Justin & Danielle's Prayers

The Sauder Family (Missionaries to Zambia, Africa) January-March 2026 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 20:02:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

January-March 2026 Newsletter

Dear Praying Friends,

We are now enjoying our furlough in the USA. We arrived in the USA towards the end of January and was greeted by a snow and ice storm in Washington, D.C. that caused our travel to get delayed to North Carolina for three days. Around a week later we received over fifteen inches of snow in North Carolina. We are not complaining. After being in Zambia for many years, it has been nice to experience some winter weather. The children have had a lot of fun with their cousins and friends also playing in the snow. In December, my wife and I celebrated our twenty year wedding anniversary. Because we were so busy with ministry and getting ready for our upcoming furlough, we decided to wait until we returned to the States on our furlough to celebrate. We enjoyed taking a few days away, just my wife and I, for our anniversary.

In January, before we left, we hosted a youth meeting at the church in Makeni. That evening, I was able to share the gospel with some of the teenagers that have been coming. Three teenagers that evening placed their faith in Christ for salvation. It was a beautiful thing to see. Later that same night, I received a text from one of the mothers praising Jesus that her daughter told her she had given her life to Christ. Please pray for these young people as they continue growing in the Lord.

Our time in the USA has already been very busy as we have already visited a number of churches to give updates about the ministry in Zambia. We plan to return to Zambia in early August. If your church would like for us to come by to visit, please contact us by email at justin.danielle@yahoo.com or by phone at 865-228-4248. We only have a few more dates available.

Please keep the work in Zambia in your prayers during our absence there. Thus far, everything has went smoothly, and many of our people are stepping up. I do believe God uses the time we are away sometimes to grow leaders amongst the work. There have been some small problems of thieves coming on the properties in both Kanyama and Makeni and stealing or attempting to steal different items. Please pray that this problem subsides. We spend a lot of money on security with guards, lights, and cameras, but yet it seems it is always a constant battle. In Zambia, the thieves will steal almost anything. It does not have to be of immense value. The thieves will steal the water faucet off the wall or a light fixture off the ceiling. If you put up a security light, they will steal the light.

Another thing we would ask you to pray for is that the building permits will be approved for the new school building in Kanyama. We were able to get everything turned in before we left and are awaiting the final stamps and signature from the counsel. It is very frustrating in dealing with such items in a place like Zambia because of corruption. It is common for government offices to just sit on your paperwork for months at a time and will not do anything until you send a bribe. Please pray that everything will work out smoothly and for God to give us wisdom.

Our time in the USA has been busy while at the same time visiting churches. So far, Jacob has finished his driver's education and received his permit, and Elijah also was able to get his driver's license. We also have been able to get a number of needed doctor's visits in and some much needed medical testing done that has not been done in years. We thank God that overall, we are all healthy and are asking God to continue to bless in this regard.

Thank you all for your prayers! Please continue to intercede for us here and for the ministry that is moving forward in Zambia.

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

The Sauder Family (Missionaries to Zambia, Africa) October-December 2025 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 19:51:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

Missionaries To Zambia, Africa

October-December 2025 Newsletter

Dear Praying Friends,

It is hard to believe 2025 has come to a close. We are grateful for all that God has allowed to happen during the past twelve months. We are pleased to report that so far, this rainy season is shaping up very well, and if it continues how it has started, then Zambia should receive a bumper harvest this coming harvest season. The plenteous rains should also fill up the reservoirs which will greatly help increase the power generation for the country.

We thank God that all the members of our family are doing well. Elijah is in the USA doing his senior year of high school and seems to be transitioning well. We are grateful for the extended family support and support from various churches who have ministered to our son, and therefore to us, also.

In our last letter, I made known our intention to build a large educational building on the property in Kanyama for the school there. We are so grateful to announce that the expense for that building has now been covered! We are so grateful, and this is a big relief for us as we travel back to the USA soon for our furlough. We are currently having plans drawn up and are seeking the permits required so that when we return to Zambia after our furlough, we might begin construction.

Having said that, we will arrive in the USA at the end of January for our furlough. Our plan is to be there for approximately six months. If you would like to schedule our family to come by to visit, please contact us by email at justin.danielle@yahoo.com.

In November, I traveled with Pastor Yohannes, who is one of our ministry partners who works primarily with the deaf, to the town of Chinsali which is in the Northern Province of Zambia. One of the deaf families who we have ministered to and with in the past in Lusaka is now stationed there as government teachers in a school. Also one of our Bible Institute students from Kanyama is also there helping to start a deaf church. It was a blessing to see about forty deaf people gathered on a Sunday morning to receive God's Word being preached. We praise the Lord for the ones who responded to the gospel. Pray for the Lipililo family and Pastor Luckson as they continue to spread the gospel to the deaf people of Chinsali. The eldest son of the Lipililo family is named Godfrey. He is the same age as Jacob, and they have been friends since they were small children. God has His hand on that young man, and we are excited for what God has in store for him.

In December, I traveled to Chikuni once again to teach a small block class with several of the leaders there. The gathering was small since it was the planting season, and there was also a funeral among the local population that led many to be busy. However, it was still good to gather with the people and teach about important truths from God's Word. The church in Chikuni has several preaching points that we are currently helping to train leaders in and also hope to help them with meeting places in the future as they continue becoming more established.

We thank God for everything He has done and everything He will do in the future. Thank you for partnering with us! May we all remember our labor is not in vain.

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

The Sauder Family (Missionaries to Zambia, Africa) April-June 2025 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 14:22:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

April-June 2025

Dear Praying Friends,

In mid-April, Justin accompanied Elijah to the USA for several weeks. Elijah has stayed to finish his senior year of high school in the fall. The trip went very well, and we feel we were able to get Elijah settled with his grandparents so he might have some stability as he transitions to life in America. In the short time while there, we were able to sort out many things for him such as his driver's permit, insurance, bank account, communication, school enrollment, employment, and the list goes on. He is adjusting well and enjoys being a part of a youth group and loves his new church family. Pray for him this coming year as he finishes his twelfth grade and seeks to follow God's will for his life. Every situation is different, and after much prayer, we felt strongly that this is how God wanted us to handle Elijah's transition. We are grateful for his godly grandparents and extended family who have lovingly come together to involve and support him. Elijah was only two years old when we began deputation and four years old when we moved to Zambia. It is what he has known, and he wept greatly telling the people he loves goodbye. He calls Zambia "home". While in the States, Elijah has had several opportunities to speak to several groups of young people. He has shared his testimony and what life was like growing up in Zambia. He does miss Zambia but is excited about stepping out by faith and following God's will for his own life. We have been able to keep his Zambian residence permit active if God were to lead him back here in the future.

We praise the Lord that things are progressing well with the ministry here in Zambia. The church in Makeni is steadily growing, and we just finished a new membership class with a number of people who should be joining as members in the coming weeks. The church and school in Kanyama is becoming stronger, and we thank God for that. I have a ministry/discipleship trip scheduled soon with several men from Kanyama. I pray that God will use them in leadership positions at Kanyama in the future. We recently received a good report from Pastor Luckson who is a deaf young man who attended our Bible Institute. He is helping to start a deaf church in the Northern part of the country, and Pastor Lungu is carrying on well with the church in Sau Maplot. In June, my son Jacob and myself spent a few days in Muzoka teaching through the Life of Christ. At the end of our time there, we were blessed to take part in an ordination service of a deacon for Muzoka Baptist Church and of a Pastor of another church in a neighboring village. The one we ordained is Pastor Laston who has come to many of our block classes we have taught over the years. Pastor Elliot has known him a long time and feels confident he will do a good job leading the church in the neighboring village. Through the giving of God's people, we were able to help Pastor Elliot with a motorbike and Pastor Laston with a bicycle. This will enable Pastor Elliot to go out further into neighboring villages more often fulfilling the great commission. Pastor Laston has always walked about four hours to come to our block classes. So we know he will be very happy to now at least do so in the future by bicycle. We also were able to help with some security doors and windows in the village for the Chikuni Baptist Church. Back in Lusaka, we have helped with some of the metal and cement for the Sunday School building we are building in Makeni.

Several Sundays ago, a young man visited the church in Kanyama. He was in town because he was planning to get married the following week before moving with his new wife back to his home village. We praise God that while with us that Sunday, the Holy Spirit convicted him of his sin and gloriously saved his soul. We also had a group of ladies visit us from East Tennessee. While here, they faithfully helped in our Christian school, teaching the children the Word of God. We praise the Lord that four children that week received Jesus as their Savor.

Another praise I want to give is for God protecting one of our faithful men. Bro. Stephen attends our church and Bible Institute and recently cut his wrist badly on accident while working. He bled very much and very easily could have died. We thank God that he was able to get medical care in time, and we are hopeful that he will regain movement and feeling in all of his fingers and thumb. He is a faithful young man married with two young children. Please continue to pray for complete healing.

Also pray for Zambia right now. The former President passed away in South Africa several weeks ago. The current government wants to bring the body back to Zambia and bury him where all the other former presidents are buried, but the family has refused. It is a long story with many complexities, but as it stands, there is a legal fight going on between the government and family concerning the body. Now they are saying it will go to court on July 18 which will be almost two months after his death. This whole situation does have the potential to cause unrest; so please keep this a matter of prayer.

Thank you for your love and support in spreading the gospel at home and abroad. May the Lord bless you!

