Visiting interesting group in Mumbwa

Mumbwa Town, Zambia

We live in a little cottage. We are glad that we got the mosquito net not so much for the mosquitoes, but because of all the other creepie crawlies. We chased off the five inch spider, but he as back today! So, we’re just going to live with him. Bev has even befriended him calling him “Goliath.” He is just over the night stand and we have to be aware not to bump our head into him. Kambani Banda told us that he has never seen such a spider and that he “hopes it’s not poisonous.” We had not planned on this, but an interesting development has taken place in that the what remained of the Worldwide Church of God in Zambia. WCG members in Zambia were told that the church was going to Sunday worship and that the Festival Days, that we had been observing for years, were no longer to be kept. These church members were kept in the dark about where the church was really going all these years. Beacause of loyalty to the church, they hung on as long as they felt they could keep the Sabbath and Holy Days, but earlier in the year they were notified by their leaders that observing the God-ordained Sabbath and Holy Days was no longer to be done. The leader, Wilson Nkhoma and many of the brethren could no longer accept this and withdrew from the Worldwide Church of God. Just before the Feast of Tabernacles they notified the United Church of God that they wanted contact. Our Zambian pastor, Kambani Banda spoke to UCG’s president Clyde Kilough about this at the very recent Southern Africa ministerial conference and it was suggested that when Beverly and I came to Lusaka for the Feast that we would also go to the place where the remnant of WCG was keeping their Feast in Mapoka in the Mumbwa region. It was a two and a half hour drive to Mapoka. The last eight kilometers were very slow going over very rutted road and potholes that could swallow up an entire car. As in Lusaka where the brethren stood waiting and singing a greeting song, we were welcomed warmly by more than 100 people. After some introductions, we started the church service that went for more than two and a half hours. Wilson Nkhoma gave an introductory message about himself and the group that was most enlightening. He had been a member of the church since 1963. He had a rich experience in the church and a proper understanding of the Truth that God has granted us. He was kind and respectful. Next speaker was Kambani Banda who was to introduce me, but Mr. Banda went on to tell about himself and his history in the Church. Again, this was most enlightening and very tastefully delivered. I then spoke about United Church of God and how and why we started. Then I gave a sermon about understanding the Gospel of the Work of Jesus Christ through the Festivals and Holy Days. Afterward we had lunch. All the cooking was done outside. I was able to get better acquainted with Wilson Nkhoma and his wife Dorothy. I was very impressed by him, his maturity. He told me that in Zambia there will be probably about 200 people who will want to worship with the United Church of God. Realistically, it may be more like a hundred, but certainly it will add greatly to the 150 we already have. Kambani Banda is very pleased at this development. We then took a group photo, chatted some more and started on our way back to our Feast site in Lusaka. I drove both ways in Kambani Banda’s club cab pickup. Back at the game park/camp ground we were glad to see the boys playing soccer with ball we had brought with us. The evening ended with a variety show. It consisted of mostly hilarious skits. The most enjoyable aspect was seeing the people in meeting hall laughing uproariously and just plain having a good time. Another fascinating day end. I now focus of three more sermons I have to give in the next two days.