Chief Bottle Washer

Jim and Teresa Flora and their three daughters live in Katse, Lesotho. On a recent visit to Lesotho we were able to minster alongside Jim. Teresa and the girls had to stay in Johannesburg due to Teresa recovering from surgery. This trip provided us with numerous opportunities to minister in the mountain villages of the Sotho.

Jim was host, teacher, cook, and chief bottle washer!

In addition to washing the bottles he also led us along the mountain passes and trails to the villages of Makoabateng and Mapoleng where we had the opportunity to meet those who are learning the Word of God.

As we made our way from village to village the road was often blocked by the animals the Basotho raise for their livelihood. Sheep like these are a staple to the economy of the rural Sotho. Isaiah 53:6 says "All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him." Pray that the Sotho would no longer stray away from God but turn to God through faith in Jesus Christ.

Huts like this are clustered together to form the villages which sit on the side of the mountains. As we looked out over the mountains, villages were seen in every direction, villages where people live who need to hear the gospel.

Pastor Phoka lives in one of these mountain villages and pastors Khoklo-ntso Baptist church. His wife prayed for him for years before he became a believer in Jesus Christ. She prayed with tenacity and commitment. Now he works closely with Jim Flora and together they proclaim the truths of Scripture.

Kantine is growing in his faith and relatioship with Christ by leaps and bounds. Jim believes he will be ready to be the Pastor of the Makoabateng Church by the end of this year. Presently Jim is leading this church. Pray that Kantine will continue to be faithful and continue to mature in his faith.

We were honored to serve for a few days with Jim. He and his family serve in a very tough place. Lesotho is a rugged country with a very challenging climate. While we were there the wind was blowing with the temperature hovering right at freezing. Pray for Jim and Teresa Flora and their three girls as they experience the joys of serving God together.This Basotho boy is loving the attention. Pray for boys like this, who will grow up to be shepherds and while living a lonely and tough life, will choose to follow the Good Shepherd.

Buckets of Blessings!

Talk about giving your life for something...That is what Gregg and Donna Fort have done so that the light of the gospel will shine throughout Zimbabwe. Gregg grew up in Zimbabwe as a missionary kid. After college, seminary, and a few years as a pastor God called he and his wife Donna back to Zimbabwe to plant their life and family among the Shona people in order to share the gospel, disciple, train leaders, and plant churches. They are passionate about their Lord Jesus Christ and the task to which He has called them. They are partnering with the Zimbabwe Baptist Convention to plant churches in the Mberengwa area of Zimbabwe and are seeing hundreds of people decide to follow Jesus. Gregg also leads the Zimbabwe Evangelism Team of IMB missionaries who are involved in a variety of ministries throughout Zimbabwe.

The newest member of the Zimbabwe Evangelism Team is Ramona Beam. She has been working hard for over a year to learn the Ndebele language and culture and is doing great. Please pray for Ramona's daughter in law who had premature twins about 1 month ago. Mom and babies are doing well. Being away from family at crucial times is a real challenge for missionaries. Thanks for praying for Ramona.

During a recent trip to the Mberengwa area of Zimbabwe the day was spent filling a trough, bucket by bucket, with water, training new believers, baptizing those new believers, and worshiping. It took most of the morning to fill the trough which sat at the foot of the bore hole. As the last few buckets of water were poured into the trough, the singing, clapping, and dancing started. As the singing and dancing grew louder and more celebratory, people started lining up at the foot of the trough to be baptized. It took a long time to fill the trough with water but even longer to baptize the more than 70 people who had decided to follow Jesus. It was an amazing picture seeing this trough of water surrounded by people singing as new believers, one by one, stepped into the water to be baptized. The bore hole used to fill this trough is used by multiple villages as their water supply. Pray that the people using this bore hole will hear from those baptized about the spiritual water that will satisfy their spiritual thirst forever.

Throughout the baptism those watching sang praises. This man was full of joy and led out in the singing. Praise God for these new believers who are worshiping the King of kings.

