Cape Church of Christ

MISSIONS Zambia Cape to Cape Childrens Homes

ON THE MISSION FIELD IN ZAMBIA

NEWS FROM ZAMBIA - DECEMBER 8, 2011

Hello To Everyone,
The rains are here bringing growth and beauty to Zambia once again. It’s my favorite time of the year, minus the snakes, of course. We are all well and staying busy. We’ve had several stressful ministry situations in the past month so we are particularly glad for the end of the year which brings the rains, the holidays, and a slower pace for a while.

We enjoyed a big Thanksgiving dinner with the team. We had slaughtered our turkeys several months ago but we thought we were only going to have enough pumpkin to make one pie. Thankfully at the last minute we were able to find pumpkins in town so we got to enjoy all the traditional fixings for Thanksgiving.
During this time of year people spend time most of their time in the fields so many of the Bible studies take a planting break. There are a few still going so Brian continues with those but with the remainder of his time he prepares for upcoming events and seminars, along with the daily task of mentoring our 3 intern couples.        

Of course the boys and I spend most of our days in school. This year we will only take off the week between Christmas and the new year. When we start up again next year we will be in school five days a week, instead of our usual four days a week. Doing this will help us finish school with plenty of time left for saying our good-byes and packing. It will also help Noah and Bryson be more prepared for five day school weeks in the United States.

NEWS FROM ZAMBIA - NOVEMBER 10, 2011

Hello to All,

              We’re having a lovely rain as I sit at my desk and type this month’s newsletter.  We did finally get the usual October hot weather just as we were leaving for Cape Town but thankfully we missed most of it.  The day we returned the rains followed us home.  Now it will rain until April.  Not non-stop, of course, but a bit most days and a lot on other days.

              We once again enjoyed the HIZ group from Harding University in early October.  Each year they come up from southern province to spend a weekend with us learning about missionary life and ministry.  They spend time in classes with the missionary men and visit in the villages.  A special treat this year was that Ellie Hamby, from our overseeing congregation, was part of the staff.  She had tried to visit us in years past but was prevented.  We enjoyed several hours of catching up on her life and sharing ours as well.  We also took the time to have “trick-or-treating” for the missionary kids at all the houses and the dorm where the Harding students stay.  It’s a fun night for everyone.  This year Bryson dressed up as a traditional Kaonde hunter with an outfit made of tree bark and a bow and arrow.  One of the local men made it for him.  And Noah made his own costume of a science fiction character he likes.

              The last two weeks of October e enjoyed a great visit in Cape Town.  The travel down and back were pretty challenging.  On the way down we were delayed a day due to no fuel for the plane.  On the way back the entire Zambezi Airlines was grounded due to not paying their taxes so our flight was cancelled.  We ended up having to buy more tickets on another airline.  We are working on getting a partial refund from Zambezi Airlines but it’s not certain.  But, despite that we enjoyed being in Cape Town.  We got good reports from the doctors but Bryson did have to have an abscessed tooth pulled.  We spent two wonderful Sundays with two congregations that we worked with in the past.  The Southern Suburbs congregation continues to be faithful while living in a very difficult and dangerous neighborhood.  There are always members who are looking for work, dealing with loved ones who struggle with addictions, or mourning the death of someone who was killed on the streets.  But their love for each other and the Lord remains constant.  One of the Congolese Christians we used to work with has moved across town but has taken the opportunity to reach out to those in his new community.  He and his family host a worship in their small home each week.  We enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new people.  As usual the highlight for Noah and Bryson was seeing Imani, their Congolese brother who lived with us for four years in Cape Town.  He remains faithful and continues to work in landscaping.

              Brian and I decided that our free time in Cape Town with the boys would be spent in educational activities this year.  We took them to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held as a political prisoner for many years.  We also visited the national museum and the castle where the original Dutch colonists, and eventually the British, used to defend the Cape colony.  We had great weather for all of these outings and thoroughly enjoyed the experiences.  Now the boys get to write a short paper for school on something they learned.  Tomorrow we will start back to our normal school routine.

              Now that the rains have started all big programming is halted.  Brian does have about 5 English speaking Congolese young men coming next week for three days to study how to prepare and deliver lessons for the congregation.  But other than that he mainly has weekly studies in the villages and Sunday worship.  He uses these slower months to spend time in his office on his personal studies and preparation for the leadership seminar in April.

              A few days ago I was reminded again what a big change is about to occur for our family, especially the boys.  As we all sat around the table we discussed what few things we would like to take with us to America next year.  The boys and I mentioned a few things that Brian didn’t think were good ideas because they were either too large or too heavy.  He then started poking fun at us saying, “I think I’ll take some Zambian charcoal, or how about our truck? ”  Of course we all realized what he was doing but when he said, “I know, I’ll bring a 100 lb. bag of Zambian corn meal to make nshima”,  Bryson immediately chimed in, “that’s a good idea daddy!”  Bryson is our “Zambian child” and he loves the traditional Zambian food.

              We pray you’ll all enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday later this month and remember to not only be thankful for your blessings  but also pray for others, like the Kaonde, who need to learn of God’s love and blessings.  Until next month…

