Dear friends,

Greetings from Abwino Farm. We are in the heart of the dry season. The College’s second semester is in full swing. We have just held a Women’s conference and a Teacher’s conference on campus. The Farm is preparing for the next rains. Since our last column, we have been blessed by the addition of a full time Administrator. The Trust has been looking for someone to fill this vital role for some time, so we are very thankful to the Lord for his kind provision. We have included a short introduction to our new administrator below. While we have added an administrator, we have also been saddened by the sudden loss of Rodah Zulu, the dear wife of our third lecturer Charles Zulu. We pray for the Lord to be with him and his family as they grieve at her passing.

PRINCIPAL’S REMARKS – George Kalengo

On behalf of the leaders of Covenant College, I wish to say that I am grateful to the Lord for the many blessings we have experienced in this half of the year. We call upon each one of you to partner with us in thanking the Lord for the way He has guided the Ministry of Covenant College for the past 14 years of existence. It is my plea that you join us in praying for both spiritual and physical blessings of the Lord on the ongoing ministry. As a person who has just joined the College, I would say there are a lot of things that needs to be done. This runs from spiritual formation, building of meaningful relationships, accomplishing developments that might have been idle as well as the need for financial support from partner churches. I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to individuals and churches that supports us financially and materially. May the Triune God bless them and even stir more hearts to be passionate to do likewise so that as a team we may all do the extension of God’s Kingdom together. I wish you God’s blessings Rev Dr George H.T. Kalengo Principal of Covenant College.

COVENANT COLLEGE FARM MINISTRY – Jackson Kasolo

The harvest has now been in for a few months. it was a very reasonable one, seeing that the rainy season was very short with long dry spell. This led to many local farmers having very poor yeilds. We hope to reserve part of the harvest for the CC students and the work for Food Program. The remender will be sold once the price is more attractive. This years harvest truly proved that Farming God’s Way (Conservation Farming) works and that it is the way for alleviating poverty in Zambia. The results of Godly farming practice are very easy to see when there is a difficult year! We did two radio interviews with National Agriculture Information Services (NAIS) which were on aired on two local, one provincial and two National Radio Stations respectively. The interviews were on FGW and Conservation Farming. We are convinced that Conservation Farming is the way forward, hence the commitment to Teach FGW at every opportunity that presents itself.

The Farm continues receiving and training farmers from outside organizations. We received farmers from both NGO’s and the Government in the past months. Recently we had farmers from DIACONIA and Agricultural Students from Ukwimi Trades Training Institute (which is located in Petauke) who came to learn more about FGW and Integrated Farming. In June we attend the District Agriculture show, which is one of the main events on the farm calendar. At the show, we displayed all the livestock, crops and processed products that we produce at the farm. We won the award for 1st under Institutes. But what was more important to us was selling the farm and its Biblical teachings to the local people and the government. We are very thankful that the government continues to endorse FGW. When the College students came back for the second semester in July, we had a chance to give them 32hrs of teaching. The following were some of the subjects taught to the Diploma students: Farming God’s Way (Conservation Farming), Compost Making, Integrated Small Scale Farming, What is Organic Farming, Livestock, and Setting Up a Small Business. The farm is always appreciative of the time with students, as we know that the teaching they receive has lasting benefits in their lives and in the lives of their churches. We thank God for your prayers and support. Please continue to pray that more people will pick up the teaching of Farming God’s Way and that the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ will continue being preached through FGW and the CC Farm.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION MINISTRY – Marjanne Hendriksen

The end of the second semester for all the schools involved in the CEM program is almost there… That means we are visiting during the last two weeks every school for the last time this semester. We give the teachers already the invitation for the coming conference which is scheduled for the third week of August. What do we do when we visit a school? We attend the whole teaching program, so that we can see what the teacher is teaching and how he or she is doing that job. Is there a lesson plan? Is there an opening and a closing prayer? Do we see a Bible lesson? How are the storytelling skills and is there a application in the story? Are the children able to recall the previous story? What other topics are taught? Is there progress? Is a teacher able to differentiate, according to the level of the pupils? Can the teacher evaluate the performance from the pupils and also his or her own teaching? All these observations are discussed after the children finished their school day. Every school visit is a surprise! Sometimes it is discouraging… sometimes it is quite ok… sometimes it is encouraging… The challenge is to count every day the blessings the Lord is providing through committed teachers who are sharing the gospel with the small lambs from Gods flock!

