Care For Those We Sent

. . . in Zambia

We are thankful to have been sent by Taylors FBC to encourage our own, J & J, who are missionaries in Zambia and minister alongside them while in Zambia. Our plans were to work with the local church by painting, assisting with building a playset for the children of local and foreign missionaries and teams staying at the Mission Guesthouse, and visiting a prison. We went to love, serve, and share the gospel. We came away changed by a culture and people we will forever hold dear to our hearts. 

While most of the Zambian people are very poor beyond what we had ever seen, they were happy, kind, and are strong believers in Christ. J & J attend a Zambian church which we were blessed by attending with them. We were welcomed with open arms and even a special song. We had planned to help paint at the church but unfortunately, an eight-month-old baby, who was actually in the service we attended, became ill on Monday and died Tuesday. From what J shared with us, it is all too common for young children to die from Typhoid or dehydration. Our hearts break for that family. Please lift them up in prayer. 

The role that J & J have in Zambia is support for the missionaries that have been called there. As part of that support, Tim and J helped with the layout and construction of a play set at the mission. I am sure it will bring much fun to the many missionary children and mission teams that visit when completed!

We visited a local prison. It is winter in Zambia, so we packed and handed out prison packets for 175 inmates including socks to keep them warm. J visits the prison every Wednesday to encourage, pray, and teach the women. We had planned to do the same but the guards wanted us to minister to the whole prison instead. We were able to sing and share the gospel with all the inmates. After speaking, we were able to place into each inmate’s hand the gifts we had brought them. Pray the Lord will save many there and encourage those He has already called to Himself! 

Please pray for J & J as they serve in Zambia. Pray for the believers in Zambia to stand strong.  Pray for the many who are addicted to alcohol that they would find hope in Christ and freedom from their addictions. 

— The Smerdons

. . . in Wales/London

Being with Hannah in Cardiff, Wales, was pure pleasure! Our purpose for visiting her was simply to encourage her, love on her, and spend time together. We did all that by having meals together, worshipping at the church she attends, and playing table games. For several of those activities, Hannah’s roommate and a young woman Hannah is discipling joined us. Wonderful conversations were sprinkled throughout our time. God gave us a heart connection with each of them, and we left having “adopted” those three precious young women.

Next stop was London to visit with Ryan, the pastor with whom Taylors FBC partnered with for several years, to thank him for his ministry and close out the partnership. Attending a Bible study Ryan leads provided wonderful fellowship with he and church members. Lunch with Ryan and his wife, who is from Ukraine, was a sweet three hour visit. We are thankful for the opportunity to have partnered with such incredible people! 

— The Freshours