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Zambia Christian Mission
P.O. Box 873
Ndola, Zambia
"AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST" IN CENTRAL AFRICA. (II Corinthians 5:20)
Volume 6 February 1972 Number 1
m. QluUAi:
A couple weeks ago on Saturday after
noon I walked into the classroom of the
Lubuto Church of Christ building and to
my surprise there were about 50 children
sitting there listening to Goodson Sande
Sikombe teach a Bible lesson. When I later
asked Goodson about the class he told me
that for several weeks he had been meeting
the class on Saturday and again on Sunday
^norning. Goodson, you may remember, is
the young man who was o^r first interpreter
when we came to Zambia in 1967. He has
been a great servant of the Lord and is been a great servant of the Lord and is Cood.son Sikombe with his Hible school class ai Lulmio.
constantly seeking new ways in which to serve. This class is just one of many ways he is influencing
others to live for Christ.
Of course, Satan is also working. Last Saturday right after I had taken this picture for the Zambia
Messenger, a large man came walking across the church yard. He seemed very disinterested in what we
were doing until he happened to spot one of his children in the crowd. He started toward the child letting
out a violent oath as he tried to catch him. The child ran as if running for his life. The father was angry
because his son was at church and probably gave him a severe beating when he got home. This is not an
uncommon occurrence as we see the forces of Satan working to keep people from the Lord.
Please pray for the Christians here as they endeavor to be bright lights in the midst of darkness. Know
ing of your prayers and interest is a great encouragement both to us and the Zambian Christians. May God
bless all of you with His loving presence.
Yours in Zambia for Christ,
Peugeot Truck for Bush Work
When Dean's Aunt. Coral Ann Strickler, visited-
us in 1968 she was struck by the need we have for
a vehicle to travel over the rough muddy roads in
parts of Zambia. When she returned to the States
she began a "Land Rover Fund" to help purchase
such a vehicle for us. Through the assistance of
friends and church groups to which she has spoken,
over SI.700 has been raised. Because of the press
ing need, we borrowed the remainder of SI,700
needed to get this truck which is well equipped for
all the work we do. It is much less expensive both
to purchase and to operate than the Land Rover.
I^iss Strickler is continuing her persistant drive to
pay off this vehicle. We want to THANK her and
all who have assisted her in this project. If you
wish to help you may sendyouf contribution, marked
"Truck Fund" directly to Miss 0.A. Strickler, P.O.
Box 2253, Arizona City. AZ 85223.
Miengwe Church
Continues to Grow
The Miengwe Church of Christ now has an adult
membership of over 25 with the promise of several
more additions very soon. Attendance for both the
Sunday morning services continues to be 45 to 50.
Since this village is a government re-settlement
scheme to re-group the people into more productive
farming areas, there are new families moving into
Miengwe village each month. Since the Church of
Christ is the only one there at present, each new
family becomes prospective members. We hope that
we will be able to start construction on a church
building as soon as the rains stop, "/our prayers
have aided tremendously in the success of this work.
Please continue to pray for these people as they
learn the way of the Lord.
Miengwe people just after they were baptized
REVIVALS HELD
The LUBUTO. CHIWALA and KAWAMA Churches
recently had revivals at which the leaders in the
respective congregations took turns preaching. Dean
preached one night at each meeting and provided
transportation and a generator for lighting at each
service. There were several baptisms into Christ
both during the three weeks of revivals and immed
iately following them. Also this gave the three
churches opportunity to get to know each other
better and enjoy the blessings of Christian fellowship.
25th Anniversary Service
Mission Services
Kempton, Ind.
MARCH IB, 1972
10:30 a.m. (E.S.T.)
Please support this mission to missionaries
with prayer
with monthly contributions
with a special gift to help reach their
goal of $125,000 at this anniversary
Last month we had another
"first" in Zambia, the death of
Id one of the Christians here.
^ Several people asked us when we
were on furlough how funerals
were conducted and we always
answered that we didn't know
^ because we hadn't had that experi
ence. Now we have and it was
quite different from anything we had ever seen before.
Let me begin at the beginning.