Blessings to all,

Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson Davis 

NEWS FROM ZAMBIA - OCTOBER 13, 2011

Hello Dear Friends and Family,
What weird weather we’ve been having! It’s as if we just skipped October and went directly into the November rains. We’ve had several rains in the past two weeks, along with cool, cloudy weather. We’ve never seen it like this in October. Normally we would be experiencing 100 degree temperatures with no rain. As long as we don’t get too much rain to disturb the planting season we are thankful for the early reprieve from the heat.
Last month I mentioned that we had been invited to the US embassy to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. It turned out to be a wonderful educational opportunity for the boys. Everyone in attendance wore white to symbolize unity for our country while the marines were in their full dress uniform. The ambassador made a speech and then planted a tree as a memorial and expression of hope for the future. Noah and Bryson were invited to help shovel dirt alongside Ambassador Storella so that was a highlight for them. Afterwards we attended a meeting/reception where Ambassador took time to sit down and chat with us one on one. Noah was so impressed by the entire day that he says he is considering a career in civil service one day. Upon our return home both boys wrote a paper in school about the event.
Since we were already in Lusaka and since Brian’s nephew and his wife, Jason and Erin, were looking for a way to take a small get away to a game park we decided we would go with them. We had several times before considered going to this game park but it’s a good distance from Mumena and we didn’t think we could afford the time or fuel. With Jason and Erin with us we were able to split the cost. The park was wonderful. We saw many animals, lions eating a small elephant they had killed the night before, hyena crunching the bones of a zebra, and lots and lots of elephants, hippos and crocodiles. It was also a good time to spend with Jason and Erin away from the stresses of missionary life.
The end of September brought the ladies Bible class seminar. We had 44 women present from about 8 congregations for a 2 ½ day seminar. During those days we missionary women taught the “whys” of children’s Bible class and then showed them four different teaching techniques that they can make and use locally. All materials were things that they either already have at home or can easily purchase cheaply in town. Each woman made a sample from all four teaching techniques and many of them got to practice teaching a Bible story with the things they had made. They all took their materials home with them to use in their congregations and we’ve either seen or heard that several of the ladies have begun a children’s Bible class on Sundays using the materials they made. We also gave them a list of Bible stories in chronological order to help them plan their lessons from week to week. Many of the ladies expressed their joy at learning how easy it can be to teach a children’s class.
Last weekend we hosted the HIZ (Harding in Zambia) group in Mumena. This is the third year they have come up here and every year it’s a joy to have them. The students spend the fall semester down south at Namwianga but they take a weekend to come to Mumena to meet the missionaries, learn about our work, and meet the local congregations. They spend time in classes taught by the men missionaries, visit local villages and congregations, and learn a bit about the development projects going on here. Sunday night they hosted a “trick-or-treat” event for our kids. Our kids make their costumes and go house to house and door to door at the dormitory collecting candy. The HIZ group also dresses up and it’s always fun to see how creative they can be with very few props. This year Noah dressed as a character from a science fiction show and Bryson was a traditional Kaonde hunter complete with a suit made from tree bark and a bow and arrow.
Brian continues to be out during the week teaching in a couple of villages. This week they had the first baptism in the village of Kandakanda so please pray that a congregation will soon be to follow. My study with the local school teachers and wives has never recovered from so many interruptions so for now it’s been postponed. Working with the school has always been a challenge because the teachers come here to work and don’t necessarily have an interest in matters of truth. Pray for hearts to be changed and opened to hear the truth.
Next week our family is going to Cape Town, South Africa to meet with some of the Christians we worked with in the past in the Southern Suburbs congregation. We also hope to encourage a house church that one of our Congolese brothers, Miguel, has started in his home. While in Cape Town we will make the usual rounds for medical checkups, etc. and enjoy a few of the trappings of the Western world. This will be our last trip to Cape Town before returning to the States.
Thanks for reading our newsletters each month and praying for our family and ministry. As a friend and former missionary recently reminded me, it’s these relationships that make all the difference in the gospel being spread. We couldn’t be here without so many of you praying for and supporting us.

Blessings to you all,
Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson

NEWS FROM ZAMBIA - SEPTEMBER 5, 2011

Dear Friends and Family,
Greetings from a hot, dry, dusty Zambia. The winter has finished and now we must endure the hot weather until the rains arrive in November. Because of all the dust in the air this is a difficult time for those who suffer from allergies. That includes both locals and missionaries alike. We would appreciate your prayers for everyone’s health.

The family seminar that I mentioned last month was a success. There were about 150 in attendance and classes were taught for adults, teens and children. Classes were taught by both local church leaders and missionaries. Each night there was a fireside devotional and Sunday morning ended the seminar with an area wide worship service. Of course there are some logistics to be worked out next year to make things run more smoothly but for the most part the churches participated well and everyone felt uplifted by the weekend.

The end of September we will host a Bible teacher’s seminar for the ladies so we are now turning our attention to preparation for that event.

Brian’s weekly Bible classes have continued and attendance is still high. We have been short one vehicle on the team because of a breakdown so even if Brian hasn’t been able to attend other teammates have taught in his place. That is one of the blessings of team work.

The women teacher’s Bible study is scheduled to begin again next Monday. Local schools resumed today, after a month break, so hopefully the teacher’s will be back to their routines and ready to start studying again. It’s often hard to pick up after such a long break so please pray for everyone’s faithful attendance.

The boys are doing well in school. This year Noah says he’s really enjoying science, except the experiments. Bryson has discovered a talent with cursive handwriting. We are trying to keep up a strict schedule with few breaks so as to finish before we move back to the States next year. We are about to take a field trip to the American embassy in Lusaka. We have been invited to attend a memorial service in honor of those who died in the World Trade Center during the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. We feel it will be an important learning experience for our boys to help them better understand that life changing event in America. This is part of our “re-entry” procedure to America.

Thanks, as always, for your participation in our ministry through your prayers and friendship. May you all be blessed and be a blessing to others this month.    

Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson

NEWS FROM ZAMBIA, AUGUST 11, 2011

Hello to All,
Wow, we had a busy month so I hope I can adequately relate it all to you. Last month I mentioned the upcoming marriage seminar to be taught by long time missionaries, Fielden and Janet Allison. They arrived on schedule but they weren’t the only arrival that day. A couple of weeks earlier we got word from the US embassy in Lusaka that the ambassador wanted to pay a visit on the same day that the Allisons and the seminar students were scheduled to arrive. He had heard of some of our development projects and wanted to take a closer look at them. This was part of an ongoing trip he is taking around the country to see how Americans in Zambia are partnering with Zambians to improve the quality of life here. So we had a very busy day with the Allisons arriving and then the US ambassador with his entourage, several others Americans who work at the embassy, the Permanent Secretary of Northwest Province (like a state governor in the US), the mayor of Solwezi, and Chief Mumena.

Ambassador Storella was a kind man who seemed to honestly be interested Zambia and what the American community is doing here. He took the time to meet all of us, shake our hands and chat a while. Jason showed him the animal projects that are going on with the school and Rick showed him the two types of water pumps he has built using all local materials. One of them is a bicycle pump and the ambassador got on and peddled a bit.

