Zambia Team Report - Last Day of Conference

Rev. Robbie Grubb Reports:  It all comes down to this…after all of the expectation, anticipation, and nerves leading up to some of the best twelve days of my life, today is the last day!  There is brokenness in my heart knowing that we have to leave some of the happiest people I have ever met, however, my heart is also filled with joy in what Christ has accomplished in such a short time period.  From the moment we landed and came to Misisi Compound you could sense the connection that God would give us to these lovely people.  It is always shocking coming into a country and seeing the shoe-less feet, swollen bellies, dirty faces, and hardworking people that are fighting to survive.  I cannot help but to think back to meeting Bishop Misika and his smiling face; to even being introduced to Pastor Nicholas and his once very shy little children. I can remember God burdening me to pray for a small boy whose eyes were not whole, to the first service where people found deliverance and even the strongest demonic forces had to go.  All I can think in my mind right now is WOW!  How blessed and favored we have been with this opportunity.  I could not imagine now not having this priceless experience in my life.  From the many hours laboring for people raising money, to the countless messages preached sharing the vision God had placed in me for Zambia; all the work, sweat, and tears was worth it to be right here!  I could not have had this ministry changing experience without all of the support, prayers, and sacrifices that my family, church, WWLM Inc., my friends, and various pastors gave to help me come to Lusaka, Zambia.  I am blessed to have the support group that I have.  Time goes on, but moments in time affect the outcome of your life; the moments I preached to the church, held fatherless babies, interceded with broken people, and laid on the floor to birth my Samuel.  All the messages, moments and prayers will transform my ministry forever.  When I lay my head down to sleep at night I cannot help but to see the kind people of Lusaka in my mind.  They have imprinted their character, emotions, and love in me and I am thankful for that.  My heart is broken today for a people that could use more physically, but have everything they need to succeed spiritually; Christ, the Holy Ghost, and love.  I cannot wait to see how far God takes these people.  My body will be home in Kentucky in several hours, but part of my heart and Spirit will stay here with these people. Until very soon… I love you Lusaka!

Evangelist Joshua Bell reports:  Since it was my last day I had such a strong desire to sing a song that I learned in Nyanja, “There Is No One, There Is No One Like JESUS.”  As soon as I opened up my mouth with the first words, the entire church erupted.  People were shouting, dancing, and singing along with me!  Reverend Robbie even began to dance like his fellow African brothers and sisters.  It is a moment that I am glad that I did not miss.

As soon as I woke up this morning the Lord began to speak to me a message that I felt was just for these people, “It Is Only A Voice.”  I began to speak from my heart about specifically what a voice is, what voices we listen to, and how the enemy can trick us with his voice.  Our nature is to only listen to people that are in authority over us and that have influence in our life.  That is the main point that I was trying to get people to understand.  The enemy uses his voice very loudly in our life, but he does not have authority over us.  He is under our feet!  Christ has the authority to speak into our lives; this is what I wanted the church to comprehend.  The message went great and the altar call went even better!  Souls came forward seeking God to speak into their lives.

I am so thankful for each and everyone that supported me on this journey.  I can’t help but to sit and think about how this trip has changed my life and ministry.  It is an experience I never would have been able to take part in without my family, friends, church and WWLM Inc. helping me along the way.  I know God will bless you all tremendously for sacrificing to send me here.  Every soul saved, you had a part in.  Every soul delivered, you had a part in.  I want you to remember that most of all.  Zambia has stolen my heart.  Though it hurts, I am glad God has connected me with these people.  I love them! And they will always be in my prayers!

Rev. Sanchez Reports:  The last night service was wonderful.  From the very beginning to the very end of the service, God moved mightily.  I taught today on the cry of Hanna.  It was a message on desire and birthing things for the kingdom of God.  The Holy Ghost really moved in the church in a powerful way.  Pastors and leaders began to cry out for God to bring forth His desire in their ministries. Leaders and young people fell out everywhere in the church in travail!  Great healings took place in this service!  We received reports of back pain, stomach aches, head aches, and pains people have had for years just lifted off their lives as the Holy Ghost began to move through the church.  Many young children at the altar were baptized in the Holy Ghost and began to speak in tongues as the Spirit gave them the utterance.  The power of God swept through the church.  Our driver that drove us all week came to the altar and asked Jesus into his heart! It was amazing!

