April 30, 2014

April adventures - following Pr Scibelli from beginning to end: 23 days! from Malawi to Uganda!


2004-2014  - 10 year anniversary of Greater Grace in Zambia



Hello,  here is a little bit of news of what went on this April. I would say it is the best April we have ever had with maximum edification for the church here and a broad vision  imparted.

Pr. Scibelli’s Visit. It was a great privilege and joy to host Pr. Scibelli, two men from Carlisle, PA: Shane Sterner and Colton Herb, and Eeva Simard from Baltimore as we had a 5 day mini convention. As soon as our guests arrive we were off to the races: raps, evangelism, and a full Bible college schedule. We encouraged the body to “squeeze” as much doctrine from our guests as possible and we did. One memorable message was about 3 Personal Relationships to value: God, the Church, and the Gospel; and 3 to shun: the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. We even “squeezed” in a quick game of hoops.





Drive to Zambia. As we prepared for the trek to Lusaka, we had three waves of travelers. The first wave was Colton and Clifford from the Malawi church to start off by bus. Next was our car that carried our family, Pr. Scibelli, and Shane. We met the first group in Chipata just over the border and did an evangelistic blitz there before continuing to Lusaka. Chipata is capital of Zambia’s Eastern Province and a great linking city between Lilongwe and Lusaka. It is our Acts 1:5 “Samaria” and a great target for the future of our church. The people are very open to the future of a church and Bible college there. The third wave of travelers was the group of 7 church members that traveled to Zambia. Among them were two young Bible college students, Raphael and Kelvin, that someone donated their bus fare.

Zamcon. It was the 10-year anniversary of Greater Grace in Zambia this year and truly memorable. It’s amazing to see the scope of what God has done in 10 years in this part of the world. From central Zambia we have expanded to Congo, Malawi, and also the newly planted Zimbabwe church under Pr. Renaldo Brown. 10 people represented Zimbabwe and it was so exciting to see God’s work with God’s people. The reoccurring testimony from the group from Malawi was that everyone felt so relaxed as if they were spending a vacation with their family. It was a testimony to the life that we share in the Body of Christ. Naturally it is easy to count costs and be overly practical; but looking beyond at the big picture, these trips are an incredible investment in our spiritual lives (2Cor 5:7)

Graduation Night


Team Malawi in Zambia




Our wonderful South African friends, the Richter family, Johan, Monia and their 2 girls, Teija and Mignon. They have lived in Zambia for the past 10 something years. We met them about 4 years ago in Lusaka and they now open their home for us to stay every time we come to Zambia for our conferences:) 



Uganda. Usually in April after Pr. Scibelli’s visit to Zambia, he does yet another conference in Uganda. My wife and I have wanted to visit Uganda for years and haven’t been able to for whatever reason. By the grace of God and a great help from the church in Carlisle, PA, Julie was able to travel with the group going to Kampala and represent our church in Malawi. The church in Uganda had its annual graduation, trips to their two major orphanages, and their annual women’s conference. Julie returned with amazing stories and vision of a miracle of God’s faithfulness among the people in East Africa. We have much to believe God for as we see possibilities of what He is able to do here (Eph. 3:30). (Pictures of Uganda in following post)

                       


Thank you for your prayers, support, and love, which are above invaluable as we see God move here in Southern Africa. Whole nations are touched by the message of Grace with a desire to continue in the Grace of God.

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Ugandan adventure-by Julie Arman

Wow I do not even know where to start. I have been living in Africa on and off for a decade now and we have always been the receiving and hosting team, when Pr Scibelli and different guests were visiting us whether in Zambia or Malawi. In the past few years I'd share the desire to visit Uganda and by the Grace of God and the church of Carlisle, PA, I was able to go. I gotta say that I know what it is like to prepare for one of Pr Scibelli's visits when he comes, but following him it is something else. My husband let me go and drove back to Malawi with our 2 girls! I was so thankful to him that I could just go on my own with no kids. I gotta say it took me a few days to just not look for my kids lol What a great team God put together as we flew from Zambia to Kenya and on to Uganda!! We spent about 10 days there (more like 3 weeks to me lol) First Kampala (the Ugandan capital) is NOT like what i know in southern Africa! this city alone has 8 million people!(half the population of Malawi) and it looks like people do NOT sleep at night! They are late night people for sure with 2 things that I found everywhere we went: Food and Motocycles!!


You probably have heard a lot of stories from Pr Scibelli about Uganda, well at least I have :) and It was soooo great to finally see our church and orphanage up there on the hill of Nansana! I was so blessed by the church and the people! I had met some of them, they had traveled 4 days by bus to visit us in Zambia about 4 years ago! And what a great joy to see them again!! Pr Sam and his wife, Millie and family;Pr Issac and Ida; Mclean, Mildreed and more:) well it is easy to say that our schedule was pretty much non-stop upon arrival. We had their annual Conference, Bible College Graduation, Missions Night, Easter Sunday! We met so many people from all over Uganda and surrounding countries: the team from Kenya was such a great blessing to me, Pr Jukka and his wife Helena(finish missionaries)!! On Easter Monday (after the conference) we had 2 thing going: the leadership conference and the Women's seminar(for the next 2 days!)! And in the middle of it a Marriage seminar! What a blessing to be able to share at the women's seminar along with Helena! 


On our last Wednesday we all traveled to Mityana about an hour and half away where we have a church and our children of Grace Orphanage! I cant tell you how blessed I was to apart of all that! To see these children and their big smiles! The Pastor, Pr Daniel and his wife are so amazing and have been with the church for 18 years now and are doing so great! His wife and daughter graduated together from a 4 year-degree in Bible College! You should have seen the church cheering and running up on stage they were so happy! She raised her own family, works full time and it just encouraged me so much to see a mother, even if it took her 18 years, accomplish and graduate from Bible College! There is definitely hope for our ladies in Southern Africa!!:)


What great Joy and encouragement it all was to me and a vision also for our churches here in Southern Africa! Thank you again Pr Ray and Brenda and the church of Carlisle, Pr Scibelli, Shane Sterner and Colton Herb, Anslen and his son Joshua who came from Baltimore and of course Latasha Brown ;)! They were/are all such a blessing to me!:)



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