Update Edwin Zambia, 5 May 2008-05-03

Hi to all my friends and family at Bacchus Marsh Life Church.

How are you all?

I apologise for my recent lack of communication, the ministry has been a bit hectic, and it seems difficult to find time to go into town and use internet.

I’m ok here in Zambia. Since being back at Beautiful Gate (BG) in Kitwe, I have mainly been involved with the street children ministry, since there has been a mid term break at the school. I have also been trying to revive the banana plantation, and am now helping to manage a poultry project (growing chickens). As well as the community school for orphans and vulnerable children in the surrounding compound, Beautiful Gate has taken in 4 former street children, and is helping them to reform. Collins, Kapembwa, Patrick and Sosten are now very much part of the Beautiful Gate community. Collins and Kapembwa are now employed by BG as maintenance workers. They are also receiving some vocational training in the areas of agriculture, poultry production, and growing bananas. Patrick 17, and Sosten 14, is attending the Beautiful Gate community school. They are attending grades 7 and 6 respectively. Both had to leave school because of lack of support from their families, and eventually found themselves entangled in the addictions and habits of street life. Encouragingly, both boys have taken up the opportunity to catch up with schooling with much enthusiasm and determination. Both are now showing good progress in their classes.

Beautiful Gate is also continuing its ministry to street children. We meet them every week on the streets for football, a time of devotion, and a solid meal. BG has also now partnered with another organization seeking to help children on the streets to reform and be transformed into Godly leaders. The organization which is based on ‘Heart of the Bride Church’ in Florida, has also taken in more than 12 children from the streets, some of who were the worst cases. We regularly work together on outreaches and programs for the boys.

Apart from this, I have also been busy trying to revive the banana plantation. The Banana plantation has now expanded to about 148 plants and getting water to them all during the 8 month dry season is becoming a challenge. At the moment the only water supply we have is town water, which is un-reliable and expensive since its metered. A borehole is necessary for the bananas and the vegetable garden to expand and become fully productive.

I was also asked to help manage a poultry project to help raise funds for the ministry. We started growing 150 chickens for meat production. They are now 4 weeks, and will reach optimum yield weight at about 6 or 7 weeks, weighing 2 to 3 kilos each. We hope to sell them at that time and use any profits for re-investing into the same project.

My phone was stolen during a street outreach, thankfully however, I was given another phone from a departing Dutch volunteer. On another and more serious, and disturbing subject, last month there were more than 10 people murdered within the time of about 2 weeks in my area. A special police unit was deployed from Lusaka to help combat the violence, and the killings have stopped for the time being. Otherwise however, everything here in Zambia is very peaceful.

I thank everybody for your prayer and support; I miss all my friends and family, and hope that you will keep in touch. And please feel free to view the prayer and praise points I have listed below.


I hope you are well, and look forward to hearing from you.


God bless, Edwin.


Praise points;
- Safety and well being of the children and Beautiful Gate community despite the recent violence
- Good progress in the projects and ministries of Beautiful Gate
- Good personal health

Prayer points;

- Personal clarification in my role within the ministry
- Funds for a borehole
- Funding for Beautiful Gate operational costs
- Ongoing protection and good health