In August the visit became a reality, creating a great deal of excitement among members in these countries. During the 13-day tour, the president visited all the congregations in Zambia (except one extremely distant church), and the two congregations in Malawi, traveling many hundreds of miles by road in order to reach remote congregations in rural areas. The visit began Aug. 14 when Mr. Kilough landed in Johannesburg, South Africa. The next day Morgen Kriedemann, pastor of the Johannesburg church, and his wife, Joleen, took the president on a tour of Pretoria, the capital. That evening Mr. Kilough conducted a Bible study for the Johannesburg congregation. There were 72 in attendance. "Are we ready to rule?" and "What will we teach?" he asked. He gave examples of complex problems facing areas such as Bangladesh and sub-Saharan Africa and the Arab-Israeli and Irish conflicts. These are some of the issues we will confront at Christ's return, and there will need to be solutions. Learning to live God's way now will be one way we will be equipped to face and solve these challenges in the Millennium, he said. Visiting Zambia The next day, Aug. 15, we took an Air Zambia flight to Lusaka, the capital of Zambia. Mr. Kriedemann and André van Belkum joined Mr. Kilough on the flight and for the visit to both countries. There to meet us at the airport were a number of members, including the regional pastor for Zambia, Kambani Banda, and his wife, Shirley. Members presented each of us with a colorful bouquet of flowers, making us feel welcome to their country. From the airport we proceeded directly to the home of the Banda family, where a Bible study had been planned. The theme of Mr. Kilough's study focused on an unstable world filled with sorrow, waiting for the children to come to its rescue. At this time we are pilgrims, but once a pilgrim puts his roots down in this world, he is no longer a pilgrim. After the study we sat around in the garden and enjoyed a sumptuous meal prepared by the ladies. We were joined a little later by Mike and Primrose Mukarati who manage our office in Zimbabwe. It was a joy to see them as we were able to discuss the perplexing circumstances our members are facing in that country. We were also able to hand over relief funds collected by the congregations in South Africa, which will be used to assist the members there. They continue to face hardships most of us can hardly imagine. It was interesting that, on the same day Mr. Kilough arrived, presidents from countries of SADC (the 14-member Southern African Development Community) gathered in Lusaka for their annual conference. Armed soldiers were stationed about every quarter of a mile along the route from the airport into the city. As soon as one of the leaders arrived, the entire route was blocked off and all cars ordered to stop next to the road. Earlier in the day Shirley Banda waited about an hour for one of the heads of state to pass. Friday morning we managed to reach the main shopping complex, only to be delayed for over two hours when the main access and exit points to the main road were blocked off. When we noticed police vehicles with sirens blaring and blue lights flashing, we realized a head of state was on a mission somewhere. However, after our delay we visited two Church families in their homes. The first was a widow, Rebecca Chipembele, and her granddaughter, Alice Banda. Their home was located in a suburb where roads formed a narrow track of deep potholes and ruts, a challenge to both vehicle and driver. We were ushered into her home, which consisted of a living room, kitchen and a bedroom. Our conversation was about the Church and how she managed to get to services on the Sabbath. Outside in the street a loudspeaker blared away, making it difficult at times to hear. From there we visited another family, Lynos and Brenda Ngwenya and their children, Nathan, Amos and Leah. The whole family stayed in one room, the bedroom separated by a curtain hung from the ceiling. It was an honor for us, more than for them, to be in these members' homes and hear their dedication to the ways of God under the most trying of circumstances. On our way to our next destination, we were sobered as we contemplated the commitment and devotion of these members. Sabbath in Mumbwa Sabbath day dawned, and we departed to visit congregations in the Mumbwa province. Combined services for Kasumpa, Nalubanda and Nalubanda North churches had been arranged. First we stopped at the village of a member and headman of that area, Jerrison Shacoonga, his wife, Nice, and their seven children. Then we visited a newly completed church hall sponsored by the Good Works program. After visiting Lloyd Chifwepa and family and