“Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
Matthew 9:38
Traditional, but not Truth
Bishop John Jere has tirelessly been ministering in the Lukulu District of Western Zambia, more specifically, the village of Lukulu West.
The Lozi and Luvale tribal people, who live in the area, are very friendly and hospitable, but many are still animists, i.e. they worship their ancestors.
The spiritual realm is very important to Africans. Traditional African religions believe that between an all-powerful God and humans is a group, or pantheon, of spirits. Further, these spirits are directly involved in the lives of humans and can act as intermediaries between God and man.One animist told me that he communicates with his god through his ancestors, “But Charl, you communicate with God through Jesus Christ. They are the same!”
I shared with him: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6
The traditional African ‘monotheism’, i.e. the belief in one Supreme Being, has made Christianity acceptable in our communities. The challenge is that often Christianity has just been an add-on to the ancestral worship. This syncretism is unacceptable to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Reconnaissance
My missionary colleagues have traveled for about 600 km. in the sand and mud of the Lukulu District.
Overland travel is only possible in a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Their research included mapping out the villages and terrain, and determining languages. 55 villages were recorded and they preached the Gospel in 26.
Gospel tracts were distributed at every village they stopped at.
Mike reports:
Most of the people are in rags – some half naked. They live in grass huts, sometimes mud brick walls. It seems most villages have at least one ox-cart, which they use to move supplies around. It is on the ox-cart trails that we drove our vehicles.
“Many of the people have clothes on, but these clothes are almost history. They are clothed in rags – literally shreds. They live in the dirt. The children play in the sand and the women sit on the sand, sometimes on grass mats. Their meals are eaten seated on the ground or on occasion, a mat.
“These people are very hungry for the Word of God.”
Reports of people clothed with leaves and tree bark have also been forthcoming.
The area is rich in wildlife. Crocodiles are known to have attacked and killed women who were washing their clothes in the Zambezi River. Bishop John tells of a time when their ministry vehicle got stuck with a flat tire and a lion was roaring close by – needless to say, none of the team had enough ‘faith’ to get out and change the wheel.
Partnership to rescue the lost
Many locals repented of their sin and put their faith in Christ when our team preached the Gospel. My colleagues are concerned for their spiritual welfare. They don’t have Bibles and there are no church leaders to disciple them.
Bishop John Jere is planning to change this, by preparing a church plant in the area. We are supporting this initiative.
Please partner with us as we prepare to go and preach the Gospel in the greater Lukulu District in July.
Lord willing, we also aim to take in Bibles, Gospel tracts, used clothing and medicines to support our spiritually newborn brothers and sisters in Christ.
Please pray that:
- The preaching of God’s Word will not return void, but will accomplish that for which it is meant: to save the lost and disciple the repentant.
- We have the funds to purchase Bibles in the local languages
- Vehicles (4×4) are made available for our teams
- Medicines can be arranged for the local mission hospital
- We, and the vehicles, can handle the harsh conditions
Thank you for your prayers and support!
