She looked disheveled and poorly clothed – was she drunk? or crazy? The way she sat in the dirt – without the normal Zambian regard for decorum – even in the poorest places they will not sit until there is a reed mat or even a rock to sit on. I wondered her story.

As we started our DBS (Discovery Bible Study) we made our customary round the circle with “What are you thankful for?” When it was her turn she started talking and just didn’t quit! With the others there would be pauses for translation for us few “Whites” in the circle. But not now. And normally the “thankful” question gets very sparse answers, where the next “What are you stressed about?” gets the more fluid, heart felt responses.

But this poor lady just kept talking and talking – not looking to me for approval or wanting to impress or request. She was just baring her soul. She had a load of contagion pent up that needed venting.

Maybe she is a little crazy – nobody just sits in the dirt.

Finally she finished or perhaps someone told her to shut it off for a while till we finish our study. The translator then told me the gist of her story – one not uncommon: her husband found “another wife”. Here that does not mean “in exchange for”, but “additional”. A younger, more supple lady just in the same village. He’s supposed to care for both of them, but that seldom happens.

Then I notice the baby – it’s one of those weird things you look at and can hardly get your head around. The baby is seriously looking right at me – focusing his eyes and staring knowingly right at me! I’m sweating! It’s body looks like a one or two month old very skinny baby, but the face and the eyes looking at me, then glancing lazily around the group, look like maybe 9 months or more! He’s pulled away from the dry and empty breast and looking at me.

As the translator finishes telling me her story I’m putting all the pieces together. The humiliation is too much for her broken constitution to take – a village is basically a large extended family – everyone knows each others junk. Knows and scoffs. Pity is an extravagance few offer here. Easier to scoff.

So the trauma, the hunger, the last straw of despair finally breaks down the thin veneer of respectability and she gives in to drunken rants and throwing stones and railing curses. The baby is forgotten. Sanity is waning. They are both living by a thread.

She sees us sitting here and remembers “that other church” has a Bible study in her village and a glint of hope simmers. She plops herself down and the journey begins.

Like I said, the story is not that uncommon. A lady from the another village started coming to our Sunday Celebrations several months ago – sporadically. We heard lately things weren’t going well for her so yesterday a team of our Zambian workers went to minister to her. Same story – husband ran off with another woman, she’s alone with the kids, starting to go crazy. As the team begins to pray for her the demons start thrashing and the battle ensues. Within a couple hours she is free and hopeful for new strength to enable her to live above her circumstances.

Jesus and His Living Body on Earth is the only hope in this dark and desperate place. Five single moms (from one village!) with their little children walk an hour to come to our meetings – a place of renewed hope for them. A place to touch the Hem of His Garment, to sit at His Table, and ingest courage and grace for the day.

Ignatius was stricken with some unknown deadly illness and kept getting worse and worse. Months of laying in his deathbed – deep bed sores and shriveled arms and legs. Given up to die in his little hut with his three little children watching, his family and friends just passed by. But The Church! Some began to visit and fervently pray over him and bring him food and carry water and assistance. Miraculously his strength began returning. Soon he was sitting. Now he is walking with crutches to church every Sunday and his kids are in our House of Moses. Jesus is alive! We pray for complete healing.

NEWS

The Mandate Discipleship School has been with us four weeks now. Finally things are coming together for them – the LD hippo is a regular visitor now and they played a significant role in casting out a demon during church last week! They have led village DBS’s, worked hard on the gardens and base projects, kids program, preached, got muddy and sweaty. Yesterday we went to Zimbabwe to visit a sister house church movement with 400 house churches. In two weeks, just before they leave they will sit in the back of our tented truck for a 16 hour drive to our base in N. Zam.

New baby to be arriving any day now! Aaron and Jen Mulenga, directors of the Luanshya Love’s Door ministry, are expecting their first birth child to join their 8 orphans

We were sad to say goodbye to our 6 month intern Dana Van Horn. Ok! Ready now for a one year admin helper intern!

LD office in Michigan!! Yahoo! A wonderful woman, Becky Fish, has stepped up to take care of business in the States. We are so happy. Contact her at papasdiamond@gmail.com.

The Board for Love’s Door has asked Dan and Regina to come to to the States for a two month stint of recruiting financial partners and workers. They will be there mid-March thru mid-May, available for sharing their stories and meeting with church leaders. Contact them if you are interested in having them.

A new website will soon be unveiled – in time for the Bumstead’s trip.

Mid-March (when Bumsteads are traveling) we will unveil the new FAMILY TABLE sponsorship program. As they go church to church we pray that there will be a tidal wave of Justice – many people gathering one or two orphans around their FAMILY TABLE for prayer, encouragement and support. If you have been considering it before, this will be the time to commit yourself to a child – to cover him or her under your prayerful care. Watch for it!

Bessy – our new lawn mower – has arrived!

Our kids in both the House of Moses and the House of Noah are excelling at school, getting honors for being close to the top of their classes and one even skipping a grade. Watch our FB page for regular bragging sprees!

If you would like to be a regular supporter of Love’s Door…

Want to join the prayer team….

“And he went out… not knowing where he would go… living in tents… looking for the city with firm foundations whose Architect and Builder is God.” 

God spoke to us years before to “go” – we didn’t have much more than that. Then in my struggles to trust Him, He was so gracious to give us indisputable signs that in fact, it was all true – He was leading us and would provide for us by His hand. I asked for a sign once when on a beach prayer trip – show me a completely whole sand dollar – without a single chip – and I will believe. That day I scoured the beach while praying – one sand dollar – well it had a bit of a hole in it, but not too big. I went to my tent rejoicing. But that night I started complaining again – God, if I am to give up my good ministry, sell my home, leave my family, forsake all I have built for years – you gotta give me better than an “almost” sign! I want a real miraculous sand dollar with not a single chip in it! The next day He gave me 38 such sand dollars! And I could have kept going but I had expended all my energy praising God! Now God spoke clearly – “As you have seen the provision of the sand dollars, even so I will provide abundantly for your every need. I will bless you and all of your dreams will come to pass with my power. The only limit to my blessing is your physical energy to receive it. As long as you are able to take another step, I will be there to to bless it!”

I look at this place God has given us – a most lovely retreat-center-like grounds on the mighty Zambezi. The buildings , gardens, the House of Moses, the streams and dam and water and solar systems, hippos – all are a reflection of God’s powerful hand, fulfilling what He put in our hearts years before. We have our  housing nearly complete – well, at least phase #1: one cement and one mud house, along with three large tents on concrete slabs. We need only a kitchen and improved toilets and showers. This is our 5 day a week camping trip each week, but then we return to our Livingstone house. Well, today I gave our 3 month notice on that lovely house in Livingstone! We will move out to the village base and make it our full time home.

And now we have a second such site in Northern Zambia!

We struggled for 3 years with hardly a convert – just some few who tolerated us. Only after a year did we discover that our people were considered “Unreached People Group” by missions experts – we estimated about .5% were believers. But that has changed. One got miraculously born of God’s Spirit. He told a friend who found the same miracle. And it snowballed from there. Now, in just this year, there are over 50 who are worshiping God! God is truly at work. We believe that these believers will take this message to their family and neighbors. We are training them to lead studies and evangelize – indigenous church planting! Currently we have 5 such gatherings, but we are looking for the day when there will be worshiping home gatherings in each village – all led by these people themselves, singing and speaking in their own language. This language WILL be represented around the throne!