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

Sauder Family (Missionaries to Zambia, Africa) January-March 2025 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 13:48:00 +0000

Sauder Family Newsletter

Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

January-March 2025

Dear Praying Friends,

It is amazing to think that we are now in the year 2025. I remember when we entered the year 2000 like it was yesterday, and now quarter of a century has passed. Life surely passes quickly, and only what is done for Christ will last.

We thank God that the rain did increase the last few months, and we were at least able to have an average rainfall during the rainy season. We are still experiencing sixteen hours a day of no power, but we are hopeful that number will continue to lesson as the reservoir levels continue to rise. A while back, thieves came in the night and stole electrical cable off of our nearest transformer in our neighborhood. This type of theft happens a lot when we experience extended hours of no power. It took several days for the power company to come and repair the transformer. During the very next night after the repair, we were saddened as thieves came back again and completely dismantled the transformer into pieces and left it scattered on the ground. Apparently, they take the copper and oil out of them to sell for a profit. We were finally forced to put up solar security lights and a solar powered security camera to keep the thieves at bay. It took a few more days, but we finally did receive a new transformer and have no longer had any problems.

The last few months, we have had several funerals of friends here. We thank God that each one had a testimony of salvation. One was a young lady in her early thirties who used to attend the church in Kanyama and had made a profession of faith one afternoon during our soul winning outreach. Another was one of our founding members of the church in Makeni. She was an elderly lady named Mrs. Janice and had a wonderful testimony in the community for her love for Christ. Also our handyman named George who had done many odd jobs for us over the last twelve years recently passed away after suffering with high blood pressure and diabetes. In Zambia, many people can not afford simple medicines that would extend life. I had witnessed to George several times over the years, and he always gave a clear testimony of when he came to salvation in Christ. He was faithful to his wife and worked very hard to provide for his family. I have been reminded lately that we never know when people close to us might go out into eternity. We should never delay in sharing the gospel of Christ.

I mentioned in our last letter that we were dealing with fallout after one of our leaders had fallen into sin. Much time and effort has been spent the last few months, but by God's grace, during the last few weeks, we have seen the ministry in Kanyama stabilize and even grow stronger probably than where it has ever been. Looking back, we can definitely see the hand of God at work in bringing to light the problem that was there. Sometimes, God has to prune His work so that it becomes more His likeness. These times of pruning are never easy but necessary. May God help us to continue being faithful even when it is hard.

We do thank God for the souls that have been saved and the lives that are being changed. The Word of God shall not return void. We have seen that proven true over and over again. Please continue praying for the different ministries we are involved with from the different church plants, schools, and Bible Institute.

Also, pray especially for our oldest son Elijah as he will be moving back to the USA in just a few days to finish his schooling. Pray for him spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Pray that he would adapt well even though he will be away from his parents. He has never given us a problem and has a love for God. Please pray that he would follow God's will for his life whatever that might be. Justin will accompany him on the journey and will stay with him in the USA for a few weeks to help him get settled.

Please pray for his Mom and Dad!

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

The Sauder Family (Missionaries to Zambia, Africa) October-December 2024 Prayer Letter

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Sun, 05 Jan 2025 19:36:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

October-December 2024 Prayer Letter

Dear Praying Friends,

We thank God for watching over us day by day. Please do continue to pray for Zambia. We are yet to receive adequate rainfall, and since last year was a drought, there is a dire need for rain or there will be a food security problem in the coming year. Also, as a result, the power situation in the country has yet to improve. We are now averaging between two and three hours of power every two days or so. We do thank God for a solar back up system at our home, but for many people who work, the power blackouts have devastated many livelihoods.

Towards the end of October, I was able to go out again to Chikuni to teach a block class there with several pastors. I had a wonderful time, and it was exciting to see how God is using these leaders. They are now going out and spreading the gospel to several other preaching points farther out in the bush. One area the church in Chikuni is reaching out to is called Chibuta. Last year, we were priviledged to hold some evangelistic services in that area. There is now a community of believers meeting there on a regular basis. We recently were able to help them put up a small structure to keep them out of the weather. God also provided, and we were able to assist with a well for Chikuni Baptist Church.

Recently, I was called by Pastor Lungu to come and preach at Sau Maplot Baptist Church in Garden House. This church was a plant out of our main church in Kanyama some years ago. It had been a while since I had been there, but I was very pleased to see how God has been working. God has used Pastor Lungu to train several men, and I was honored to help in the ordination of two of these men on this special day. It is encouraging to see second generation fruit being produced. Please pray for these men as they desire to go out and begin new works.

We thank God for the souls that have been saved recently. Several weeks ago, a young lady named Esther trusted Christ on a Sunday morning in Kanyama. She is actually the daughter of a man who trusted Christ right before passing away several months ago. God has been working also at the new church, Makeni Bible Baptist. The church is growing with souls being saved and with several families joining the congregation recently in membership.

In I Corinthians 16:9 the Apostle Paul speaks about a great door of ministry being open to him but also the reality that there were many adversaries. We have found this to be true time and again. Whenever God is working, we can be sure Satan will do whatever he can to cause a hindrance to God's work. Several weeks ago, we found out that one of our leaders has fallen into sin. For a missionary, probably one of the most discouraging things that can happen is when you find out that someone you have spent much time investing in falls into sin. We were devastated by this news and will be dealing with all the ramifications for months to come. It is not a pleasant thing to deal with. Several hours after finding out this news, we received a phone call that a child had been ran over and killed just a few meters from the front gate in Kanyama. The child used to come play football on our property and had come to some tutoring classes offered by some of the school teachers in the school. After the accident, a crowd gathered and began rioting until riot police came to control the situation. That same evening, one of the young deaf men to go through our Bible Institute passed away after a brief illness. His name was Peter Zulu, and he was continuing his theological education at another Bible College in Kitwe, Zambia. Peter Zulu was one of the most Christ-like young men I have had the pleasure of dealing with here in Zambia. I was with Peter for several days a week for three years teaching him and several others. Peter never gave me a bit of problem and genuinely loved his Savior. Peter had a desire to reach the deaf in Africa. Please pray that God will continue to raise up others for His glory.

Finally, the new deaf school building is ready for students this coming term in January. We praise the Lord for this! Also our oldest son Elijah will be returning to the States in April to complete his senior year of high school. I will accompany Elijah on the journey and will be there for a few weeks to help get Elijah acclimated. Remember our family in your prayers as we adjust to this new chapter in our family; may the work of God continue in the States as well as here in Zambia.

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

The Sauder Family, (Missionaries to Zambia, Africa) July-September 2024 Prayer Letter

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 13:26:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

July-September 2024

Dear Praying Friends,

As a result of the drought during the last rainy season, the power situation in Zambia is now the worst we have ever witnessed. Much of the country is now without power for up to twenty-two hours a day. This is also coming at the hottest and driest time of the year. Businesses are relying on generators to keep functioning which makes the cost of doing business very expensive and definitely is not helping the already large problem of high inflation. The problem affects many small business people such as barbers, welders, and the like. For an example, one of our men in Kanyama has a small business where he makes peanut butter. Because there is no power for days on end, he is unable to run his machines he uses to grind the peanuts. His whole way of supporting himself and his family is completely dried up, and his story is very common among the local population. They are saying that the long term weather forecast for the coming rainy season is promising; so please pray for this region of the world to receive enough rain to provide some much needed relief for the people.

In July, we had two funerals we conducted. One of the funerals was for Brother Andrew whom I mentioned in my last letter. He was the grandfather of one of the children in our school, and he received Christ along with his son just a few weeks before his death. The other funeral was for a deaf man named Peter. Peter was the father to a young man who I led to Christ some years ago after a major stroke. A few weeks before Peter's death, I was able to visit him and with using sign language, I was able to make sure that Brother Peter knew Jesus as his Savior. On days like these, I understand why God has called us to this part of the world. There are people who need to hear the gospel, and God has graciously allowed us to be instruments for His service so that "in the ages to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus." We praise the Lord for the people who responded to the gospel at these funeral services.

In mid-August, we picked up my parents at the airport in Johannesburg, South Africa. Our family has never done any extensive traveling outside of Zambia, and for years, I have told my wife, Danielle, that when the kids were older, we would take a road trip to South Africa. Elijah may very well return to the States for schooling next year, so this seemed like a good opportunity while the grandparents were her to share in the experience. We had a wonderful trip and will cherish the memories made for the rest of our lives. We were able to visit with several different churches along the trip and now have a broader understanding of the southern Africa and its people, culture, and history.

In September, our church in Kanyama had its annual church conference. Last year the theme was on "Soul-winning" and this year our theme was on "Discipleship." It was a wonderful conference, and all the leaders and workers there did a wonderful job. It is encouraging to see the people growing and taking more active roles in planning and organization. As our ministry expands, we are now able to step back into more of a support role in some aspects and allow the local people to take more of a lead and ownership. This is an answer to prayer.

Recently, our school administrator came to me and informed me that he wanted us to visit his dad who is eighty years old and very ill because he is not sure of his salvation. My dad and myself drove to a small unfinished house where the man was staying. It was a blessing to watch this man call on Christ for salvation knowing that his time on earth is nearing its end. We also praise the Lord for the several children who have recently received Christ as a result of the school and our Bible club along with a number of people in the local jail. One man in the jail is there as result of killing a man whole stole from him. He made a profession of salvation some months back and has faithfully been leading a devotion in the cells ever since. In that particular cell that is maybe 16'x16' square, there is usually approximately 20 men present.

