While vacationing with our missionary friends, Wes & Laurie Wilcox, we had the opportunity to pray together for more workers to assist them with their work in Zambia. Wes & Laurie are the only IMB missionaries in the Southern Province of Zambia. We were excited to hear there were a few families interested in helping and continued to pray with Wes & Laurie.

We then asked what would benefit them in the field most. Their genuine concern about the pastors and their wives of the churches they have helped start was evident. They replied that one of their greatest hurdles is that the pastors have no training; the Southern province is so widespread that it would take months/years to reach and teach church leadership skills to their pastors.

Rex and I knew that one of our senior pastor’s greatest gifts is leadership… we began praying about a team from our church going to lead a Pastors Conference. In 2007, we hosted a dinner in our home with our senior pastor and his wife, our evangelism/missions pastor and his wife, Chris and Robin Rees along with Wes & Laurie to discuss what a “team and mission work” might look like. For well over a year now, we have prayed and believe that God has assembled this team of twelve to love and to share ministry with the people of Zambia.

The last of our mission trip will be in the capital city of Lusaka with IMB missionaries Troy & Tracey Lewis. Troy and Tracey are the coordinators of HIV/AIDS education and care in southern Africa. They help train people who deliver supplies to care for those with HIV/AIDS as well as teaching leaders of the True Love Waits curriculum. Their team has worked with the Zambian military chaplains in palliative care and counseling those infected as well as their families. We will be visiting orphanages where the majority of children have been orphaned due to AIDS.

We continue to pray as God leads us in this work and invite you to pray for the Zambian pastors and their wives that will be at the conference, for our missionary friends, Wes and Laurie, who just today report that 85 people prayed for salvation during the last outing.

Pray for the work of Troy & Tracey Lewis and the potential of future teams from Ridgecrest Baptist Church to join in the HIV/AIDS ministry in Zambia

After meeting Wes and Laurie at RBC’s global impact and them living with us for a couple weeks during this time 5 years ago, and then working with them in Zambia 3 years ago, we fell in love with Wes and Laurie, their work, and the people of Zambia. I have a calling to minister to the Zambians, Wes and Laurie, here in the US and for two weeks in Zambia. My heart is prepared to show the love of Jesus to all the people we will meet on our journey.

For me, I have been in love with Zambia since I was young. We used to house the Zambian Acapella Boys Choir while they were in the States touring and raising money to build a school in their compound. That is how I first learned about Zambia. They always talked about their country and the people and since then, I was in love with Zambia. I have been blessed to be able to go to Zambia twice before this trip. The first time I went, was when I was 15 years old which was when I knew God wanted me to do missions and children’s ministry for the rest of my life. When I was 18, we went back to Zambia, and again, God confirmed that doing His work with children is what I need to be doing. God called me again to serve Him by going to Zambia this time, and I am looking forward to seeing my friends over there. My hope is to continually return to Zambia to bless the missionaries and the Zambians there. A piece of my heart will forever be with Zambia and the Zambians there.

I’m going to Zambia. Why? Because there is nothing better than sharing God’s story with people. It is His desire that all people know Him, and that includes the Zambian people. To have the opportunity to share with Zambian leaders, to learn from them, to encourage them, and to, perhaps, help equip them to be better prepared to share the message of God’s love for Zambia, is an opportunity and a blessing too wonderful to pass up.

Certainly, ther is a bit of selfishness in the motive for going, because I have never been to the continent of Africa, and it will be a joy to experience it. However, the most important and exciting thing about the project will be to interact with the Zambian people, to share God’s love with them, and to encourage my Zambian brothers and sister to share our Savior with their people. God told Habakkuk that He would do amazing things that would be beyond Habakkuk’s belief. I anticipate amazing things done by our amazing God to bring glory and honor to Himself among the amazing people of Zambia. To get to be a part of that is truly an awesome blessing.

When God first planted the seed of a mission trip to Africa I thought, “Oh how exciting!” But now as the time to leave draws near I confess it is only through God’s power that I can get on the plane and fly away from the rest of my family. It is a lot easier to talk about a trip that is in the distant future than it is to actually get ready and go!

My prayer has always been for God to move me out of my comfort zone. Now that I am retired, though I am busier now than ever, I want my life to count even more for Him! I want to make a difference for Him! I want to connect with others who love Him and serve Him in another land. I want to understand their struggles and help in any way I can, through God’s plan. My prayer is that He will guide and direct me in this new adventure of life, to soar far above the horizon and know God has gone ahead of me and is preparing my path.

Lord we are Your servants. Use us!

I am very humbled to be a part of this amazing mission trip. I want to be a servant to the people of Zambia through the opportunities God will reveal to us. I know I will receive more blessings than I will ever give. I thank God for allowing me to be a part of this team.

First, let me say Africa is not in my comfort zone. When Hosea asked if Hazel and I would pray about going on the Wells of Joy trip, I felt I was safe because Hazel does not like to fly long distances. When I mentioned it to Hazel, we both prayed about it, Hazel said she would go. I knew then I was being challenged by some of Hosea’s messages to get out of your comfort zone, so here I am, getting out of my comfort zone and going to Africa.

I have never had a desire to travel to the ends of the earth – I’m more of the Jerusalem, Judea kind of girl. But this time it is different. The invitation to Zambia came, followed by months of prayer with no clear answer. Until the morning the commitment was due. At the intersection of AA and Shelby Road. It was one of those moments when God speaks and there is no question in your mind that it is Him. He said, “Do it.” It was not followed by an explanation as to why – just “do it.” I now have a plane ticket to the ends of the earth!

As I go, I’m an ambassador for Jesus. My prayer is that Jesus will direct every word I speak and guide every action I take.When I lead discussions with the pastors’ wives, we’ll connect and what I communicate will be just what they need, and it will be spoken with complete clarity, and they’ll understand; that when our eyes meet, they’ll see the eyes of Jesus – full of compassion, understanding, and love; that just as Jesus is my hope, I want them to embrace the truth that He is their only hope, as well. I pray that when each pastor and his wife leave the conference, they’ll return to their people with renewed passion to live and teach Jesus.

Here we are, almost ready to go.  Our final planning/prayer meeting was held tonight.  Hosea and Dad went over their studies that we’ll be going through with the Zambian pastors, and we had a good time of prayer.  Continue to pray over the next few days as we pack and prepare ourselves for the loooooongg flight and great days of ministry.

Over the next couple of days, I’ll be posting some testimonies from our team. These are words from our hearts, telling you how God has worked with each one of us in preparation for this trip, and how we hope and pray that he will work with the people that we encounter on our way. Keep an eye on this site for the updates.

10 days from now, we’ll be well on our way to Zambia. We’ll have our last team meeting tonight, finalizing our preparations and planning. Keep praying!