In our first year here we were given a $25,000 donation and immediately built our first Children’s Home. Filling it with children and qualified staff has been hard work, but more beautiful than we imagined. There are no lack of desperately needy children – 20% are orphaned of one or both parents, and many more the casualties of broken homes. Here, too often when a man “marries” (or comes to live with) a woman with previous children, he will reject them, and they bounce from relative to relative, hoping for a decent home, but often not finding. Especially in the village, where poverty dampens hospitality and replaces it with the cruel task master of survivalism. School is a luxury. Even a blanket or one meal or a pair of shoes is more than can be expected. These soon become the despised ones – the “extra mouth to feed” – and they suffer even more. Read the bio’s of some of the children – read and weep! House of Noah Bio’s

So it is amazing to us that we could not fill this House of Moses many times over with such children. Last week we heard of a child whose mother abandoned her for another man, the father had never been in her life, 10 years and never yet to school. Could we help her? NO!

A month ago we asked the mother of a 10 year old boy – she was willing, but her new husband would not hear of it – though he is the one who mistreats the child, does not allow him to eat or go to school – “none of my children went to school – neither will he”. But today I find that she has divorced the man and has come to us right away for help. And we are hearing many more calls for help from town where there is not such primitive fear of the white man.

Our prayer is to double our capacity again this year – with a new duplex for 20 more children.

And we are making the fine details now on a program where each of you can “adopt” one of these children from our homes, or from the village that are also very needy. These can be “adopted” – around your Family Table where you will pray for them daily, write them letters, support them monthly – and we will give them monthly food parcel, send them to school, tutor them and feed them spiritually, give them your letters and a hope that perhaps their life can improve. You cannot imagine what that would do for these villages! Now, one kid in 100 go to 12^th grade. The a cast off orphan going to 12^th grade? No way! But you can make that happen. Here is the link: Family Table/

 In our N Zam base they have a flourishing church growing there, but need a building (they already have a beautiful plot of land) to run kids programs, training of leaders, Sunday Celebration Gatherings of their 6 or more bulging house churches.

But we will need a new level of Western and African volunteerism – both for the southern and northern Love’s Door sites. This is a big faith step for us. Pray for us. Adopt a child. Or three! Serve with us. Longterm. Or a year. There is admin you could do from your home. Write us at lovesdoor@gmail.com if you want to find out more about any of these action steps.

HOW TO PARTNER

• We have some big plans for this coming year. Family Table sponsor program, new duplex children’s home, moving to the base, a gathering place structure in N Zam. We want to see every one of our African staff – north and south – earning a small salary from businesses. We want to see the village churches – north and south – growing more indigenous leadership and multiplying in every way. We are planning a powerful Livingstone recruiting and training program. We have some large teams coming from supporting churches. And perhaps a team of builders to move us forward quickly.

• We still feel there are some crucial gaps in our long term staff. Please pray if you, or someone you know, should come. A three week training in Kansas City is cheap, easy, and some of the most paradigm shifting, life changing stuff you can imagine. All Nations/

• Many of you support us regularly – well, fairly regularly. We just got a new function with Paypal that will sign you up of automatic payments from your credit or debit card. Monthly Debit/  Of course once off donations are very welcomed too! 

• We just had our first person give a significant donation for our sponsorship program – while it’s still not fully off the ground! If you want to jump onboard and be the first to choose your children to sponsor. Family Table  Or if you would consider coming here to help the start-up of this amazing program – selecting children, feeding them, doing Saturday programs, visiting them, reading letters and transcribing replies… 3 month – 2 year interns desperately needed! 

• If you are a serious prayer warrior and want to start regular prayer for the Least in this world, and one of the spiritually darker places of this world – please write us – lovesdoor@gmail.com

• Please keep praying for our African staff – our desire/plan is to build a good business for them. Any business men or women who want to come and manage this – rise up!  

Regina and I are winding down our two month time in the land of good and plenty. We want to thank all the people and churches that made our stay so fruitful.

For Regina and me, pouring into our children’s lives is our highest Kingdom duty, privilege and strategic investment. We are living in Philomath Oregon – living in a trailer behind our oldest son, beside the pastor of this church, in front of our daughter’s family, and just a few miles from our other son and spiritual-daughter! Evenings of work parties and popcorn movies, canoe trips and a beach get-away, year’s goals and worship times – investing in lives – challenging to growth – building unshakable Kingdom in these who are our joy and crown above all others. Our new little Constance Marin is the cherry on top the cake. We will soon have our parting three days at the beach house (thanks Caleb and Hanna Showalter!) praying for next year’s goals, worship, fun, goodbyes.

Let me give a whirlwind of Thank You’s :

For the Churches that have opened their doors to us to come and share this year, and have given of their people and money to partner in the mission to reach the unreached with the Gospel of Christ, and to Touch the Unloved with the transformative Love of Christ:

• IN OREGON:
• Newberg Gospel Assembly – prayer warriors and sacrificial regular investors in our work.
• Sheridan Open Door Community Church – some of our dearest friends and regular partners.
• Oak Street Church in Silverton – turning OctoberFest corn dogs into Kingdom Advance!
• Deep and Wide Church, McMinnville – a deep new partnership in these last couple years where teams have come twice and one of our dearest and best interns! And now they are doing a benefit concert on December 7 for building another orphan home, and are developing an orphan sponsorship program that will soon hit the public.
• Northwest Community Church in McMinnville has encouraged us with their prophetic ministry and are discussing the possibility of bringing a cleansing deliverance ministry to the villages of Zambia!

• Logsden Community Church with relationships spanning 35 years has embraced us again.

• Toledo Christian Fellowship remnant blessed us with a night of fellowship.
• Desert Streams Church in Bend has been a new addition to the churches we have visited.
• And last but not least, the Hive in Corvallis, which has become our home. A place that invests in us and into which we are able to impart a little as well as we are able – including the Mandate School that is again planning a trip to serve with us this year (contact us if you want to join this group in January and February).
• IN MICHIGAN: Crossroads Bible Church in Grand Rapids has continued to be our largest investor, having sent three semi long term team members, 15 or more interns, I probably shouldn’t say how many thousands of dollars over the last 3 years, 3 of our board members, sent a container full of goods, and too much more to count. This year they are planning on sending a team for the first time, set up an office with a volunteer worker, and committing to help build another orphan home.

• IN MANITOBA: Landmark Christian Fellowship – got my socks knocked off with blessing this year – AND they are planning on bringing a team this year.

• We are also blessed to be welcomed into the DOVE family network of churches.

And there are several individuals that need special mention:

• Amanda Hakola, who single handedly fed two work crews building our rental house. Then opened her house to host us to the group she gathered from her church! And now they are praying about coming to serve with us for a time!

• All the volunteers who have been building a rental house for the Bumstead’s residual income – Andy for leading the framing crew, Andrew for leading the foundation crew, Luke for the roofing, Jason for organizing all the crews and finding the house plan, and all the workers on all those crews, and especially Tim Wenger for doing all the contracting work. Thanks all!

• Luke and Emily Martin who let us use their lovely trailer to live in for two months, and Jason and Liana for letting us use their car.

• To Jeff and Shauna Hall and lovely kids in Redding who have become like our kids, offering friendship and plowing heavily into us; as well as their folks, Eric and Arla Roles, who have adopted us and our cause to invest in. Thanks to you.