The following three days we were busy with the marriage seminar. The attendance was lower than we had hoped for but helpful for those who were here. Two couples from one of the town congregations attended as well as all of the missionaries, and a few local Christians. We pray the information shared will not only bless the marriages of those who attended but also help them know how to teach others in their congregations.

A couple of weeks ago, several of the missionary women hosted a one day workshop at the Rd. 68 congregation in the refugee camp to teach them how to begin their own children’s Bible class. We spent the first part of the day in Bible study so that they would know why God wants us to teach our children. The next part of the day was spent modeling for them how to teach Bible classes using three different types of materials. The day ended with the ladies dividing into three groups so each group could practice using the material. While the women were in class our three interns took the children out to a field and held Bible classes and played games. And the men of the congregation were busy cooking lunch for everyone. It was a great day of learning, fellowship and unity. Last Sunday we attended worship at the Rd. 68 congregation and one of the women was teaching a children’s class when we arrived. It was great to see the church at work.

Noah and Bryson and I started school this week. Noah is in 6th grade and Bryson in 3rd. Noah has noticed an increase in his workload but since he’s now in middle school that’s to be expected. Bryson is now reading chapter books and learning cursive so he’s also got his work cut out for him. But overall it was a good start of the year and I expect the boys to make big strides in their education. We are now considering what we will do for schooling when we return to the States next year.

Brian has begun two weekly Bible studies. One is in Mushingashi, where we have a small congregation. The study has been going on for some time but a couple of our apprentices asked Brian if he would help out a while and let them learn from watching him. The other study is in a new area where we hope to start a preaching point. Brian said they had over 100 people in attendance the first week! Of course many of those will fall by the wayside when they tire of hearing the truth but we are praying for “those who have ears” to be drawn to the truth and change their lives.

Two of our interns, Caleb and Zeke, left this week for the States. Travis is still with until the middle of the month. The end of the month we will host a family seminar here in Mumena for all the families of our 16 congregations. Of course we don’t expect everyone to come but we are planning for around 250 people. I’m sure I’ll have more to say about that next month. We missionary ladies are also beginning to make plans for the end of September when we will host interested Bible school teachers for a weekend of study and preparation. It will be similar to what we did last month but on a bigger scale. So you can see we have much work going on and much to be praying about. We would appreciate your prayers alongside of ours. Until next time… Blessings,Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson

NEWS FROM ZAMBIA - JULY 2, 2011

Hello Again Everyone,
    There’s a lot of news to share this month. At the end of May I, along with Whitney and Erin, attended the Come Before Winter Renewal near Port Elizabeth, South Africa. It was an amazing week and I could never fully explain it all. We spent one week in deep Bible study and fellowship with about 40 women in African ministry and 15 women who came from Texas to minister to all of us. It was truly a gift from God and Hillcrest to get to spend that week with those women. The lavishing of love, concern, and encouragement was so needed and appreciated. I came back with a new sense of balance and renewal.

    Four days after our return our campaign group of 20+ people arrived. This year the participants came from Hillcrest in Abilene, TX and East Brainerd in Chattanooga, TN. The group spent almost two weeks volunteering their time, talents, and efforts in evangelism, medicine, education, agriculture, computer technology, and construction. It was our best campaign ever as the group was extremely focused and helpful. Brian did a bit of everything for the campaign, including cooking, driving, shopping, and teaching. I spent my time in the kitchen cooking and overseeing the kitchen staff. This year even Noah and Bryson got to participate. Bryson helped the construction crew break up some concrete and haul it away while Noah helped with directing the crowds who came to the medical clinics. It was good to see them be an active part of God’s work and we got so many compliments on our two boys. We are proud parents!

    This month we are anticipating the arrival of Fielden and Janet Allison who will spend three days teaching a marriage seminar for several local Christian couples. We will also be holding a women and children’s Bible study day for the Rd. 68 congregation at the refugee camp. Our three male interns will spend the day teaching and playing with the kids while some of us missionary women take the time to teach and train the women of the congregation the whys and hows of having weekly Bible class for their children. This also works as sort of a “dry run” for September, when we will host a women’s seminar for all the women of the 13 congregations. The weekly work of Bible studies and Sunday worship are continuing. We are hoping there will one day be another congregation begun in an area called Mitukutuku. We held a medical clinic in that area and there is also a weekly Bible study going on with a few contacts.

    I’ve saved our family news for the end. Many of you knew that we would be returning to the US in a few years for the educational and social needs of our boys. Our overseeing congregation, Hillcrest Church of Christ in Abilene, TX, has asked us to return home in June 2012 so Brian can take the position of minister of missions and evangelism. We have humbly and thankfully accepted the offer. Hillcrest has been with us from the beginning. Even before Brian and I were married they supported me in Benin, W. Africa. By the time we head home next year it will have been 17 years in Africa with Hillcrest. We are looking forward to ministering at home with the congregation that has taken such good care of our family and been such a vital part of our ministry all these years. We hope to be able to give back as much as we’ve been given. It won’t be a complete leaving of Zambia as Brian will still spend his time, among other things, coordinating the Mumena work from that side and will likely return to Zambia a couple of times a year. We will need your prayers over the next year, and beyond, for our family’s transition to American culture and ministry, as well as prayers for the remaining team and certainly the local Christians with whom we work. We are excited to see what God has in store for his work among the Kaonde in the coming years.

