Peter Chomba - Teacher

Sitting at Johannesburg Airport waiting for our flight to Perth (sent this from Perth as internet connection ran out!) and it is time to write about the last remaining teacher at Samfya, Peter Chomba – his wife is Jennifer and unfortunately I do not have a photo of them together. Peter has been teaching at Samfya for over 15 years. He completed the Biblical Counselling and Expository Preaching courses in South Africa under Dr Wayne Mack and Pastor Joel James. He has written a book in Bemba on counselling and is working on an Expository Preaching one as well. He is waiting for opportunity to get these resources out and they will bless the rural church and its leaders.

Peter was with us in our visits to Kasuba and then our extended trip around the Northern Province. He is an excellent translator and has been working with me since 2001. Peter’s passion is village life and helping these churches grow. When we left Samfya Peter had been out in teaching on the Extension Programme at Chishi Island working on discipleship training with the three churches there and their leaders. He is unofficially known as the head man around Samfya because of his influence and relationship with so many. He is a choice servant of Christ and it is a privilege to work alongside him.

 Peter on right with two graduates that work in Mbala

Meet some Staff

 Francis & Cecelia Chola

 

This is Francis & Cecelia Chola – Francis has been teaching at the school for over 12 years. Francis has been through Biblical Counselling in South Africa which permeates his teaching. He reflects on how this study has changed his life and ministry. He currently has four people in his local church that help in Biblical Counselling issues in his church (he is an elder there) following his training. Francis also has a passion for Youth Ministry and works hard to engage with youth in church life and in training through the Bible School. Cecelia is actively involved in the choir at Mwamfuli church – and they are brilliant!

These are choice servants of the Lord and would value your prayers for their work. Francis is also one of my translators and does a good job. We have worked together for many years and he knows me and I know him – it works well.

 

 Collins & Rabecca Samungole

Please also meet Collins and Rabecca Samungole. I do not know this couple very well. Collins has been teaching at Samfya for the last three years and is the Academic Dean. He is a very skilled translator of written works and is being used to translate works into Bemba for publication. He will be a big help to the literature work that the Bible School is pursuing where they hope to produce booklets in various areas of church life and theology that will build into local church ministries where there is very little in the way of resources. Collins is currently studying for a Master degree through The Theological College of Central Africa in Ndola Zambia. Please pray that he and his wife would continue to settle in to life at Samfya and be mightily used of the Lord in the Bemba Church.

Wathabu Simfukwe

I am pleased to call this man my friend – Wathabu Simfukwe is the Principal of Samfya Bible School. I would call him a bit of a philosopher, a deep thinker, but a thinker whose mind is on the gospel and seeing the local church flourish in Bemba speaking Zambia. He is not one to do things just because someone says you should – rather he will do what he sees is clearly in line with God’s Word. There is a common bond with this man – he thinks and sees life through the lens of scripture and his heart is with the rural church that has so many struggles. Wathabu’s leadership is needed to help the bible school continue to grow the spiritual depth of this ministry and accordingly the spiritual depth of the local churches. His desire is to see churches that are scripture based, not just repeating some tradition, but rather living out the Word of God. Wathabu is a humble man that God has raised up for this important ministry.

 

The picture of Wathabu has him sitting at his computer which is giving him significant problems. This is limiting his capacity to get everything done that is required of him. He really needs a new computer which would cost around 10,000 Kwacha (approx.. NZ$1600). This is an urgent need so please pray with us that this can be met.

I have just been told it is Wathabu's birthday tomorrow - what a way to make his day if we were able to fulfil this need!

We have travelled over 700kms to Lusaka today and managed to purchase another 120 Bemba Bibles. These will help with student sponsorships. Lusaka is a mad and busy city, with rich and poor, and huge needs of its own. There is currently a student studying at Samfya from here - he initially came for a one week block course, stayed an extra month and then the whole term. He will continue his studies next year and finish the one year programme. There are significant numbers of Bemba speakers here in Lusaka and so the ministry of the Bible School is also hitting the big cities! Please keep praying!
 

