Meet Pastor Kashewe

1 Corinthians 10:31-So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Pastor Charles Kashewe wasn't looking to be a pastor, but when his pastor died, the church called on his to lead them. It has been a difficult road, but this humble young man is learning quickly. He is eager to learn, humble to change and desires deeply to see his church grow to love Jesus. Please pray for Charles for the courage to lead well and the wisdom to know how to lead well. Thank you!

Meet Pastor Phiri

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit"
-- Psalm 103:2-4

Please be praying for Pastor Phiri right now, as he has been forced to drop out of classes due to failing health.  Please also be praying for his family -- Martin and his wife have eight children.  This is not the first time his health has been poor, however, and just as God has been faithful in the past, so He will be now.

Martin grew up going to catholic school and was very successful in his studies, so much so that he was sent to London to study.  While he was there he got sick and consulted many doctors, though none of them were able to find a cure for a lack of appetite -- the hospitals could not do anything.  So Martin returned to Zambia, where he visited 21 different witch doctors, many of whom gave him tattoos that were supposed to free him of the spirits that were causing his sickness.  On the way back from receiving the last of these tattoos, he sat down on a bus next to a pastor who knew through the Holy Spirit that he was sick.  Phiri wanted to know which spirit had given him this knowledge, and the pastor replied that is was the Holy Spirit.  Martin was curious to know more, so he followed the man off the bus and prayed with him to become a Christian.   Martin regained his appetite immediately, and though he never met this man again, he was able to find a home church at Grace Mission Ministries.  Martin knows what it means to say that God heals; please pray that He would do so now.

Below is a video of Pastor Phiri introducing himself; if you are receiving this post via email you may need to click here to see the video.  Thank you for your support and God bless!

Meet Pastor Ngoma

"1 Corinthians 11:1 - Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ"

Father Ngoma is a man worth imitating. He is compassionate, humble, encouraging and purposeful. He leads a church at the Anglican church in Makeni (just outside of Lusaka) as well as oversees a community where the daily needs are overwhelming. Whether he is helping feed impoverished families, encouraging bereaving widows or ministering the HIV/AIDs ministry, Father Ngoma continually pours out his life for his flock. Please pray for Father Ngoma for strength and endurance as he ministers daily in Makeni.

Meet Pastor Simuyemba

"A joyful heart makes a cheerful face..."  Proverbs 15:13


Pastor Manuel Simuyemba has one of the most blessed and joyful hearts in the world, and when you meet him it is reflected in his face.  Always smiling and laughing, Pastor Simuyemba is one of the most gentle and humble men in the ABI program, which is saying a great deal.  He is an encouragement to all who are privileged to walk with him.


Pastor Simuyemba, until recently, was an elder at Libala Baptist Church.  Like many of the churches in Zambia, Libala Baptist is actively involved in church planting and community evangelism, and Pastor Simuyemba was leading the charge in these areas.  Three months ago, however, Pastor Simuyemba left Libala in order to plant a church in nearby called Grace Baptist Church.  Steve Allen had the opportunity to preach their a few weeks ago and returned very encouraged by the solid foundation that has been laid by this young church. The future is bright.  In the midst of great encouragement by this church, he is also facing a difficult challenge in that his contract was not renewed for the new year and he is currently unemployed. Thank you for remembering our brother Manuel!



Please be praying for Pastor Simuyemba as he leads his young church to reach out to their community, loving the poor and the widows and the orphans.  There is much to be thankful for, yet there are also many areas where they are still waiting on the Lord to provide for them.


Here is a video of Pastor Simuyemba introducing himself... be sure to click on the link if you are receiving this update via email.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Meet Pastor Chiwuswa

"Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." -- 1 Timothy 4:12

There are fifteen pastors currently enrolled in the Action Bible Institute, and all but one of them are married.  In the U.S. this might not be a big deal for the lone unmarried man, but in Zambian culture singleness and marriage carry very significant social connotations.  The married man eats before the unmarried man at meals, is addressed more respectfully in public, and so forth.  In this sense Zambia is far closer to Biblical culture than modern American culture: much the same way Paul encuraged Timothy not to let anyone look down on him because of his youth, young Zambian men likewise need to be encouraged that their faith speaks for them ahead of their culture.