Blessings until next time,
Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson

NEWS FROM ZAMBIA (MAY, 2011)
Hello to All our Friends and Family,
The Muzha Wa Yesu (Servant of Jesus) seminar has ended and all students have gone home. It was a successful month of teaching and learning. Even though most all these men have “Christian” backgrounds few of them have really comprehended what it means to be a follower of Christ. The month of classes revealed the truth through the Word of God, challenged their world view, and encouraged them to change what doesn’t fit in Christ’s culture. It was eye-opening for missionary and local Christian alike. At times we worried that the men would not respond positively to the light that was shed into the dark places of their lives but in the end it seems the light has begun to chase away some of that darkness. It was wonderful to see the difference. Please pray for these men to stand firm in their decisions to follow the Lord and lead their families and congregations in the straight and narrow way.
During the seminar the missionary families ate dinner and had a devotional with the students around the fire once a week. It was a great time of fellowship and praising God together with song and even a bit of dancing. Africans can’t sit still when they sing. It seems to be in their lifeblood. My boys, who we call “African Americans”, sure enjoyed themselves. And I was amazed to see our guest teachers from the USA join in. This week we missionary families will go back to our weekly devotional together – minus the dancing.
The boys and I only have 2 ½ weeks of school remaining. As we get closer to the end the boys are more motivated to finish and they often begin their work just after breakfast, without me. Our last section of history covers Africa. It’s good for the boys to learn some things about the area of the world in which they live. Noah has had a lot of research for school this year but he is finding that a good part of the African section he already knows just from living here. It occurred to me again how fortunate Noah and Bryson are to have the experiences of growing up as missionary kids. I have no doubt that their lives and understanding of the world will be greatly enhanced from these early years. My prayer is that even when they live in the USA and enjoy those blessings they will still have a love and appreciation for all people.
Now that the leadership seminar is over we are turning out thoughts and efforts to the June campaign. We have worked out the schedule of medical clinics, agriculture projects, education sessions, and church planting opportunities. Now we just have to make sure all local authorities, communities, and congregations are aware of what is going to happen and their needed participation. We always try to have one of the local congregations work with us in a new area during the campaign so that after the volunteers leave the local Christians can continue making contacts and going with us for the teaching. We also will be busy this month setting the menu and purchasing all the food and supplies needed to keep 50 people happy and healthy for two weeks.
The ladies Bible class that I’ve been teaching for the past couple of months has taken a two week break as the school has been out of session for the month of April. We did manage to get together a couple of weeks but our numbers were low. When I found out even more of them were gone the last half of the month we decided to wait until school is back in session next week. It is sometimes a bit difficult to get everyone back into the routine of coming to class after having several weeks off so please pray that the ladies will be motivated to make the effort to study the Bible together.
We are so thankful for all of you who take the time to read our newsletter, especially when it’s not got all the pretty pictures, graphics and other marks of the modern computer age. And we’re especially thankful for those who pray for us and our work and take the time to write us a short note. As we hear news of the happenings in the world we are reminded of how important this work is and others like it around the world. I pray we’ll all be about our Father’s business as we wait for his coming.

Blessings,
Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson

Brian & Sondra Davis
P/bag S-42
Solwezi, Zambia

 

NEWS FROM ZAMBIA (March 30, 2011)
One Sunday morning in the Congolese refugee congregation at Road 68, Brother Kazadi preached on how King Solomon determined who was the true loving parent of a certain child in question.  Kazadi concluded his lesson with a passage from Romans 9:8…    “This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are reckoned as descendants.”  (RSV)
Kazadi pointed out how our Heavenly King has determined our parentage even in a world of violence and brokenness.  As a result, we have both safety and belonging regardless of what Satan has done to our families here on earth.  Bro. Kazadi’s lesson was all the more poignant knowing that his wife had passed away only a couple of months earlier.  Kazadi continues to care for his 9 children now as a single parent and has begun children’s Bible school classes for the elementary children at the Road 68 congregation. 
“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”   Romans 8:14 (KJV)
Rejoicing in belonging and safety,
Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson

NEWS FROM THE DAVIS FAMILY IN ZAMBIA, MARCH 3, 2011

Hello to Everyone,
February has come and gone so it’s time for another newsletter. It’s been quite a month. Our new team mates have already found themselves very busy in ministry. It’s funny how you can go from “What am I supposed to be doing?” to “I can’t keep up with it all.” in just a few weeks. With more people here we have had several new Bible studies started and a few other projects. Hopefully this will help with the maturity of the churches and they will do more of their own evangelism as time passes. We do have several Kaonde men who are going out with the missionaries each week.
Besides teaching school I have started a weekly Bible study with some of the school teachers. Erin has joined me in the effort. I am hoping that by transforming the heart of these women it will in turn transform their teaching. There are about 5 women who attend and thus far it is going well. They all have different religious backgrounds so we are starting with an overview of the Kingdom of God in order to give them a better understanding of who God is and how he has acted throughout the Bible.
Noah and Bryson have organized their baseball teams and the first game will be this Sunday afternoon. It’s the Fish Eagles VS. the Bush Babies. The fish eagle is the Zambian national bird and bush babies are native to our area so we thought they were appropriate names. We’ve not had any time to practice so it should be an interesting game. Bryson harvested his sunflower seeds so he could pass them out at the game. Both boys have also made several new friends from the local school and have organized two armies. We frequently hear the noise of “battle” outside the house and around the area.
Brian has been busy with some not-so-enjoyable tasks lately. In early February we found out that our gardener, who has been our most trusted worker, went to the Zambian labor office to sue us for more money. When it was brought to our attention Brian and my father went to seek counsel from Chief Mumena. The chief is currently trying to obtain a copy of Zambian labor laws so that we can know if we are legally obligated to pay him more. We have reason to believe that we already pay him above the minimum wage and that this is just a case of greed. All of this has been difficult for us since the gardener went behind our backs. If he had come to us with his complaints we could have tried to work something out with him. Instead, when he was called in front of the chief, with Brian present, he lied about the matter.
We’ve also lately been notified that back in 2009 someone took several million kwacha (a few thousand dollars) as a grant from the local government, in the name of Mumena Christian Outreach, supposedly to drill wells in four nearby communities. We never authorized taking this money and never knew anything about it until it was brought to the chief’s attention by a local member of parliament. Even though we know who took the money he is no longer around and it would be impossible for justice to be served. If we don’t drill the wells it will give us a very bad name in the communities that were promised wells. But since we had plans to drill more wells with our volunteer well drilling team we should be able to save our reputation. More than saving our personal reputation we need to save the reputation of the Lord’s church.
Thankfully our visiting elder was here when we got the news of both of these difficult events. He was able to give some good counsel and also gain a better understanding of what we deal with in a pagan society. All of this underscores the need for the presentation of the gospel to the Kaonde people. And through all the persecution to God’s work we have felt like we’re in good company with the perfect one who was persecuted far more than we have been.
My parents will be moving back to the US on March 21. We will spend a few days in Lusaka with them celebrating Bryson’s birthday before they leave. Since the boys have spent most of their lives with grandparents I’m sure we’ll have sad boys for a while after their departure. But it’s time for retirement and we are thankful for the time we had. My parents will be returning to their home in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Please keep their transition in your prayers.
And that about wraps it up for the next month. Please continue to pray for the transformation of Kaonde hearts toward God. Pray for his protection and wisdom as we deal with some difficult situations.