Last Service & Extension Programme

This morning saw our last church service here in Zambia, shared with about 300 people at Mwamfuli CMML Church. Peter Chomba (still away on extension programme teaching on Chishi Island) and Francis Chola (both bible school teachers) are elders in this church. There are also some graduates active in the ministry here and it is encouraging to see the church active in section groups for encouragement and support. Two men repented and came back to the Lord during the service – they were prayed for and were to be counselled after the service. The choirs were amazing (three with two songs each before and after the preaching!).

The extension programme that the Bible School is working on, draws graduates from village areas and leaders from their churches. The training is run in their areas, and for the first 10 months there are two day workshops that focus on practical discipleship in these rural areas. The programme continues in the next year, however the Bible School staff are equipping graduates who are stepping up to be involved in leading the training especially in the second year. There are three extension areas at the moment and the plan is to gradually role these out wherever graduates are working. The training also identifies excellent prospects for the one year Bible Programme. The number of students in these areas is between 30-100 in the different areas – this is expanding the training from Samfya significantly and focusing on the missing discipleship in the churches.

With four major programmes happening, the one year certificate in Biblical Studies, the second year certificate in Biblical Ministry, the village extension programmes and the school holiday programme taught in English (about a three year commitment), the pressure on the teachers is significant. There is a need to see the teaching staff increase from four to six – this is funding dependant.

Praise God for a dedicated committed team of workers in this ministry. They achieve much with very little comparative to New Zealand terms. A worthy work,  making a real difference for eternity.

 Inside the church - missing two wings left and right!

 Sunday School in progress over 100 kids

 

Further staff updates coming

Fence Completed!

Wow what a great job finished in 4 1/2 days - covering approximately 100 sq metres. The workers are tired but happy to have been involved in such a good project. Now the agricultural project will have good security and will be a blessing to the school. Brad gives himself a rating of 6 1/2 out of 10, but really 10 out of 10 with the kind of materials and equipment available! Next will be a list of maintenance issues that need attention.

 Us with Jonathan, Anton & Obed

 

 

 a string of fish for dinner - cost 35 kwacha about NZ$6

Joseph Administrator and Maria's Cooks

Meet Joseph Mutale who is the administrator of the Bible School. Joseph keeps meticulous financial records and has been able to show us exactly how the school is functioning financially. I can’t speak highly enough of the calibre of this man and the blessing that he is to this ministry. His openness and accountability gives great confidence about the ministry that is happening – great to see committed Christians who are helping this work be very effective. Joseph explained how he had made the call to end the chicken layers project as it was only just breaking even and not adding to the school finances. Instead they have focused on the chicken broiler unit and are on course to have a NZ$10,000 profit this year which is invested into school ministry needs. Great to see these initiatives and that this ministry is doing what it can to help sustain its work!

 Joseph at work in his office in the bookshop

 

 

The Fence - is progressing really well and should be complete by Thursday Morning! This has been incredible progress with Brad and the team of men who have worked hard - photos of this tomorrow! It has been a bit of a challenge

 

Maria's Cooks - This has been an afternoon of baking, sharing food, fun & fellowship. The students and staff of the school got dressed up for the occasion today. It was a great way to get to know the ladies more - cooking together they talk and laugh so freely. Communicating and helping each other, some had never made a cake before. I added sultanas and a lemon sugar top, giving a tasty memory for us all.

 

 

 

 

 

 cooks on action in the mod gear

 Maria and some of the women

 Fence up getting ready to be strained

A Visit from Four Graduates

Today we have had a visit from four graduates – Stephen & Esther Lwando, Kened Mulenga & Hilda Kabesa (whose husband is also a graduate but is terminally ill). We worked out they have 26 ½ children between them!! They came bearing gifts – ground nuts in their shells (peanuts), peanut butter (produced by pounding roasted ground nuts) and a goat! Dinner on Friday night with all the staff will be very good! These gifts were in appreciation of the support that the ministry from New Zealand has been to them as past students. They represented three churches from between 60-80kms from Samfya. What a joy to have such a token of love and fellowship from fellow believers.