• To the many quiet regular partners who send their money every month – God will reward you for your faithful obedience and investment into “the least of these”.

• To the businessmen who see their businesses as a means to acquire to capitalize Kingdom initiatives.

• To the prayer team that actually prays for us, giving us words from God and encouragement.

• To all the interns who have given months and years of their lives to serve the poor and the lost in some of the darkest conditions – it is not easy, but you have given freely. God bless you.

• Bruce Cheadle at 77 years is the chairman of our board and is single-handedly (or should I say, on his knees and in his action combined) moving mountains to keep us funded and on track to accomplish all that God has called us to.

• To Linda Vollman who continues to take care of our finances and mail and so many details for us while we are gone.

I know there are many many more to thank, who have given of themselves for us and for the work that Love’s Door has undertaken.

PRAYER POINTS

• Many of you have been praying for David and Ndanda – two of our orphans from House of Moses. They were taken almost by force – the chief himself contending to make it happen – to undergo a ceremony in which they are given the spirit of their ancestors. This shocked us that this happened under our watch. It has deeply shaken us. They were returned and anointed in prayer, but we are still contending to have David returned to our custody. I had a good talk with the relatives today and see that he is back with us finally. Keep praying for them.

• Sustainability. What if the Bumsteads died suddenly? What would happen to the many orphans we are caring for? We had dreamed of making gardens and cows and businesses to make them sustainable, but we are a long long way off from that. What about college or even High School? What about a bride price and a business startup for the kids who graduate out? I made sure my own kids were secure – but what about when my family has mushroomed like this! But this is not just my family – is it not yours!? Is it now we who are partnering together in this work that must carry the obligation for the long-range security for these, our children? Are they not God’s children whose earthly parents have been taken, and we their bond man (the responsible closest relative, as Boaz to Ruth)? Please pray with me about this. What if we all shared in a common commitment to contribute monthly for the orphan ministry – an orphan sponsorship program – and for years on end that money would be designated for that end? What if we knew that even if all other fund raising efforts ceased, there would be a continual income until these kids are 18? What if we had a trust account? Please pray and act.

• Social Welfare asked us to take a family of 5 siblings. Another man in the village called me today to ask us to come and get a five year old. Mama Susan has found several children in town that need a home. When 20% of kids are orphans, there is more need than we can manage. Please pray with us for funding for another Children’s Home. $30,000 for a duplex – enough for 20 more kids! If we can get the money by early Jan we will schedule a WORLD WIDE WORK PARTY! Carpenters from all over gathering to put up this home in record time – show those Amish how to do it!

• Pray for us also to establish our Vulnerable Children’s Program that is needed so desperately in the villages for those who are too old to take into the home or for some reason the guardians will not allow them. I saw Elvis and Abel today – getting so so thin and weak looking. They are older brothers, but excellent kids, of some of our kids in House of Moses. If you or someone you know could come for a year and help establish such a program in the villages, many kids would sleep at night without aching hunger or fear.

• Last call for an operations manager. I am going to put out a classified ad and hire some Zambian to come and run our show. If you know anyone who wants to have a one-year time of his/her life, that is good with details and strong enough to push us all into some semblance of order, young person or older couple, have them write us immediately.

“And he appointed twelve… that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach…”

 I stumbled into the kitchen at 3 AM, troubled by “internal” problems – an intern testing my commitment of unconditional love. In my bleariness I got a glimpse of my prize avocado seed that had finally sprouted in magnificence – the promise of fruit and shade and beauty. Suddenly the Whisper of Jesus came – “I have called you (corporately) to be a place of growth for my people. Each have unique callings – an avocado tree, an African violet, an eggplant… some will not sprout, some will excel. But you must provide a fertile environment for growth.”

Gene Edwards, in “The Early Church”, wrote a line I’ll not forget – “The Body life in those days was a fertile incubator that produced giants like Stephen or Phillip in just a few years.”

I yearn for being a community that is intensely committed to personal growth – the kind of growth that stretches our comfort zones, challenges our personal status quo, upsets our unbiblical boundaries – and that we eagerly invite such adjustments from Jesus – even if it comes thru the loving words and actions of our brother or sister!

As I stumbled back towards bed, my glance fell on a screensaver – a picture of my son engaged in a “to-the-death” wrestling match with his one-year old son! Again the Whisper of Jesus – “The work I have called you to is investing in people, as a Father his son. The goal in a family is not to get big projects done, visions accomplished; but to pour divine Love into the few I have given you so that they may grow into their destined fullness. The resulting accomplishment of visions and projects will come of its own.  Wings are sprouted and strengthened by Love and nurture. Mine is to set the course and do the Mighty Deeds thru them.”

I thought of Jesus – knowing His mission was to save the world, he took a towel and served his few until their lives were transformed, until after three years he could say, “yeah, on this kind of man I can build my church…” . They each in turn did the same to another few – soon multiplying to a cataclysmic movement of Love poured out. His mission was saving the world; But his mandate was Loving the few.

Today I want to honor our interns and staff – the “few” God has given. These have become friends – but more, we have grown together in Jesus, have laid down our lives together, seen the Body of Jesus cause us to blossom into our full destiny. I mention only a sample of the many who should be honored.
Luke Martin – a young Tom Sawyer – was with us for six months – walking around barefoot, playing recklessly with the kids, making good friendships with a few, eating at their houses, making an epic tree chalet, learning how to worship and become friends with God again after many disappointments in life. We planned on him coming back for another year, but now he is in nursing school and happily married. He made a dent in our lives.

Mike Lungu sacrificially left all to serve the lost when his church and friends could not understand. He endured many trials to be trained for a life of missions in South Africa. And when invited to stay in that affluent place, he rejected it as a carnal temptation, returning to his people in Zambia. Even serving with us, he has endured years of pennilessness as God has been building him into a man of faith, able to move mountains. Today he is becoming the leader of the work of Love’s Door in the villages – and his influence in town is growing. His draftees, Ken and Rodrick, have become heroes in their own right!

 Nick and Paula Watts – had a wonderful life in America – successful photographer, web developer – young, beautiful, successful. On a round-the-world trip they just stopped off to visit us in our training in South Africa, canceled the rest of their trip and lives – they were forever detoured – finally went home, set the new course, and in three years moved to Zambia to work in the villages. It’s not easy to break the lifeline to Western existence – one must be brutally strategic and determined. When they got to the villages they were no longer beautiful Californians – they walked the hot paths to the furthest villages to give their lives for the ones everyone had given up on. They had long discussions and came home late. Today they are living among the Buddhists of Northern India.

Sarah Bultman was making an All Nations video project in SA when we first met her. I think she left her heart and her reason there too. Next, we saw her at her home church in Michigan – leader of the missions group. She campaigned to get us the funds for our House of Moses. Within another year she was in Zambia. Sarah is one of those multi-gifted persons who can do anything well. Yet she served the team: pampering us, making us all feel cared for and very appreciated. She also empowered the Zambian staff – creating fruitful ministry from their as yet unfulfilled dreams, helping them to be the leaders they were called to be. And she made the epic LD4AN video that stands still as our voice to the world. Sarah will remain one who made the biggest of dents. She came for six months, lengthened it to ten, then came again for three – and we still dream… Today she influences others to reject the American dream, live in the Kingdom dynamism that depends on resources from Heaven to do the impossible, that dares to live what God has called you to, that gives all for the poorest of the poor, the darkest places of the world where each little candle brings significance. Today, two of our current interns come influenced by Sarah.