Acts 14:22
“…strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God."”
NASU

Blessings,
Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson

NEWS FROM THE DAVIS FAMILY IN ZAMBIA (1/1/2011)
Happy New Year!
        December was a good month for the Davis clan. We spent the month preparing for, celebrating, and cleaning up after the holidays. We had bought many of our presents while in South Africa so that made things easier. Of course the boys got more excited by the day as we drew closer to the big day and the number of presents under the tree grew. We decorated the tree, listened to Christmas music, watched Christmas movies and baked Christmas goodies. When it’s 90 degrees you do all you can to make it feel a bit more like Christmas. Brian’s parents, in Tennessee, got 5 inches of snow on Christmas day. We were all jealous since they rarely have snow for Christmas and when we were home last year there was nothing. But what we lacked in weather we made up for in Christmas cheer. The boys said this was the best Christmas ever. Of course they say that every year.
        We have also spent much of the month preparing for our new team mates that arrive the middle of January. This will be a big transition for all of them but we want to make it as smooth as possible. We are very much looking forward to their arrival because we need the help here and it will be nice to have more social and spiritual uplift from those of our own culture. That’s always the difficult part of living here, especially for us women.
        We are still going out each Sunday to many of the church plants. Along with this, Brian has a weekly Bible class/ cultural understanding class. He is combining a study with some non Christians along with trying to gain some cultural insights that will help this new group of team mates. Brian will be teaching a class each week to the new group and this is helping him prepare his classes. He’s also been busy preparing for the April leadership seminar. The rainy season is a good time to study since most types of outreach are halted.
        The boys and I have plugged along with school throughout the holiday season. We took our break when we went to Cape Town so we had to be in school this month. But since we are only in school 4 days a week it wasn’t a hardship. At this pace we should finish sometime in June.
        Last night we rung in the new year with homemade pizza, a movie and a few fireworks. Actually we went to bed around 10:00 so we didn’t stay up to see the new year arrive. The boys wanted to but us old folks were more interested in sleep.
        We pray 2011 will bring us all closer to God and his will. And that the Kingdom of God will welcome in many new children.
Blessings,
Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson

Brian & Sondra Davis
P/bag S-42
Solwezi, Zambia

NEWS FROM ZAMBIA - December 30, 2010
A Very Happy and Prosperous New Year to one and all.  We pray that this has been a good year for you and that 2011 will be as good or better than this one.  We at Mumena Christian Outreach Center have had, over all, a blessed and happy 2010.  Lord willing, Don and I will be making our way home toward the end of March, 2011.  Hopefully our five years here in Zambia have been a blessing to some.  We have been blessed to be here with Sondra and her family for the past five years and will truly miss them when we go back home.  Lord willing, in two weeks we will have 3 new families joining our Mission Team - two nephews of Brian's, Jeremy Davis and his wife, Whitney, and Jason Davis and his wife, Erin along with Sam and Ellie Rodriquez, who will be replacing Don & I.  I am sure this part of Zambia will be very blessed to have so many working in the Lord's Kingdom here.  Hopefully Don and I will be able to find a place to work in the Kingdom in Cape Girardeau.  We look forward to seeing many of you in this coming new year.  Take care and God Bless all of you.   Rita & Don

November, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving to All,
We arrived home safely from our trip to Cape Town last Sunday and were able to pick up a frozen turkey in Lusaka, on the way home. We enjoyed our Thanksgiving with my parents and had all the trimmings except for sweet potatoes. It was a nice relaxing day in which we read a story of the original Thanksgiving and reflected on many reasons to be thankful to God.
Our trip to Cape Town and back was filled with many adventures, some planned and some not. We enjoyed camping all the way and the boys are finally old enough to help put up the tent, which made them feel big. Along the way we enjoyed being with people we haven’t seen in many years, Bible teaching, as well as beautiful African landscapes and wild animals. Our official family vacation time was three days in a game park in Namibia where we saw two prides of lions, numerous elephants, and rhinos, to name a few.
In Cape Town our plan was to spend time with the False Bay and Southern Suburbs congregations, in order to encourage them in their walk with Jesus. The inner city is a tough place to remain faithful and overall we were gratified to see so many still standing faithfully for Jesus. The False Bay congregation, which is a refugee group, has had some problems and many members have left but they have reached out to others and are still working. Their big challenge now is deciding if they should remain a refugee congregation or join one of the local South African congregations. As so many of the refugees are choosing to make South Africa their permanent home it is a big issue for them. The Southern Suburbs congregation has seen many of their wayward members come back to the family. It was so heartwarming to hear their stories of how God has remained faithful to them and given them a sense of peace and identity in him.
The second reason we went to Cape Town was to have medical check-ups for our family. We still take care of all medical needs there and since it had been two years we thought it was time to visit all the doctors. The big surprise for me was that I ended up having a lumpectomy. It was all unexpected and sudden. I had a routine mammogram and a lump was found. It was thought to be benign but since we live so far away, with little medical options, the Dr. decided to have a closer look. An ultrasound and a biopsy by needle were inconclusive so I had the lumpectomy. The elapsed time from the first mammogram to the lumpectomy was only a week but it was a long one. When it was all over the boys were tired of sitting in Dr’s offices, as was I. But, thankfully the lump was benign and we were able to leave Cape Town on the scheduled date. We travelled across South Africa and spent a few days in Swaziland at African Christian College before heading north through Botswana and then home. We were gone 5 ½ weeks and drove almost 11,000 KMS. It was a great trip but we were glad to be home.
While we were away Mumena entered the modern era. We now have electricity! The poles and lines were being put up before we left and the final connection took place a week after we left. There are days when the power is off about as much as it is on but when it works it’s great! We had forgotten how nice it is to run several appliances at once. Normally we could only run one or two things at a time. On the down side our radio phone hasn’t worked in a few months and no one knows why. The phone company had been out twice to try and fix it but have been unsuccessful. So, we are just going to end our phone service and rely on our cell phones for now. If anyone needs to call for some reason you’ll have to call our cell phone. By the way, notice our new cell number at the bottom of this newsletter. While away, our SIM card for the phone was stolen and we had to buy a new one.
The rains have come and everything is green and beautiful. But along with the rains comes the snakes, so it’s a bittersweet. We now are getting back to our work with the congregations on Sundays and the boys and I are back in school. This time of year everyone is in the fields planting their crops so all other forms of ministry slow down or stop for a few months. It’s a time for us to have more family time, prepare lessons, and make plans for the coming year.
Thanks for praying for our family and ministry. We love and appreciate all of you.

Blessings,
Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson

Brian & Sondra Davis
P/bag S-42
Solwezi, Zambia

011-0966-466-4077 (Brian's Cell)

October, 2010
Hello Everyone,
Another month and another newsletter. Today marks the end of the KiKaonde leadership seminar. We’ve had 8 men studying for the past 4 weeks. The number was a bit low but much has been learned by both the leaders and the missionaries. The men are always grateful for the teaching and attention given to them. Our prayer is that their new biblical understanding will be carried back to their respective congregations and shared with many. We missionaries always learn a bit more about Kaonde culture and the way they see the world.
The boys and I continue to make our way though the school year. Not much to say except that we are now 9 weeks into our studies. Noah has been busy getting his costume for “Trick-or-Treating” made. Bryson will make his this week. As we did last year we will have a group of Harding students here for a few days in October and they will provide the “homes” with candy. Actually they are staying in the dorm so we’ll just go from room to room. The kids love it, even if there are only a few “homes” to visit.
The Harding students are a group of mainly nursing students who spend about 3 months at Namwianga, the mission school/clinic in Southern Zambia. They come spend a few days with us to get an idea of how missionaries live and work outside of a mission station setting. It’s always nice to get a chance to share our work and vision with young people. One activity will be holding a gospel meeting in the refugee camp, in cooperation with the Rd. 68 congregation. Zambia has recently closed two other camps and has relocated several thousand Congolese refugees to Maheba. You now see the typical U.N. tent homes of newly located people. Our hope, along with the Rd. 68 congregation, is to introduce the new refugees to the Lord’s church in Maheba.
A few days after the Harding group leaves our family will head south making our way to Cape Town, South Africa. We haven’t been in two years so it’s time for a visit to the churches and Christians we know and love. This year we are driving so that our boys can see some of Southern Africa that they have forgotten. Brian will be teaching for a week at a Bible school in Tsumeb, Namibia and while there we will spend a few days in Etosha game park. This is the best park we have been to for seeing big cats and lots of other wildlife. Noah barely remembers being there and Bryson doesn’t remember any of it. We are looking forward to a few days of family time enjoying God’s African creation. From there we head to Cape Town for a couple of weeks of church meetings, visitation, a few Dr. visits, and of course eating a few hamburgers at McDonald’s.
A few weeks ago Brian and I missed meeting Rupiah Banda, the president of Zambia by about 15 minutes. We were in town one Sunday for worship but upon discovering we were early, decided to go to a local hotel restaurant for a cup of tea. On the way there we noticed police and military at every street corner. We finally asked one what was happening and one told us the president had spent the night in town at the same hotel we were heading to. He told us they were still open for business so we proceeded. When we arrived I asked if the president was still there and they said “yes, he’s in the restaurant having breakfast.” We looked around in the restaurant and didn’t see him so we asked our waiter if the president was still there. He told us he had just been walking around shaking people’s hands but was now in a meeting in the room next door. We went ahead and drank our tea slowly, hoping he would come out of his meeting while we were still there. When it became obvious that we would be late for worship we left, never having seen the president. About 15 minutes later we heard the police sirens as his motorcade went passed. I suspect that was a once-in-a-lifetime chance but hopefully the Lord noticed that we weren’t late for worship! J
Mumena has almost entered the modern world. The Rural Electrification Board has now put in all the electrical poles, wires, transformers, etc. Once we have our houses wired the electric company will come out and hook us up to city electricity. We will still keep our solar system as a backup but it will be nice to have electric services. This will allow us to run our refrigerators on electricity instead of gas, which is often in short supply. With three new families joining us next year we aren’t sure we can keep an adequate supply of gas so the electric couldn’t come at a better time. We hope to be hooked up within the month.
As we will be travelling for a month I won’t be writing again until the end of November. By then the rains will have started and everyone will be busy in the fields. That means our teaching schedule will slow down to accommodate the local schedule. But, we’ve had a full plate since our return from furlough more than 7 months ago so we’re ready for a bit of a rest. Until then…..please pray for transformation of the hearts and minds of the Kaonde and Congolese people.