They reported that they are active in the work of the gospel and that the churches are progressing well. There are sixteen churches in their region and eight graduates actively work together in evangelism and general church ministry, but also especially working in a remote part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where there is no road access.  They have planted one church there and are endeavouring to plant 2 more churches in this remote area. What a joy to partner with people like this who have little in worldly terms, but are investing in eternity.

 

 The gifts from the four graduates

 

 Hilda, Maria & Esther. Esther does much teaching at women's conferences

Fencing Project Underway

Back at Samfya we have had a fantastic day of work. We are focused on building a metal fence around the agricultural area for the school. The fence is needed not to keep animals out, but to keep people out! The agricultural part of the training is very necessary for the students who are predominately subsistence farmers.

 All the fence posts were concreted in and all of the stays except for two are concreted in as well. The waratahs are in on two sides and the rest of these will be done tomorrow. The gate is also concreted in – it was a spare in the workshop – not the best but will do the job more than adequately. We employed a welder to help with the gate and tried to achieve that on site using the school generator for power. It didn’t work and we had to transport the gate to the welding shop and wait for the power to come on (it is always on and off and usually on low voltage). The challenge will be rolling out the wire netting and straining it up, but Brad has done a great job and will get this sorted out some how.

 Brad happy with the first line

 The men mixing concrete

 The gate going in

 Maria with students kids

 Roger & Wathabu off to Mansa

 

Roger had a very good day trip to Mansa with Wathabu the school principal. Supplies like, brick varnish, termite spray, weed spray, electrical sockets, spray unit, vehicle parts, tools were acquired for various needs and projects around the school. Maria had a good day and meet with a ladies bible study and had a lot of interaction with student’s children. Thank you for your continued prayers.

Tears at Nseluka

After hearing the report of the graduates work here in Nseluka this evening, I am not ashamed to say I had tears in my eyes as I was overwhelmed by the commitment and drive these brothers and sister have in the work of the Lord. There are eight of them working in a region that has 12 churches – there were only 3 churches when the first graduates began their work here. They have sent out 5 graduates to other regions to pastor churches, some of whom we have meet on this road trip. This group of graduates are highly organised and effective in their ministries. They strategise evangelism activities together in remote areas, teach around the churches here, equip youth and children’s work, women’s ministry… They are passionate and motivated.

They travel many kilometres to achieve their work in these various churches, and one pastor has been sent 80knms away in this region – they try to regularly visit him and his church to encourage their fellow believers, a five hour ride over dirt tracks. To do this work effectively we can help these dear brothers and sisters – here are some areas of urgent need:

·         They have identified 6 married couples who would like to study at Samfya Bible School next year. They need sponsorship to help this. Four boxes of Bemba Bibles that they can sell to their congregation people would cover the years fees for these students. One box costs around NZ$300 or $10.75 each.

·         New bicycles are needed for the many ministry trips that they are doing. We can actually get a strong bike for NZ$100! Four would be great (one would be given to Pastor Tobias who lives 80kms away and the other three would be held and used for ministry trips). Eight bikes would be even better as they often take extras along for training and exposure in mission.

·         When targeting new areas for evangelism and church planting, the village head man will grant a plot for them to live on, however there is no accommodation. Tents are needed to provide shelter for these times. They can be purchased locally for around NZ$85, slightly bigger and better ones for NZ$110. 3-4 tents would be fantastic. Also Solar lights for night time evangelism events in these areas would help. We do not yet have a cost on these.

Such simple needs, but so worthy of help. Would you please pray about this with us. If you would like to support please send me an email at pastor@fpbc.org.nz .

The ongoing needs for Bemba Bibles is beyond what we can even imagine. The generous support that we receive for these Bibles is appreciated, however we are only covering a small part of the needs. Oh to see each family in these churches in rural Zambia with a Bible that they are reading and applying to life.