The Power of God was present, moving and dealing with lives. All over the church, people were on their knees and laying across the floor.  There was a deep move of the Holy Ghost.  People crying out to God could be heard all over the church.  Many people gathered together at the church gate desiring to come inside because of the drawing of the Holy Ghost and they were ministered to.  Sister Saunders said she has not been in a meeting like this in years.  She said she could not move from her seat because the power of God was so strong.

Rev. Robbie Grubbs and Evangelist Joshua Bell were saturated by the Holy Ghost and laid across the altar, crying out to God.  The longer the service went on the more powerful it became!  People were walking all over the church, crying out to God and talking in tongues!  Elders were praying for one another, young children were praying for adults, the power of God was everywhere!  When I looked at the time it was now 10:30 pm and God was still moving!  God’s glory was filling the church. Teenagers were crying out to God; it was amazing!  Then the power went out and it was pitch black.  All we had was a few little lights from cell phones, yet it did not stop the power of God!  We watched people getting prayer and falling out under God’s power in the dark.  Little children were being carried out because they were saturated by the Holy Ghost!  There was no stopping this meeting; God was moving!

We left the church very late but the power of God was moving even while we were leaving!  You could hear the saints of God crying out and talking in tongues, even in the overflow rooms!  It was reported that the meeting went on another two hours and finally they carried people out and the meeting ended in the church sanctuary around 1am but continued in the various rooms until God was finished!  It was a blessing and we thank you all for praying!

Zambia Team Report - Conference

Rev. Sanchez Reports: The morning meeting was absolutely powerful!  The church was packed!  The meetings are so full, we have people sitting outside to listen to God's word, and people looking in the windows and doorways.  And if that was not enough, we have overflow rooms where people are sitting and listening in the classrooms!  It is amazing!

I preached a message called “I Declare War!”.  The Spirit of the Lord challenged the heart of His people to fight for the promises of God and to defeat every enemy that stands in the way of you and what God has spoken to you.  While I preached, the power of God saturated the church!  It was explosive!  People were running and shouting and jumping and crying!  The Holy Ghost took over the service!  The Holy Ghost hit Rev. Robbie Grubbs and he was jumping and shouting all over the place!  Then the Holy Ghost hit Evangelist Joshua Bell and he caught on fire and ran around the church and the pastors and leaders ran right behind him!  And the church went wild!  People were being filled with the Holy Ghost, souls were getting saved and demons were coming out of many people!  In the doorways and windows people were crying, shouting and falling out under the power of God!  Right outside by the water well, the water of living life was splashing on every thirsty soul!  In the overflow rooms, it was reported that people were being healed and delivered and the power of God was so strong that people were falling out in the Holy Ghost!

As God kept moving, many young children were baptized in the Holy Ghost and were taking in tongues as the Spirit gave them the utterance!  The power of God just kept falling and people were being healed.  Restoration had taken place for many pastors who lost hope in the battle!  It was glorious!  Shouts of victory filled the air!  As the meeting went on, one of the pastors ran over and grabbed Sister Saunders' hands and the power of God hit them both.  They both started shouting, talking in tongues and dancing all over that altar; it was dynamic!  Service lasted from the morning til the afternoon!  We touched God this morning and we will never be the same again!

Lunchtime & Fellowship: during lunchtimes the food is lined up on tables and passed out; we are all eating together, family-style!  During the breaks, everyone is going over their notes from the messages.  People are in groups, laughing and singing.  We have been sitting in circles, playing games with children.  We are all becoming a family and it is beautiful!  There is so much strength and encouragement during this time.

