August 2013 Newsletter

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings from Ndola! Once again we would like to express our gratitude for your prayers and gifts over the past month. As Kristina recently reminded our family, some of us are sent to spread the gospel but we need the support of those at home in order to be able to do the work God has set before us.

TCCA Update

Last month TCCA’s Board of Governors, on the advice of the Principal, appointed me as TCCA’s new Academic Dean. I am now responsible for overseeing the entire academic program at TCCA. Please pray that God will give me wisdom so that I can serve well in my new role.

Support Needs

As we mentioned in our previous newsletter, we are facing a challenge we have a deficit of $12,500 in our ministry-related support account, and we require commitments for an additional $500 per month to meet our ongoing expenses. Please pray that God will meet these needs so that we can continue our ministry here.

John’s Visit

It’s been a blessing to have John with us for the past few months, but today he is on his way home and we already miss him dearly. John’s visit wasn’t just an encouragement to us. He  got to know many people during his time here. For example, he spent many hours playing soccer with a group of kids in one of the townships. He was even asked to share his testimony at a memorial service for one of the boys who died from malaria a few weeks ago.

John also got to know my students at the Theological College of Central Africa (TCCA). We invited many of them to celebrate John’s birthday with us last Saturday.

Football with Gilbert and Wilson

A few weeks ago the final for the soccer championship of southern Africa was held in Ndola. Zambia defeated Zimbabwe 2-0 to win the COSAFA Cup. John and I were there to see it, along with a fellow lecturer and one of my students from TCCA.

We also bought tickets for our two yard workers, who were absolutely thrilled to see their first match at Ndola’s new 40,000 seat stadium. Gilbert Mung’omba, seated next to me in the picture below, has been with us since we moved to Ndola. Gilbert has a wife and five children. He is very skilled at construction work, having just built his own house a few kilometers from us.

Sitting next to Gilbert is our other worker, Wilson Shindamba. Our yard is too much for one person to handle, so we had to hired Wilson several months ago. Wilson has helped Gilbert with our vegetable garden, which will provide food for our family as well as theirs. Gilbert and his family attend a Pentecostal church, while Wilson, who is married with four children, is a deacon at a nearby ECZ (Evangelical Church of Zambia) church. Your support of our ministry includes providing for our workers and their families – a total of 19 people!

Once again we thank you for remembering us in your prayers. “I call to you, LORD, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to you” (Psalm 141:1).

Blessings in Christ,

Tim & Kristina Churchill