Missionaries
Martin and Julia Etter
December 2009
Dear Friends,
Let me introduce you to Mrs Lelemba from Msochi village in Dowa (central Malawi). She a widow with several children and a member of Kongwe Presbyterian church. She is also a participant of the Veritas Bible training held in her church. She says that the training has really helped her spiritually and has equipped her to prepare sermons for the women’s groups. She has also participated in conservation farming training. This week Victor and Martin visited her village to put in a demonstration plot.
At Kongwe church, the pastor and other helpers have a number of groups that par- ticipate in the Bible training. The congregation was planted by early missionaries and has done much to reach the area with the gospel. Practical help has always been a con- cern for missionaries. In Mrs Lelemba’s vil- lage, the impact of their work can still be felt today. Her elderly mother learnt to read when working with the missionaries and many people speak English in her village. Jesus brought the good news in word and deed and we count it a privilege and joy to serve the poor in holistic mission.
Conservation farming field preparation (minimal tillage) at Mrs Lelemba’s house. After planting holes are filled with manure, a thick mulch cover is applied (below). This improves soil fertility, aids with water pene- tration, slows evaporation and stops soil erosion. Field is ready for planting when the first rains fall. More about conservation farming: www.farming-god’s-way.org
Thanksgiving
- Rev Nehemiah Kanzanthu and his family will join us in November as training facilitator
- God’s protection in all our travels
- All the positive facilitator training courses held in Zambia and Malawi
Prayer
- Financial support to meet our annual budget for the work in Zambia
- That Participants’ lives be transformed by Jesus and for this to spill over into their churches and communities
- Guidance for Nicola’s future studies
- Felia’s (our accountant) husband to find work in Lilongwe We appreciate your prayerful support!
Family News
Julia’s is in great shape, doing aerobics twice a week. She only has an annual check-up now. Regular and unexpected events fill her day. Flapjacks, a Malawian special (mixed breed) male dog recently adopted us as his family. Women’s Bible studies continue apace and her swift and efficient administrative support for family and ministry is much appre- ciated. Her nursery supplies fruit trees and plants to villagers and friends and by teaching and example aims to improve nutrition with the participants we work with.
Rachel will finish her BA in May and hopes to work for a year somewhere in Africa before continuing with an MA. Miriam has started a BSc in Nursing Studies at Kings College, London. She had a wonderful six months with Youth with a Mission in Amsterdam and outreach in Thailand and Cambodia. Nicola is in her final year of school, trying to decide what next.
Martin keeps busy overseeing our teams in Malawi and Zambia. He is thankful that the Lord has brought together a good team after some difficult years.
We plan, God willing, to spend the second half of 2010 in Switzerland and England for an extended furlough. Martin would like to continue his studies and we feel we need to reconnect with home churches and seek God for direction for our own future.
Heartfelt thanks for your friendship and support in the past year and we wish you renewed joy as we approach the celebration of Christ our Saviour.
Martin & Julia, Nicola and the Veritas team
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