We praise the Lord for the projects that God has allowed us to continue or finish because of God's people sacrificially giving. We recently were able to install the solar system for the church in Makeni along with an outside shelter that can be used for children's classes. We thank God that the work on the deaf school is progressing and we are now in the final stages of construction and plan to be using it for the new school year in January. We thank God that at the end of September we were able to have our first church service on our new property for Makeni Bible Baptist Church. We can certainly say that we have found it true that our "Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him."

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

Dear Praying Friends,

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

Dear Praying Friends,

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

The Sauder Family (Missionaries to Zambia, Africa) May-June 2024 Prayer Letter

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 10:24:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

May-June 2024

Dear Praying Friends,

It is amazing how fast the last two months have flown. We thank God for His protection and grace upon us. A few weeks ago, Elijah, Alliyah, and Avery were very sick for several days. We praise God for touching their bodies and allowing them to recover. The power outages still continue for much of the country, and it has drastically affected the local economy. Many businesses are struggling to survive, and for many of the people in the rural communities, the ability to simply eat is becoming a problem.

In parts of May and June, we welcomed two young Bible college students named Ben and Caleb here on a ministry visit. The Lord richly blessed the time they were here. We had different youth meetings, jail visits, children's activities, ect... and saw a number of people come to Christ as a result. We also had the opportunity to have several evangelistic services in some rural areas and saw God work in those also.

I wanted to share with you specifically how God has worked in a young man by the name of Enoch. One day while out on evangelism, this young man approached me. He was acting very nervous, and I could tell he was having difficulty. He had visited the church a year prior but had not returned. He explained how his life was in a mess due to the different addictions he had. We made a time to meet for later in the week, because I already had another appointment to visit the grandfather of one of the students in our school. The grandfather had recently been discharged from the hospital. The grandfather's name is Andrew, and he is suffering from heart failure. We visited Mr. Andrew that same afternoon. He is on oxygen and has difficulty breathing on his own. We shared the gospel with him, and he expressed his desire to trust Christ for salvation. Praise God! The following Sunday, Enoch came to church and heard the gospel preached by our visiting students and came forward and received Christ for salvation. We then found out that Enoch's father is the very same Mr. Andrew who trusted Christ earlier in the week. Since Enoch's salvation, he has been very faithful to church and has testified that Christ has helped deliver him from the sinful cycle of addiction he has suffered from. Enoch's family recently came to church to watch Enoch follow Christ in believer's baptism. I am so thankful that God still saves. He is working on all sides. When we see only threads, He sees the full tapestry.

We praise the Lord for working in our Bible Institute. We have seen a slight increase in the number of students attending and are grateful for God bringing in some students who truly have a desire to learn and grow.

The work on the deaf school is still progressing, and we are now installing the electric and plastering the walls. The same is true for the church in Makeni. We have decided to proceed with the solar panels as God provides due to the power problem in the country. We hope to begin meeting on that property in early August.

We look forward to Justin's parents visiting for some time in August and September. It is always nice for the children to see their Grandparents. Pray for a safe flight and visit!

As always, continue to pray for the ministry here. May Christ be magnified from the altar of our lives here in Zambia and in yours, on the other side of the globe.

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

The Sauder Family, Missionaries to Zambia, Africa-February-April Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Sun, 05 May 2024 19:19:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

February-April Newsletter

Dear Praying Friends,

In our last letter, we shared about the cholera epidemic that was covering our city. We praise the Lord that it is now in the past, and the schools were able to open February 12th. Do, however, continue to pray for Zambia. The rainy season started well, but around the end of January, the rain just stopped. Most of the maize was about knee high at that time, and much of the country received very little to no rain for the following seven to eight weeks. The government has now declared a state of emergency and are expecting food shortages later this year. The reservoirs used for electricity are also very low, and now power cuts are already common for eight to twelve hours daily. We praise the Lord that some years back, one of our churches helped us get a solar system for our home. That gift of love has been a tremendous blessing to us over the years.

Since the schools have opened in February and the cholera has dissipated, it has been nice to get back into more of a schedule in our different ministries. At the church in Makeni, we have seen several receive salvation and several more follow Christ in baptism. We praise the Lord for the steady growth there. It has been a blessing to work on this church plant in conjunction with the Robinson Family. The property we have secured is progressing well, and we hope to begin meeting there sometime around July of this year. Our main obstacle is getting a power source on the property. We are praying about whether to hook onto the grid which only works about half the time or invest in a solar system. The grid will be cheaper in the short term but may take up to a year to get connected. If we go solar, the initial cost will be higher, but the monthly expenses will be reduced. In early February, I was able to take another trip down to Muzoka and do a block class on the study of Jesus Christ with some of the leaders there. Please pray for the church in Kanyama. We have had some transition lately, and I am excited for what God is continuing to do there. In the last several months, God has brought in some new members who have a desire to serve.

It was a blessing to have my sister and brother-in-law visit with us for two weeks in late March/early April. We have been here going on eleven years, and this is the first time one of our siblings has ever been able to visit. We had a wonderful time, and they were able to help greatly with the ministry work while here. Much training was provided to our different teachers, and we also were able to provide some Sunday School teacher training in two of the rural churches we work with in the Bush. While they were here, we saw a number of people profess Christ during different evangelistic meetings.

The coming months look to be very busy. We look forward to having two college students coming to intern with us in May and June. We are continuing construction on the deaf school building. We recently were able to get the roof on and will soon be working on the electricity. We also will be breaking ground on the new restroom block that will be needed for the students.

Please continue to pray. We are excited about what God has in store! He is ever writing our story. Thank you for being a part of His work here in Zambia!

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

The Sauder Family Newsletter-Missionaries to Zambia, Africa (December 2023-January 2024 Newsletter)

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 18:19:00 +0000

The Sauder Family Newsletter

Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

December 2023-January 2024

Dear Praying Friends,

Since our last writing, we have received quite a bit of rain which is a blessing for the crops and the reservoirs that supply water; however, in a city of almost three million people with very little planning, it has created other problems. Due to the standing water in many of the high density areas where there are no utility services that provide water/sewer, our capital city of Lusaka has been dealing with a cholera outbreak which really began to get bad in early December. In January, all schools and colleges were not allowed to open, and the government actually turned the National Stadium into a temporary hospital for all the infected cholera patients. Although hundreds of people have lost their lives, we praise the Lord that the lives of our people have been spared. We are hopeful that the cases will continue to go down, and if all goes well, the schools and colleges will be allowed to open on February 12th. It is a difficult time for many. With the schools being closed, many of the teachers are unable to get full pay including our own. We have had to pause on some of the children's ministries during this time, and for many to get out of their homes to come church requires walking though several inches of polluted water.

In spite of all of this, the Lord has continued to bless. I have had several opportunities to preach in one of the local jails. Usually there are around thirty to forty prisoners present, and it is actually quite encouraging how much they pay attention. It has truly been a captive audience. When we evangelize in the community, it is common for many of the men to be drunk. When we visit the jails, they all are sober and know their lives are in chaos. They are very honest and open. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching a number of them listen and respond to the gospel. We praise the Lord for these precious souls that have been saved. They have went to prison but found freedom in Christ. His love knows no boundaries.

In December, we had several graduations and moving up ceremonies. We had one graduation for three of our men who finished their time at our Bible Institute. All three of these men are very special to me. Two of them are deaf. Please pray for them as they seek God's direction for their lives. I know one wants to move to the southern part of the country and start a church. The two deaf young men are still quite young in their early 20's and are seeking what God would have for them. Pray that the right doors would be opened and for God to guide them as they seek to do His will.

Recently I was invited to take part in a funeral for a young man that was suspected to have died from poisoning. I did not know the young man personally, but he was a friend of one of the men that attends our Bible Institute. The young man in our Bible Institute grew up with the deceased in a local orphanage/shelter for street children who do not have a stable home. The young man in our Bible Institute accepted Christ while at the orphanage and is now one of our main helpers in ministry while he continues his training. The man who died had a very troubled life and had no testimony of salvation. When we did the burial, many young people were present. It was not a church crowd. I thank God for the opportunity to preach the gospel to so many who may have never heard. We know several people that day received Christ. Please pray that we continue preaching the good news of the gospel to others as it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.

Please continue to pray for the different churches and church plants we are involved with. I hope to take a trip in the coming days to Muzoka again to help with some pastor's training there. The new church plant in Makeni is also continuing to grow stronger. We are in the process of getting the property usable, and there are some needs there we are praying that God would provide.

Your prayers are important! Recently on a trip while driving in the evening, two yoked cows walked right out of the tall grass right in front of our vehicle. We had to swerve out of the way to miss them. Our whole family was in the vehicle. On the way back from that same trip several days later almost in the same spot, a mad/crazy man tried to run directly in front of our vehicle almost killing himself. We are not really sure what was going on there, but we know God was definitely watching over us.

Danielle and the children are all doing well both physically and spiritually. We praise God for that. We recently celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary. We are thankful for the joy in the journey!

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

The Sauder Family Newsletter (September-November 2023)

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Tue, 12 Dec 2023 17:02:00 +0000

The Sauder Family Newsletter

Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

September-November 2023

Dear Praying Friends,

We have now entered the rainy season. So far, the rain has been relatively light. Please do pray that we experience a good amount of rain this year. For a country that gets most of its energy from hydroelectric power and where many people exist by subsistence farming, it is very important to have good rains and effects a large portion of the society in a very direct way.

