Catherine will be spending 10 months with Paul and Marinette VanColler, full term missionaries in Western Zambia. Their vision is "to establish a Christ-centered church within one hour walking distance of every person in the Western Province and to see villages impacted by the Gospel and uplifted through a Christian community." The Lozi people are an unreached people group, and have proven to be extremely receptive to the gospel (unreached meaning they do not have an established church in their community, and they have yet to have anyone tell them of the love of our Savior).
Witchcraft is the main practice in the Western Province. Th
ey carve idols, worship them, fear them, and serve them. Over 800,000 Zambia children have lost one or both of their parents due to HIV/AIDS, and life expectancy at birth is 38 years old. Her heart
breaks to know that many of the Lozi people are in bondage to idols, and will die without ever hearing the freedom that comes with knowing our Savior. In partnering with the Van Collers vision, she will become a member of their outreach team to plant churches. This includes storytelling to communicate the Gospel, working side by side to build relationships with the natives, as well as discipleship of girls her age (late teens and twenties, she is 21).
To read more about the Zambia Project, the ministry she will be joining, please visit www.zam.co.za. They have ministries that range from a malnourishment center and orphan village to agriculture and soccer ministry, as well as evangelism in remote communities.
Prayer Requests:
1) Protection as she will regularly be traveling far distances and often into remote areas.
2) Wisdom and discernment on how to most effectively communicate the Gospel to the Lozi people.
3) The favor of the Lord to continue to be over the Lozi people, and their receptivity to remain.
4) That her relationship with the Lord to continue to grow and strengthen each day.