Evangelist Joshua Bell Reports: Today, before the youth service, a group of 40 young people from various churches marched down the dirt paths of Misisi Compound, singing, praising God, and inviting everyone they came in contact with to church.  It was incredible.  As we were singing, all the people came out of their houses.  Kids surrounded our feet and touched our hands.  The joy that you could feel in the midst of God’s people is almost unexplainable.  I could feel Jesus walking with us; it was so real.  Only God’s love could bring light to the darkest places.  After we got back, we sang some children’s praise songs and if anyone has a gift to sing, it has to be African children!  They sing with passion and a natural harmony that could captivate anyone!

After the songs, I preached a sermon called “God Has Not Forgotten You.”  In my message, I testified about my younger brother Delcardo and how the Lord cared so much about this baby boy that was dying that he took him from Haiti and placed him in a loving home and healed him.  If God never forgot about a little boy from Haiti than that tells me God knows where you are and He has not forgotten you! The power of God was in this youth meeting.  Many young people came to the altar, crying out with knowledge that Christ has not forgotten about them.  What a wonderful experience that it was to see these beautiful children reaching out to their Heavenly Father with faith and God was so faithful to shower down His presence like a gentle rain, letting His children know that He was there and He cares.  It felt like Jesus just came down and hugged us and I am so grateful to be a part of what God is doing here in Lusaka.

Zambia Team Report - Sunday Services

Sunday morning was fantastic! All we can say is that a picture is worth one thousand words.

 

In the Sunday School, the youth were blessed by Evangelist Joshua Bell teaching them about how Jesus, the good Samaritan, will always help them!  Many children received prayer and trusted that God would take care of them. 

During the Sunday service the church was packed!  We are so glad that souls were saved and filled with the Holy Ghost!  Many were healed of sickness and God moved mightily among His people!

Sister Saunders taught the women's meeting and the women of the church were so encouraged and blessed by her message. The men's meeting was also powerful! God moved on the men and challenged them to take their place as priest of their homes and call on the power of God to meet every need!

It was truly an amazing day!

God bless you and thank you for your continued prayers!

~Zambia Mission Team

Zambia Team Report - Goodwill Wheelbarrow Ministry

The Zambia Mission Team had the opportunity to participate in the Goodwill Wheelbarrow Ministry - a monthly feeding outreach of the Temple of Blessings Church, providing food packs for the most needy in Misisi Compound

Rev. Robbie Grubbs reports ~ “There is no greater feeling than being able to feed hungry bellies through resources that the body of Christ has supplied.  Today we had the tremendous opportunity to take part in “The Temple of Blessings” Wheelbarrow Ministry funded by WWLM Inc.  We arrived at the church and, again, were surrounded by children who now are viewing us all as family.  After showing these beautiful children some love through handshakes and hugs, we began to help the local church members and leaders in preparing the food to give out to the community. 

It is a lot of work preparing for the Wheelbarrow Ministry.  We struggled with bags ripping and learning how much corn meal is enough for each bag, but we eventually got the hang of it.  Yes, many of the church members laughed at us but eventually understood that even us Americans can learn too.  Evangelist Josh, Sister Saunders and I helped fill the corn maize in small bags while the native people (and Reverend Sanchez) filled bags of salt, cooking oil, and vegetables.  The task was tedious but we prevailed!  When we were finished with our preparation, we were given the amazing task of handing the food out and praying over the people receiving it.  At first, the older people came in and began to receive the food.  Then, many mothers with babies tied to their back came to the church in desperate need of help, and God helped them.”

Evangelist Joshua Bell reports ~ “Small children began to come and receive their food because their parents could not come.  Their parents were working for the small wages that they will receive.  It shocked me at the responsibility that these small children have at such an early age. They knew that this simple bag of meal and tablespoon of oil might fill their bellies longer than what they previously had been.  Being able to pray for each one was great.  Just as Christ broke the bread, prayed and multiplied it, He can work that same miracle in these lives.  Once again, we had to rely on the supernatural power of Christ rather than our own resources.  So many people came looking for help and we ministered to and shared with each person; the greatest gift we gave them was the love of God.