In September and November, we were able to make two different trips to Chikuni to help train some local pastors there along with having some evangelistic services in the evenings. We praise the Lord for the many that responded to the gospel and that the teaching was a great help to the pastors and faithful members of the different churches gathered. This particular church we were meeting with had spent the last few years meeting in a local, rural court. That building, which was severely dilapidated, has recently been demolished to make way for a new police post. We praise the Lord because of the giving of God's people, we were able to help put up a pole and roof structure for them to use as they continue making their bricks and filling in the walls.

On October 15, 2023 Makeni Bible Baptist Church of Lusaka was chartered. The church began as a Bible study in April of this year, meeting in our and several other's homes. The following six months, we spent in discipleship, going through the basic fundamental doctrines of the faith. It has been a blessing to see how God has worked in bringing this church to fruition. There are several circumstances where the providence of God has been very evident. God has now provided two acres of land and the funds needed for us to get the property at a usable level to avoid paying rent long term. We are now preparing the property in earnest and hope to be meeting on the property in February-March of 2024. Since arriving in Zambia ten years ago, the majority of our ministry has been located in the compound or "slum" areas of the city. About five years ago, we started doing some outreach/pastor training in several rural locations. Over time, it has become clear to me that there is also a major need for churches to be planted in the middle class areas of Zambia. These people are often overlooked because we, not knowing all the intricacies of the culture, tend to go where it seems the biggest response is. The problem is that in a country of high poverty where a good portion of the GDP is from foreign aid, many times you do not get an accurate idea of where a sincere response to the gospel truly is. Please continue to pray for this new church as it grows, that it would be an example to other churches in Zambia.

We thank God for providing, through some of our supporters, the hymn books that we asked for in our last letter. This will be a tremendous blessing to the churches here. We also thank God for allowing us to get started on the construction of the new school building for the deaf students in Kanyama. We help in this ministry with our fellow laborer Yohannes Getenah. Please pray that this building will be a tool that God can use for decades to come in the education and gospel proclamation to the many deaf children in Zambia. These children may be born hearing, but because of countless ear infection and lack of antibiotic treatment, enter the deaf world. The need is great; He is greater and can help us reach them.

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

July-August 2023 Newsletter for the Sauder Family serving in Zambia

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 09:00:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

July-August 2023 Newsletter

Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

Dear Praying Friends,

We are now entering the hot, dry season in Zambia. The air is dusty and filled with smoke from all the burning that is happening. This time of year, we usually deal with severe sinus infections for a few weeks, and that proved to be true again this year. Overall, our health is well, and we know that is something that should never be taken for granted. We praise God! In my last letter, I alluded to a ministry-related problem that arose, and by God's grace, it appears the Lord has brought us through that trial stronger. I remember standing on our ministry property one of the afternoons when we were in the middle of this problem, almost in a daze wondering why and what would happen. Within a month, we praise the Lord that we have had two of our most well-attended services in the history of the church in Kanyama. God is good and faithful!

In August, we had a church conference with a focus on "Winning Souls to Christ." We thank God for working in our midst. It was by far one of the most well-attended meetings we have had, and we pray that we will see fruit from that conference for many years to come. We praise the Lord for the souls that have been saved recently. For the last few months, I have developed a relationship with a man by the name of Dixon. Dixon has worked in a foam rubber factory here in Lusaka for many years and has appeared to develop a severe health problem as a result. He recently texted that he had been admitted to the hospital. I went by after church to see him and found that he was in a very bad condition. I shared the gospel with Dixon, and he called on Christ to save him! I really thought at the time that he might not get out of the hospital, but after several days, he was discharged and is now doing better. Please pray for him as he continues to battle this illness. We praise God that no matter what happens in the future, Dixon's salvation is now settled for eternity! The preaching of the gospel is the central point of our ministry, and I thank God for recent opportunities to proclaim His message in schools, jails, funerals, conferences, church services, youth activities, the market, homes, and other places God has allowed.

In August, I was able to go and be a part of a large conference at the Kafulafuta Baptist Mission which is about seven hours away. While there, I was able to meet former missionary Bobby Bonner who spent many years in Zambia. God used him greatly during his many years here, and I appreciate him taking the time to encourage me. The conference was wonderful, and I greatly enjoyed taking part in it.

Please be in prayer for our church plant in Makeni that we are working on in conjunction with the Robinson family. It is continuing to grow stronger, and we hope to charter the church there in October of this year. God has provided us with two acres of property for this church plant. Right now, we have been given a space to use at a local business, but we will need to move from there before the rains come. Any place to rent in the future will probably cost around $500 a month. Because we are still a Bible study, we have really not yet spent much focus on tithes/offerings, and yet the people have so far contributed around $3,000 for the future church expenses. We would like to get the two acres to a usable point as soon as possible to avoid paying rent. To do so, we will need a well, pump, water stand, and tank. We will also need a wire fence, a pole structure with a roof approximately 8x12 meters and 70 chairs. Because of the need for security here, we will also need a small storage building, materials for parking, and electricity hookup. All in all, we probably need another $7,000 to get the property usable. Would you be in prayer for God to meet this need? We know He is able.

Please also be in prayer for me as I plan to go to Muzoka and Chikuni in the coming weeks for some pastor training there. While on that trip, we hope to help one of the bush churches there with some of their building needs. We praise God for providing for that group of believers!

In the next month, we will also hope to start construction on the new deaf school God has provided for.

Finally, the main church in Kanyama is in desperate need of some hymn books. The ones we are using now are decades old and have been glued and repaired many times. I know some churches have older hymnbooks around that are still in quite good condition that are no longer in use but could be a big blessing in Zambia. If you would like to help with this need, please email me at justin.danielle@yahoo.com.

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

The Sauder Family (Missionaries to Zambia, Africa) May-June 2023 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Mon, 17 Jul 2023 10:05:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

May-June 2023

Dear Praying friends,

We thank God for all of you who faithfully keep us lifted up in your prayers! We know that without your continued support it would be very difficult for us to see all that God has for us come to fruition.

In early May I was able to spend several days down in Muzoka providing additional training to several pastors that had gathered together. It was a wonderful trip seeing these dear brothers who have been faithfully serving God. While on the trip we were able to assist the church in Muzoka with new benches and we are also currently in the process of helping them get electricity in their sanctuary. It has been a blessing to see these men reach out into other areas and share the gospel. I was scheduled to return once again to Chikuni but after leaving Muzoka my vehicle developed a fault in the electrical system. I am still currently trying to get that sorted out.

Also in early May about 21 of our youth from Lusaka traveled by train to Livingstone for a youth conference. They had a wonderful time and we pray that the things they learned will continue to help them spiritually.

There is a young boy named Innocent that is now about 13 years old. He began coming to our Bible club several years ago and later received Christ. After a while his mother and sister began coming to church and soon also received Christ and then were baptized. Several weeks ago while on visitation we went by Innocent's home and saw the older brother siting outside washing his clothes. We stopped by and spent the rest of our time there sharing Christ with the young man. It was a blessing to see God work in his heart and to listen as the young man called out to God for salvation! His name is Patrick and since that day he has been faithfully attending church and was recently baptized. What a joy it is to see the whole family faithfully serving God together. Please pray for these young men to continue being faithful and that God will continue to work in their lives. The work is not in vain.

We praise God the Bible study in Makeni continues to grow stronger and our hope is that we can see the church chartered there in the next 3-4 months. God has allowed it that we have been able to purchase a piece of land for the the future church! We thank God for this provision.

We also have met with an architect for the deaf school and have the plans drawn which are currently submitted to the city counsel for approval. Please pray that this process will move speedily so that we might proceed with the building project.

The last few months we have seen God bless our school. The numbers of students have increased and more and more of the children have received Christ as their Savior and even one of the parents recently trusted Christ. It is no surprise then that we also recently had a problem come to the surface. As I grow older in my spiritual life I began to see more and more that when God is working that is when Satan ups his attacks and looking at the situation it seems that is what definitely has happened. Please pray for us as we continue to deal with this issue.

Towards the end of June, we had a group of ladies come and help from Pine Grove Baptist in Speedwell, TN. Several of these ladies were actually relatives of Danielle. I told them that because of everything that seemed to go wrong which included a stomach virus passing through everyone in the group they got a good idea of the things missionaries go through. In spite of the setbacks God greatly used these ladies to provide some wonderful training to our teachers and the gospel was spread to many of our children.

It is hard to fit into one letter everything that happens in our day to day. Sometimes it is hard for me to believe all that comes and goes. Please pray for us to continue being faithful.

Lifting Up Jesus

Justin Sauder

The Sauder Family-Missionaries to Zambia, Africa: March-April 2023 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Mon, 15 May 2023 19:13:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

March-April 2023 Newsletter

Dear Praying Friends,

At the time of our last writing, we had just landed in Zambia a few days prior and were getting acclimated during the re-entry process. These last two months feel like they have flown by, but at least now we are more up to speed on everything and have settled into a very busy schedule. We thank God for good health, blessings, and peace He has bestowed upon us.