Pray that these new believers will be faithful to share their faith with others resulting in the need for another baptism service.

Join Gregg and Donna Fort in praying for the Shona and Ndebele people of Zimbabwe.

Pray for Donna as she faithfully disciples women, encourages the ladies serving on the Zimbabwe Evangelism Team, and hosts numerous people in her home.

Pray for people gathering all over Zimbabwe in church buildings, in their homes, and under trees to worship the Lord Jesus and learn the Word of God.

Young men like this one watched as others were baptized. He sat under the tree as people shared their testimony and the Bible was taught. Pray that this young man and many more like him will follow Jesus!

This elderly man sang with joy, excitement, and sincerity as people were baptized and then sat under the tree and read the Scripture, answered questions, and listened. Pray that he will be an example for other men.

God is moving in a remarkable way among the people of the Mberengwa area. They are experiencing blessings as numerous as the buckets of water it took to fill the trough. Pray they will recognize they are blessed to be a blessing! Pray they will give their life so that the light of the gospel will shine throughout Zimbabwe.

A Tree Along the Okavango River

There is a tree along the Okavango River.
Unreached...Unengaged...Unacceptable
The Luyana-Kwangali of Namibia and Angola live along the Okavango River which forms the border of these two countries.

The majority of the Luyana-Kwangali live in remote, isolated villages without the conveniences of electricity, indoor plumbing, and shops. There are however, some small towns in this area that provide some minor conveniences.

There are very few evangelical believers and churches among this people group.
Pray that this will change.

There is no one intentionally planting churches among this people group.
Pray that this will change.

Pray that the Luyana-Kwangali will come to know God and His Word, being like the tree in Psalm 1:3

"That they will be... firmly planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in its season...

...and its leaf does not wither and whatever they do they prosper."
Join us in praying for the 200,000 Luyana-Kwangali

An Afternoon in Sinonge's Village

Charlene Hahn, IMB trustee, and I spent our last afternoon along the Zambezi River at Sinonge's village. We followed Sky as we headed south from her house, winding through the bush on a deep sandy path.
Sinonge belongs to the Totela people group. Sky walks regularly to teach Sinonge's three wives and his sister-in-law stories from the Bible. Before Daniel and Sky Scott, there was no one specifically teaching the Totela people God's Word. Thank God with me that they followed God's call to Africa.

There are over 15,000 Totela living in the Western Province of Zambia. Their rural villages dotting the floodplains from the Zambezi River to the eastern border of the Western Province.

Psalm 147:4 says, "He counts the number of the stars; He gives names to all of them." God, our Creator, also knows every Totela person and longs for a personal relationship with them, from the youngest baby to the most elder grandmother. Pray for the salvation of the Totela people.

This is Monica and her young baby, she is married to Sinonge's younger brother, Pumulo. She has been exhibiting a keen interest and quick memory for God's Word. Pray that Monde will apply His truths to her life daily, living without fear. "In God, whose word I praise, in God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?" Psalm 56:4

Sky has been using a storying cloth (colorful pictures of each Bible story) to remind the women of the stories that she has taught them.

Zambians are known for their love of singing. Sky is also helping them to remember the key points of each Bible story through song. Using the tune, "I Have Decided To Follow Jesus", the women make a new verse of "their" song for each story. Singing through the whole song reviews each story they have been taught.

Pray that they will pass these Bible lessons along to their families and friends through story and song.

Pray that these Totela children will grow up knowing how much God loves them . . .

. . .and His plan of salvation for each one of them!

The Scotts are preparing to go on their "stateside assignment" in a few months. Pray that they will have many opportunities to present the gospel before they leave and that while they are gone from Zambia, their Totela friends will continue to think upon all they have been taught.

Pray that Sinonge, his wives and family members and fellow Totela will call upon the name of the Lord, praising Him as their Lord and Savior.

