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Zambia
Update November 2002
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"I
have chosen the way of truth" Ps.119: 30.
LAUNCHING COVENANT COLLEGE
Who
of us can forget that day when our College was due
to start on 13 March 2001? The day before, we waited
in vain for students and staff to appear. Envisioning
a one-man Bible school, I waited in vain until after
nightfall when, first, Virgil and his family appeared
and then, later, 2 other Frontline workers. Thus we
had a suite of lecturers to minister to the first
16 students who seemed to suddenly come from no-where!
Since then, up to 25 students have kept returning
each term. My assistants have varied from 2 or 3 delegates
from my church in Scotland to our Director, Dr. Peter
Hammond (from Cape Town) & Stephen Perks (from
England), Rev Jan van Straaten (Cape Town), Dr David
Clegg (Somerset), and a delegation from Doctors for
Life (from KwaSizabantu Mission in KwaZulu).
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Now
Ray Joubert (Somerset West) is my right-hand man and his
wife, Sonya, administers our finance & Correspondence
Courses. My wife, Marion, continues faithfully to teach
Health and Nutrition while practicing expert treatment of
innumerable ailments of students and neighbours. Not least,
our children, Suzanne and Martin conduct Bible studies 3
times per week with local boys and girls.
TEACHING TEACHERS
Our student roll of 25 includes pastors coming 55, 70 or
87 km's on bicycles. Others ride 12 kms from the town daily.
One or two of those who walk I sometimes meet as I ride
my bicycle and exercise my dogs at 6h00 each morning! The
range of lectures begins after student devotions of Psalm
singing in Nyanja, reading and prayer. We hear students
regularly confessing that this knowledge imparted is far
beyond what they imagined was in the Word. Truths are unfolded
which govern every area of life and worship. Great interest
was shown in my last few weeks in homiletics - preaching
practice - as the outcome of Old and New Testament Introduction,
Systematics, Ethics and Hermeneutics. One student reported
that he takes his lectures home each week-end and holds
his own "college" when he shares his lecture notes
with his people!
VOLUNTEERS
Three bright volunteers from North America kept us all awake!
Mark and his brother, Jonathan, came in from Canada, in
May, just as Ray & Sonya had to go. It was so clearly
the Lord's provision & they manfully shouldered lectures,
admin., building development and evangelism. Everyone was
enriched by their zeal and grace.
John
from Arizona arrived mid-July. In the next month John crammed
every day with evangelism training, leading the students
by inspiring example. Many tell us of the impact he made
on their lives. One instance of a young man he uplifted,
Martin Phiri, has dynamic leadership gifts but was searching
for something. John had the answer and preached to him Jesus.
Since then, Martin who is brother to the Senior-Chief, has
done all in his power to attend our services and assist
us as a mission. God is choosing out such key men as He
has a mighty work to accomplish here in Eastern Zambia.
PROGRESS
This
year has been marked by a widening of the range of our activities
to meet the crying needs of the community. Our dear friend,
Dr. David Clegg, has visited our mission, from retirement
in England , at his own expense, three times and has an
honoured place in the District Hospital where he saves many
lives and tutors trainee medical practitioners. This opening
has led to a chaplaincy ministry by our students in the
hospital. Pray for their continued, bedside witness when
they often meet Roman Catholics, Muslims and Jehovah's Witnesses.
Confronting the AIDS epidemic has to be a priority when
110 000 Zambians are dying every year of this epidemic.
Two conferences led by Dr Clegg stimulated a Biblical programme
of action. One Health Co-ordinator requested a copy of my
presentation on "Building Strong Christian Homes"
as the best long-term answer to HIV.
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE PIPELINE
For long we battled to organize a water supply as essential
for our New Mission land. A dam, built last year collapsed,
wells dug failed and quotations for a borehole were excessive,
our Regional Director of Water Affairs was in Sweden. In
our last week, we heard he had returned; one man went off
to make our plea to him and returned doubtful. On the day
before we left, I was saluted in town by the local Water
Affairs Manager, who said he had a rig going through this
week and could divert it to our mission! He arrived next
day, in the middle of our prize-giving, and hasty negotiations
were concluded to sink the hole the day after we left! On
the same day, Hansie arrived with a solar pump, for the
new hole, from Frontline Fellowship in Cape Town! HERE IS
WATER - the primary need. It is the Lord's doing!
PROSPECTS
Of the 25 students, only three failed. Even these benefitted,
despite their deficiency in English and some recognition
will be given them.
The
top student, Alutha Lungu, of the Pentecostal Holiness Church,
averaged over 90% with others close behind him from the
Baptist, Anglican and Reformed churches.
More
guest lecturers are expected to visit next year and we appeal
for a full time agriculturist. Dr Clegg has new health initiatives
in view and approaches are being made to higher institutions
to further the studies of our best students after they graduate
next year. Scholarships by overseas sponsors are the only
way they can proceed. But the main thrust must be with the
core of our students who need to be equipped with godly
skills in introducing the implications of the Gospel in
regenerating the whole man and the whole community for the
Kingdom of God. At the heart of this is the defeat and dispersal
of the Kingdom of Darkness. Already we see our men active
in exorcising demons and challenging the dark practices
of witchcraft and false religion. New churches are continually
being planted and new converts baptized into the Kingdom.
Be part of this glorious expansion, send us your e-mail
address and become an intercessor and supporter to make
Zambia a "praise in the earth".
Rev.
David Fraser
Click here to
visit the Covenant College Website
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