Newsletter (September 27, 2012)

Dear all, We are so pleased to learn that Mr Stolte has sustained his presbytery examination. We pray that our Lord will richly bless him and his ministry in Dunedin.

Term 3 began on 10 September. This will be our last term in TCCA. Timothy has already handed over the daily operations of the library to the assistant librarian who has been made the acting librarian. There are several things that Timothy would like to finish before we leave and also to act as a mentor to the young man who is taking over from him.

These few months will be particularly busy for Zara. As usual at this time of the year there are many enquiries from potential students wishing to study at TCCA, and add on to that we are beginning an M.Th. programme in partnership with the South African Theological Seminary. TCCA would hope to begin this programme in December and so she will be also busy answering and dealing with enquiries and applications to this programme. Please pray for Zara as this is a stressful time for her, and also continue to pray for good quality students next year.

We went to Lusaka last Friday and collected Zara’s employment permit from the Immigration Department. We thought it would be straightforward but there were too many people there. However we thank God that we managed to collect it just before midday. We came back on Saturday. We thank God for giving us a safe journey to and from Lusaka. As mentioned before driving in Zambia is very dangerous and there are so many accidents and many people are killed every week.

We just heard that a former TCCA graduate was killed in a traffic accident last week. He graduated in 2005 and had been doing very good ministry to the street kids and widows in the Southern Province. He was a gifted musician and the choirmaster of TCCA and the choir is never the same ever since he graduated. He left behind a young wife and five children, the oldest only 12. Please pray for the family as they try to cope with the sudden loss of their father and husband, and for their survival in the coming years.

Two weeks ago the former TCCA Alumni Association chairman asked Timothy to preach at his church. It was a small church and they meet in a school church hall. They have bought a plot of land just next to the school and are trying to complete the church building as and when money is available. It is not an easy task for a church to finish a church building in Zambia. It may take many years to complete everything. Funding is always a problem, but renting a school hall or classroom is also not too satisfactory as you have to pay quite a high rental for the use of the facilities for just once a week. The preaching went well and people seem to have found the sermon good and helpful.

Please continue to pray for our future. We really do not know what lies ahead for us. If God wants us to return to Zambia we will be happy to do that. If God wants us to stay in New Zealand we will also be happy to do so. He may yet call us to serve him somewhere perhaps. The important thing is that we will know and follow his will. Please pray that we will be able to make a decision soon. With Christian love.