Blessings to you all,
Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson

July, 2010
Hello Again Friends and Family,
              Campaign season is now over and we are back to a normal schedule.  All went well and we made some important steps in a positive direction in our work.  First of all, Mom and I successfully kept everyone from starving during the time we were heading up the kitchen.  I felt good that we were able to get the job done.  But the most important advance was in how the campaign was able to coordinate with the team and move the work forward.  The dental work was a blessing to the community and everyone involved stayed busy.  The main emphasis, education, was able to weed through some very difficult personnel problems but also help the school staff have a better understanding of their higher calling to the students, community, and God.  I won’t say we are there yet but at least we saw some progress.
              The campaigners were also able to help us better coordinate the use of World Bible School as a way of getting our congregations and church leaders involved in evangelizing their communities.  We also have a couple of new areas where WBS courses are being distributed that we will be able to follow up on and hopefully one day start some new preaching points.  This is extremely important because we want every project we are involved in to lead to more contacts, more Christians, and more congregations. 
                I have been getting ready to start 2nd and 5th grades with Bryson and Noah. They have enjoyed their time off from school but they have looked at the new material they will be studying and it has piqued their interest a bit. Now that the visitors are gone they will be more likely to concentrate on school studies. We’ll be studying the Eastern Hemisphere this year and both boys have shown interest in Oriental cultures. Who knows where they may end up one day?!
                We are expecting the container with goods for our newly arriving missionary couples any day now. Brian and I will be making a trip down to Namwianga in about a week to make arrangements to have the goods put on a truck and brought up to Mumena. Since we don’t know the exact arrival day of the container we aren’t sure how long we’ll be gone. I’m hoping to be home within a week so the boys and I can start school.
Brian has been busy getting ready for the Congolese leadership seminar to be held the last two weeks of August. This year most of the participants will come from three different cities in the DRC. Brian has visited each of these cities but every other year they travel here, along with a few men from the nearby refugee camp. We are expecting 20 students and 3 women to serve as their cooks. We also have Bruce and Becky Wooley, from Chattanooga, Tennessee coming over. Bruce preaches for Brian’s home congregation. He will be teaching in the Seminar and Becky will be working with the grade 9 students at the school to prepare them to take their national exam in November. Each 9th grader must pass this exam to continue in school. The test is given in English and many of the students struggle to speak, read, or write English. So, many of them don’t pass the exam and their education ends at grade 9. The teachers are making progress but August is a school break and a perfect time to make some extra tutoring available to them.
                As usual there is more I could say but I believe I’ve touched on all the highlights. Thanks for being friends, prayer partners, and participants in our work. We couldn’t do it without you.

Blessings,
Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson

June, 2010

Hi there,
I got several responses to my quandary over FaceBook last month and it seems I’m not the only one who doesn’t really understand the virtual “friend” world. Granted, they were all my age or older but it was enough people to convince me that even if I send my newsletters via e-mail most people will still read them. So for now I’m sticking with this format. I’ll let you know if that changes.
Noah and Bryson finished 4th and 1st grades today. They were very excited and proud of themselves. I was equally proud and almost as excited. Bryson made significant leaps in his ability to read. It was a huge struggle at the beginning of the school year but now he’s reading 1st grade books with hardly a hiccup. Noah greatly improved his writing skills and occasionally enjoys writing movie and books ideas in his spare time. We will begin our next school year in August.
Our only college intern arrived a week ago. Jason Iris, from ACU, is with us for 6 weeks. He is from Bermuda and it’s been pleasant to have here. He’s only been a Christian for three years so his joy and excitement is refreshing. He’s an environmental science major and is interested in seeing how sustainable development and church planting can work together. We told him that if he figures that out while he’s here he needs to let us know. We’ve been working at it for about 5 years now and it seems we still have more questions than answers. But we have learned a few things and we hope to share them with Jason while he’s here.
Our campaign group arrives on Monday. This year there are only 7 of them (including Jason) so we’re going to have an intimate group. Our main emphasis will be education but we’ve also got a dental clinic going on for two weeks. This year will be my first try at heading up the campaign kitchen, along with my mom, so please pray for us. We will be cooking for about 20 people each meal and it’s a bit daunting trying to figure out how much food to make, buying all the groceries and supplies, organizing, etc.
We have now visited all 16 of the Kaonde congregations in our area. All of them but one are doing spiritually well and two of them have merged together into one congregation. They were both refugee congregations and so many of their members have been repatriated that it was better for them to come together. Our family will now spend it’s time working with the two remaining refugee congregations and one Kaonde/Lunda congregation that is way out in the bush. Brian recently spent the night with this congregation, Kyangozhi, and enjoyed fellowshipping and worshipping with them. He took Jason with him so he could have a true African experience.
Enjoy your summer vacations, camps, etc. and write when you find the time. Don’t forget to pray for the Kaonde!

Blessings,
Brian, Sondra, Noah, & Bryson

May, 2010

Hello to All,
Yes, we are still alive so I’m trying to restart our monthly newsletter. I’ve got several reasons I’ve not written in a long time but I’ll only give one excuse. While on our recent furlough we were told by several sources that e-mail newsletters were a thing of the past. They said if you wanted to really get people to read what you send then it’s got to be on Facebook. When we got back to Mumena our young missionary family, who are from the post-modern generation, confirmed the truth of that thought. So, I took the plunge and signed up for a Facebook account. But, I’m sorry to say, now that I’ve got the account I still am no closer to knowing how to use it to send out my newsletters. So, after a few months of doing nothing I decided to go back to the “old fashioned” way, which when I left the States 15 years ago, was “the way” to communicate. I don’t know if it’s a clash of generations, a form of reverse culture shock, or what, but if someone out there wants to inform me how I’m supposed to be using Facebook to reach the masses with our newsletter, I’d be happy to listen. To those who don’t have Facebook, don’t worry. If you still want to read our newsletter in e-mail form I plan to continue it in that format.
Our family enjoyed an “American Holidays” furlough from mid-November through mid-February. The week before arriving in the US was spent in London. We considered it a school field trip since we had been watching a DVD series on the history of Great Britain. We also spent a couple of days in Glasgow, Scotland with some friends who live there. It was a great week and I’d love to spend more time in the UK. Once in the US we enjoyed Thanksgiving and Christmas with family so it was an enjoyable time. Our boys got to see snow fall in Tennessee for the first time although they didn’t see the great snowfalls that hit everyone else. We also enjoyed being with our overseeing congregation, Hillcrest, in Abilene, TX, for three weeks.
Since being back in Zambia the boys and I have once again been busy with school. They now only have four weeks to finish 4th and 1st grades. Brian has been busy trying to keep the grass in the area cut down in order to keep the snakes away. This past rainy season was long and wet and the snakes have been more plentiful than ever. Now that the rains have finished, the grass is being slashed for the last time.
The month of April brought 25 men to Mumena to participate in the Servanthood leadership seminar. They lived in the dormitory and participated in several hours of study each day. The classes this year were mainly from the book of Acts. During the first two weeks we enjoyed having Gary and Sandra Montgomery, from Hillcrest, here. Gary taught a class on servanthood leadership. We enjoyed visiting with Gary and Sandra most nights as we sat around the dinner table. They were a joy to have here.
In the almost three months we have been back in Zambia we have visited practically all the congregations our team works with. We do this occasionally to get a feel for the health of the congregations. The last few will be visited in the upcoming weeks. One of them has had to wait until the dry season because they are so far out in the bush. Each year there are a few months in the rainy season when we can’t reach them. We have found that most of the congregations are doing well spiritually. Brian has been able to meet with the leaders to address specific problems or questions but for the most part we’ve been encouraged by what we’ve found.
Next month will bring our campaign season. This group will be smaller than usual but we anticipate good work anyway. The main emphasis will be education but we also have dental and WBS work going on. Thanks for your prayers for the work and our family.