How can I tell of the heroes of LD4AN Zam? Jon Blahnik who without a word or attitude of complaint, single-handedly took us through months of lonely dryness where we hardly had money for food…. Nimisha Lala gives herself like no one else to live among the poor, becoming one with them that she might win them to Christ….. Linda Hachilenge, who loves the orphans and vulnerable children enough to actually give her own substance away to care for them, is shuttling between Livingstone and her own ministry 150 miles away. She lives on thin air, yet God provides for her to care for 300 children! All night her tent is lit with a dim glow as she texts back and forth with workers there…. Mandate Teams have come every year – from a month after we arrived in 2009! Each one has been a unique blessing for us….  Jer and Miss and Tizri who walked thru fire and flood to acquire their dream – a daughter for life….     Crossroads Church Grand Rapids has cast Kingdom vision and launched over 20 people to get their lives serving the least and the lost over the years (including pastor Rod, the chairman of our board, some of our favorite long-termers, and four Katies…..    Thad and Mary May – 50′s, professional, house and mortgage, grown kids – yet leaving all for their dream of serving the lost in Zambia…..    And so many more!

This year alone we have had 12 interns, seven staff, and six teams totaling 29 people. These are some of “The Few” God has given us to make a dent in their lives. We hope we have.

If you are still reading this and have not yet signed up to come serve with us, here is the link to get an application and info to start setting a course for “casting the bread (of your life) on the water”, “losing your life for the Kingdom’s sake” and finding your wings…

PRAYER POINTS:

• In one month Regina and Dan go to the States for two months. Ask God for wisdom of how to divide that precious time for His Greatness. Pray for strengthened connections, new God-directed connections. If you want to connect…
• We are so humbled – a group of friends is wanting to build a house as a long term income source for us. Sheridan, Oregon is the place. Find them here if you want to sow into that…
• Mike Lungu has been sponsored by a friend to come to America to share his passion and call at the same time we will be there. He is scheduled to be in Birmingham, Grand Rapids, and Corvallis, Oregon. He is, however, having trouble with his visa – please join us in asking Jesus to open this door. If you want to sponsor him to your church….
• It is too late in the natural, but God is above all that – we are still trusting God to provide some assistance for our team – preferably a mature, ministry-seasoned couple, to stay with our team during September and October when we are in America. If interested contact us for more discussion.

Love’s Door 4 All Nations is a part of the All Nations family of churches. We only share our deep financial needs with God and our prayer partners who really pray – or if someone asks. We do however believe in the Body of Jesus to be the conduit of his Miraculous Supply at many times, so we publish opportunities to partner with us financially.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I have everything that I need:

green pastures… still waters…

valley of death… your rod of correction…

your staff of guidance… abundant table…

enemies all around… anointed head…

dwelling in the Secret Place continually.”

I wonder when I read people’s FB posts – I don’t often, it’s kind of depressing to me – is it only my friends – or do normal people have the “status” of their day exemplified by a statement of what they are dreaming of eating this morning? If they were living on the edge of life and death, of new birth and HIV, of amazing spiritual breakthroughs and tragic failures, could they continue to post such drivel?

Forgive my cynicism – I’ve had a hard week… It seems I’ve been transported between green pastures and valleys of death, then still waters to enemy battlegrounds – with hardly a breath between. In all of these situations Jesus is the Shepherd who has my destiny in mind. When I am dwelling in that Secret Place I can declare in even the direst of circumstance that “I have everything I need”.

Joseph – our oldest child in House of Moses – has left us. Even at 17 years he still needs a mom and dad. We’ve promised we would still be there for him and certainly love him no matter what, but with his characteristic passive sweetness, he has consistently defied our boundaries. Lord, keep him safely near your table. Don’t let him fall into the enemy’s hands.

Then the next moment we hear of the “anointed head” of Mwangala – a seriously “Village” guy – if you know what I mean – and one of the recent sheep Jesus has midwifed. How he went to a deep inner village to visit his family and found his sister very sick. “God told me to pray for her so I put my hand on her head and started praying. I was surprised when my words came out in a language I did not know! I kept praying strongly and when I ended she was completely healed!”

We have been so extremely proud of our House of Moses mamas. They are all three exceptional women. But within two weeks a mysterious discontent has grown and on Sunday, burst its poison. Mama Elina has left us. We are numb with grief – and think of the poor children. She takes with her the brightest light of the Home – Bule, her 1 year old treasure. We know the enemy has sown an evil seed somehow, but it was at night, so we know not how.

Then Sunday in our Celebration service we all frolicked in the green pastures beside the still waters, and laughed! Four testimonies: 1. Mwangala’s wife – seperated for a year has now returned and this month has found a different man! She is so thankful. 2. Chello prayed with Mike last week for Jesus to be his Savior. During the prayer he was startled by things moving in his chest – it scared the dickens out! He wanted to run. But when the prayer ended he could feel total Freedom, and that freedom from the former addictions has lasted. 3. Kephas testified a change happening in his life as another disciple keeps bringing the Word to him and urging him to draw closer to Christ. 4. Parity testifies his DBS group in Komonyana is growing and becoming full of life and power.

The final blow – the Valley of the shadow of Death – came suddenly for the Murphy family. These are good friends and fellow missionaries we have known since we arrived 3 ½ years ago. Their 10 year old daughter was playing with friends when suddenly she fell over and died. Still no explanation. We went to the memorial brokenhearted. But there we witnessed such a powerful testimony to our Lord’s transcendence – even there, in the Dark Valley – Thou art with me… the family stood and gave proof after proof of their unshakable faith in the goodness of their Shepherd – such resignation to his perfect Will – Thy Rod and thy Staff they comfort me – surely that unshakable faith in His extravagant commitment to our welfare brings the ultimate comfort. Without it we are adrift with questions and doubts assailing on every side.

A month ago God warned us to prepare for a great harvest in the coming months. Our first God-directed strategy is to up the ante on prayer. Our monthly all night-ers are olympian in stature! Even at 4am we were soldiers! – check out our FaceBook video (no drivel there!). We are alternating between town and village events to stir the two cultures together, inspire deeper partnerships and to infect the weak in faith with vibrancy.

NEWS BRIEFS

• Our Siamate Pre-school Project is slowly taking shape. 32 kids in rags and way undisciplined – but hey! they are beginning a new thing. We are planning uniforms next month, a few rotating books, a block building by December. [WOULD YOUR CHURCH WANT TO SPONSOR THIS PROJECT? SEND A PRE-SCHOOL COACH, RAISE THE FUNDS, SEND MATERIALS... ]

• Our staff house is enclosed! Another six weeks and it will be complete. And by that time we should have our 3 new deluxe tents (coming on the container) set up on slabs under thatch and furnished with beds and night stands and lamps. A fridge, electricity, hot showers, flush toilets – still dreaming of these – our goal is by year end to be able to move out full time! [A CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISOR FOR “A YEAR OF YOUR LIFE” DESPERATELY NEEDED.]
• The Luanshya Ministry site is experiencing amazing growth in the church – 7 cells that are each threatening to explode. We were informed by Social Welfare that they need to buy a house for the House of Noah Children’s Home. [CAN YOUR CHURCH HELP SPONSOR THIS - WE HAVE AN AMOUNT ALREADY DESIGNATED, BUT NEED A BIT MORE? OUR RESEARCH SO FAR SHOWS ABOUT $50-$60,000 IS THE COST FOR A MODEST HOME FOR THEIR 8 CHILDREN.]