The church in Kanyama is doing well. We have had almost weekly meetings with some of our national leadership as we seek to slowly pull back from the Pastor/Missionary role into more of a support role. Several men take turns preaching along with myself, and it is our desire that in the future, the church will continue to flourish under indigenous leadership.

We had a visitor named Moses who began attending about two months ago. Moses is an older man close to sixty years of age who has lost most of his hearing. Since he can not hear much any more, he decided to attend our church as we have a number of deaf people who attend. His thinking was that by coming to our church, he could learn sign language and be able to communicate effectively with people once again. He has been very faithful, and after several weeks, he placed his faith in Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and recently followed Christ in believer's baptism. Praise the Lord!

We praise the Lord that the church plant in Sau Maplot also continues to go forward under the leadership of Pastor Lungu. We thank God for Pastor Lungu's faithfulness. We recently were able to help that church get glass windows in their building which will be quite benaficial as we begin to enter the colder season here.

In my last letter, I mentioned that while in America during the month of January, we were able to visit a man from our church in Zambia that had moved to the United States and was then living in New Jersey. His name was Marcell. He had joined a Bible preaching church and was very active. We received news on April 13 that Marcell had passed away and went to heaven. We were very sad. We ended up coordinating with his church in New Jersey and was able to livestream the funeral service to many of his friends and family here in Zambia. We had over three hundred people at the livestream service. It was a good experience for the Zambian people to see how funerals for Christians take place in the US. At the end of the funeral service, a number of people made professions of faith in Jesus Christ!

One of the things that we mentioned to several churches while in the States was our desire to start or help start a new church in Lusaka more towards the south side of the city which is where we live. This has actually been in our hearts for several years. God has brought a new missionary family here of like faith named the Robinson Family who had not planned to settle in this part of the country when they arrived a little over a year ago, but through different circumstances of divine providence, they have decided to begin here also. While we were in the States, Caleb Robinson was helpful with different things that needed attention here in Zambia. Since we have returned and spent more time with the Robinsons, we feel like this new church plant is something that we can work together on while still continuing our teaching and training in other aspects of the mission work. We have been having a Bible study with several families the past seven weeks or so on Thursday evenings and beginning May 14th, we will begin holding an early Sunday Morning Bible study with the hope and prayer that it will develop into a church in His time. We have been given a lovely outdoor space to use temporarily for the next three months. Please pray for this. Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia, is a booming place, and there is a great need for a church in this part of the city that can really be a light and an anchor for the work of God that is being done throughout the rest of the country. Land here in the capital city is actually not cheap, and we know the price of land has doubled the last five year. We know it will continue to appreciate rapidly. Pray that God will give us wisdom in how to move forward.

We miss you all and continue to covet your prayers!

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

The Sauder Family-Missionaries to Zambia: December-February 2022-2023 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 08:39:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

December-February 2022-2023 Newsletter

Dear Praying Friends,

We are happy to report that we are now back home in Zambia. It has been wonderful so far to visit with all our friends and people we love. We enjoyed our time in the USA while on furlough but can honestly say that we are glad to be back. Another answer to prayer is that our children are happy to be back also. There is allot that missionary children go through and for quite some time they have had very little stability in their life. It can be difficult for them to constantly be in a state of adjustment. Please pray for them in the years ahead. After our visit to the USA in over four years, they are more aware now than ever of how different our lives are. They understand they get to have many cool experiences that other children do not, but I know if they were truly being honest they would trade those experiences in order to be a part of things such as a sports team or youth group. I am happy that they do seem to understand that God has called us here and are joyful to share in the service to the One who is worthy.

Our last few months of furlough were not quite as busy travelling wise as the previous months were. We still however did make several trips out of state and were also able to visit some of our other churches that were more local. All the people we met were so kind and generous to our family. Over Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years we were able to spend time with our families which was really special. In January, Danielle and I made a road trip through the Northeast to visit several churches. Several of our children had come down with the flu, so we left them with their grandparents. One thing we learned from that trip was that traveling without children is a completely different experience than travelling with children.

On that same trip we also were able to stop and visit with a man that I had led to the Lord in Zambia who is now living in Newark, NJ. His name is Macell. He came to America on some type of refuge program about three years prior. When he arrived in the USA I had contacted a pastor of a newly planted Bible preaching church in the area where he was located and arranged Macell and his family to attend. It was a blessing to see that him and his family have been faithful. His wife and several children have now received Christ and are faithfully serving in the programs of the church. The day we visited with them we had a wonderful Zambian style lunch right outside of New York City. It will be a precious memory. One thing the Lord has taught me is that the work he has given us to do is ultimately His work and we get to be a part of it. Sometimes we tend to get possessive with things or people and that can actually hinder the work that God is wanting to do. We can become frustrated that our plans and timelines do not come to pass but then fail to see that God is doing something much truer and greater. When we relinquish our rites and control to Him there is peace and liberty to be found.

We arrived in Zambia on February 25. We spent a few nights in Qatar during our layover about halfway through the trip. I was able to share the gospel with several Muslim men while there. That was my first time being in a majority Muslim nation and it was quite different. We have only been on the ground in Zambia a few days and are still sorting out everything during this re-entry process. The vehicle we had left here now has many problems but we were able to obtain a van for our family to get around after just a few days. We enjoyed a wonderful day of worship with our people recently and the children in the school were so happy to see us and presented me with a carving of Zambia. So far we have just been getting established again and greeting old friends. Pray for us in the coming weeks as we have meetings with our local leaders and develop a path forward to continue God's work He has allowed us to be a part of.

Lifting Up Jesus

Justin Sauder

Sauder Family Newsletter (Missionaries to Zambia) September-November 2022

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 20:56:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

Missionaries to Zambia

September-November 2022

Dear Praying Friends,

We are now about seventy percent through our furlough in the States and are now beginning to make our plans to return to Zambia. There have been a few adjustments since our last letter. In our last letter, I planned to take a short trip to Zambia by myself in December. Then, our entire family would return to Zambia in April. Well, when I researched ticket prices for myself to travel in December, I found that the tickets had almost doubled. This was due to the World Cup being held in Qatar, which resulted in fewer available flights into Zambia. After discussions with my wife and children, we decided I would forgo the trip in December, and our family would move up our return to Zambia from April to February. Truthfully, after being on the road for several months with four children and trying to homeschool, we are very much looking forward to returning to our home and our people. We have now purchased our tickets and will be departing the US on February 20, 2023!

God has blessed in our travels, and our time in the States has been very productive. Churches have been so loving and kind to our family, and we have enjoyed visiting with the people that have been faithfully praying on our behalf and supporting us. We have seen several people come to Christ and watched God work in the hearts of people, burdening them with a deeper level of surrender and a desire to have a part in the Great Commission. Although we have not directly solicited for any specific project, God has still chosen to provide funds for several needed projects that we will be able to start upon returning to Zambia. During a Mission's Conference at New Grace Baptist Church in Concord, North Carolina, the Lord spoke to the church's heart, and they are giving $40,000 so that a deaf school building can be built for the deaf school that meets on our ministry property in Lusaka. This will have a major impact in many deaf children's lives, and most importantly, this will be the opportunity for them to have the Bible taught and explained to them so they might come to an understanding of who the Savior is!

Also, through the giving of others, we will be able to build a new block of bathrooms for the growing school. This new bathroom block is needed now and should be large enough to accommodate any growth the school may have in the future. In addition to this, we should be able to help with some other projects with new church plants we work along side.

We thank God that everything is still going well with the work in Zambia. We receive reports weekly and are grateful for what God continues doing there. There have been a few road bumps for them but nothing too major. Recently, the church in Kanyama had seven people make a profession of faith on a Sunday! We look forward to getting back and seeing how God will continue to shape the ministry there.

Our travels in our home country are winding down with only one more major roadtrip up through the Northeast. We will still be visiting churches closer to our home bases and want to spend several more services with our home church and relatives. Please pray God continues to keep us safe, blesses in the meetings, and molds our hearts for our return to Zambia.

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

The Sauder Family: June-August 2022 Newsletter (Missionaries to Zambia, Africa)

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 18:53:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

June-August 2022 Newsletter

Dear Praying Friends,

We have now been in the US several months while on our furlough. After being in Zambia over the past four years since our last furlough, it is amazing to see how things have changed. There does seem to be more of a spiritual darkness here in the USA than I remember in the past. We definitely see the importance of churches stateside who faithfully shine the light of Jesus Christ into the darkness around them. We understand that our hope will not be found in a political leader but only in turning to Jesus. One thing I have learned over the years of foreign service is that people struggle with the same issues all over the world. Sin indeed is a universal problem.

During the last several months, Zambia has went through the cool season. After spending several weeks in the southern US with temps in the upper 90's and high humidity, it has made me miss Zambia. We praise the Lord for the good reports we have received from Zambia concerning the work. So far, it seems there have not been any major problems; and the people are faithfully continuing in the work of the Lord. We have also received some very good reports from some of the pastors. Souls are being saved, and people are getting baptized. Some of the men we have spent much time training in Muzoka recently had a well attended weeklong meeting where they saw God move. We look forward to getting back to them in the future to assist more with training and seeing how God will open more doors of ministry.

Please do pray for our safety as we continue our furlough. Thus far, we have been very busy and have traveled already in twelve states and thank God for working in the services. We have been greatly encouraged by the love and kindness shown to us by God's people wherever we go. It is so awesome to be a part of the family of God! One of the challenges we are facing at this time, if you could please pray for, is trying to homeschool four children properly while constantly moving what seems like every few days. We have not really unpacked our suitcases since we arrived. Please pray that God would help us as we strive to make our time here profitable and also enjoyable for the children without sacrificing their learning. Recently, I made a visit to several churches with my oldest son Elijah.