Sister Saunders reports ~ “What a blessing it is to be on the giving end and have the privilege to be used by God to help minister and love these precious people.  This was an experience of a lifetime! Filling plastic bags with maize, peppers, salt and oil was a lot of work but worth it all. 

While we were in the church working, word had gotten out that food was coming.  Every time I looked up I saw somebody else in need.  One old lady walked very far to get help for her and her grand-baby.  The baby's mother was trying to get money for food, but when this grandmother heard there was help coming it was the answer to her prayer, so she wrapped the grand-baby up and walked with her little legs, praying to God that she would get to us in time, and not only did she make it but she was first to arrive!  This old woman waited patiently for us to be done so she could get everything she needed.  Thank God there was help in the house of God!  The Bible says, "I have been young and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread" (Psalm 37:25).  God was faithful to this grandmother.  I encouraged her and prayed for her and she left so happy to have something to bring home to help her family!  Touching this one grandmother was worth all the work we did that day, yet many others received help too. My friends, the need here is great.  God is moving and people are getting help but we must work harder, pray harder and give more and above so that more are reached and helped!

Rev. Sanchez reports ~ “No matter how many times I come to Zambia, I never get used to seeing children with no clothes nor shoes, hungry and sick babies, and women desperately looking for food to feed their families.  We were surrounded by needs.  Everywhere you looked, people reached out just hoping they would be the ones receiving the blessings.  As the people came to the church, they had needs far greater than just food.  Many were discouraged and ready to give up on life, some mothers were just hanging on to hope and many were sick.  As powerful and as needed as it is to give out food, the food alone would not be able to meet the needs of the people, but thank God we had the word of life and prayer!  Not only did we give out food, but we released healing and hope!  As we prayed, the power of God came down on many and many people walked away not only with food but also with a touch from God!

Within an hour the food rapidly disappeared.  A little boy, no more than 4 years old, swept up the fragments of corn meal on the floor at the entrance of the church with his hands until he had two handfuls of meal.  He was determined to get that meal home to help his family.  As we called out to him, he got scared and dropped his handfuls of meal, and he was so sad as it blew to the wind.  Little did he know we had one more bag just for him, and he left the church skipping with joy! 

Before we left for the day, we thanked God for all the lives He touched. Before we pulled out of the church grounds, God began to touch Rev. Grubbs' heart to pray for a young boy.  It was obvious the boy's eyes were not whole and the Lord just simply spoke to him to pray.  Evangelist Bell and Rev. Grubbs began to pray and the Holy Ghost began to move.  Later on we found out that Evangelist Bell had the same burden for that young boy and we agreed for the miraculous together.  Today was amazing and life changing…God multiplied and fed the hungry through His people!

Thank you for your prayers and continued support!

~Zambia Mission Team  (Rev. Melvin Sanchez, Rev. Robbie Grubbs, Evangelist Joshua Bell & Sis. Mable Saunders)

Personal Report from Sis. Saunders

Greetings Everyone,

The country and the people here are absolutely beautiful but it reminds of the the story 'Beauty and the Beast'.  It has beauty - you look in one direction and you can see flowers, buildings, people who seem to need nothing at all.  But then you turn the corner and you see the beast - the dirt, the garbage piles, the extreme poverty.  Nobody comes and asks you for a hand-out, yet when you look beyond the smiles and into their eyes you see the fear of tomorrow.  You hear the voices of the inner, crying out, "Will I eat tomorrow?  Will I have a cover at night?  Will I even be alive?"  Yet in the midst of these extreme circumstances they press on, trusting that the same God who provided for them today will somehow provide for them tomorrow.

What blesses me the most is when the people gather into the church and sing praises to God.  They are not singing to be perfect but yet when I close my eyes I hear perfection.  It could not get any better if we were in the king's palace and clothed in fine linen, but in the Spirit that is exactly what has taken place.  There is so much I could say, but please pray like you've never prayed before that God will continue to move and provide and that many souls will continue to be saved and touched by God.  I wish you were all here physically but I know you are with us in faith, in your giving and in your prayers. 

