Water Wells Fuel Revival, Part 2
A humanitarian project in Southern Zambia reaps a harvest field of souls.
Church growth from well water and Bible workers has been so swift that church leadership is expanding just to keep pace. Pastor Hillary was recently called to the Southern Zambia Conference to lead the church development department where he will oversee the distribution of funds to help local congregations construct simple, durable worship spaces of worship. Another pastor now serves the district on the ground and works closely with Pastor Hillary. Previously, we spoke of “50 churches” in the field, but we have updated and clarified that number. Counting branch Sabbath Schools, companies and new church plants, the field now includes over 100 worshiping groups—and the number keeps rising.
Of course, growth brings new challenges. With only eight Mission Projects International Bible workers currently serving such a large territory, the ratio of workers to churches remains far too low. Pastors find themselves stretched thin across hours of rough travel, and new believers need consistent nurturing to become grounded disciples. After seeing the surge in baptisms and congregations, we committed to adding another Bible worker and provided $2,900 toward roofing sheets and Bibles for the hundreds baptized this year. It’s a start—but only a start. Each new roof means worshipers can meet through the rains; each new Bible means a family can keep learning when the evangelist has moved on to the next village.
The testimonies we heard at the wells were simple and profound. A mother pointed to her little garden of greens and said, “Before, my children were hungry. Now, we eat.” An elder who once walked miles for muddy water lifted a clear cup and said, “I never thought I would see this in my lifetime.” A young man newly baptized told us, “I came for water and found the truth.” These quiet sentences are the headlines of the kingdom.
What encourages us most is the quality of faith taking root. New believers are not just attending; they’re serving—helping to maintain the well, teaching children, visiting the sick, and sharing Bible studies with neighboring villages that are now requesting their own seminars (and yes, their own wells). Well sites are becoming hubs for health initiatives, literacy groups and family counseling. In a region where scarcity often breeds division, the wells have given communities a reason to organize, cooperate and worship together.
Water is life. But here in Southern Zambia, water is also mission. As Jesus once sat by a well in Samaria and opened a woman’s heart to living water, He is using these village wells to open whole communities to the gospel.
There is more to do. Additional Bible workers are urgently needed to disciple new members and respond to invitations from unreached villages. Modest funds for church roofs will turn temporary shelters into lasting places of worship. And continued well drilling in strategic locations will sustain both bodies and souls through the long dry seasons to come.
Thank you for every prayer and gift that helped place a well where there was none. Thank you for every Bible placed in a new believer’s hands and every roof sheet lifted onto beams by willing arms. In Southern Zambia, your generosity is echoing in a cup of clean water—and in the songs of new congregations gathering each Sabbath. The work is growing rapidly. By God’s grace, and with your partnership, we will keep it flowing.
Location
Zambia
Author
Mike Bauler is the director of Mission Projects International.
How You Can Help
Pray for the evangelistic work Pastor Moonga and his team of Bible workers are doing in Zambia, especially the mass evangelism that is planned for this year.
Pray for those who are receiving the water of life from the wells in Zambia!
Give. Funds are needed to provide Bibles to new believers, build churches, support church planters, and purchase a light duty truck to transport workers and equipment. Send your check marked “Zambia Wells,” “Zambia Bibles,” or “Zambia Workers” to:
Mission Projects International
PO Box 237
Kirksville, MO 63501
To give securely online, visit:
www.missionspro.org/donate