Oct. 4, 2009

Zambian Trip Huge Success

"The success of the trip is a testimony of God's grace and love in Christ Jesus."

With these words, HIMAfrica Director Jeff Hawkins summed up his recent trip to Zambia, which ends tomorrow (Monday, Oct. 5).

"The Bible distribution was also incredible," he said. "We were able to deliver 1520 Bemba Bibles to our brothers in the Northern and Luapula Provinces of Zambia." These were delivered to nine distribution points, where 27 pastors representing 277 churches were able to pick they up.

The trip was not without its trying moments, however.

“The trailer (which carried the supply of Bibles) broke down on (three) separate occasions in very remote regions of Zambia,” reported team member Steve Warrens. “We could have been stranded for days.

“On the first occasion, just before the breakdown, our guide and interpreter mentioned that we were passing through lion country. Shortly after… the springs on the trailer broke, and the trailer collapsed on the left tire. When we (got out), we were literally attacked by swarms of African flies. One actually crawled in and out of my ear. But we sprayed ourselves down and Jeff was able to place a piece of wood where the spring used to be. Needless to say, I kept watch on the surrounding terrain.”

Steve continued: “I later thought more about being in ‘lion country’ after recalling 1 Peter 5:8, mindful that our enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for a trailer containing God’s word to devour.”

A second breakdown—the springs again—led to hasty repairs on another remote road.

“God clearly wanted His word delivered without further delay, and so the repairs lasted until today, when the trailer broke down for the third time after passing through the Congo. But it was too late for Satan to score any more points since all the Bibles had already been delivered.”

The Zambia team also purchased bicycles for six pastors. These enable the pastors to travel greater distances as they bring the word of God to the lost.

In all, the team travelled more than 1500 miles through Zambia, Tanzania, and the Republic of Congo.