~Sis. Mable Saunders

Personal Accounts from Mission Team

Greetings everyone!  The Lord is doing a great work here in Lusaka, Zambia. Today we visited the Linda Church branch and then ministered in a youth meeting at the main church in Misisi Compound.  Two of our team members are going to share their experiences of ministering in Zambia for the first time and we trust that you are going to be blessed.

~Rev. Melvin Sanchez Sr. 

"Today it was back to the bush!  This is “real” Africa.  Getting the opportunity to preach at the Linda branch church was amazing.  From the beginning of the worship service the presence of God came down in such a tangible way.  God truly inhabits the praises of His people whether that be in the United States, Africa, or China; His omnipresence is still the same.  The Lord began to prick my heart half-way through the worship service to preach on “The Real Holy Ghost.”  Although that was not what I had planned, I knew I had to submit to the voice of God.  After stumbling through the first few words, the message began to flow forth out of my Spirit.  God continues to amaze me that even in your weakest area He can get the greatest amount of glory.  After preaching the message, the Holy Spirit began to take the church to a deeper place.  A deepness past the flesh and the emotions!  I believe the church got a taste of where God wanted to take

them.  I cannot wait to hear the report in coming days about how God is changing that community.  We ended the day with a youth meeting at Misisi Compound.  Evangelist Josh Bell did such an outstanding job.  A small boy wanted me to hold him and began to cry when he had to leave…He ran back in the church, crying, calling me daddy...talk about ripping your heart out.  But I’m thankful that these precious children are not alone for there is a church that loves them and can make them understand that if everybody else leaves there is a heavenly Father who is entirely eternal that will always be there for them!"

~Rev. Robbie Grubbs

"Today we had a wonderful youth group meeting.  This was my first time preaching a youth meeting in Zambia and I didn't know what to expect.  I prayed to the Lord that He would help me and He did!  When I first pulled up to the church, I noticed the youth leaders playing instruments and the kids singing praises to God while others played around the church.  When we got to the gate, a teenage boy opened it and we were instantly surrounded by the young people that we were going to minister too.  We shook hands with the youth leaders and followed the children to the front of the church.  It was unlike anything that I have witnessed in the States...Little girls with babies on their back because it was their responsibility to take care of their younger siblings, small boys jumping around unclothed and with hungry bellies. I knew that God had laid a word on my heart to encourage these future leaders.  They opened up the service with prayer and it was amazing to see young

children with their hands lifted, magnifying the Lord at such an early age.  After singing a few songs, I got up to preach.  After motioning wildly about Daniel encountering the lions den, the kids were instantly captivated.  After explaining how they do not have to fear about anything, several kids raised their hands to receive Christ.  Days like today make it all worth it!  I am so excited to see the impact that God is going to make on these young children.

God bless you"

~Evangelist Joshua Bell

Church Branch Visits - Zambia

Rev. Sanchez reports on behalf of the Mission Team currently in Zambia...

Airport Church Branch Visit:

The Airport Church branch visit was amazing!  This is a new church that was started about three years ago. This branch is still in the building process so they brought us over to the plot where they are building and asked Sister Saunders to bless the building project. It was beautiful! 

We had the church service in another building that they are currently renting until the building project is over. Today, the pastor said that the church was full of visitors because they heard we were coming.  As the service started, there was very little singing and they quickly turned the meeting over to me. I taught on God’s power to deliver!...And did God ever deliver!  The power of God hit that building and people were filled with the Holy Ghost.  And at the same time, many demons began leaving peoples lives.

One little boy, about 4 or 5 years old, was sitting angrily while God was moving.  I knew something was wrong with him.  Sister Saunders went to pray for him and a demonic spirit in that little boy’s life began screaming and fighting.  But, when Sister Saunders called on the mighty name of Jesus and laid hands on him, that devil had to let him go!  That little boy was completely set free by the power of God!  All over the church God was moving!  Many others were saved and delivered from demon power!  Many where also healed and filled with the Holy Ghost!  It was a wonderful visit! 