Blessings,
Brian, Sondra, Noah, & BrysonNews from Zambia (via email): 

        After serving here these few years it is surprising how many people and families we know here in Chief Mumena's Chieftaincy.  As we serve among the Kaonde people it becomes easier to recognize individuals and know not only their family but even extended family members.  Being familiar with this many people soon makes one realize how harsh life can be here in Northwest Zambia. 
        In the last few months we have had many new babies born in the villages nearby.  The strength these local ladies display is incredible.  For example, the clinic only requires the mother to stay for six hours after giving birth.  I have often found ladies walking home in the afternoon with their new baby after giving birth earlier that morning.   Many babies are born during the night and this is when we are called to help with transport.  I am amazed at how the mother, even though with labor pains, can get into and out of the vehicle without help and is quiet on the way to deliver their baby.  One mother even gave birth in the backseat and I didn't  know it until later.  I was called about 10:00pm and it was apparent that the lady had been in labor for some time.  We arrived at the clinic and one of the ladies that was attending her went for the nurse while the other remained with her.  The lady got out of the car for some reason and I was sitting in the front seat not knowing what was happening.  After a few minutes a baby cried and I wondered if they had brought a small child with them.  The nurse came and only then did I know that the child had been born.  The nurse cut the umbilical cord and carried the baby inside the hospital.  The mother got out and walked inside the clinic.
        It is also amazing how many funerals we have here in the local villages.  It is not unusual for there to be six or more during a month.  We sometimes go and show our sorrow to the family but I have only been to one actual burial.  Given Lilimono, fought cancer for more than two years.  Given was a Brother in Christ and I was asked to speak at the funeral.  Most people knew how he had suffered so I spoke to them about being happy that he was now with the Lord.  His suffering was finished and he said he had made peace with God and was ready to go.  Given was the third person baptized at the Konkwa Church.  We thank God that he allows us to be here to serve and when we lose someone like Given we understand how urgent our mission is.
                                                                                                                        Don & Rita            

MEET THE BOYDS

Don and Rita Boyd retired to Cape Girardeau, MO, USA in 2003. The Boyds decided to go to Zambia to work with their son-in-law, daughter and grand children in church planting in 2006.  Don and Rita also played a big role in the starting of the Cape Girardeau, MO mission effort to Cape Town, South Africa. We have entitled this mission effort "Cape to Cape".
    Don has been setting up a dairy farm that is becoming self sustaining along with helping his son-in-law, Brian Davis in their mission effort with the native people in Zambia.  Rita is instrumental in the daily running of the house and assisting her daughter, Sondra Davis with the home schooling of their grand children on the mission field.
    Both Don and Rita are dedicated workers in the Kingdom of the LORD and have given their lives to the fulfillment of the great commission (Matthew 28:18-20).

UPDATE ON THE BOYDS  - Don and Rita have completed their "tour" in Zambia and will be returning to Cape Girardeau in April of 2011.  Will there be more mission work for them in Africa?  Only time will tell!

 

Cape to Cape Missions  

2011 Mission Trip

The planned April of 2011 mission trip had to be cancelled due to scheduling problems with our team leaders and the inavailability of several of our team members to go at those dates.  We will try again in the summer of 2012.

                                                        

2009 Mission Trip

     April of 2009 saw a team of 6 from this congregation meet up with Don and Rita Boyd, who flew down from their mission field in Zambia, in Cape Town, South Africa. Jim and Tula Taylor, along with Larry and Karen Tanner have gone to South Africa twice before on mission trips. Mark McAllister and John McLain were excited to join the team for the first time. This was the 3rd trip into this area supported by the West End Blvd. Church of Christ. 
    Working primarily with the Southern Suburbs congregation in Cape Town, South Africa, to encourage their members and to meet with some who had dropped out of the church, our team was also able to conduct several Bible Studies with friends and neighbors of the members there. Although these studies led to only one baptism, we know that the seed was planted. God can give the increase in HIS time, if the soil was fertile. 
    We pray that these mission trips to this area will continue for many years. Please join us in praying for the work in South Africa. 

Children's Homes of Paragould

        Children's Homes, Inc., of Paragould (CHI) began in 1955, with the care of four children. It was established to provide a Christian home for children whose parents cannot care for them because of death, separation, abandonment, illness or some other reason. The agency was begun as a part of the benevolent work of the Seventh and Mueller Church of Christ in Paragould. This agency is now being helped by many congregations and many individuals.  Children' Homes was incorporated in the Circuit Court of Greene County, Arkansas, on September 21, 1956, with the elders of the Seventh and Mueller congregation as its Board of Directors. 
        The first permanent cottage owned by CHI opened on January 1, 1959. There are now nine family-style residential cottages on the campus. In an effort to lessen the negative aspects of the institutional care, family-style housing is used. Each living unit has a husband and wife who serve as full-time group home parents to provide the parental role models and guidance needed by the children. 
        In July of 1969, Children's Homes received authority from the State Welfare Department to place children in foster homes and for adoption. CHI became the first agency in the state to receive a formal placement license for children. 
        In addition to the nine cottages in Paragould, there is also a foster-family style residential home in North Little Rock. In 1992, Children's Homes began a group home for children in North Little Rock. Children’s Homes provides placement and counseling services for children placed there.
        We are blessed to participate in the support of the Children's Homes of Paragould, Arkansas by donating funds, food and cleaning supplies, (see shopping list) along with items for their thrift store.  For more information on the Children's Home, go to www.childrenshomes.org.