a widow, Mrs. Maninga, we left for services. Along the way we stopped at a clinic and handed over medicine supplied by LifeNets. This clinic helps our members in the area, as only qualified medical personnel are allowed to administer certain drugs. LifeNets supplies the medicine and when members get ill (especially with malaria) the clinic staff members administer the medication. We noticed patients in the wards curled up under blankets, starring at us, some with looks of sadness and resignation in their eyes. On arrival at Nalubanda, we were greeted with a song of welcome, sung with the usual harmony so pleasing to the ears. During the service Mr. Kilough stressed the importance of us striving for the Kingdom of God, not putting our roots down in this society. "Seek first the kingdom of God," he said, but not forgetting to also seek His righteousness. Attendance of 122 was the highest on the trip. The service took place in the new hall constructed with the help of the Good Works Program. (A third hall is presently being built in Nalubanda North.) One highlight was the church choir. Their singing is spontaneous and inspiring. After services we all sat around and enjoyed a meal of lechwe (an African antelope), ground and cooked maize, chicken, goat meat and vegetables. By then it was dark, and in the lights of a motor vehicle Mr. Kilough was presented with a gift of a clock mounted on a copper map of Zambia. The journey back was over a bumpy road, with the usual potholes that made our vehicle thump along. It took us two hours and five minutes to do the 65 kilometers back to our lodge. We stopped twice to stretch our legs. On the entire journey back to our lodge in Mumbwa we only came across two vehicles. Sunday in Mapoko The departure was early for our next congregation visit at Mapoko. Fortunately it was only about an hour's drive from our lodge. Along the way we picked up a few members. On arrival at the hall, members greeted us with the usual welcome song and lined up to greet the president. The hall was a mud structure with a thatch roof. Attendance was 78. Mr. Kilough emphasized 1 Peter 2:9 stressing that as we are a holy nation, we are required to live every day as the people of God. He also referred to James 2:5, showing that God decided to choose the poor of this world, rich in faith, to be heirs of the Kingdom He has promised to those who love Him. After services and fellowshipping, we traveled a short distance to visit members in their homes. First we visited three widows who are regarded as successful farmers. They showed us this year's crops of maize and cotton. Their village consisted of thatched bungalows that served as bedrooms, a separate kitchen for meal preparation and structures for chickens, goats, sheep and pigeons. We noticed that none of the sleeping quarters had doors but merely a cloth strung in front of the opening. Crime is not a problem in the area. After visiting the village of another member, we returned to the village of the leading member, Jonathan Katapya. We sat under the shade of a mulberry tree and enjoyed a meal of stewed goat meat, braised guinea fowl, maize meal and vegetables. We left Mapoko with members singing and waving farewell. We returned along a road that was badly eroded and potholed. Fortunately it was only for eight kilometers until we reached the main road to Lusaka, which had been resurfaced with financial backing from the Swedish government. Mufulira and the Copper Belt Next morning we left Lusaka on a five-hour drive to the north of Zambia in order to visit the congregation at Mufulira. The road was rather busy especially with trucks transporting equipment to and from the copper mines in the region. Along the way we came across the wrecks of five accidents. We went to the home of Derrick and Cherry Pringle, who manage the distribution The Good News and handle all incoming and outgoing mail of the Church in Zambia. Much appreciation was expressed by Mr. Kilough for the voluntary work the Pringles and others like them from around the world perform in serving the Church. That evening we enjoyed the hospitality of the Pringles and sat down to a delicious meal prepared by Cherry Pringle. The next morning we attended the Mufulira congregation. It is located in the Copper Belt, referred to as such because of the copper mines located there. Along the way we came across the usual taxis, many with religious slogans printed on the rear window, such as "Only God knows" and "Each man for himself, and God for us all." The attendance was 78. Mr. Kilough mentioned that human governments over the centuries have not solved the problems people face, nor provided stability or hope. However, God's Kingdom will not only last