“I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel…”
Romans 1:14-15a
Our team members(8) helped to disciple groups of the people who came. We have left a young man from our Lukulu East church tocontinue
discipling the people in that area. These are the future church plants from Lukulu. The need which is there is to have the trained pastors, to serve among their people because they know their language, tradition and the difficulties the people face. There is no better person who can effectively minister to these local people except the local trained pastor.
Lyson Nthang, a member of John’s team, shares the gospel with a man from Lukulu West.
Lukulu west is not an evangelized and discipled society, hence, the people are extremely spiritually and materially poverty stricken. The people there are used to ancestral worship and witchcraft. The people need deliverance and for them to be set free from all kinds of bondages. The preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ and discipleship is the power unto salvation to them that believe. The change needs tobegin from the inside out.
The Zambezi river is highly infested with crocodiles and many lives have been killed in this river. It is the dirty water which people draw for home consumption. As you may see below, other people are bathing in it while some are drawing water for cooking and drinking. Girls and mothers spend most of their time both in the morning, noon time and late afternoon drawing water for their families.
“One fateful afternoon, approximately 1500 hours, my four friends and I, went to Zambezi river to draw water for our homes. While there by the river side, we decided to bathe before drawing water for home consumption. So we drew near the river. As we put soap on our faces, crocodiles came and killed my friends. I cried for help but men came very late and the crocodiles had already killed my friends. This was in February 2010. I am still traumatized by what happened that afternoon. As woman or young girls, we have no choice according to our culture, but to go and draw water for my family. When I safely get back home, I thank my God for His protection all the way to and from the river.” -Mrs. Bertha Mukumbuta (pictured right, carrying water on her head)
Mary Kundoti (12 years old girl) is just one example of thousands of primary school children who are not able to focus on school due to lack of basic daily needs like water. Seventy percent of the Zambian people do not have access to safe water within a mile of their homes. Additionally, in many places where the government and other organizations have provided good water sources, these sources break down due to lack of maintenance and ineffective partnership with the local communities. Beyond this difficult situation, poor sanitation and hygiene in Zambian villages cause water-borne diseases to be common and deadly occurrences.
Safe water immediately reduces cases of water borne disease and eases the burden on women and girls. Traditionally, it is women and young girls who bear the burden of obtaining their family’s water supply and of assuring their family’s good health. The people in Lukulu West need clean and safe water from the wells or borehole. You can save lives from the crocodiles and water borne diseases.
Little girls from Lukulu West wearing dresses delivered by John’s team. This delivery was made possible due to the trip to the US that ITMI helped John with.
Grateful people of Lukulu West
Please also see the article Living Water from In Touch Mission International Monthly for information about Lusaka West.
Prayer requests:
- Will you please pray that God provides for us to dig wells for the people in Lukulu West? To dig 1 well costs US$3,500.
- Will you please pray with us that God may provide for our mission trip to Lukulu West in October 2011?