•  STAFF – Twila left us this week after 5 months serving faithfully – we will miss her. (LIKE our FB post for the video of her FLYING!) Four more interns coming in the next two months – one of them a trained Admin specialist! [SIGN UP FOR “A YEAR OF YOUR LIFE” INTERNSHIP – YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!]       Mike Lungu is getting his drivers license – a new driver in our ranks!

• Many of you have been praying with us since Dec for the “Land Crisis” – securing the land we have built the House of Moses on, so we can continue to build another few Homes. We are in the final moments of this saga – WE HOPE! Just waiting on the Chief’s signature – it may even come today.
• Two more baptisms this week!

“So the farmer went forth sowing seed…” ~ Jesus

“… therefore, Go…” ~ Jesus, after his resurrection.

“The world is my parish.” ~ John Wesley

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“How often have you shared the gospel last month?” The question came as I was asking God for perspective on our ministry. We were all about watering and nurturing and shaping the disciples, hoping they in turn would sow the seed – but they were yet too timid. So our focus was on them, and there was no sowing of the gospel to the thousands along this river that were dying at a young age and lost forever from the benefit of the blood that Jesus spilled for them!

We refocused on what should be obvious – the foundational work of church planting is Prayer- soaked Evangelism. But something that is foundational, you must never stop doing. Once the field has been sown and some shoots are springing up, one should not stop throwing seed! There are many bald patches! Don’t start thinking, “Ah, if those villages would have been good soil they would have received the first seed that fell on them. No, we will not sow there again!”

And don’t start focusing on the farm house and barns and machinery when you see 3 shoots springing up. Keep sowing! Sure we need to water and manure the growing ones – but keep sowing.

Soon those plants themselves will start shedding their seed – then get the barns ready!

Statistics show most churches grow for the first five years, then gradually decline. Why? They start out with enthusiastic evangelism, but soon evangelism becomes as scarce as a hair on Yul Brynner’s head. Their focus turns inward.

Bible study in Luanshya

When Jesus told his disciples to pray for more harvest workers (Luke 10) it was as they were walking down the road towards the first town for Kingdom exploits. Jesus wasn’t asking his disciples to pray that more evangelists will come from America or Europe to help in that Jewish field. In essence Jesus was saying, “As you are harvesting souls, be praying over each one, “May this one be set aside for giving his life for the gospel! Father, stir up passion in this one for loosing her life for the sake of your Kingdom!”

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

When I first met Edward I asked him and his two friends to tell me their stories. Then I asked if I could share mine – they were excited about getting a picture into that “other” world. They opened a hornet’s nest! At the end Edward said, “I have been in church all my life, but I have never been born again like you.” I asked if he wanted it and he said yes. Edward is not the same man today! Mike and Ken have been discipling him and, without prompting, has been taking that good stuff and telling his friends – first Parity, then Mabole and now Junior. The first two are with him in preparation for baptism at this time.

One could not imagine it, but Mwangala was a drunk before he moved to Lioka to find work. Now he is so excited about actually living in new birth he is going to the shabeens and telling all his friends.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

As I neared the House of Moses (our Singanga children’s home) I could hear the hushed tones of Mama Susan reading thru a Bible book with them – saying it first in English, then in their language. The single candle glistening off their sincere faces made an unforgettable scene. The three little ones were in bed, so the five others were huddling intently around the coffee table with Mama Susan, crowding close in to see the picture on the book being read. Order prevailed. A question was offered, several hands shot up, a selection, another – usually it would end up with Siloka answering correctly. At which the group would chant in sing-song fashion, “Good boy, good boy, Siloka is a good boy.” One time, to show off because of my intrusion on the sacred scene, one of the smaller boys offered the answer, “What Joseph says” – at which we all laughed heartily. Joseph is the oldest – a 16 year old sage whom all the small ones look to as the patron saint. At the end of the nightly devotions the prayer was said – not like our tame “civilized” prayers! No. This is Africa where people know how to pray – all at once and with speed and fervency, with bowed heads and hands clasped. My eyes could not close for that prayer, but my heart was soaring!

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We are trying to make sowing seed a lifestyle. Tools such as a simple method, a regular schedule, and intentional prayer focus keep us living it daily. We are just entering into the time when our disciples will be the primary evangels, but we must not let up. I try to share the gospel or pray with someone each day I’m in the village. I would recommend this for every believer.

NEWS UPDATE

• Our church is becoming a youth movement! We had never imagined that the young people of the village would be the ones coming to Christ, but they are! We baptized 2 a couple weeks ago and three more are on the docket. All young people. This week I counted 31 of the 51 people were about 17-25 age group! We are so busy trying to keep up with the bible studies – some discipleship, and some evangelistic. We need more village church workers – someone to disciple the young people – especially the girls.Come for 6 months and get in the skin of these young people looking for Life.
• God has shut the door for building a school! A group came into the villages and is going to build a full school in our area, so we are no longer planning on this. We are thankful and confident how God guides us, even sovereignly shutting doors before us. And opening others…
• We are helping a neighboring village start a pre-school. Teachers: a high school grad and a 3^rd grade level adult. Building: an old ramshackle straw house that one would hardly need to huff and puff to blow right over. We will gather 2-8 year olds from 3 villages – about 30 are coming now with the potential for many more. We are putting new grass on the house, digging toilets, getting drinking water buckets, finding some scraps from a nearby mill to make benches. The cost? $1 per month or a chicken per quarter or some labor on a small cooperative business. This will pay the teachers wage and some for school materials hopefully. Our hope is to keep it simple, let it grow, and make it sustainable for them to maintain. We help with the infrastructure. We need an intern for a year to train and establish this school. Please give this request to any home school or pre-school teacher or aspiring teacher you know.
• We are STILL in negotiations concerning the portion of land we are using for development activities. Please pray. Unless you live in Africa you could never believe how many turns and side roads this trail can take! Until we have a secure site we cannot continue building our orphan village. Pray!
• Ken Machisa – a long term Zambian, is leaving us this month to go to a Biblical study school. He hopes to join us again in 6 months. We will miss him SO SO SO much. He is the primary disciple factory – turning earthlings into heavenly beings. Also Rodrick Nkoma has just left us for another training in SA. Pray for these two wonderful Zambian missionaries – it is not easy to be an African missionary with always trusting God for even soap and toothpaste. If anyone wants to support some of these guys please let me know – Linda, Rodrick, Ken, Mike are the ones with us.
• The Luanshya ministry center and House of Noah are prospering as well. There are new bible studies in the villages. They are facing opposition and accusation from jealous churches and husbands as people are getting set free from life-long bondages to sin. Please pray about coming and serving with them for 6 months as a volunteer in their home or in village ministry work. This is a context with zero Westerners involved in the work – a place for real pioneers to follow Jesus in service to the least. 
• I read in Acts 1 today that “someone is to take his place of ministry” – IS IT YOU? Pray about it. I am calling to the Western church – unentangle yourself from your bonds. Come and throw yourself into the Kingdom work for a year or three. You will not regret it – at the end of your life you will be a proud steward – somehow you actually found the way to do it right, when so many are trapped in the machinery of “progress”. This could be the thing that gets you back on the True North Alignment again. This is not for Love’s Door – it’s for you! Will you go from High School to College to Career to Marriage to Obligations – and wait until you are 60 to be able to do what you are really passionate about? Live Today! For such a time as this…
•  Thank you so so so very much for your ongoing partnership, love, affirmation, support, prayers. We hear from different ones how our ministry has enriched their lives – that is the Work of God – we are so humbled to be vessels. We love and need you!

“Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink – even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk – it’s all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen, and I will tell you where to get food that is good for the soul!”

Sweat was running down my back as we finished off the Bible study in Siamate village. Our method is to remake the sermon given Sunday at our main church gathering into an interactive Discovery Bible Study at each of our village gatherings during the week. Once again the message was describing the gospel – God’s too good to be true offer that He would take the guilt of our sin on Himself and give us Life eternal – and the only cost to us is just to believe on Him and His sacrifice. Come, take your choice of wine or milk – it’s all free! 

As usual, the people are very attentive and want prayer afterwards. As I am packing up to leave, one of the men asks if he could accompany me on my way back to our base. After some time of silence, walking single file down the narrow path along the river, I hear him say, “Dan, I’ve been living a very bad life. I want to tell the people at our church meeting on Sunday that I’m sorry and ask them to pray for me.” I have been praying for this guy for years – one of the handfull of guys in all of these villages who has gone thru 12^th grade, leadership gifts, so much potential – yet wasting it on decadent living  “Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?”

Sunday the confessor isn’t there, but another young man stands up and says basically the same thing – the gift of repentance is being poured out on us!

Another young man comes to church that morning – he feels that someone put a curse on him (put some “bad medicine” on the ground and when he stepped over it the curse came on him), resulting in semi-paralyzed hands and feet that required the mysterious ministrations of his mother cutting him with razor blades all night. But deep down this man knows that prayer to God is the best medicine, so he comes and asks for prayer.

We are seeing some young men getting excited about Jesus for the first time here – two of them are going around to all of their friends who are not coming to church and sharing the same bible stories they learned here.

Today I heard that Ken and Mike had a clear sense in the morning that they should be bold, for the Lord had assured them He would back up their boldness with signs and wonders. Sure enough, during a typical village bible study two of the participants were acting sick. Mike was getting impatient for the study to end so he could see God’s miraculous Hand. The ladies gave a polite nod to the request for prayer. But in a few minutes both the severe sore tooth and the crippling sore back were totally healed! And the ladies were hooting and praising God like they had never done before.

Then on the way back from that bible study they ran into another sick person who also got God’s touch of healing.

But this kind of action does not come without opposition of course. The enemy is losing property and is ticked! 

Three years we have been praying and working for testimonies like this! God is touching lives and allowing us to be in the middle of His opening of Truth to the Toka people.

CURRENT EVENTS

• In the final phase of the Mandate Discipleship Schools 6 week Zambia stay 10 of us traveled together to our Luanshya base in N. Zambia. On the way north we picked up our new(er) truck just bought (by generous donations!) and being driven south by Ken. Arriving at 4am in the pouring rain we all crammed into the Luanshya House of Moses children’s home for 4 days and nights. Aaron and Jen Mulenga are saints – raising the 7 kids, working a farm for sustainability, sharing the Word in the village, and living on 2 meals a day without fridge or indoor water or cook stove! We are committing to upgrade them – please join with us.
• Please pray with us – we are being attacked again – accused and threatened by our village leaders. God is speaking to us to be calm and trust Him. But please pray. If you want to be on our prayer team – FOR INTERCESSORS ONLY – please email me.
• We were visited by a team from Crossroads Bible Church who are our major partners in this work – pastor Rod, son Gabe, elder Kevin, daughter Ally, and the chairman of our board, Bruce. Showing off our stuff, brainstorming for the future, tourist enjoyments (including a trip to Chobe Game Park in Botswana), and loads of work on the staff house.
• Another Zambian staff member has joined us – Linda Hichilinga. She has been working on her own program, caring for the orphans and vulnerable kids in villages a few hours away. We are happy to join forces in this Kingdom.
• It’s always good to see a team leave full of God. And it’s a breath of fresh air afterwards to get back to the Lean Machine – just the 8 member SWAT team. The enthusiasm is high – challenges come from various ones: let’s commit to more days in the village, more prayer, more passionate appeals to the lost. We are starting work on a prayer house now. God’s working.
• We are partnering with a village committee trying to continue our Educate Africa Initiative from last year. They have 24 kids they are sending to School wannabes

  school, a field planted, chickens from each child, and a bit of money from each child to start a baking business. Several of them are rising up with vision and commitment to make this work, so we have committed to match whatever they can earn for this year. I have heard they have also started a pre-school in a distant village because of our encouragement, which we may need to support as well. Our method is, when we see initiative from the locals to do all that they can do to improve their lives, we will assist them only as needed until they can sustain it themselves. This is true development – when the locals can be empowered to develop their own programs to improve their lives.

• A huge thanks to all those at Crossroads in Grand Rapids for filling our container with all kinds of goodies. It is now crossing the Atlantic, going south around the Cape, up the coast to Tanzania, then overland to Zambia. We may see it around June. Thanks so very much!

The six of us sit around the common quest in Queen’s compound, as customary – the men on little stools and the women on a grass mat – helping to pull the offensive strings out of the pumpkin leaves as we talk. The dog is lolling on the ground; the chickens alternating incursions onto the mat for bits of the morning’s meal; the morning’s fire sending a single fine plume from the center of the 3 rock “African stove”. Rodrick is translating, Twila, our newest intern, is getting acquainted with village life, and I have an urgent message. But first we visit.

The simplicity of this lifestyle is enchanting – even Zambian town folk long for this quietude and vital connection between daily chores and survival. Subsistence living they call it – hand to mouth. You weed the field in the early morning, then back home, pick and prepare the leaves from the garden or pathway for lunch, put a fresh layer of mud on a portion of the house and you’re ready to fix supper by 8 or so, and then to sleep. Interruptions are constant and welcomed – I doubt they even have a concept of interruption – the journey from one event to another, unscheduled, unhurried, enjoying the fullness of each encounter regardless of the one you just missed – it leaves a Western Production Machine like me, stunned.

Moses tells of how he almost got devoured by a monster crocodile while washing clothes this morning – it grabbed his leg and, according to it’s strategy, was about to twist and hit him with it’s tail, when Moses threw his chetenga (a multi-purpose cloth used as a skirt, a rolled up turban, a cushion for carrying heavy loads on the head, and now I find, as a croc diversion!). The croc let him go and went after that instead while the skinny naked black man fled! We prayed a fervent prayer of renewed commitment and thanks that God would spare this man for better and more purposeful days! It just so happens that Moses, a notorious drunk with a sensitive conscience – drawn to Light, but recoiling in shame – came to church with us last Sunday and was deeply impacted. I suspect God is reeling him in.