It was on a Saturday morning that two of the
Chiwala Church leaders came to our house and told
us there had been a death in the church. A young
woman, Ellie Mushende, who had given birth three
/i^^eks before in the village had died Friday night,
ne Church was going to buy the coffin and take
care of the funeral expenses because the family
had no money at all. Ellie's father was in deep
despair because he had no money to pay the expenses
and had no way of transporting the friends and
relatives from the village to Ndola where the burial
would take place. The elders assured him that the
church would pay the expenses and that Mr. Davis
would bring the mission truck out to take everyone
to the funeral, and would help in any way possible.
The first thing that was to be done was to buy
the coffin and some black and white cloth to cover
it, and then take the coffin to the hospital. The
coffin was constructed of masonite and cost about
$13.00.This was covered with the black cloth while
the white cloth was used to wrap the body. A blanket
was also purchased to line the coffin.
Judy and our new baby.
When we arrived at the cemetery the friends and
relatives all went up to view the body. This brought
on the loud wailing which the African people do to
express their grief. It is a singing or chanting wail
that sends chills all over you. This was continued
white everyone walked up to the coffin. After every-
BOearFriends in America,
It sure was good to
be home for the holidays,
but now I am enjoying
second term at Rift Val
ley Academy. When I was
home the churches were
really doing good. I didn't
have a chance to meet
all of the people and I
didn't know all of them
because there had been
quite a few baptisms
which was really good.
I am having a good
time here at school,
being with all my friends.
The subjects aren't too
hard but they aren't easy either.
During the first term we played soccer and that
was fun (especially when you were on the team).
This term we are playing football and basketball
which I am enjoying.
Also last term I had fun keeping some rabbits.
I had a male and a female. The girl had babies but
they all froze to death. About two days before term
break I didn't have any place to leave the male so
some friends and I killed it and ate it. It sure did
taste good.
My birthday is this month and I will be 14. I
miss my parents at times but I have a lot of fun at
school. I have to go now.
Yours in Christ,
,'j;m
P.S. HI DEBBIE.
^kank ifon
Ce liie g.ij'lA and Cell
lAio. al ill io. a('\Vay.i ^
S^^<ln^Le^jnP ta mulF an<l al'ly al^
g(Efiitodmtwi. lime, ffie ean'l lel'F yon mueli ^
Kyou at ^ome mean to ua and v2e piay
Kfifeoainy on you (!ot a vJontleifuF ycoT in 1972.^
one had viewed the body, we began singing hymns
and the wailing stopped. While we were singing the
the male relatives nailed the top on the coffin and
then nailed down two white strips torn from the cloth
to form a cross on the top, signifying this person
was a Christian. Then Dean preached a message
from God's Word. Following this the male relatives picked up the coffin and
carried it to the grave and lowered it with ropes. We were singing all the way.
After the coffin was lowered we all threw on a handful of dirt, then the men filled
in the grave. The women of the family, mostly sisters of Ellie, had remained
behind and were wailing while all this took place.
When all this was finished we all walked back to the truck to take the vil- i
lagers home, about 15 miles from Ndola. The big question now was what would
happen to the baby now that the mother was dead. He had been taken to the hos-
pital along with Ellie when she became gravely ill, and he was still there. Now
his food supply was gone, and his relatives simply could not afford to feed him. W-
His father had deserted the family before he was born and it would be up to
Ellie's family to take care of the child. The church members were all afraid the I
baby would die too, and he probably would have. The family was going to take
him back to the village on Monday, and after that what would become of him?
Dean and I talked it over and we decided to ask the family if they would let us
keep the baby for the first few months and feed him properly. The people were at first shocked at our offer, but were
happy that we cared what would happen. The relatives all talked it over on Sunday and were to come and let us kno^^
Monday morning at seven o'clock. Saturday night and all day Sunday all we could talk about was the possibility of u.
