My Dusty Road

Wrapping Up A Season

November passed a lot faster than I had anticipated. Bernard, Abigail and I visited each of the areas in Simwatachela that we work in, and were able to set up a schedule for them to continue ministry while I’m in the States. We were able to hold some of our revival meetings, saw two teenage girls healed and delivered, as well as lay out ministry plans for 2021. We’re so excited for what God has planned for the Simwatachela chiefdom this rainy season and next year!

On November 22nd, our Advanced Mission Training class graduated with 50 students from several different nations. This has been our largest class to date and was an incredible 3 months! These months have been an intense season for the students as they dove deeper into understanding who they are in Christ, how to ministry across different cultures, as well as practical skills needed on the missions field.

It’s going to be amazing to see God use them to continue expanding the Kingdom!

The day after graduation, I joined our AMT students in the journey back to their home countries. After about 30 hours of travel, with layovers, I arrived to my family in Tampa, FL. I was greeted by the masked faces of my family and was even able to surprise my brother by a quick visit at his work. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving together. No better way to beat jet lag then baking pies!

Support Update

My plan as of right now is to be in the States until around April 1st. I’ll be in Florida through January, Illinois in February. Then a quick trip to California before back in Florida in March. 

One of my main focuses while home is to fundraise for the next season of ministry. As of right now, I have $380 in monthly support needed to be considered fully funded. Please prayerfully consider partnering, or even increasing your donation, with the ministry we’re doing in Simwatachela!

Also, if you have your church, small group, or even a friend who might be interested in learning more about the ministry here in Zambia, please let me know. We can even arrange a Zoom chat or FaceTime while I’m in the States! I greatly appreciate it!

I’m looking forward to seeing you all and sharing about everything God is doing here in Zambia! 

Thank you for your continued prayers and support. It means a lot to me and is making a difference in the lives of the people we are reaching in Zambia! 

Blessings,
Laura

A Full Month

With the truck officially fixed, October was a full month of ministry. We were out in Simwatachela every chance we had and saw God move in incredible ways. Towards the beginning of the month. two of the AMT students joined our team for a week of ministry. We utilized this time together to hold a one day leaders conference in Simalundu.  40 men and women from every church in the area gathered together for a day of teaching. Bornwell, the headman and one of our local leaders, shared that this was the first time a leaders conference had been held where every church attended. 

Over the course of the day we saw hunger for the Truth continue to grow. It was our prayer that by the end of the day, each church would be more open and willing to work together as the Body of Christ. Bornwell shared with us that evening that we were moving in that direction. “They came this morning not knowing what to expect, but ready to disagree with whatever we were going to share. But the Word of God  reached their hearts and now I believe we will begin to see the churches to working together.” We’re very excited to see the fruit of this conference and the continued ministry here in Simalundu!

At the end of the month, I was given the opportunity to teach our Advanced Mission Training students for a week. The course was  ‘Come Back Alive’ which covers survival skills and travel savviness. Over the course of a very hot week (120 deg F), we tackled subjects like teamwork, traveling and living in a foreign country, scams and pickpockets, medical evacuations. Then each group presented on different survival skills like filtering water, starting a fire, etc. The highlight of the class is the surprise overnight in the bush. While the students knew it was a part of the class, we were able to mislead them a bit in order to surprise them on Sunday. They had a short time to gather supplies, organize their teams, and head out to a location in the bush on the property. The next morning, the team arrived back a bit dirty, tired, but smiling. 

While I was teaching on base that week, Abigail and Bernard joined Reuben for two Farming God’s Way trainings in Simwatachela. Both conferences had great attendance and interest in the new style of farming. Our team teaches God’s provision in the land and His love in every part of our lives. Abigail also shared with me that during the conferences, 9 people were healed! This isn’t just about farming but a great tool to use to share the Gospel! 

The training came at the perfect time because rainy season has started! Rains are beginning to come more often and we are standing in complete faith that the harvest this year will be bountiful! Please stand with us and continue to declare God’s provision over Zambia!

A Look Ahead

The next few weeks will be busy wrapping up life here in Zambia for the time being. Bernard and Abigail will be able to continue ministry in Simwatachela while I’m in the States. I’ll be flying out of Zambia on November 23rd. One of the reasons while I’ll be home is to fundraise for the next season of ministry. As of right now, I have $380 in monthly support needed to be considered fully funded. Please prayerfully consider partnering with the ministry we’re doing in Simwatachela!

Also, if you have your church, small group, or even a friend who might be interested in learning more about the ministry here in Zambia, please let me know. We can even arrange a Zoom chat or FaceTime while I’m in the States! I greatly appreciate it!

I’m looking forward to seeing you all and sharing about everything God is doing here in Zambia! 

Thank you for your continued prayers and support. It means a lot to me and is making a difference in the lives of the people we are reaching in Zambia! 

Blessings,
Laura

Cultivating Revival

At the beginning of September, our 50 person Advanced Missions Training class split into three groups and spent a week in the Mukuni Chiefdom for ministry. I was very excited to be able to join them and Pastor Winter, the sector manager for Mukuni, for several days of ministry.

These were new areas for Pastor Winter, but not new for Overland Missions. Years ago we had done ministry in these three areas but through some transitions with partners, the ministry didn’t continue until now. It was amazing to see relationships restarted, the excitement and hunger for the Gospel, and revival stir up in the lives of the men and women here.

Pastor Winter met with the leaders and pastors of each village, sharing with them the vision Overland Missions has for the churches to work together, reaching their communities and beyond. Now plans are being made for meetings to continue to disciple the men and women who gave their lives to Christ and to equip the leaders for ministry.

Shortly after the team returned to the base from their expedition, our staff from all over Zambia arrived for Revival Week. It’s an event we usually host twice a year where our team comes in to join the AMT class for several days of ministry and revival. It’s times like these that are so valuable to what we do. In order to carry revival, we must first learn to cultivate it. And it can only be done by intentionally taking time to focus solely on Him. In Luke 10, Jesus explains to Martha that Mary has “chosen the good part.” Because when we make sitting at Jesus’ feet our priority, everything we do will come out of that overflow. 

As soon as revival week was finished, a few friends and I headed to Lusaka. I was able to go to the Zambian Immigration Office and collect my residency permit. I am officially a permanent resident of Zambia! 

The truck seems like it’s finally running well. There’s one more code coming up and we’re still trying to figure out exactly why. But otherwise everything looks reliable and October should be spent mainly out in Simwatachela! I’m looking forward to several consistent weeks out and to see God move in the lives of the men and women we’re meeting with.

Travel Plans

As we all have experienced, 2020 has been a hard year to make plans. But now as things are starting to open up and hopefully return to normal, I’ve finally locked in travel dates for my visit home.

I will be leaving Zambia on November 23rd and arriving home in Florida just in time for Thanksgiving. I’m hoping to spend about 4 months in the States, pending on support raising.

My time in the States tentatively looks like the following:
December & January- Florida
February- Illinois
March- California & Florida
April- Return to Zambia

I’m looking forward to seeing you all and sharing about everything God is doing here in Zambia! 

Thank you for your continued prayers and support. It means a lot to me and is making a difference in the lives of the people we are reaching in Zambia! 

Blessings,
Laura