OUR MISSION:
- To partner with Africa Leadership and Reconciliation Ministry (ALARM) to teach and train pastors and their wives in Biblical principles of marriage and family, so that they can strengthen their own marriage, model a godly marriage, and train others in marriage and family. Five day conference, May 30-June 3.
- To teach several hundred men a seminar on moral purity, family leadership, and faithfulness in marriage. Ed will teach the one-day seminar on June 4.
- To bring resources to strengthen and encourage pastors and their wives in their ministry and their marriage.
- The pastors and wives in Zambia, which is in south-central Africa. Zambia is a country the size of Texas. Zambia has a population of 13 million people. We will be in Ndola, the 2nd largest city in the country, where we ministered in 2006. The average life expectancy is about 40 years old (men and women).
- The religious beliefs are estimated to be Christians (50-75%), Muslims (24-49%), and indigenous beliefs (animism, 1%).
- Unemployment is 50%, with a 70% poverty rate.
- The averange annual income is $ 395; the cost of the conference per couple would be more than 50% of their annual income.
Because of their low income, we have to provide for the expenses of the conference, as well as our own expenses.
- Prayer
- Team Funds: $3958 each ($7916 total) for Ed & Donna Edwards (includes transportation, food, and lodging)
- Funds for pastors/wives: 50 couples @ $281/couple = $14,050 (includes Study Bibles & conference notebooks/shipping, food, transportation, translators, and fee for conference venue)
TO DONATE
- Zambia has been heavily evangelized but the pastors have little or no training in any area, but especially the area of marriage and family.
- The rate of HIV/AIDS infection is very high, but the shame and misinformation related to infection is also high. The epidemic is spreading primarily through heterosexual contact. The need for pastors, church leaders, and their wives (some are HIVpositive) to talk to someone who will not condemn them is also great.
- Zambia is a Christian nation by constitution but has a growing Muslim population. Among Christians leaders, they have difficulty integrating their faith with long-held cultural beliefs. The need for teaching and training in living out the life of a devoted follower of Christ is acute!
- Through Ed's personal ministry to a church leader in 2006 (HIV positive, addicted to pornography, in debt,and travelled away from family for work), that man got out of debt and broke free from immorality. As Ed continued to minister to him from the U.S., first, the man helped a group of six other men break free from pornography. Then, he began speaking to men's groups in churches on moral purity. He is now studying for vocational ministry.
