It's Good To Be In Africa Again

Hello, just a quick update.

We have arrived safely in Zambia after a few days on a long bus journey. After arriving late at night and being on the bus for 3 days, our contact told us we would be teaching all day the following morning. No one really felt up to it, but the pastors had already gathered, so I agreed. It ended up being a good time. I taught the whole first day and the team taugh much of the rest of the seminar. The first seminar just ended yesterday afternoon and it was quite wonderful. Though it started off a bit sketchy, poorly planned and not a great turn out, starting on Monday everything turned around and we had a large group of local pastors and leaders who were so hungry to learn. The reason why I feel the seminar was so great is because by the end of the week, most of those in attendance were completely understanding everything we were doing and best of all, close to 10 of the pastors there are now planning to go teach this method to others! How excting is that? Not only do we get to come and train pastors, but now they are going to go and train other pastors! They were so excited by what they were learning and asking great questions. It really was a awesome time.

Another highlight of the week, started off as a rather scary moment. I arrived at a new church on Sunday and the pastor told me he wanted me to teach on their Marriage seminar that afternoon! He had assumed I was married and surprised to learn I wasn't. I couldn't turn him down, so I ran and for 2 hours madly prepared & prayed. I ended up just expositorily going through the end of Ephesians ch. 5, but I had no reason to be scared. I honestly can't think of the last time I had so much fun teaching! I would have all the women literally jumping out of their seats screaming "AMEN!" at one moment and a few minutes later the men doing it in return as we discussed the Biblical view of marital relationships. It was such an awesome time as both sides saw from a 2000 year text, affirming words for each of them and how they should love, affirm, & serve one another. Their response was incredible! Not just having fun, but seriously considering how they love and treat one another. One of the funniest moments was when I asked the men when the last time was that they stayed home and took care of the wives in order to let their wife go out with her girlfriends. It took awhile for the women to quiet down after that one and the men actually admitted and saw the need to share some of the load in raising children. Most of the men said they could not remember the last time they had cared for the children on their own. I left that time thinking, "Man, I can't wait till I get asked to do this again!"

Thank you so much for all your prayers, you have been such a blessing to me and the team.

A few points that we could really use prayer for at the moment:

- Arranging seminars. Right now, things are very up in the air. This is the least organized I have ever seen an outreach so far. We don't know what we will be doing next week or where we will be staying and after that, only one of the remaining weeks are planned. So please pray that the Lord would bring us the right contacts and that we would be able to meet the needs He has set for us.

- Please continue to pray for wisdom for me in leading this team. That I might have the right words to affirm and encourage them as they grow in their teaching and the tact in guiding them in the midst of many unknowns.

- Please continue to pray for our health. So far we have done well & I praise God for that, just please pray that our good health continues.

Thank you so much for your prayers and please let me know how I can be praying for you as well.

Sincerely,

James

www.ToMakeHimKnown.com