SPOTLIGHT ON MISSIONS: Mickeal & Sharon Quillman • Zambia

      The last couple of months have been very busy but exciting. This is a quick update on some of the things that have been going on.

      First, our chiefdom has finally received our new chief, Senior Chief Emmanuel Sekute. It has been over three years since the chiefdom has had a chief after the passing of the late Senior Chief Sekute. I have met many times with Chief Emmanuel Sekute and am hopeful this relationship will continue as we spread the gospel through his Chiefdom. Along with the installation of Chief Sekute, our ministry has been officially recognized by the council and the chiefdom and has been given full permission to operate anywhere within its boundaries. This is a huge blessing and opens even more doors for us here.

      This past month, we were honored to host Phil and Anita Swayne, a sweet couple from Heritage Baptist Church in Waxahachie, Texas. They came over to “live life” with a missionary, and they were such an encouragement and blessing for us. While they were here, Phil taught a class on “How we can know the Bible is true.” He even brought a coin of Pontius Pilate to show the historical side of the Word of God. The people were very attentive and asked many questions as Bro. Phil finished his lesson. Anita brought her skill of crocheting to Zambia, and it is taking off like wildfire. She taught Sharon how to make hats and jackets for the babies, which is important now that we are in our winter. All the ladies in the village are excited to learn this new skill and begin making their own items. We are hoping to gather some yarn and crocheting equipment from the US sometime in the future.

      Phil and Anita also helped with Chabantu Baptist Academy, the community school that is housed in our church building. The school is now up to 130 students, with 5 teachers and 2 teacher’s aids. There is nothing quite like receiving a hug from 130 kids at one time! It was a blessing to see how Phil and Anita loved on our kids here and truly cared for each one.

      This school has allowed us to begin a children’s ministry on Sunday morning and we are averaging around 60 children each week. We are using the Disciple Kidz curriculum from the Baptist Publishing House free of charge, and the kids are loving it! Each week they are learning stories from the Bible, memorizing Scripture and singing praise songs. We are also utilizing the lessons during Bible study times at school.

      The children are currently receiving two meals per day — breakfast and lunch — as well as having a school that is not a two to three hour or more walk. Typically, the only food these children will receive is what they are given at the school. We have moms and grandmothers who come from neighboring villages every day to prepare these meals for the children. It is very important for us here as we are in the third year of a major drought. The crops from this past year failed due to lack of rain and intense summer heat. According to locals, this is the worst drought Zambia has ever experienced. On a bad year, reserve food stores are opened sometime in October. This year, the food stores were opened in March.

      Since we are reliant on hydroelectric power, that also means that we have no electricity. Right now, we are receiving four to six hours of power each day and have been told that very soon we could be receiving zero hours. No electric means no water as our pumps are also electric. Sharon and I are hoping to raise the funds to purchase a diesel generator for our home very soon.

      The past two weeks, we have been hosting a mission team from Romania, led by Candra Barnett and Brian and Pam Risner. They brought Bro. Marius and Adina Porumb, who are ministering at the church in Tetchea, a church I visited over 20 years ago with Larry Barker and where foreign missions was first placed on my heart. Marius and Adina helped Candra, Melody, Lindsey, Skylar Hayden, Brian and Pam to lead a week-long VBS for our kids. Each day of VBS was a new experience for the kids. The Word of God was brought to life through songs, stories and skits with Melody and Skylar dressing up as Bible characters to bring them to life!

      Marius and Adina also helped to raise funds to purchase milk goats and build a pen to house them. It was such a wonderful thing to watch two people from Romania catch fire for missions in a foreign country as well. Please continue to pray for us here in Zambia as we continue to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

      The headman of Simondo has attended church the last two Sundays in a row! Please pray for the salvation of the headman of Simondo. Also pray for Lackson, who was struck by a taxi while riding his bicycle, the upcoming team visiting from Temple Baptist Church in Jonesboro and the drought/famine in Zambia. Again, we are also in need of a diesel generator.