Chisamba Clinic Outreach Prayer Request and Leah Holding a Big Rat

Sorry we have not been posting blogs lately. One of the reasons is that our friend Leah LaPine is here from Minneapolis, and we have been busy doing things with her. (This picture is of Leah holding a Cane Rat that was killed in our yard on Thursday!)

This weekend we will be doing a medical outreach in the Chisamba farm area (about a two-hour drive north of Lusaka). There are thousands of farm workers with their families in this area that have very little access to clinics and churches, since they work on massive farms that are 30km or more off the main road. None of these workers have vehicles and there is no mini-bus access to these areas. So, in a lot of ways, they are very secluded, and the only way they get to the main road is hitching a ride on vehicles that venture back into these areas or walking. In the last couple of years, our C.R.O.S.S. Project co-worker John Chitambo has planted two churches in this area to reach out and minister to these remote farm workers.

This weekend, Leah (who is a Physician’s Assistant in the States), Kristin (who is an R.N.), and John’s daughter, Ruth (who is a Doctor here in Lusaka’s main hospital), will be doing an outreach clinic. The clinic will mostly be to answer health questions the farm workers have and to deal with infections, malaria, health issues and concerns with children, malnutrition, and other basic health care needs. Also, we will be doing HIV testing and counseling with Eta (our other C.R.O.S.S. Project co-worker) and Victoria (John’s wife).

Please pray that as we minister to people’s physical needs that doors will open to share the gospel and pray for people. Also, pray that they would see the local church reaching out and be interested in coming to the church plant, especially men, as there are very few that come to church in this area because of work or lack of desire. Please also pray for me (Derek) as I preach on Sunday from Hebrews 12:1-2 and give a gospel message.

We’ll send out some blogs on the outreach next week!