forever, but provide the solutions to human problems (Daniel 2:44). He mentioned that every day we have an opportunity to live righteously and allow God to train us for a position of rulership in His Kingdom. One of the main reasons people fall away is that they lose the vision of the Kingdom, and we should not be distracted from our goal of entering the Kingdom of God. On our trip back, we met the usual police roadblocks (which are numerous on the roads of most African countries). However the police were civil and courteous. Most of the day Wednesday was occupied with a meeting of 10 men from the local Church. Mr. Kilough covered various aspects of leadership in the Church. He stressed that any position in the Church should not be for personal gain but for service to others. Allow God to use you in whatever niche He places you, even though the spotlight may not be on you, he said. Thursday we departed on our return journey to Lusaka. Traveling to Malawi On Friday, Aug. 24, we departed for Lusaka airport and checked through customs and immigration, only to be told that the flight to Lilongwe, Malawi, was delayed. While waiting at the airport we noticed an airport staff member reading The Good News. A broad smile spread across his face when Mr. Kilough showed him his name in his American passport and also pointed out his name in the GN staff box. We took a photograph of Mr. Kilough sitting next to this individual. What made this situation more unusual was that the GN was originally sent to a subscriber in Indiana. Wherever we met with the members, they expressed their appreciation to Mr. Kilough for taking time to visit them, especially in the far-flung, more-difficult-to-reach locations. The visit to Zambia, even though tiring and strenuous at times, was most successful, and we experienced few problems and difficulties along the way. Malawi Leg of the Trip That evening our 50-seater prop airplane touched down in what is described as "The Warm Heart of Africa." The people of Malawi are exactly that: Warm and friendly and nowhere more so than in the Church. A relatively small country (118,484 square kilometers) with a population of 12 million, Malawi is the eighth poorest country in the world. Unemployment is high. The average income of a laborer is $50 per month; and that of a civil servant, $150. Here we find brethren, dedicated and supportive of the work of God, faithfully paying tithes every month from the little they have. We were met at Lilongwe airport by elder Gladstone Chonde and driven by ambulance (supplied by LifeNets) to our accommodation. Lilongwe is the capital of Malawi. There on Sabbath morning Mr. Belkum and Mr. Kriedemann accompanied Mr. Kilough to services held in the clinic run by Gladstone Chonde and built by LifeNets. Fifty-seven were in attendance. After the customary song of welcome by the congregation for him, Mr. Kilough presented the message centered not only on seeking God's Kingdom, but also seeking His righteousness now in our lives. He quoting from the hymn: "I have held back my feet from the ways of this world." Early the next morning, we were driven by Sam and Esther Chilapora in another ambulance donated by LifeNets (by this stage we were questioning whether we were ill but unaware of it) 352 kilometers south to the city of Blantyre where our other congregation is situated. Along the way we stopped off at the Balaka Medical Centre attended to by Dr. Chilapora and his wife, a qualified nursing sister. This clinic, too, was donated by LifeNets and opened by Victor Kubik on Oct. 7, 2003. That same Sunday afternoon, after six hours of travel from Lilongwe, a Bible study was conducted, attended by 71. Mr. Kilough was welcomed at the door in the typical, warm Malawian fashion; presented with a bunch of flowers by a young girl and a boutonniere by one of the young boys. Again, Mr. Kilough's message focused on the miracle of our calling, God's coming Kingdom and the vital need to maintain a strong vision of it in the forefront of our minds (Proverbs 29:18). At the end of the study, one of the members, Tielmans Chirwa, on behalf of the Blantyre members, presented Mr. Kilough with a fine painting of an African village. This was given, it was said, as a reminder of where he had been and an invitation to come back again soon. Next morning we departed to the airport to fly back to Johannesburg, South Africa. At the airport Gracious Mpilangwe said that Malawi had been greatly blessed by Mr. Kilough's visit. We were equally blessed, if not more so. So ended 12 days of travel through Zambia and Malawi. It was tiring and exhilarating, eye opening and humbling to share in the faith and dedication of our brethren in this part of Southern Africa. UN