suddenly having a new baby, and the blessings and drawbacks it could bring. Was this God's way of filling our personal
needs now with Jim and Cindy away at school? Was it to become a way of becoming closer to the people with whom we
were working? Would we be able to give him up after caring for him as our own? And would the family accept him back
into their village after we had cared for him? None of these questions could be answered right then, but we would have
to wait on the Lord to answer them for us. Well, Monday we were up bright and early. It was pouring buckets of rain and
really gloomy and dreary. Seven o'clock came, eight, nine, and no one came. Finally we had to leave as this was the day
we were to pick up the truck we were buying to use in the bush. We were both disappointed because we were not going
to have a baby after all. But, when we go back home about an hour later, there was the grandfather and one of the elders
on the porch. Dean said. "Well are you ready to become a new mother?" We had nothing for a baby, but thanks to all our
friends here we've borrowed a bed. buggy, clothes and blankets. The first two months have been hard due to the fact
that David was premature and required a lot of care. He was only 5'/2 pounds when we got him at three weeks, and had a
hard time adjusting to the bottle. But God has blessed, and in the next Zambia Messenger I want to tell you the effect
this has had on our lives. David's relatives and the entire village.
FIELD ADDRESS:
P.O. Box 873
Mdola, Zambia, Africa
MISSION SERVICES
BOX 177
KEMPTON, INDIANA 46049
Address Correction Requested
FORWARDING AGENTS:
Mr. and Mrs. Skip Allen
P.O. Box611
King, N.C. 27021
eo
^osr,
NCM PtOriT OICAMIIAT torn
Mir,
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The Christian Mission, Vol. 16, No. 3, March 1972
Page 11
BUILDING A PLACE TO WORSHIP
We know that man may worship Gk)d at
any time in any place. From the beginning
men have had designated places where they
met and worshipped God. The places have
varied from the simplest to the most ela
borate. It is the desire of man to have a
place set aside where he can meet with God's
people to worship and pay respect to the
creator and sustainer of life.
Zambians are no different. They need
a place to gather for "fellowship, the break
ing of bread and prayers." The meeting
places in Zambia can be placed into three
groups as follows:
Churches In The Bush
The buildings here are very simple
structures built from poles, mud and grass.
The benches are logs and the pulpit a post.
The baptistry is the nearest stream, or a
large hole dug near a well. Occasionally a
church in the bush will mold and burn bricks
to construct a more permanent structure. In
the bush there are no building codes or regu
lations so the buildings are built according
to the initiative and ability of the Christians.
Churches In Permanent Settlements
Since permanent settlements are outside
city limits, there are no specifications. Also
since it is a permanent housing area, the
buildings must be of quality building materials
and have some aesthetic quality. Furnishings
may be very simple or more elaborate ac
cording to the initiative and ability of the
Christians.
City Churches
Building codes, regulations and speci
fications present the city congregation with
high building costs. Because of these high
costs, it is virtually impossible for the Zam
bians to provide their own building. It is here
where the missionary can help tremendously.
Most missionaries who have congregations in
the cities have directed the church construc
tion, thereby saving the high expense of a con
tractor. He also assists with the purchase of
building supplies.
The design of the building is optional and
will vary according to needs and available
funds. Because of its location, a baptistry
and functional, but attractive, furnishings
are necessary. Restroom and toilet facili
ties are necessary according to building
specifications.
Because missionaries in Zambia are
striving to establish indigenous churches,
the policy is one of non-subsidy. There is,
however, a degree of help needed when it
comes to building churches in the cities.
The policy is that the missionary does not
do anjrthing that the congregation can do it
self. Therefore the amount of help given
is determined by the type of building needed
and the ability of the congregation to help
themselves. Once completed, the mainten
ance of the building is the responsibility of
the congregation.
The ultimate goal is the same in the
bush as in the city: to have a place dedicated
where born again Christians can meet and
praise God who has redeemed them through
His dear Son.
Dean Davis
Box 873
Ndola, Zambia, Africa
Forwarding Agent:
Mr. and Mrs. Skip Allen
Box 611
King, North Carolina 27021
3mbiaMQ2^qer
News from Dean, Judy, Jim and Cindy Davis
2 A H
Zambia Christian Mission
P.O. Box 873
Ndola, Zambia
AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST" IN CENTRAL AFRICA. (II Corinthians 5:20)
A Anril 1972 Number 2
Volumes Aprill972 Number 2
^n44t(IU Ui Qh/Udi:
One week ago I was in the office of the Rural Development Planning |||HH||RL
