Awakening and Growth in Zambia

Zambia has been a partner country of EBM INTERNATIONAL since 2017. The country in southern Africa is about twice the size of Germany. It has no access to the sea and yet most people probably know the roaring Victoria Falls on the border with Zimbabwe. The situation of the people in the country is difficult: the state is heavily indebted, HIV and AIDS have made many children orphans. The number of droughts is increasing, resulting in insufficient harvests. But when it comes to church planting, our Zambian brothers and sisters are way ahead.

Pastor training and conferences

From the beginning of the partnership with EBM INTERNATIONAL, the training of pastors was an important part of the cooperation. In 2022 alone, more than 150 full-time employees received further training.

Conferences have a good and successful tradition in Zambia. Women and men hear God's word in their own events, are encouraged for their everyday lives and experience community.

Securing income and food

Poor harvests and increasing poverty threaten the livelihoods of women in particular. In the Copperbelt province, EBM INTERNATIONAL is financing a three-hectare corn cultivation area. Due to the rather unsuitable weather last year, only 30 sacks of maize, each weighing 50 kilograms, were harvested. The Mpongwe Farm team is hoping for a better harvest this year.

Groups of women were trained and educated at several locations. They learned how to start a small business and earn an income by growing vegetables, doing manual labor and raising livestock. 20 women in Mayika have set up a chicken farm with 400 animals. A small goat farm started in Chipata, in Copperbelt the women decided to keep pigs. They were advised by an expert.

The initiatives have many positive effects: the women's families see the success and lend a hand. This increases the income, the children are less absent from school. The nutritional status of the participants has noticeably improved through the cultivation of vegetables. People in different parts of Zambia experience how their lives improve noticeably as a result of the Baptist programs.

More than 30 church plants

Committed and well-trained pastors, practical help for the people - these are good prerequisites for a growing church. In fact, the number of church plantings in Zambia is almost unbelievable by European standards: between June and September 2022 alone, twelve churches were planted and 600 people became Christians. From January to June, 19 new congregations were formed. The Zambian Baptist Union encourages the young congregations to produce mud bricks for their new churches and helps finance the roof.

More than 30 new congregations, more than 1,000 new believers - the growth of the church is palpable and a great encouragement.