This allowed Danielle to stay at our home base with the younger children in order to help them on their studies while Elijah brought his books on the road with me. Elijah and I had a great trip together, and I will always cherish the memories we made. Elijah also was able to share his testimony in several churches, and he did an incredible job. We are so thankful that our children overall have had a great attitude about our non- traditional life.

Please do continue to lift us up to the Father as we travel and attend several mission's conferences going into this fall. We will spend much of September in North Carolina. In October, we will be in Tennessee and Ohio. In November, we will be in Florida and North Carolina. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I plan to make a trip to Zambia for several weeks to help in some graduation ceremonies and a wedding. While there, I also want to go visit the brothers in Muzoka and meet with several of our leaders to discuss our plans for when we return to Zambia in April of next year.

If you have not contacted us yet but would like for us to come to your church while we are stateside to give a report, please reach out to us. The best way to contact us would be by emailing justin.danielle@yahoo.com or by calling 423-201-8519.

Thank you so much!

Lifting Up Jesus

Justin Sauder

Sauder Family-Missionaries to Zambia, Africa: March-May 2022 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 21:06:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

March-May 2022 Newsletter

Dear praying friends,

Our family is all together in the States now for our furlough. Danielle and the children ended up traveling several weeks before me, and I arrived in the middle of May. This made our transition much easier as Danielle was able to get things prepared stateside while I finished all the things that needed to be done in Zambia. We are, however, very glad to be together again. Our last few months in Zambia were very busy as we had many last meetings with people and projects to finish.

Towards the end of March, I and my two sons made one last trip to Mazoka and Chikuni. In Muzoka with Pastor Kanyama and Pastor Miyoba, I taught a class for several days on the subject of the indigenous local church. We dealt extensively with the problem of dependency and spent time talking about practical things such as finances and budgeting. In Chikuni, we spent several days teaching a hermeneutics class on how to study the Bible. While in Chikuni on that Sunday, we also ordained Mr. Dennings who has been faithfully leading that group of believers. Please pray for these men to continue serving God faithfully. I have already received a report that Pastor Kanyama and some of his men from his congregation have recently traveled to another village and spent several days holding evangelistic meetings. We are grateful to see the gospel advancing.

Please pray for our main church in Lusaka as we are gone. Before we left, we had several meetings and activities with the children, youth, and adults. This is the first time we have not fully left another missionary to watch over things in our absence. We have several different men taking turns with the preaching and teaching and have certain men in place to deal with any problems that may arise. This will be a big test for them all. We know they are fully capable. Pray that they might have unity and peace as they work together in continuing God's work. Our last days there were very full. I can honestly say that we have many dear friends there who we love and cherish greatly. We know they love us also. We will miss them while we are gone but excited to see them serving God on their own. Many times, cross-cultural ministry can be very difficult as you try to understand each other. It is messy and painful. In spite of these challenges, it is a blessing to see that we can all unify in truth under the cross as children of God.

Right before I left, we were able to have a special ceremony for the dedication of the new school building. It was a good day. It is now almost fully complete with the only thing remaining- getting the electricity permanently connected. Pray that can happen quickly. God is blessing the school, and it continues to grow. We are grateful for the opportunity to teach these young children the truths of God's Word and disciple them to be followers of Christ. We believe down the road there will be a huge benefit for the kingdom of God as these young people, we pray, will be thoroughly furnished to do the work that God has for them.

Since arriving in the US two weeks ago, we have been very busy meeting family, friends, and beginning to visit churches. Shortly after arriving, Justin was able to give a commencement speech at the Christian school he graduated from twenty years ago. We also have been able to spend time with Danielle's brother's family. They had spent a number of years in Asia as missionaries, and since our furloughs in the past have not lined up, it had been over ten years since they had been able to see each other. We just finished several days of sweet fellowship with them ending in a special Sunday service at Danielle's parent's church. It is a blessing to have a Christian family.

If you would like for us to come to your church while we are stateside to give a report, please reach out to us. The best way to contact us would be by emailing justin.danielle@yahoo.com. Thank you so much, and we hope to see you soon!

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

January-February 2022 Newsletter for the Sauder Family-Missionaries to Zambia

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Mon, 21 Mar 2022 20:48:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

January-February 2022 Newsletter

Dear Praying Friends,

It is hard to believe that we are now in the year 2022. It is amazing how fast time flies. Life is truly like a vapor. We pray that we will be faithful to redeem the time that God has given for His glory. We praise the Lord that the Covid spike we saw in December has continued to subside and that the schools and other closures that were in place were lifted by mid-January. We thank God that we have had a descent rainy season. Please pray that the rain would continue to fall well into April and early May so that the the farmers can have a good harvest.

We thank God for continued growth and progress in the work of the ministry. As missionaries, we go through many challenges, discouragements, and disappointments. Most of these problems are not made known. We thank God that in spite of all the difficulties we see, He is still doing His work. Please continue to lift your missionaries up in prayer!

In February, we had a marriage conference entitled "Foundations of a Biblical Marriage." It was a tremendous blessing. We had a very respected Zambian pastor from the eastern part of the country come and teach for several days. We also had a special banquet. It was good for the people to hear the same biblical principles that we have been teaching come from one of their own people who have had to deal with the same traditional circumstances that they have encountered. It is hard to describe the amount of pressure that the society places on young married adults to conform to the accepted practices of married life and the family. If one does conform, many times it will lead to resentment between husband and wife and a loveless marriage. If a young couple does resist and try to abide by biblical principles, they will find themselves shunned by the family. In a country where there are no social safety nets and poverty is one of the highest levels on earth, it is very difficult for young adults to break away from the traditional practices and have the types of marriages that God intends for them. Every day, I see that if one wants to live godly, then it is almost certain that persecution will come. Please pray that they will have faith to stand!

In January, we were able to make another trip to Muzoka. I taught for several days there. We were planning to go to several other locations, but our trip was cut short due to a tropical cyclone that came through. It was not a terrible storm; however, it was still quite windy with heavy rains for several days that made it too difficult to continue with our programs due to the rural settings we were in. God still used the time we had, and I believe the Word that was given will have long lasting effects on the ministry there. The day we returned, it was raining heavily. Just several miles north of where we were teaching, a bus collided with a truck resulting in the loss of eighteen lives. We rode by the accident just a few hours after it occurred. Please pray for the families of the deceased!

I thank God for the souls that have recently been saved! Our Bible clubs are growing, and the young men and women are learning Scripture and are very faithful in church. Some are even learning sign language so they might minister to our deaf people in the future. Our young adult class is also growing, and we are seeing God work in the lives of people to mold them into the image of His Son.

We recently installed our solar pump at the church property and will begin using our new school building in the next week. I am sure by our next letter, we will include pictures of the completed painted structure. Because of God's people giving, we were also able to install some doors and windows in one of the bush churches and build some much needed barricades in front of our church property.

We will be returning to the States for a furlough in mid-May 2022. We have served this term four years in Zambia and look forward to coming back and seeing our families along with many of our supporters. If you would like for us to come to your church while we are stateside to give a report, please reach out to us. The best way to contact us would be by emailing justin.danielle@yahoo.com or by calling us at +260967000127. Thank you so much, and we hope to see you soon!

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

The Sauder Family-Missionaries to Zambia, Africa-November/December 2021 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 12:35:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

Missionaries Serving in Zambia, Africa

November-December 2021 Newsletter

Dear Praying Friends,

Wow, it is hard to believe that we are staring a new year! We praise God for His faithfulness to us in 2021 and look forward to what He has in store for us in 2022. We also thank God that the rains have begun here in Zambia. They did come late, and some farmers who planted early will experience loss. At least since mid-December, the rain has been steady, and if this continues in such a manner, it should be sufficient enough to provide food security and electricity.

We have also dealt with another wave of Covid, this time the "Omicron" variant. Infections peaked towards the end of December and are now receding quickly. We thank God that this time there were not as many hospitalizations or deaths as have been in the past. They have pushed back the opening of schools to the end of January, but other than that, everything has proceeded as normal.

In November, Justin's father and mother were able to come for a visit for about a month. We had a wonderful time of fellowship and ministry. In November, we had a special meeting with some men from several churches. The theme of the meeting was "Living for God in the Modern World." We thank God for the encouragement that was given and His working in the hearts of the men. We have also had several other meetings including a ladies meeting and a young adults meeting, along with our missions emphasis month. We praise the Lord for spiritual growth that is evident and the opportunity to continue sharing the gospel and see people discipled in the faith.

We have also seen several people come to put their faith in Christ. We praise God that one of them was our very own son, our oldest, thirteen year old Elijah! We have prayed for him for many years and were so grateful to see him believe in Jesus as His Savior. Please pray for all of our children to have a love for God. Our oldest three have now made professions, and we are praying for our youngest Avery to trust Christ in the future. Life is very different for a missionary kid growing up in a foreign country and culture. We pray our children can enjoy the experience and transition well if and when they return to their home country.

While my parents were here, we were able to go down to Mazoka to help the church there by concreting a floor in their building and also plastering a portion of their walls. We then traveled to Chikuni where we spent several days of teaching on the subject of marriage followed by evangelistic meetings in the evenings. After leaving Chikuni, we traveled to an area called Hamuleya and spent several days going through the Bible, teaching the basics of the Christian faith and introducing them to Jesus Christ. We praise God for the people who made professions of faith. Please pray for these new believers. We have some national pastors who are following up with these people until we can return there soon.

In December, we had our "moving up" ceremony for the school where we were able to clearly present the gospel to many of the family members of the children who attend. We also were able to ordain one of our recent graduates of our Bible Institute. His name is Luckson, and he is planning to soon get married and begin a ministry in a town called Luanshya. We have finished the project of the new restrooms for the church in Sau Maplot and are working hard to finish our school building in order to begin using it as soon as schools are allowed to reopen.

In conclusion, we want to announce that we will be returning to the States for a furlough towards the end of April 2022. We have served this term four years in Zambia and look forward to coming back and seeing our families along with many of our supporters so we may give you an update face to face. It has been ten years since Danielle has seen her brother and his family who had been serving as missionaries in Asia. If you would like for us to come to your church while we are stateside to give a report, please reach out to us. The best way to contact us would be by emailing justin.danielle@yahoo.com or by calling us at +260967000127. Thank you so much, and we look forward to seeing many of you in the near future!

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

The Sauder Family-Missionaries to Zambia, Africa-September/October 2021 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 11:49:00 +0000

Dear Praying Friends,

We thank you so much for your prayers and continued support. Here in Zambia, Covid numbers remain low, and we are hoping and praying for things to continue to go in a normal direction. It is now very hot here as we are at the end of the dry season, and we are praying for some much needed relief from the dust and heat. God willing, the rains should arrive in November, and farmers can begin preparing their fields for planting. We pray for a bountiful harvest. As long as their is food security, typically no major problems should arrive.

We praise the Lord for His bountiful blessings. Although during the last few months our family and many in our ministry had to deal with a flu that lasted for several weeks, overall things have went well, and we continue to see God at work saving souls and developing spiritual growth in the lives of the people. In September, we had a special fellowship with the young adults from our church. Culturally, a "youth" here is anyone from age thirteen to thirty years old. This very broad definition has led to little expectations on many who have completed their twelfth grade studies, and society overall tends to not expect too much from a young adult in their twenties and even early thirties. This, of course, leads to promiscuity and many other vices for young adults with little expected out of them. We have decided to place an emphasis in Sunday School/small group activities on honoring God in adulthood and through personal responsibility. We recently held an activity and Bible study at our home that was well attended, and we are seeing spiritual growth. Of course, there is always some confrontation when culture comes in conflict with Scripture, and we do see a sorting out of those who truly want to follow God with their whole heart and those whose motivation for service may not be quite as pure.

Towards the end of September, one of our men and I traveled once more to Muzoka and Chikuni. We taught several days in Muzoka, finishing up our study on Old Testament survey that we had begun in the past. After teaching there for several days, we went again to Chikuni and taught for several more days on the study of salvation or Soteriology. It is very fulfilling to teach to a small group of people who may not have much but truly want to know who God is. On our last day in Chikuni, we travelled to a new place in a very rural area. The people there had very little knowledge of who Jesus truly is. They were not aware of His resurrection. It was obvious when they saw me, they saw someone who they hope will bring clean water, schools, clinics, electricity, and many other things. I do not blame them for this. Please pray as we return that God will open their eyes to their true need of the gospel. Pray that they will see themselves lost in need of a Savior.

We thank God that the work on the school building continues to progress. We now have a roof and will begin putting in the doors and windows followed by the electric wiring. The school is growing with about 86 children now in attendance. We expect in January to have approximately 110. It was a pleasure to lead four boys to the Lord several weeks ago. These boys have sat under the teaching and preaching of the gospel in our school the last few years.

We thank everyone who has given financially. We are currently putting in some much needed outdoor restrooms at our church in Sau Maplot and will be helping in Muzoka soon with some repairs and a concrete floor to their building. We also recently were able to install a hand pump at our main property which we will be using until we can install a solar pump. Because the voltage in the area is so poor, we have had trouble keeping an electric pump working when it is connected to the main power grid.

My parents are coming for a visit in November. We are looking forward to seeing them and ministering with them in the coming weeks. Please pray for them as they travel. Thank you again for interceding to the Father on our behalf!

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

The Sauder Family (Missionaries to Zambia, Africa) July-August 2021 Prayer Letter

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Sat, 18 Sep 2021 15:34:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

July-August 2021 Prayer Letter

Dear Praying Friends,

We thank God that the latest "Delta" Covid strain has now passed through Zambia, and cases are very much lower than what they were several months ago. We thank God for protecting us and all of the Zambians we minister to. There were several weeks in late June until about the end of July where the health system here was overrun with shortages of bed-space in the hospitals along with lack of oxygen. It was a sad sight to see.

I do ask that you keep in prayer one of our missionary friends, Mrs. Charlye Price. She and her husband were missionaries here in Zambia. Towards the end of July, I took them to the airport here in Lusaka because they were travelling back to the US for the first time in several years. They were in the US for several weeks before contracting Covid. Sadly, a few weeks later, the husband passed away in the hospital. We thank God Mrs. Price is now home and is recovering. Please keep her in your prayers as she continues to recover and grieves the loss of her dear husband. We know God will comfort her in this time.

We also praise God that Mwewa, the girl who was flown to Israel for heart surgery, is now back home safely in Zambia and is doing very well in her recovery. She recently even sang a special in church. God has brought her through so much, and we know that He has great plans for her.

In July, we were able to go for a short visit back to Chikuni and Muzoka to meet and encourage some of the national workers there. We praise the Lord for what He is doing and thank God for saving a man by the name of "Mr. Evans" while we were in Chikuni. In much of Africa, many claim to be "Christian," but when you begin to ask questions and understand the culture greater, you find that many are still living with an "animist" religious mindset and have simply "Christianized" their traditional religion to fit their needs. So now, instead of going to just the witchdoctor, they go to both the witchdoctor and a certain "apostle" or "prophet" who claim to have power to defeat their sicknesses and bring prosperity to their lives. Some of these so called "prophets" delve into witchcraft themselves, some secretly and others overtly. We thank God for opening people's eyes so they recognize that their only hope is through Christ alone. Mr. Evans gave a powerful testimony of "Repentance toward God and Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ" when he received Christ as his Savior. We pray that God will use him greatly. The group of believers in Chikuni were recently able to purchase a small plot of land and hope to begin putting up a structure in the future. We have plans to return the end of September, and during that trip, we also plan to visit a new area.

We recently had a graduation for one of the young men in our Bible Institute. His name is Luckson. He is a deaf young man who is a very hard worker. Pray for him as he seeks to get married soon and desires to follow God's plan for his life. We thank God for allowing the schools to reopen in August. It has been a blessing to see things now moving normally. We are grateful for several souls who have received Christ and some that have followed in baptism. We cannot go into every detail about every thing that occurs, but please know that we certainly do value your prayers because Satan is constantly at work seeking to attack the cause of Christ.

On August 11, Zambia had a presidential election. I believe it was an extremely important election that will have very important lasting consequences. The results were not close, and the opposition candidate won by almost twenty percent. Almost immediately, the local currency strengthened by almost thirty percent. Since the new president was inaugurated, there have been many changes, and law and order is being restored. We thank God for this peaceful outcome.

Finally, we want to thank God for bringing in the total estimated funds needed for us to finish building the new school building for our "hearing" school. Our sending church, New Testament Baptist in Maynardville, TN helped tremendously in themselves raising over $20,300 for this project. This gift has been amazing because we have not actively solicited for this project. There are so many things we could do and help with here in Zambia...from building schools for deaf children, digging wells, building permanent church structures, helping with medical needs... that it gets wearisome asking for funds. We know God knows what is needed. He can and will provide. We also understand that the greatest need is for the people to hear the gospel. The gospel will do more to truly change people than anything else.

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

The Sauder Family, Missionaries to Zambia, Africa May-June 2021 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Mon, 19 Jul 2021 19:56:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

May-June 2021 Newsletter

Dear Praying Friends,

It finally happened. We have been waiting for Covid to really cause problems for Africa, and towards the end of May, it finally came to pass. Up until that time, we had felt little effects of the actual disease, just only economical effects from the shutdowns. The lffast week of May, I began to have what felt like a sinus infection. I then developed body and joint pain as well as a fever during the night that lasted for several days. After a few days, my body began to feel better, but I began having a cough. My cough persisted for several more days and kept getting worse. When I began to feel a rattle in my chest, I decided to go to the clinic, this being just the second time since we have lived in Zambia. At this point, the Covid numbers were still quite low in Zambia but were beginning to creep up. The doctors did a Covid test that came back positive, and then they did a CT scan and saw that my lungs were beginning to be attacked. The next seven days, I went to the hospital for intravenous treatments of antibiotics and steroids along with injections of blood thinners and breathing treatments. Also during this time, Danielle developed symptoms that were not as severe along with all of the children with the exception of Jacob. We thank God that my condition did not worsen; and after several weeks, I have completely recovered. When I first went to the hospital, there were very few patients, but by the end of the seven day treatment, the rooms and beds were completely full of people with Covid symptoms. In the weeks after that, the Zambian healthcare system was overwhelmed, resulting in a lack of oxygen and beds to care for patients. Covid testing is limited here, so there really is no way of knowing just how many people have died. Just the other day, we received word that a friend of ours in the town of Kabwe had died. In response to this, the government has once again shut down the school, colleges, and universities. Church activities are limited to one-hour services twice a week.