 Thank you for your prayerful interest. I have so much more to report but that would be too much detail right now. Pray for us as we have a church meeting tomorrow here at Nseluka. It is quite cold in the tent tonight – snoring is happening around me! We travel back to Samfya tomorrow afternoon over 560kms – prayers valued!

 some of the prospective students

 

 

 Inside the church singing

 

 

 Graduates with Bibles to support their churches

 Everyone shaking hands in big line, singing and rejoicing at the close of our service

 

 

 Charles with three other prospective students plus our team

 Charles setting off with his bibles

What a joy to be at Chozi – down a rotten road, 28 kms taking an hour, but fellowship with the believers there was sweet. We met and picked up Charles on the way. He is a graduate from Samfya and was sent out by the Chozi fellowship to plant a church, and has also planted a second one. Chozi fellowship partially support him as they are able. While teaching in Bemba which the people understand well, their mother tongue is Nmawanga and we are trying to source a box of Bibles in this language.

Charles teaches and works among the five churches that have been established since Chozi was established in 1986. He used to work as a security guard and was transferred to nearby Nkonde. He took up the post, however resigned shortly after as it took him away from the church work he is called to. He has worn out his bicycle and so we were able to purchase another one for him and we also left a box of Bemba Bibles which will bless the local churches that he ministers to.

We were able to leave two boxes of Bibles with the Chozi mother church as they have three prospective students and the sale of these bibles will provide sponsorship for their fees. The effective work that graduates are doing in these remote places is a blessing to witness and the need is to raise up more trained workers for the vast needs. Yesterday we drove through an area that has no real evangelical witness. To train and mobilise workers is essential.

We have also been visiting other graduates in Mbala/Mpulungu and visiting a number of churches where there is great interest in seeing members sent for training.

 two graduates at the old stone church established by the London Missionary Society in 1893 and then vacated because the missionaries dying from sleeping sickness. They had to over 10 miles up the hill to find relief from the tetsie flies

Mpika Region Graduates

 

Peter, Ruth, Fraser, Roger, Michael, Tesho & Maria

 

 Michael Chanda with Bibles

 

Today (Tuesday) we travelled from Kasama south to Mpika and met with two graduates working in this area Farser & Ruth Kunda and Michael Chanda. Fraser & Ruth live approximately 80 kms south of Mpika at Mpumba, and are good friends of Roger and Maria. The church work is progressing and has seen two small church plants established 17 & 30 kms from Mpika. Fraser supports his family through growing maize and beans and has little support from the church itself. Such support is an area of need with teaching of the leaders and congregation on Biblical giving. There is also need for further leadership development or these churches. Fraser is a faithful worker and Ruth is also active in trying to encourage women’s ministry. We were able to leave a number of Bibles to support them in their work.

Michael Chanda works from Mpika and also supports himself through farming, however does receive some church support from time to time. He is an evangelist but also does general teaching around five churches in the region as well as leading training seminars – he works very hard. His bicycle was stolen so we were able to leave a gift to replace this - it is a long way to walk or trying to find alternative transport can be difficult and expensive. Bibles were also delivered to support his work.

What a joy to meet these graduates and encourage them. We then drove north east to Chinsali, the birthplace of Zambian independence. We had a brief meeting with an elder from the church, promoting the Bible School. We then carried on to Isoka where we have accommodation in a guest house and will meet some local church leaders tomorrow. A very long day of driving today covering 510kms (also Monday 520kms)! Tomorrow we continue to Nkonde and Chozi where we will meet with more graduates and have church meetings. Thanks for your prayers.

Kasuba from Maria!

Making a joyful sound, dark at night, hundreds of people surround our tents. A couple of torches making a dim light. Choirs having a sing off the youth versus the seasoned .These high pitched tones and harmonies causing the crowd to ask for more. Singing praises to God and telling stories.

Donald and Peter worked in unison sharing the gospel message.

