“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.”
1 Thessalonians 3:12
Launch of Ministry
Dear friends
Thank you for your partnership with us in the Gospel work we have been called to in Zambia. Your prayers and financial gifts are a crucial part of this ministry.
It has been such a blessing to find our place in the communities we are serving with here in Lusaka! We have seen spiritual growth in ourselves and literal growth as “someone” (we won’t mention names) also turned 40 this month.
We thank and praise God for a full and fruitful month of February. In this newsletter we’ll update you on the following fun:
- Reunion with little Lucy
- Successful collection of our ‘katundus’ (belongings) from Chavuma
- Launch of ministry with children at Christ Church Lusaka (CCL)
- Start of GWC Explore training with key leaders
The Return of Lucy
You may remember that July last year, we found and rescued ‘Lucy’ – a tiny little kitten in Chavuma. She was barely two weeks old and her eyes were still closed. I raised her by hand and against all odds she survived. When we had to unexpectedly retreat to South Africa, we sadly surrendered her to the African Animal Rescue Centre (AARC) because she couldn’t cross the border without vaccinations etc. AARC were confident they would find her a good home quickly, but we were devastated to leave her behind after all I had been through to raise her.
In January 2023, a few weeks before we returned to Zambia, we contacted AARC to find out how little girl (Lucy) was doing. To our surprise they still had her at the Centre. She had never been adopted and was still with them waiting for her forever home. We were delighted and asked them to keep her for us as we were returning to Zambia and would love to have her back. At the beginning of this month we fetched our littly Lucy and she has also settled in very well here with us in our new home in Lusaka.
Collecting our ‘Katundus’
Last year we moved our lives and a majority of our material possessions to Chavuma from South Africa. When we left in August, we left our things there in the hope that we would return to Chavuma very soon. However, God had other plans for us and we now find ourselves in Lusaka. The challenge was how were we going to get our “katundus” (vernacular for baggage or belongings) from Chavuma to Lusaka? Every avenue seemed prohibitively expensive and near impossible. But God provided a way and we are so grateful that we now have the majority of our goods safely back with us here in Lusaka. We were graciously loaned a vehicle by one of the SIM missionaries (Tom Lunsford) who lives here on the base. God bless you, Tom!
Fragile Road and Real Friends
It was decided that for the sake of space and my emotional stability, Michael would go to Chavuma without me. So early Monday morning he headed out. Due to the rains, the roads were horrific and this journey would need to be done over two days. This gave opportunity for Michael to overnight at Mukinge Mission and catch up with our friend Dr. Allan Sawyer, a medical specialist from the US, who has been serving at Mukinge Hospital for the last couple months.
Packing the Katundus
When Michael finally arrived in Chavuma on Tuesday afternoon, he took the opportunity to visit and touch base with our Luvale friends whom we miss dearly. The next day was a packing day and Michael put in every effort to pack in as much as possible. Some of our things he donated to Luvale friends since it couldn’t all fit in the vehicle. Michael is the “Master Packer”. He managed to get most of our “katundus” loaded into the borrowed vehicle. We praise God for providing a vehicle and making a way for us to fetch our things from Chavuma. It also brings healing and closure of some sort as we are finally able to lay that chapter of our lives to rest.
Launch of Ministry with Christ Church Lusaka
From the first week that we arrived in Lusaka we have been deeply involved with various aspects of ministry at Christ Church Lusaka. Michael has lifted some of the burden off the shoulders of Pastor Paul Kayumba (the pastor of CCL) by taking on the preparation of the weekly order of service. This has also provided opportunity for Michael to meet one-on-one with the men ear-marked as church leaders at CCL. They meet to go over the order of service and prepare for leading but it is also a time for him to get to know the men on a more personal level.
Michael and I are also involved with the music ministry which is led by Mr. Felix Mulenga, one of the church leaders. We have really enjoyed meeting together in the week to practice and prepare for the Sunday Worship Service. The musical instruments donated by St.Mark’s have been most useful for enhancing the Sunday services.
GWC Explore Course Training
Michael has also started fascilitating two different groups in the GWC Explore Course. The one group meets on Thursdays and are currently going through the first book of the Explore Course. The second group meet on Saturday afternoon and are already in the third book of the Explore Course. This group of leaders started the Explore Course with Pastor Paul Kayumba last year and are now already in the third module. Michael took over their training from Pastor Kayumba to free him up for other ministry.
Launch of Ministry with Children
Last Sunday we launched the children’s ministry at CCL and it went very well. Planning this was challenging for me because we meet in a lecture room at the University of Zambia. There is no additional venue for the children’s ministry and we have about 10 children between the ages of 4 and 13. This seemed impossible! Michael suggested that we do a 4-5 minute kid’s slot in the service like they do in our home church (TCC) and then hand out age-appropriate worksheets for the children to do during the service. The Lord really helped me to find a way to use what we have to start the ministry with the children.
Praise God For:
- making it possible for us to get our ‘katundus’ from Chavuma
- our health enabling us to keep on ministering here in Lusaka
- monthly financial support that enables us to pay our bills
Pray For:
- the Children’s ministry to grow and meet the needs of the children at CCL
- the Explore courses that are running with the two groups of church leaders.
- the growth of Christ Church Lusaka
- ministry funding to cover ministry costs
- funding for a vehicle.
Thank you
Thank you very much for your partnership with us in our missionary calling. We regularly thank God for you.
Thank you for keeping in touch.
In His service – and loving it!
Michael and Renée Watson
“All people will see God’s salvation”
Luke 3:6
We are missionaries serving with SIM-Zambia. We rely totally on donor support to keep us in the mission field.
Please would you prayerfully consider supporting us financially. You can direct your support to us through SIM or directly to our personal South African bank account. Find out how you can support us here: