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Key verse Act 19:9b-10 “so Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province Asia heard the word of the Lord.”

1. Looking Back at 2014

Twenty years have passed since I came to Zambia. When I came to Zambia, I was full of vision to make many disciples. But I could not raise disciples. Many students left after studying some years. Whenever a disciple candidate left, I had to struggle with despair. Each Christmas we studied about the manger ministry. Our ministry is almost the same. It was always hard to start newly. Many people say that we should have a dream. I had a dream. But my dream did not come true. Many times I doubted if my dream really would come true? Is it right to dream a dream or better to forget about it to feel comfortable? I pray that my dream will come true. Please pray for me not to give up my dream. For the last twenty years I had to struggle with my financial problem continually as a lay-missionary from the date of arrival to now. I had to struggle with cultural differences because I have a Korean mentality. African culture is very different from Korean culture and sometimes it was hard to endure because Koreans have a hot temper. I had to struggle with loneliness because my family is the only missionary family in Zambia. Some missionaries came and went. I had more reasons to leave Zambia than to stay. God’s work is indeed mysterious.

My spiritual direction for 2014 was to listen carefully. I wanted to listen to God and to others carefully. But I did not listen to what my children were saying. My children asked me for more love and more concern and a good relationship between I and my wife. I did not listen to what sheep were saying either. My sheep wanted more love. My wife told me not to get angry easily but be gentle. I thought that I am also a human being and that they were demanding too much. But I should have listened to them. What they said was right even though it is difficult for me to accept. I pray that I may accept their request from my heart and give them what they want.     

Thank God for Shepherd Moses. He is still with us. Sometimes he did not come --without saying a word-- and later he came and said he was depressed. I did not know whether he would be with us or disappear one day. But despite his ups and downs he is still with us. God trained him through a traffic accident. Two people died and he was injured. Through the accident he realized that God spared his life because God wanted him to do something in this world. I pray that he may become a shepherd and feed sheep.

Thank God for sending brother George and some other brothers who come quite faithfully. I thought that they did not know Jesus’ grace. I thought that they would stop coming. But they continued coming. Sometimes I was encouraged by them. Sometimes they said that they accepted Jesus. Without them my family sometimes attended Sunday worship service alone. This year God sent some new students. They are studying the nine step Bible studies. I pray that they may be touched by one word of God and be changed. May God change them and use them to make Zambia a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

Thank God for feeding us this year. Self-supporting was not easy this year as usual. We opened an optical clinic last year. We expected that sales would increase as time passed. One and a half years have passed but still business is not as good as we expected. Every year I learn that making money is not easy at all. But by God’s grace, we managed to pay the school fees, rent, and living expenses. We did not have a loss. My business is still in the initial stages of building a foundation. But I hope that business will be better next year. May God bless this business.

1. 2015 Direction

My key verse for 2015 is Act 19:9b-10: “...so Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province Asia heard the word of the Lord.” While we were studying Acts, this verse touched my heart. I learned that the secret of disciple- making is to study Bible intensively for at least two years. Disciple-making is not easy. It demands full devotion from the shepherd. But by regular Bible study and faithful Daily Bread training, disciples are made. I pray that I may take up this cross well next year. I feel that my spiritual power is weak to carry out this task. I pray that God may provide spiritual power from above so that I can carry out this mission well. I pray that Zambian students may be raised as good disciples of Jesus.   

Prayer topics

1. Intensive Bible study with sheep
2. May God help shepherd Moses to grow as a shepherd and feed sheep.
3. May God bless my business for His glory

 Nehemiah Kim, Zambia