Newsletter (September 17, 2015)

Dear all, The Reformed Baptists’ Annual Family Conference was held at the last week of August and we were privileged to have Drs Joel Beeke and Steve Lawson come to preach for us. It is particularly good to be able to meet Dr Beeke face-to-face, as we have read many of his books and are greatly helped by them. We managed to attend a few sessions (Dr Beeke spoke on the Dutch Further Reformation) but you may be able to listen to their sermons here.

We also are very pleased to meet many of our old friends from Ndola and other parts of Zambia who came to Lusaka to attend the conference.

One of our missionary doctors, Sarah, had to return home in early August. We were all very shocked to learn that she was diagnosed to have a very aggressive breast cancer. The cancer has spread to her bones and liver. She was very young, in her early thirties, and has started chemotherapy. This hit our missionaries in Mukinge Hospital very hard. In God’s own good timing, we happened to have a member care specialist from SIM South Africa visiting us for other purposes. God has been using her to counsel and encourage many of our people, especially at Mukinge. Please pray for Sarah as humanly speaking her case is very serious but pray that if it is God’s will, he will heal her.

The load-shedding is getting worse and we have a three-day cycle in September, with the first day without power from 06:00–14:00; the second day, 00:00–06:00 and 14:00–22:00; and the third day, 10:00–18:00. Previously the provincial towns were having a better timing, but from September every place has eight hours load-shedding every day, and Lusaka is the worst among all places. It may even get worse in October and November before rain comes. Even if rain comes, it may take a few months before the lake water level goes up. This serious power shortage hits all the industries very hard and as a result, coupled with the low copper prices, the economy in Zambia is deteriorating with the local currency dropping 35% since January.

Timothy’s right knee has been degenerating and it has been quite painful for the past two months. The doctor suggested him to have an arthroscopy which is a small operation and he is going to have it done tomorrow (subsequently postponed). Please pray that this operation will be beneficial and it may lessen his pain. Please pray for the doctors who will be doing this and they will have wisdom and the skills to do it well, and he will have a speedy recovery. Thanks for continuing to pray for us. With Christian love.