The altar service lasted for a while and we only had a short time to get to our next service at the Garden Church branch, so we jumped in our van and headed straight for the next service!

Garden Church Branch Visit:

The Garden Church branch choir was awesome!  They sang three songs before Sister Saunders got up to preach.  She preached on the topic “God Does Not Sleep”.  It was a powerful message and the people were getting blessed by the word.  All of a sudden, towards the end of her sermon, she turned the meeting over to me and I continued with her message, bringing it to an altar call, but before that could happen the power of God just saturated the church!  People were crying and shouting.  Brothers and sisters were jumping and falling out under the power of the Holy Ghost.  God was moving!  People started looking in from the outside windows and they began to gather in the doorways and God moved on them outside!  It was incredible!

Evangelist Joshua Bell, Rev. Robbie Grubbs, Sister Saunders and I were all around the church praying for people!  It was like a Holy Ghost explosion!  The power of God just showered down!  The anointing was breaking yokes and changing lives.  People were getting blessed!  One sister had severe back pain and came for prayer, but before anyone could touch her Jesus did and she cried out that she was healed!  So many others testified of being healed of stomach pains and sicknesses!  The Healer was in the house! 

After service, the power of God kept moving and people left the church shouting and dancing, but soon they rushed back in the church and were singing, dancing and praising God!  Evangelist Bell, Rev. Grubbs and I ran back in the church and started dancing with the people!  There was such an abundant joy!  When we left the church, Sister Saunders was outside praying with two young ladies!  The pastors were praying with people and sharing!  It was awesome!

We left the church and drove off, praising God, while the power of God as still moving and people were being blessed inside and outside of the church!  One of the pastors said, “Our church will never be the same again!  The church was revived! Today was truly a blessed day!”

On behalf of the entire team, thank you so much for praying!

Greetings from Lusaka, Zambia!

Rev. Melvin Sanchez, Sis. Mable Saunders, Evangelist Joshua Bell and Rev. Robbie Grubbs are reporting from Zambia...

Greetings from Lusaka, Zambia!

We are so excited to be here and everyone from the church was so happy to see us. We took a walk through Misisi compound today!  We touched many lives and made many new friends.  Sister Saunders was named Queen of Misisi compound because everyone just loves her.  Every time you see her, she is praying with someone, encouraging someone or playing with children.  She is a born missionary!  There is so much that everyone of us could share with you, but I want to focus in on what Evangelist Joshua Bell reports about his experience and I pray that it will touch your hearts. 

~Rev. Melvin L. Sanchez Sr. 

Evangelist Joshua Bell reports...

“Ever since I was a child I have always desired to go to Africa, and when landed in Zambia I felt like God was opening another chapter of my life.  When I arrived in Misisi Compound, the ministry here impacted me greatly.  The love the pastors and leaders have for the people is astounding!  Many of the children at the compound don’t even have a change of clothes, some don’t have clothes at all and others don’t even have food to eat but yet they still have joy. 

As we walked through Misisi it seemed as if I was going deeper and deeper into nothingness.  There were small houses with no running water or electricity.  As I looked at the garbage piles, the devastation and extreme poverty, my heart was overwhelmed.  I realized that we have so much in America that we take for granted, like food, fresh air, education and clean water.  I could not even begin to imagine growing up in an area like this.  The future looks so bleak; how would I survive growing up here parentless and living on the street?  I would struggle, not only having a positive outlook on life but just to survive.

But thank God these precious are not abandoned or forsaken because they have a hope in Christ through the Church.  The church has become a beacon of hope to this entire area.  The church, through World-Wide Lighthouse Missions Inc., provides food through the Wheelbarrow Ministry, and clothes and educations through the T.E.A.C.H. program.  They provide fresh water through the water well, and most importantly the gospel of Jesus Christ which brings life.

Everywhere we went children would yell for the pastors, and children would run up to us just to hold our hands because they felt the love of God.  The thing that touched me the most was when I saw the love they have for Christ with so little in their possession. They are grateful and thankful for everything they have and give God the praise in all things. “