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Sunday, April 1, 2007

The Bruingtons Missionary Report: March 2007

We actually came back. This sounds strange to many. Unless you have lived in a place like this  Third World , until you actually see and live were there is such tremendous need, until you are overwhelmed by the reality that you could never do enough, yet the little you do makes a world of difference to the ones you reach. To see the power of God, living and active, His spirit moving in this place, in His strength through Christ we are compelled to continue. Somewhere in the midst of these truths we realize we can not but continue serving this God. We can not but speak of this Jesus . . . the Savior of the world.

We are back. And here we will stay for as long as God allows us to continue.
More than us, the people, these are such amazing people, these are their stories.

Remember when we were state side I told of the man who worked three hard days last May for $11.25 or 50,000kwacha? He took the $11.25 and planted four new churches: Siamoono Church of Christ (40 believers/bodies/brothers and sisters);
Siankuyu Church of Christ (30 believers/bodies/brothers and sisters);
Sikabenga Church of Christ (35 believers/bodies/brothers and sisters);
Kalewa Church of Christ (35 believers/bodies/brothers and sisters).
Remember I told you before we left I gave him $112.50 or 500,000kwacha?
Here is his report from his activities. His name is Christopher Siatwiko. Pray for him!
He has been working and teaching in the above churches to obey all that Jesus commanded, church development, and leadership. They baptized 19 more individuals and there were 14 restorations. Pray for these believers and pray for these churches.
All together he has now planted 15 new churches. This is a good man of God.
Stacey and I will visit all these churches next September. These people are always asking for bibles and song books. We will purchase bibles and hymnals for these churches.

We visited friends and churches at Namwainga. They are all well. We spent some time with Victoria our Zambian daughter, she is doing good. She is the orphan who we kept the whole time we were here last year. She now lives with a wonderful Zambian family.
We worshiped at Mutala Church of Christ. This was one of the struggling churches that we were working with last year. They have remained strong in their faith and God has blessed them with growth. When we left they had grow to 91 and now they are 127. Praise God for these faithful believers. Pray for this church and its leadership.

We arrived in Mumena the 13th of March and what a reception  home we received. This is where we will be working for the next two years. We are staying in the home of the other missionary family, Brian and Sondra Davis (Noah and Bryson, their boys), that we prepared last summer. They are in the states, they return June 1st. We share the house with Brian and Sondra s parents, Don and Rita Boyd. They also are fellow missionaries living here. We are preparing another duplex for ourselves and for the Loves, Rick and Karen, who will be coming next January. Please pray for these families, our partners.
We hope to move into our side of the duplex by the end of April. I plan to build our cabinets and closets after we move in, with hopes of all work done by May 19th.
We then begin preparing for the Medical Mission that begins June 4th. This will last for four days. There will be twenty or so Americans partnered with Zambians to offer Medical treatment and spiritual treatment at four locations within Mumena. There will be Missionary Interns from Harding University who will stay for several months as part of their missionary training. We will be preparing a guest house for them to stay. This house will be available for all welcomed visitors . . . so . . . consider being our guest and come.

Our first worship service at Mumena was at the Konkwa Church of Christ. All I can say is wow, over and over again, wow. These people are so amazing and our God is so good. This church began last September. From it s humble beginning to now 115 members strong. This church (its believers) are such an encouragement not only are they growing in number, but they are growing in faith. They have matured in such a way that several of the men desired to reach out and share what they have received from the Lord. They, while all the Americans were gone, went to another area and started teaching house to house about Jesus. This place, Kayonge, is now 35 members and growing. Just last weekend six men returned to spend the weekend teaching and preaching and at the Sunday worship they baptized 7 more into the body of Christ. The new Kayonge Church of Christ is now 42 members. Is this music to your ears, what rejoicing in heaven, to see and know that God is still, as He has always been, actively calling His own, the power of the gospel. Praise God. Pray for these two churches, the people, and the leadership.

Last Sunday we were asked to come and work with the church at Mutanda. This church of 24 members with 40 in attendance including the children has been struggling. This church was split over  one cup issues. The leaders have asked us to help them rebuild. Stacey and I will be working regularly with this church. Pray for this struggling church. Pray for God to direct us in our way, to renew in us a new spirit of truth, and then grant us strength and ability to share our faith with the surrounding villages of Mutanda.

Today we visited the Kampandi Church of Christ. This was the first church of Christ planted at Mumena in August of 2005 by Leonard Mujala a Zambian Missionary from Namwainga. This church had at one time 90 plus members. They are now only 28. We will begin a leadership seminar next Thursday for six days. We will discuss the orderly church, the purpose driven church, God s plan and God s design. We hope to reestablish the first love of this church and its members. We will set up teams to go out and visit, to set up bible studies with those who have fallen away. We will also begin house to house bible studies with the surrounding villages. Again, pray for this church.

As you can see, your fervent prayers are needed. Please take some of your time and ask God on our behalf to bless us, these churches, these people, this place.

We are praying for you.

Bart