Mad and Glad

Hi Everyone,

I miss you all so much, but the truth is I love serving God among these people.

I was given a book by Smith Wigglesworth to read. He said: "If you are not making someone glad or sad then your ministry is ineffective." I must be doing something right because a couple of people are very mad at me. I have been summoned to the Chief's palace because of challenging the clinic nurse who was responsible for a 4yr old child dying.

This week I found another case of his neglect - a young woman called Shiska who is very ill, probably with TB, and her baby of two months called Gift who looks like a breathing skeleton. I had to turn away to cry when I saw the child. I took the baby into my arms and as he looked up at me I promised him to do everything I could to help him.

I took them both to another clinic and the nurses have helped me diagnose what to do. We are buying baby food for the child today and they are both on antibiotics until next week. I will show mum how to make the food and pray they can do it hygienically. Please pray that these two may survive and stay glad. My heart breaks for these two. On average I have been taking 20 patients to this good clinic every week and I am building a case to take to the Chief against the other clinic and its incompetence which is endangering lives.

God said to Adam, "Go into the all the earth and fill it", or something like that, so I am beginning to fill the earth of Mupitanshi with the love and mercy of God who wants to bless these people and bring them into the same blessing that we in the west enjoy. Oh how I hate injustice and the people who perpetrate it

The students are all going back to school this weekend so it is a busy time for me - 10 kids to get organised. Whew!

Football is going well there are now 50 men involved in weekly training and matches. I spend every Sunday afternoon encouraging them. I don't understand the rules but I do know how to encourage them generally.

Philan my assistant has been helping me to plant an orchard - 4 mangoes, two bananas, 3 avocados, some sugar cane. and a guava tree. I am supplying food for three widows and their children - so one day I'll have fruit to give them.

Any of you who have read Richard Stearns book "The Hole in Our Gospel" will perhaps remember a story of a community in Zambia called Kamfinsa where the pastors have joined together to form Hope teams to visit the sick and vulnerable. [Google Books extract] I called in to see them last week on the way back from Ndola when I renewed my visa. I met Emmanuel who has said yes to bringing a group of pastors from here to meet them. We are going next week. Four different churches have agreed to come with me. I am so very excited because I think this is the way forward for this area. It will be Zambians inspiring Zambians - they've inspired me too. Please pray for a wonderful outcome from this.

My dear friend Langston, the lost sheep who was found, has been pulled back to the Church who hurt him because the elders said he is not allowed to change churches. I will continue to encourage him on a personal level. Another group who are mad at me.

Zambia is building up for an election and even though my visa says I am not allowed to get involved in politics I can still be interested. I pray for men and women who are honest and have the needs of their nation in their hearts to be called to stand, for corruption is rife here.

Watch this space...

Love and blessings to all

Durelle