help me with a King James Version to enable me to understand the language used in the course I am currently doing because some passages are difficult because I am required to use a KJV.
Bro Stephen Siamabi
Photos: Michelo Ecclesia
Michelo Sunday School
MUFULIRA
What will the coming of Jesus Christ be like? After reading the book of Song of Songs 5:2-8 the woman was sick from the love of her bride-groom. We should watch for this period of time. Jesus is knocking at the door, if anyone hears His voice and open the door He will come in and eat with them and be with them.
I received the book you sent to me, The Real Christ, Gospel News and the signs of the times pamphlet. We have a weekly Bible study at home every Thursday.
Fred Mumba
Photos:
The building where we hold the Copperbelt Fraternal.
A group at the Fraternal.
Bro Silas Chishumba standing with bro Gibson Mulenga in his arms at the Fraternal.
MUFULIRA
It is time for all Christians to get a vision for teaching the world the gospel of Jesus Christ. God has commanded the church, all born again believers, to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. When Jesus was led up to Calvary, he fell under the weight of the cross (Matt 27:32). The Bible tells us that it is time once again for all people to carry the burden of the cross and ease this continent with the light of God’s word, so that all who believe it can.
John appeared baptising in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. I was baptised on 29th June 2008 but I didn’t receive the Bible and now I am one year baptised a sister in Christ. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace, and keep you in His loving care, and guide you each day to His Kingdom, with our Lord and Saviour.
Sis Threeser Daka
MUFULIRA
I want to start by saying that we need to understand the people we are trying to reach and win for the Lord. Collecting information is the first step of preparation. Brothers, allow me to borrow Paul’s words: “Though I am free and bound to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I become like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law, I become like one under the law, though I myself am not under the law. I become like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I become weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel” (1 Cor 9:19-23).
Brothers, as long as we are content with the status quo, we will not discover God’s vision in our lives. Jesus wept over the lost sheep (Matt 10:6). Jeremiah wept over the burden he carried (Jer 3:21).
Bro William Sakala
NDOLA
My family is well except my wife, Lennie, who is complaining of body pains. She was hit by a car in 2008 and was taken to the hospital for medication. The same problem resulted in blood clot. She was put on medication after scanning.
Bro Abraham Changwe
Fellowship in the body of Christ is not an easy thing. The Lord has brought many types of people into the ecclesia. They are not bad people, but we are all a test to each other. “Wherefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands, at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world” (Eph 2:11,12).
Who made this people? “And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting and the children of Israel also wept again and said, ‘Who shall give us flesh to eat?’” (Num 11:4). Those things took place as a warning for us today, that we might not desire evil as they did (1 Cor 10:6). Fellowship is a serious matter (John 15:5,6).
Christianity is not easy. We have:
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A common purpose (brothers and sisters in love)
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A common hope among believers. We are all bought by Christ’s blood and the Lord did not make a mistake (Acts 2:46; Ps 133: 1; Heb 13:1)
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A common future reward, but there is no short cut: “And these all having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise, God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect” ( Heb 11:39,40).
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A common destiny. “And behold, I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be” (Rev 22:12). “He will swallow up death in victory, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord God hath spoken it” (Is 25:8).
Bro Harris Mulongesha
ZAMBEZI
We were very grateful to attend our first fraternal gathering in Kabompo. We were baptized in March by Brother Kombe of Ndola. The fraternal was very wonderful. We worship God in isolation here and would so love to have a fraternal here too.