"How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!" Romans 10:15

Over the River and Through the Woods

The first morning of our visit with Daniel & Sky Scott we walked down the steep sandy beach in front of their home and loaded into their boat, which was tied up within a calm eddy of the great Zambezi River. They were taking me and Charlene Hahn, IMB trustee, to Maziba Basic School, where Sky teaches Lozi children Bible stories. There are over 600,000 Lozi living in the Western Province of Zambia.

After traveling up the Zambezi River Daniel pulled his boat into a small bay and we began the hike into the bush on the eastern side of the river. Pray for the safety, health and endurance for Daniel, Sky and their daughter, River Belle, as they travel by foot, boat or truck to teach God's Word among the Lozi people.

The Lozi children of Maziba Basic School (and the teachers!) were more than happy to see the Scotts arrive. Bible story time, on a physical level, meant stretching their legs, moving outside to the tree and singing action-filled songs. Thank God for Sky and the creative way she teaches the children, through fun songs and dramatic story telling.

On a spiritual level the children see God's love walk into their schoolyard when the Scotts arrive, they experience His joy, compassion and kindness. Pray that these children will hear, learn and remember God's truths told through Bible stories, stories that can change their lives. Below you can see one of the students helping Sky hold the storying cloth she uses to remind the children of the stories. Pray that these children would know His truth when they hear it and accept it. Pray that they would allow His truths to penetrate their hearts and they would become serious followers of Christ.Pray that these Lozi children would break free from fear and spiritual darkness by choosing to trust in Christ. Pray that they would tell the Bible stories to their families, that God's name would be exalted among all generations across the Western Province of Zambia.

Warm Mbunda Monday Afternoon Welcome

At this point in my western Zambian journey you have read about my visit to a Luchazi church on Sunday, then the Nkoya King on Monday morning and now I am taking you to a Mbunda church on Monday afternoon, but first I wanted you to meet the wonderful family ministering to all of these different people groups. This is Mike & Amy Smith with their two amazing children, Tyler and Evie. Pray for this precious family, for their health as they live in a small rural town, their kids as they homeschool and are a witness to their many friends and their ministry, as they bring the Good News of the Jesus Christ to so many.
As we drove up Mike was really surprised to see a church building underway in the Kakonge village area. At this point they have only thatched half of the roof. Thank God for the hard work of these new believers. Pray that their changed hearts and lives will stand out as a witness to the surrounding villages of God's mighty power.

There are over 172,000 Mbunda people living in western Zambia. There are also a number of Lozi believers worshiping at Kakonge Baptist Church. I hope you enjoy this little video of African singing. The believers are singing a song that is welcoming us as visitors, as they slowly walk to greet us. If you listen closely, you will hear them greeting "Mike-eee".

We walked a bit away from the church building and sat in the shade for a time of worship, sharing, and teaching. Charlene Hahn, whom I was traveling with, was able to share her testimony of salvation. The believers were very open about various struggles and triumphs that they had been through while the Smiths were in the states. Pray that they will stand firm on the Rock, not being swayed by the fears and jealousy that surrounds them.

After listening intently to Mike teach, they shared their need for prayer. Below you see everyone praying for an expectant mother. Infant mortality estimates in Zambia for 2011 are 66.6 for every 1000 live births. Pray that these babies and others will live and thrive as testimony to God, the giver of all good things.

Mike is standing with a 100 year old Lozi man. Very impressive, not only because of his longevity, but also that he knows. Many elderly people will just laugh when asked their age because they have no idea what year they were born. "Even to your old age I will be the same, And even to your graying years I will bear you! I have done it, and I will carry you; And I will bear you and I will deliver you." Isaiah 46:4 Praise God for He alone is ageless.

There are also 153,000 Mbunda living in eastern Angola. At last report there were several strong evangelical churches among the Mbunda in Angola. Pray that these believers will boldly proclaim the truth that sets all men free, that their lives would be pleasing to God, pointing the way to Him.

The rest of my western Zambia journey will take place in the southern part of the Western Province. Charlene and I flew from the Smith family in the town of Kaoma to the Scott family in the area of Maziba Bay.