INTRODUCTION TO THE ADMINISTRATOR – Mekelani (Mex) Mbewe

Hello! My name is Mekelani Mbewe. I am 27 year old Zambian citizen from Eastern Province. I am the first born of two brothers. I am engaged preparing to get married by October. I was born into a Christian family; My Dad was one of the pillars of our local church and sometimes stood behind the pulpit to preach. My Mom was a choir member and held some positions in the church. They were both devoted to the church, so as their children we grew up in church. I came to know Jesus as my Personal Savior and Lord after I lost my Dad in 2004. I did my primary education at Chibuyu Primary School and Secondary education at Kafumbwe Boarding High School and was Head Boy for a year. After graduating I got myself a job at Sable Company to work in a garage with the mechanic as a helper. However, I quit the job after a friend opened a shop and asked for my help. I worked with him for a year. As I worked with him a desire came to study the scriptures and serve God with my life. Thereafter, God opened a door for me to go to the International Bible College of Zambia in 2011. I studied there for four years and earned a Bachelor’s Degree of Theology. As I worked hard for my Degree, I had opportunities to do other courses at my own time and earned certifications in Basic Accounting, Basic Computer Studies, Micro Entrepreneurship Development, Leadership Skills, Animal Science and Agronomy. I was successful and graduated third in a class of fourteen. Two weeks before graduating the College Management asked me to work with them as property Development Leader and Assistant Teacher until I had something else to do. So I decided to work with them and worked for six months. However, I was told a story of a fisher and hungry fish by a visiting American Teacher that gave me a headache as to why He told me that. A month later I heard a call to serve here at Covenant College Zambia Trust. I am very grateful to join Covenant management. I am more grateful that I have the opportunity to serve God with the position I have been given. I further take my gratitude to all who are giving support to God’s work done help. It’s my prayer that God’s blessings cover you in fullness.

PASSING AWAY OF RODAH ZULU – Katie Lachman

With great sadness we announce the death of Mrs. Rodah Zulu, beloved wife of our full time lecturer Rev. Charles Zulu. Mrs. Zulu passed into the nearer presence of her Saviour on the evening of Sunday 16 August while hospitalized at University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka. She had recently been diagnosed with a reoccurrence of cancer after suffering from ill health since earlier this year. The burial took place on Thursday 20 August in Lusaka and was attended by a representation of CCZT staff including Rev. Dr. George Kalengo (Principal), Miss Marjanne Hendriksen, Pastor Kenneth Siwale (Trustee), Pastor Isaac Phiri (Student President), and Mrs. Katie Lachman. We are thankful for the Zulu family’s years of service here at Covenant College since early 2012. Truly Mrs. Zulu’s sweet spirit and Christian fellowship will be missed. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. We ask your particular prayers for the Zulu family as they grieve, and for Rev. Zulu in particular as he is due to retire from his duties at Covenant College in October. The loss of his wife of many years will make his long-awaited retirement to be a time of sorrow.

HOW CAN YOU BE INVOLVED?

We are thankful for the response to our last column. The children’s ministry now has funding for the next few years. We thank the Lord for each and every way he provides what is needed to keep Covenant College Zambia Trust functioning. Here are a few specific on-going needs for the 2015 fiscal year. Women’s Ministry funding – generous donors have provided part of the funding for this ministry, but we still need to raise an additional $900/£600 to cover the costs for this year. General maintenance needs – Zambia has been suffering from significant “load shedding” this year, meaning that our electrical infrastructure has been under strain. The College’s last printer was burnt out during a brown out. We need to replace it with a new copier/printer. All three of our generators have failed, leading to much headache in getting them repaired. We have also invested in a new radio system for staff security. We still need to obtain a high quality laptop computer for the use of a full-time Administrator, as well as office equipment such as whiteboards, podiums, etc. Please consider helping with these practical matters. We thank the Lord for everyone who keeps us in prayer and helps the work in so many ways.

May the Lord be with you all. Greetings in Christ our Saviour,

The whole team at Covenant College Zambia Trust