In spite of all this, we still continue to see the hand of God at work. Through these difficulties, we have felt our spirits revived and felt God's presence. With the school shut down, we have had the opportunity to visit in some of our student's homes and witness to their family members. We praise God that we are are seeing fruit from this. We thank God for every soul that has been saved. I can tell that God has used these trials to refine me and draw me closer to Him during this time.

In our last letter, I told you of a young thirteen yearold girl in our church named Mwewa who had to travel to Tel Aviv, Israel for a major heart surgery. While she was waiting for her surgery, many rockets were fired into Israel; and she along with others awaiting surgery had to spend several days in bomb shelters. We thank God for keeping them all safe and allowing her surgery to go very smoothly. She is recovering very well and has already gained some weight since having her surgery. She is still in Israel but should come home to Zambia very soon. We are grateful to the Lord for helping Mwewa and the other Zambian children who traveled with her group for heart surgeries.

Please keep Zambia in your prayers the next few weeks. On August 12, Zambia will have the presidential election. This happens every five years here in Zambia, and we expect the results to be very close. From my perspective, these elections are the most important elections Zambia has had since their independence and will determine much about the future of the country. Please pray for peace during this time and for the process to go in a right direction.

We are excited about beginning construction on a new school building for New Testament Christian Academy. So far, God has provided about seventy percent of the needed funds to complete this project. We are grateful for this, as we have not solicited for any of this funding. God has seen the need and provided the way. We have built the foundation and will begin to pour the slab very soon. In our next letter, we will share more about this project and what will be needed in order to finish it.

Continue to pray for us! May God find us faithful at home and abroad… But until Jesus comes, there is much work to do.

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

PS: Several have asked for an updated family photo. We recently had some done for the first time in several years. If you would like a copy, please email us at justin.danielle@yahoo.com

Sauder Family-Missionaries to Zambia, Africa-March/April 2021 Prayer Letter

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Fri, 14 May 2021 09:23:00 +0000

Dear Praying Friends,

We thank God for His goodness and grace on our family. We thank Him for allowing us to minister here in Zambia. We thank him for all of our partners who support us and hold us up in prayer. We have now entered the "cool" "dry" season here. It is actually quite nice with sun everyday and temperatures in the mid 60s to 70s. We had plenty of rain this past rainy season, so there is plenty of corn or "maize." There should be no problems when it comes to food supply this coming year. The plentiful rain also helps to produce electricity which is important since most of the power in the country does come from hydroelectric. Having said all this, the economy here is struggling greatly. The local currency has inflated very badly, and many people in the lower income bracket struggle to make ends meet. In August, Zambia will have a presidential election which really has the potential to cause some problems if the results are not definitive. Please keep the country and us in your prayers during this time as the Parliament will be dissolving in the next few days and campaigning will begin in earnest.

God has been good these last few months as we have seen several people come to know Christ and follow Him in baptism. In March, I traveled once again to Muzoka and continued teaching an Old Testament Survey class there to some faithful Christians we have been working with for some time. In April, some of those people traveled to a place called Chikuni where we met together with another group of people. We spent four days together working through a basic Theology course. We had been to Chikuni two other times in the past and saw souls saved. Before we left, it was a blessing to watch as twelve new believers followed the Lord in baptism.

We ask that you pray for a young girl from our main church named Mwewa Yumba. She is thirteen years old and has a very major physical heart problem. Miraculously, an opportunity has opened for her to travel to Israel through some type of medical aid program and have major surgery to fix her heart. This would have been impossible in Zambia. We took her to the airport several weeks ago and shed tears as she boarded the plane. Sadly, she was unable to travel with any relative. Pray for her as she is alone there waiting for her surgery. Five other children who were also part of the program have already had their surgeries and are recovering. She should have hers any day. We have peace knowing that she has received Christ as her Savior.

We continue to be busy every day with church-related activities. We recently had a well attended men's meeting with special attention on personal holiness. Danielle is meeting regularly with ladies, and we are getting ready to break ground on a new school building. We were able to help the church in Sau Maplot concrete the floor of their auditorium and also help them with getting ten benches made so their people would have a descent place to sit. We thank God for this provision.

Sadly, the devil does not stay idle. We have recently had to deal with a discipline issue involving one of our deaf Pastors who has fallen into sin. These issues are always very difficult to deal with and can really bring discouragement. Please pray for this man to truly desire to please God so that we can help to bring restoration.

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder

The Sauder Family (Missionaries to Zambia) January-February 2021 Newsletter

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Thu, 18 Mar 2021 19:31:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

Missionaries to Zambia

January-February 2021 Newsletter

Dear Praying Friends,

The first two months of 2021 were quite difficult for us. After thinking the Covid problems were about to end we had an unexpected uptick in cases during January which led to the shutdown of our school and Bible Institute for that month. Thankfully cases have receded again and things began opening back up in February. We thank God that we were still able to continue having church services and see God work, with folks growing in the Lord in spite of these difficulties. In January, Danielle and I did get quite sick with what apparently was a "flue". I later obtained an antibodies test for Covid and it came back negative. We know of many people now who have had Covid. One of our members had a sister who recently died from it. Pastor Leonard who leads the church plant in Sau Maplot was very sick and on the edge of hospitalization. We thank God he has recovered. We also have some dear missionary friends who had it and recently needed to return to the US because of a heart and lung complication. Shortly after recovering from the flue, I came down with some type of parasite which caused some digestive issues for several weeks. I thank God the medication has now seemed to take effect and I am much better.

Please keep the Danielle's family in your prayers. Her Grandmother passed away a few weeks ago. She had a strong testimony for the Lord and had been sick for many months. At the same time of her death much of the family who were the caregivers during the sickness came down with Covid including Danielle's parents. We give thanks to God that her Father and Mother seem to be ok now. Please keep them and the rest of the family in your prayers. It is difficult to be away during the holidays and with this all happening shortly after it was hard on Danielle not to be able to be with her family during these hard times.

Due to Covid, we had to delay our scheduled trip to Chikuni in January. We were ready to travel but at the last minute were told we would be unable because of a Covid outbreak there. In January while the schools were closed we were able to make desk for about 60 students in our school. The school continues to grow and it is wonderful to see these young students being taught the Word of God. We have had several men's meetings where we have had special teaching on soul-winning and evangelism. In February we had a focus on marriage. We had two banquets. One for the young people and one for the older married folks. Marriage and relationships here many times are far different from what we see taught in the Scriptures. These meetings have been a great tool to disciple our people in what God's Word teaches and expects of us in these areas. The highlight of the meetings was when one of our Deaf young men who attends the Bible Institute knelt down and proposed to his girlfriend! She said yes.

Much evangelism, teaching, and discipleship continue on a weekly basis. Danielle has been busy with our ladies holding special meetings and our sons are involved with a Bible club for the young men. They call themselves the "Unmoveables" which is based on I Corinthians 15:58.

We thank God for His goodness and grace. Things are not always easy but we know that He is worthy!

Lifting Up Jesus

Justin Sauder

October-December 2020 Newsletter for the Sauder Family-Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Sauders 2 Zambia) — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 16:09:00 +0000

The Sauder Family

Missionaries to Zambia, Africa

October-December 2020 Newsletter

Dear Praying Friends,

We are grateful for God's faithfulness in 2020. This was a year that we will never forget. I think back to March and April when there was so much uncertainty. Our faith has been strengthened, and we know from God's Word, that nothing that has come to pass should really surprise us. We thank God that our peace does not come from the circumstances around us but from the one who lives inside of us.

The last few months have been very busy. We have been thankful to have more of a normal schedule since many of the Covid restrictions have been lifted. It is good to be able to minister closer and in person with people. We thank God that the school year ended well, and in spite of being shut down for several months, the Christian school managed to almost triple in attendance in 2020. It is good to see these young children learn about God and his creation around them. It is a pleasure to teach them how to read God's Word and see their eyes open as they begin to understand the gospel. In December, we had an end of the academic school year ceremony for the children, and we look forward to how God will use the school in 2021.

In November, we went on another ministry trip to Muzoka and Chikuni. We had a great time evangelizing and teaching while there. We plan to have another trip that may last a little longer with a larger group there in January. Please pray that God will use us there for His glory. All honor and glory goes to Him for the souls that have been saved.

It has been nice to finally be able to have some special meetings. Recently, we have had a men's special meeting and several lady's meetings along with a Mission's emphasis month. In these meetings, we have had a special time of Bible study and teaching along with fellowship and encouragement. I have been encouraged to see more men taking part with an increased desire to lead. We are planning another men's meeting soon, and men are now volunteering to bring supplies and take part in the planning and teaching. In the past, everyone would look to me for everything. It is a blessing to see this change.

It is wonderful to see God work! We are grateful for the souls that have been saved and the one's who have followed Christ in baptism. We thank God for allowing us also to drill a well and install a hand pump at the church plant in Sau Maplot in December. Please continue to pray for us in 2021. We have a presidential election in Zambia this year, and things are beginning to get a little unstable as a result. We thank God that we know that He is ultimately on the throne, and our only need is to trust in Him.

Lifting Up Jesus,

Justin Sauder