James Chiwuswa has attended the Anglican church since childhood, and as a youth was very zealous for his faith, even being given his own congregation at age 21.  But he soon found himself surrounded with bad company, and so he gradually left the church as a drunkard in his early 20's.  After trying for many years -- unsuccessfully -- to obtain training as a mechanic, James found himself in a miserable condition, drunk and impoverished.  But God was gracious, and led him to move back home with his mother to live in Makeni Ecumenical Center, a small neighborhood center to the South of downtown Lusaka.  This decision led him to a renewed faith in Christ, and to this day he lives with family in Makeni Ecumenical Center, having been given another congregation in nearby Kalikiliki Compound.  James has not touched a drink since moving to Makeni, and he hopes to join the ranks of the married very soon to a beautiful, godly woman who he himself led to Christ with the rest of her family.

Please be praying for James as he prepares for marriage.  Also pray that he would have the ability to minister both to his flock and to his young family once he is married: the Anglican Church where James is a priest is able to provide only very little financially, yet God has proved himself faithful to provide for James thus far.  Many thanks also to you as you provide support for James as he takes time out of his week to learn more about God's Word which could be used for supplemental income or for further ministry to his people.

Meet Alfred Mulenga

If you were to ask the average Zambian today whether status and prestige are important, the answer would be a certain yes. Knowledge is power in a country where education is scarce; many pastors lord their position and their knowledge over younger men in order to retain their respected position. Even those who train up young men often fall into the trap of doing so harshly or with a critical spirit. Alfred, though a young man himself, has many reasons to boast he has been blessed with a wonderful family (he and his wife Gertrude have four children), and was only just recently admitted to the deaconate in the Anglican church after having completed his Anglican education. Yet Alfred Mulenga is a man with a gentle smile and a humble spirit, who is willing to serve others with gladness even when, by Zambian standards, he ought to be asserting his position.

Pastor Mulenga was raised in the church from a young age in the town of Kafue, which is about 15 miles south of Lusaka. Shortly after being married, a group of thieves broke into his home and began to steal things from him, but were caught by a mob as they fled. One of the thieves was severely beaten -- and eventually died -- despite Alfred's efforts to break up the violence against the very people who were stealing from him. After the incident, the rest of the thieves delivered death threats against Alfred and his family, so that they were forced to flee to Lusaka for fear of their own safety. Alfred soon found work at Makeni Ecumenical Center, where he has since finished his education and received a congregation in nearby Linda compound, where he is now serving as a priest.

Please be praying for Alfred as he continues to take classes from Action Bible Institute three times each week, having recently moved his family to Linda in order to live where he is actively involved in ministry. Also please be praying for God's continued provision for he and his family. The Anglican church is able to provide only very small means for its priests, so the support that you provide as Alfred takes classes from ABI has been, and will continue to be, a tremendous blessing. Please also be rejoicing with Alfred and his family, since being ordained to the deaconate is a tremendous honor. Hundreds of people came to the ceremony last month to shower the new deacons with gifts and to celebrate with them!

Here is a video of Alfred introducing himself... if you are receiving this post via email you may need to click here to see it. God bless!

Meet John Chitambo

"...and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him." James 5:15

John Chitambo and his wife, Victoria, have four children: Ruth, 24, Joshua, 22, Ethan, 19, and Emmanuel, who just turned 18 last week. Formerly a math and science teacher, John now works part time for Action Zambia as an HIV/AIDS consultant in the C.R.O.S.S. program (Churches Ready to Overcome the Silence and Stigma of AIDS). John helps to strengthen local churches as they implement counseling programs for those who have HIV, or who want to reach out to the many Zambians who are suffering from this horrible disease.

John has a heart for the sick and the downtrodden largely because his life has been marked by God's faithfulness in the face of illness. In the past few years God has truly tested John and his family pertaining to medicine, in that his son Joshua was recently diagnosed with two shrunken kidneys. His doctors are not sure what is causing this condition, which has caused Joshua to have to go get dialysis for many hours each week, but they maintain that others with his condition have been known to heal with time. The faith of John, of Joshua, and of the rest of the family has been tested greatly in the past year, but God has provided for them even in the midst of this difficulty. Pray that He continue to do so!

John became a Christian in 1980 at the age of 17. After finishing high school, he spent a year in the Zambian National Guard before attending college for two years to become a teacher. For the next 16 years, John worked as a science and mathematics teacher before joining the Action Zambia team. He currently lives in Libala compound, which is a poor suburb on the outskirts of Lusaka. John has been a pastor since 1997, and he is now copastoring a church in his neighborhood.

Thank you for everything you do to suppport John and his family as he sacrifices his time and his resources to take ABI classes three times per week. John truly has a heart for God's people, and the training that he receives is helping him to weekly grow and excel as a humble shepard. Please be praying for the health of his son Joshua as he continues to battle kidney disease, and for the rest of their family as they pray for God's healing.

Above is a video of John introducing himself and his family. If you are receiving this update via email, you may need to click here to see the video. Thanks and God bless!