Open-Air Meetings

This past week, the youth from the plot we live on have been handing out invitations to the local people to Friday and Saturday's open-air meetings at which the Jesus Film was shown in 2 parts. There was a childrens' program both nights, and here are two shots from Saturday night with the kids.

After that, the rest of the program began. A trailer made especially for crusade type meetings was set up with speakers and a screen on which to show the movie. There was a small musical group who came to lead in some songs, some of the youth shared their testimonies, and the movie was shown on the screen with about 250-300 people watching each night (rough estimate). After the film, Michael Pflaum, Liebenzell Area Director, spoke with a translator since most of the local people only speak a bit of English. After speaking, he invited those who wanted to trust Jesus as their Savior forward, and one of the shots below is the group of about 30 who came forward on the first night.
Follow-up will be attempted with these people, and those who are serious about their decision will be given real personal attention and discipleship as much as possible. Because this is such a religious society, it seemed very popular to go forward after the message and even to pray loudly along with the preacher, so it will be necessary to find the people who made decisions and talk to them further. Nonetheless, it was great for so many people (this was held right next to a bar area on a weekend right after end-of-month pay when it is common to blow lots of money on alcohol) to be exposed to the Gospel and be given an opportunity to respond.

(There is one clip of the film being shown with some people's heads in front , not a great quality photo but gives you an idea of how it looked)

Please pray for fruit to come from this event and that many of those who made decisions to follow Jesus would follow through and get plugged in to a local church.

Apologies for our lack of activity on the blog in the past month or two…we have been busy, but we have also moved to a new house which does not have an internet connection as of yet, so we are only using internet at the school during the daytime working hours. Anyway, most of you know we have moved to a new location and beautiful house about 5-6 minutes drive from the school. Jason has changed roles a bit and is now working as the ‘construction manager’ on the building site (basically working to plan one new buildings on campus which will house the new kitchen, dining hall, and indoor gym.) Here is a shot of Jason in his ‘office’ which is a transformed shipping container that he shares with the three other supervisors.

In the beginning of July, we had Sports Day. The primary and secondary students participated in a variety of track athletics, and here are a few shots from the day. Jason ran in what will probably be his last 4x100 m relay race and paid for it by feeling quite sick after his sprint…our team was disqualified since the final handoff didn’t happen within the zone. J

We said goodbye to the group of German volunteers who had been here in Zambia about 11 months and were working in all areas of the school. We also said goodbye to our good friends Dave and Tine who have headed back to reunite with family in Germany and Canada before heading to further mission work in Spain.

Finally, Kelly’s mom came to visit from the 28^th of July until the 9^th of August. We showed her around the school and the local area and then traveled to Livingstone to show her Victoria Falls and to take a safari through Chobe National Park in Botswana. Here are a few shots of the Falls and the wildlife we saw on the boat trip and game drive through Chobe.

We now have a five-week gap before the children return for the third and final term of this school year. Jason will continue to work on the building side of the things and Kelly will prepare her class and lessons for the last term and help in the school office a bit over the break. We are enjoying the break so far but will be ready for the kids to come back and to begin the coming term, which will be our last here in Zambia.