God has been blessing us with many visitors every week at the new church property. Some come from the sign which, being translated reads "Come just as you are".
One lady, who has been coming for about 2 months, is from the far north western part of the country, near Angola. Today I was astounded by her story.
I sat in the small living room with her sister and elderly mother. Her sister suffers from a terminal illness yet has survived 20 years whilst also battling high blood pressure. Her elderly mother has diabetes and eye problems. This lady crossed the border and spent 20 years in Angola. She married an Angolan who was a soldier. He died in the war in Angola. She returned to Zambia to care for her mother and sister. They have very little means of income, yet words cannot encapsulate their
shining happy faces. Their faith in God is so pure. As we chatted about their lives it turns out the elderly mother was an orphan, and many years ago, was raised by a missionary family, the "Fisher family" from England, back near the Angola border.
Turning to the translator, the lady in our church says, "Tell the pastor we are so grateful for him coming under our roof. Pastors don't usually do that, they choose people with money to visit. We are so grateful you have come twice. God bless you."
As we left their home, I turned to those around me. They were all visibly moved by the testimony of this family. "Let's do whatever we can to help them," one said. I asked them to translate one last sentence before we left, "tell them.. If God sent us to Zambia for just you, it would have been all worth it." Obrigado!
One lady, who has been coming for about 2 months, is from the far north western part of the country, near Angola. Today I was astounded by her story.
I sat in the small living room with her sister and elderly mother. Her sister suffers from a terminal illness yet has survived 20 years whilst also battling high blood pressure. Her elderly mother has diabetes and eye problems. This lady crossed the border and spent 20 years in Angola. She married an Angolan who was a soldier. He died in the war in Angola. She returned to Zambia to care for her mother and sister. They have very little means of income, yet words cannot encapsulate their shining happy faces. Their faith in God is so pure. As we chatted about their lives it turns out the elderly mother was an orphan, and many years ago, was raised by a missionary family, the "Fisher family" from England, back near the Angola border.
Turning to the translator, the lady in our church says, "Tell the pastor we are so grateful for him coming under our roof. Pastors don't usually do that, they choose people with money to visit. We are so grateful you have come twice. God bless you."
As we left their home, I turned to those around me. They were all visibly moved by the testimony of this family. "Let's do whatever we can to help them," one said. I asked them to translate one last sentence before we left, "tell them.. If God sent us to Zambia for just you, it would have been all worth it." Obrigado!