As we talk I examine 2 year old David’s many poc marks covering his limbs – what could this be, I wonder. They say it’s the same affliction his father Theo had. David’s serious face brings Theo alive again – one of our first and most ardent of disciples who Jesus took to heaven after our first 10 months here. We were crushed, but now when I look at this little Seed of Theo, and as we negotiate what it would be like to raise him and his brothers in our children’s home, I wonder if God will yet complete this story that seemed so prematurely ended when Theo died. What if we can disciple these children into Kings, as we were discipling him? And, what if, instead of an ounce of transformation that we would have seen in Theo, we see radical transformation of his two sons as they are moulded 24/7/365 for 15 years! A Biblical Worldview, godly values, possibility thinking…

There are several more kids we take into the House of Moses today – all with tragic stories of rags and neglect. In Africa’s village an orphan will survive – that’s the goal. But nothing more. All thoughts of personal potential and dreams have died with the parent. Forget about good schooling or advancement. But what an opportunity for the Church of Jesus! – to receive the the residue of Africa’s fallenness – the promiscuity and corruption and propensity to witchcraft giving birth to the only continent that continues to decline in all vital signs of health – and these orphans are like the sludge from such a factory. But mixed with a new ingredient – Heavenly Mana – these dregs will become the very medicine that will heal this dying continent! If we can gather these 30% of kids into homes designed to infuse Jesus’ life and truth and educational excellence thru their formative years – what a wealth of potential for the Kingdom of God! Talk about Apostolic Mission! Talk about Church Planting! Talk about a movement! I wish every Christ Follower on earth would catch this vision and begin to invest in it.

TODAY’S NEWS

• Besides the 5 new children in our Singanga House of Moses (Regina will give more detail on them in the next blog), we have partnered with 4 families to help their orphaned children with school and monthly food. But it’s so hard when you get under the surface and see the silent cry of so many other children that desperately need help as well. God give us grace to grow and help them as well. Lord, send workers to search out the broken and bring them into the fold.

  School under a tree

• We are in serious discussions with village leaders about starting a kindergarten and 1^st grade school – “under a tree”, as it were. They are desperate to start something for the kids growing up without schooling, and willing to take initiative to saddle the 2 high school graduates in the area to teach in whatever shelter they can quickly come up with. They will probably build a temporary reed structure on our property, and we will certainly help with finance and advice.
• We finally squeezed thru the eye of the needle – the testing time of the last months – onto higher ground! The village headman has fully released the land he was contending for, selling it to us for a moderate $15,000. And most of you were not aware of our most drastic financial crisis in Dec. (we share these only with our prayer partners and board to “make room for God” Rom 12:19) and how God answered with the most hilarious, extra-ordinary donations from many sources in the last week of that month – more than the entire years donations!
• Our Singanga All Nations Church is progressing well. We have started a Sunday service in Church Meeting

  our Gathering Place – definitely a new day for these 18 villages that have never seen an evangelical, Christ following church like this before. Many remain suspicious, but the walls are coming down. And we have 2 new village Bible Studies.

• I am writing this from our base in N Zambia (Luanshya) where there is a beginning of a Jesus movement in the village of Walale, as people are getting saved, delivered, excited and telling others. Aaron and Charles are indomitable evangelists and church planters.
• The children’s home here is in need of major renovation – plumbing, electrical work, furnishings, stove and fridge – probably a new house would be easier! Please pray for some to partner with this exciting new work – interns, prayer partners,finance partners. They have also had the sad experience of one of their teen Luanshya Ministry Base

  daughters going astray and getting into trouble – please pray with them as they struggle thru this. [DONATE here. PRAYER PARTNER here. INTERN here.]

• Our month old Sports and Leadership Academy (still trying to find a better name for it) is definitely attracting attention. Young people are swarming to our place – girls for the netball and guys for soccer. Willy has selected a team of 24 boys and 12 girls to train, but many more are benefiting on the side. We need many interns to volunteer for 6 months or more to work with this program – please pray about coming – YES, YOU! [DONATE. INTERN. ]
• Our staff house is coming up! We had a good shot in the arm as Jason and Liana [BLOG] came and devoted time into helping. And this week there will be another carpenter coming to help for a week. Pray for a good Construction Man to VOLUNTEER during these numerous upcoming construction projects!

  Mandate Discipleship School

• Mandate Discipleship School  has been a wonderful blessing to the work here. They are doing DBS bible studies, hoeing widow’s gardens, and blessing our long term team with their wonderful worship skills. We will miss them as they leave in a week.
• Adam King, our Administrative Assistant, will leave with Mandate. Boo Hoo! We are desperate for another already. PLEASE PRAY ABOUT COMING AND SERVING IN OUR OFFICE FOR A YEAR. I can almost guarantee it will be a life changing experience for you – living in community with Extreem Prayer Zealots, on mission, reaching the unreached peoples, serving the orphans and widows – ahh – what an opportunity! And for the right person we would even help with the expense, which is not much in the first place. [Find application HERE.]

The small parcel of land between the Red Sea and the chariots of Pharaoh is a holy ground. It is a place where all thoughts are only on Heaven. No one is indifferent. No one is sinning and selfish. All are on their knees, hungry and waiting for one thing – the Voice of God. A hush pervades. There is no striving – the arm of the flesh cannot accomplish deliverance. Rather a peace of resignation to the Will of God. An expectation of His Intervention with Power.

Faith rises in that Place. Unity is tangible. Fervency erupts unsolicited. Fear is replaced by joy at the expectation of God’s coming surprise.

 Like a child seeing the bare floor under the Christmas tree for many weeks, and now the last night has come, and still nothing. The fear of the Great Disappointment that might come is mercifully turning to hope, and then to joyful expectation that the morning will reveal the true nature of the Father. He will not let us be disappointed. He will not fail us. His love and resourcefulness is too large.

 This is where we have been camping lately.

For the first time in our Zambian ministry we are experiencing hostility. The village that invited us is rising up against us. There is a threat of take over in the air. Or worse – a threat of continuing in our place, but with neither trust nor agreement with our neighbors. God warned us prophetically the morning of the first village meeting where it all came out, assuring us that He is at work.

They want to force our hand to build them a school on the land we have dedicated and prepared for our orphan ministry – turning the throw away kids into the pastors and teachers and governors of tomorrow. We have been preparing to build a school – a crucial piece for transforming lives. This action is stepping up our timetable. But the spirit of entitlement is threatening to ruin it all. We view sustainable, Kingdom development as a partnership – the locals providing their resources and we supplementing with ours.

Entitlement wars with that concept. Entitlement demands a gift – but even then doesn’t view it as a gift, but a debt. There is no thankfulness with entitlement, only an underlying sense that there should be more – that the gift is only one payment on a much larger obligation. Greed is not exclusive to the Developed World.

Our intercessory team has been standing strongly with us. FOR ALL INTERCESSORS: A key verse Jesus showed me: Zech 3:1-7 > Zech is watching as Jesus is ministering to Joshua the High Priest, chasing away Satan’s accusing lies and ordering the angels to change his spiritual and soul clothes. Then v5 Zechariah himself – an intercessor – interjects, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” Did Jesus object to the intrusion of a mortal? No! “…So they put a clean turban on his head.” At the end of this encounter Jesus assures Joshua, “I grant you free access among these who are standing here.” – meaning: Jesus, the angels, and the intercessors are at the beck and call of this crucial Kingdom leader! It seems Jesus called Zech into that vision for the purpose of intercession, and invited Joshua to call to the Lord at any time, and He will alert His intercessors and angels! Amazing the inter-dependence of Heaven and Earth!

