IT’S OFFICIAL!!!
On Saturday, January 31, 2009 the International Bible College of Zambia began! We spent the last part of the month preparing the campus and cleaning up around the school. Before that we had been running into town helping get some banking done, buying supplies, vehicle maintenance and other misc. tasks that need to be completed.
On Sunday, February 1 we also attended the first service of “College Community Church”. Pastor Cliff Morris from Dublin, GA was here to preach the first service. He is the acting dean of International Bible College Zambia and was here for two weeks to teach the student’s first module, “The Life of Christ.”
I have a large garden “nursery” begun in the area in front of our home where we plan to get food for ourselves, the students, and coming summer teams. This area will also be the breeding ground for the future trees that will be around the campus and the seeds needed for future gardens. The chicken coop was just completed and will provide eggs and meat. Everything I am doing here is on a small scale this year as I am learning how the Zambian growing season works-it works all year round! We just bought some black raspberry and strawberry plants and very much looking forward to handfuls of berries in a few months. The sweet corn in getting high and we are looking forward to a taste of home! It will be quite a different taste and way of cooking for the students here, but we think they will very much enjoy this “sweet maize”.
I also planted my first few plots of corn using “Farming God’s Way,” an approach based on scriptural principles. You can read about it at www.farminggodsway.org.
NEW JOBS FOR MOM
Kelly Jo has begun doing the bookkeeping for the bible school project account. She went to school a long time ago to be an accounting clerk, and always did the bookwork with our farm. She really enjoys doing it. Pastor Henry has also asked her to do some typing for his classes. And yes, she says it does take a lot of getting used to, being called “mom” by men old enough to be her grandpa!
KIDS KORNER WITH CYBIL JO
Birthday: 4/6/97
Favorite Color: Blue Why? Because it is the color of the sky
Favorite Book: That’s hard! The Chronicles of Narnia and Lord of the Rings
Best part of being in Zambia: the new kids, learning how to do new things, helping dad with stuff
Hardest part of being in Zambia: not being able to keep up on what is happening in the States
Thing I miss the most: my family and friends, my church
The most surprising thing about Zambia: the friendliness of people
I am most looking forward to: letters and packagesOne thing I would love you to send me:
Reese’s pieces
THANK YOU!
For your words of support and encouragement as we pass the three month mark!! We have only appreciation for you as you have come a long way with us this past year and a half!
Thank you for the many generous year-end gifts. These were another answer to a prayer we hadn’t even prayed yet as our vehicle is going to need some major work or we will need a new (used) one. God provided funds for this before we even asked!
PRAYER & PRAISE
PRAISE:
· For Nathan, who has come to help Brian out with the agriculture and whatever else needs to be done-so far he has done electrical work, solar work, and lots of general clean up. It is interesting having another person around the house most of the days, but we have appreciated his friendship and help
· For Catherine who comes three days a week to help with cooking, cleaning, laundry and the kids.
· We’ve made it over the three month hump!! We are praising God for our wonderful team of prayer warriors!
PRAYER REQUESTS:
· The first 12 students at the college. Everything is new to them and to us! Pray for us as we “see how all the pieces” will fit together. This first week we have been very impressed with the students-they are showing great initiative in the clean up and beautifying of the school grounds
· We will be turning in Paul’s work permit papers to the Immigration Office this month. Pray there will be no problems getting his permit approved. Continue to pray for Paul and Lori as they do everything we did in the last year!! Sell their house and most of their possessions, raise support, prepare themselves for life in Africa, and start the grieving process of saying goodbye (pray especially for their son Ben). Thank God for email!!! We have kept in close contact thus far and already leaning on each other for various help and support!
· Summer teams begin arriving in Zambia in mid-April and will be here through early July. Pray for the many students in the Lusaka area that will here about the love of Christ this summer and that the Americans who come to share will have an awesome encounter with Christ themselves. Pray also that much work will be accomplished at the college building grounds. It will be nice to for us to have some Americans around for support too!
WILL YOU PLEASE PRAY ABOUT JOINING OUR SUPPORT TEAM?
Brian and Kelly Jo, we are interested in becoming a financial partner with you! To help you in your work of advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ, we would like to assist you with the following:
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