What an experience this vast contrast day and night, hardship, heat and dust the daytime brings. Pulling water from the well with a bucket, pounding kasava into meal and cooking over the fire. Roger took the vehicle down the track to bring back maize meal and a goat. This meant a feast was able to be given to all, even the children. Peter Chomba said “We have fed the multitude today.”

I spent the time with the ladies - much laughter was shared where language differences added to the joy. Sharing photos of NZ, talking of families, children, eating snacks of ground nuts and kasava. This  is such a privilege to get a glimpse of life here.

 Loaded - what comfort!

 One of the choirs beginning a song

Kasuba Weekend

The 90kms to Kasuba was a drive of about 3 hours on dirt roads with plenty of humps and hollows! We arrived just after sunset, quickly set up our tents in fading light and then had a meal prepared by our hosts, served in a mud brick house with a grass roof – chicken, inshima (maize meal) and green veg! That night we had an open air gospel message with choirs singing – it was a blessing to be there.

The following day there were two general teaching sessions and two separate sessions with graduates of the Bible School – one hearing reports of their work and the other bringing an encouragement through teaching to spur them on in ministry. This was followed by another night gospel service. It was a long day, but what a blessing to fellowship with our brothers and sisters. Sunday saw the church service, starting with communion and then the general service of teaching. There were three choirs giving two brackets of 2 songs each – the service was long!

There were 17 graduates from 10 churches present for the weekend, and they work with 36 churches in their region. This is the largest concentration of graduates, and they have recently planted another 3 churches in their region. It is fantastic to know their desire to see the priority of the gospel proclaimed in their region and see the local church people growing in Christ. The constant challenges are the needs for Bibles – we never have enough, but then also for the graduates themselves to have bicycles to help them get around to the various churches that they teach in. They are very active in training seminars around the district as well as outreach, youth ministry, children’s work…

The work of the Bible School is such a blessing to these village areas and we need your continued prayerful support. Another 3 potential students were identified, and they will be helped by a sponsorship from the sale of 2 boxes of Bibles in their home area which will cover their fees for the year long course.

 

 Sunday School Kids

 Graduates from Kasuba region

 Preaching with Peter translating

 Maria learning to cook

 Brad drawing water

 

A Message from Maria - the womens touch!!

We started with an inspection look around the grounds and buildings at Samfya - Donald, Roger & Brad in the element discussing maintenance improvements as we went. What a joy for me to see the school and how things have developed since I was last here. The classrooms and accommodation being used and lots of new plants and trees – all these facing the amazing views of Lake Bangweulu.

Sharing time with Cecelia and Francis while she killed and plucked a chicken for me to take back and cook on the coals for dinner. We talked of families, sharing and renewing our friendship. The hours slipped by and I picked some green vegetables from the garden. The huge African sun set as we all sat around for dinner. No power is a problem, but I am thankful that we can be here.

 

 Maria & Kids

 

 Gardens looking very good!

surveying the fence line!

At Samfya and Work Underway!

Scenes along the way!

Donald with Musonda's wife Maggie

Well we arrived in Samfya at 9:30pm on Wednesday after having problems with transport. A brother by the name of Musonda stepped in and drove us up. We met his wife who is studying at The Theological College of Central Africa, who shared a story of how she had been convicted at a session that I preached in a number of years ago and she renewed her commitment to serving the Lord in a Christian girls college! The Word of the Lord when proclaimed has all sorts of applications – it never returns void.

Today has been an orientation day around the Bible School and the surrounding area. However Brad was itching to get underway with the new fence and so, in the of the afternoon, clearing away a temporary fence began until proceedings were halted by a nasty prickle vine that creates severe itching. That kind of work can only be done early in the morning when the plant does not release its nasty itches! An excellent amount was achieved, and we have a good plan of where we are heading with this project.

Tomorrow will see more fence work, acquiring of sand and metal and cement for the fence post concrete, meetings for Donald with Bible School staff, and planning of the weekend visit to Kasuba for leadership training and encouragement. We value your prayers as we settle in and try and get over the jet lag! p.s. there is little or no power – cooking and boiling drinking water over charcoal – oh the joys of Zambia!