A month ago we shared a gnawing fear that perhaps our staff is going to decline to a critical level. We had only a sense of a New Season coming – with no descriptive name or picture of it’s characteristics other than: “unknown, different, a season.” In fact our staff is merely morphing – from a predominance of Westerners to a Zambian dominance. The three young Zambian men have become the Core – the Pillar. Other town Zambians are proving faithful partners and perhaps soon staff. Another CPX trained Zambian coming in December. I ask you to pray about investing financially in these workers: Mike, Ken, Rodrick, Willie, Joseph and Limpo.

God has been so gracious to lead two very capable part time paidstaff as well. Mr Machisa has just agreed to do all of our bookkeeping except handling the cash and a few details! Brian Mulenga is putting in 2 days per week supervising the House of Moses. We are still seeking 2 detail oriented 1 year volunteers – one for the businesses of the Orphan Homes, and one for the team house and ministry.

November 10 we established Love’s Door 4 All Nations Luanshya base, a dedicated property, a full time couple (Aaron Mulenga and his brand new bride, Rebecka), an orphan home with their 7 beautiful children, and a small team of co-laborers. They are doing discipleship oriented church planting in the village, dreaming of building a base suitable to hosting teams and community development, and raising orphans to God’s glory. Are there some young people who want to give a year or six months to laboring with this couple? 

We have about 5,000 special earth/cement, interlocking bricks made. We just started on the foundation for our first small staff cottage – nestled under the huge African tree and overlooking the wild Zambezi. Even as the children of Israel before the Red Sea, with doom threatening all around, we have heard the Lord say as He did to Moses, “Why are you crying to me?! Tell the people to go forward!” (Ex 14:15)

We were shocked to discover that the “mama” for the House of Moses was pregnant! She had an illicit affair. So after much prayer, teaching and counseling, we let her go, along with her 3 children. This has hurt and confused us deeply. Thanks to God, long before this situation developed, we were sent another lady who has been tremendous. Elena, with her little Blessing. Discipling in the ways of holiness must be a daily lifestyle.

Finally, God is doing a miracle in bringing a tractor, bikes and guitars an ATV – an email this morning with 28,000 meals (5,000 lbs) for hungry children. A container loading in Grand Rapids Michigan! I didn’t even know it had a port! Ha! God is hilariously astounding, isn’t He?

 Thanks dear friends for partnering with us. I had a vision last week while worshiping: As Jesus was on the cross, looking down at the lost world, he saw each of the people groups of history, and finally the Lozi and Toka Leya peoples and said, “I thirst…” in other words, “Who will bring these peoples to my cross and then my throne for eternity?” And soon people, blood bought servants with no name or glory of their own, were led to him in small groups. As one group after another bowed before his bloody cross they confessed, “Master, Lover of our souls, we owe you all our service. We will go and bring this people to your cross.” And they were assigned one group. Finally there were Regina and me and Nimisha and Mike and Ken and Rodrick and Mays and Sarah and others, kneeling with heads bowed, taking our opportunity to slake the thirst of our dying Lord for the souls of the Lozi and Toka Leya peoples. What an honor we have. As you partner with us, you too can join with us before Jesus’ cross and throne to bring these, his treasure to Him.

Ps 33:6* A king’s salvation is not in the power of his army; a strong man is not saved by his great strength. 17* A horse is a false hope; his great power will not make you secure. Our souls are waiting for the Lord; he is our help and our salvation.

My heart is constantly tested to put trust in something besides Jesus. When there is a promise of new resources I find my hope and joy circling like a vulture, eyeballing a tasty, tottering doe – “Ah, this will propel us into success!”

But when the day of trouble comes, my fear and doubt flare up like a prairie fire – “Woe is me. Maybe God has not said… Should we just give up? How will we accomplish what we came so boldly to do? What will people think of us…”

Another dear, long term worker has decided to move on. That makes 5 so far this year. Will others leave us as well? Will we work alone in this land? (I hate to publish this because I picture you thinking my negative thoughts – about God’s lack of favor, about our vision, or leadership… and truth be told, none of them are above scrutiny except the first.)

The house mother we had invested so much into, and had such high hopes for, has been hiding her pregnancy. We had to let her go – at least for a season. She was also a leader in our church. She is learning repentance and consequences for sin.

In “the day of trouble” it’s easy for team unity to become porous – little backbitings and offenses creep in like mold in the corners. Excited Vision turns to Extended Vacations. Strategic planning for new ideas turns to second-guessing old ideas.

Rom 5:3* “..let’s have joy in our troubles: in the knowledge that trouble gives us the power of waiting; 4* And waiting gives experience; and experience, hope: 5* And hope does not disappoint.”

The power of waiting…

The strength of being needy and dependent on God to come thru…

“Like a weaned child...” scripture says about our relationship with God. To be restrained from what I crave, yet broken, submitted to the deprivation.

I am looking forward to a season where the leaves have fallen – the fruit unseen – the winter having stilled growth. Perhaps we will learn new trust in Jesus, new power from the 40 days in the wilderness. If the fast and the testing produce more power and anointing then we are content. Perhaps our roots will go deeper. Perhaps we will lean more happily on one another.

“For though the fig-tree has no blossoms, and there is no fruit on the vine, and work on the olive comes to nothing, and the fields give no food; and the flock is cut off from the stall, and there is no herd in the cattle-house: 18 Still, I will be glad in the Lord, my joy will be in the God of my salvation.”

It’s even possible that God will wait until the middle of winter, when our strength is finished, to bring forth His! 2 Co 12:9f “And he said to me, My grace is enough for you, for my power is made complete in what is feeble. Most gladly, then, will I take pride in my weakness, so that the power of Christ may be on me.”

PRAYER AND PRAISE

• Thanks to God for the completed adoption of Tizri into the Weismann family. This has been a long, heart-wrenching process, and the team has stood united with them even when it was hard. They will be returning to the States soon
• Along with them Thad and Mary May and Sarah Bultman will be leaving – these came for 3 months to add strength while Bumsteads were on furlough.Thanks for your service.
• A huge thanks to Jesus and His Body which has so generously treated us during our two months in N America. I want to mention them all: Open Door, Newburg Christian Assembly, The Hive, Second Street Silverton, TCF Remnant, Creekside Home fellowship, Wolford Group, Landmark  Thad and Mary May

  Fellowship, All Nations KC Church, Crossroads, Logsden Neighborhood. And then to the many individuals who hosted us – we could not name them all – but especially Andy and Norma Bumstead for putting up with us; Richard Wenger for the lovely trailer to call home; the Flamingo car from Gary Wenger, Bruce and Pat Cheadle for a fabulous week, Larry and Ina Reimer in Landmark, and tons more!

• We are gearing up to build a little cottage for Regina and Dan on the village base. Our first staff house. Friends are coming mid Dec to help. Pray for 1. Grace to do it well. 2. Provision for more cottages. 3. Wisdom to know how.
• A miracle in the works – a friend in Canada told me he felt impressed to find a few investors to buy a tractor for us if we can ship it across. I had little hope for that! Then next week in Michigan someone with a container going to Zambia said we could fill half of it! So that’s the first part of the miracle. Please pray that funds will come in to buy the tractor (we have already almost $10k!) and that many surplus things from Michigan area might just flow without constraint.
• We continue to ask God for workers – office helpers, handiman types, mechanical types, disciple makers, builders, lovers of the poor and the lost. We love interns willing to come for a year or less, but especially we are praying for servants willing to come without time table.