April 6, 2026
This is being written in Zambia, late in March. But if you receive this newsletter, it must be April and we must have travelled safely back to Eswatini. As we write this our travel is still uncertain, but it is looking hopeful. We have a full tank now, and we hear that fuel is still available in South Africa. So, we plan to start the return journey on schedule and pray that we can complete it.
Thinking out loud
As I have stated before, the concept behind George Benson Christian University is excellent. The idea of sending out graduates able to earn a living (as teachers or nurses) but who have adequate Bible knowledge to be a blessing to the local church, is sound. If accomplished, it will contribute to healthy churches. But the execution of that vision is not easy. Satan opposes any good idea. Problems are created, and sometimes they overwhelm the best of ideas.
The leadership of G.B.C.U. realised that the Bible training was not going well. That is why they invited us here. As we understood it, some adjustments in the curriculum were in order, and that is an area where we could be useful. But our first two-month stay here has made it clear that the solution may not be so simple as we thought.
In addition to the needed adjustments to the curriculum, there is a manpower shortage in the Bible department. Two teachers are attempting to handle all the Bible teaching. One of them also doubles as administrator of the hospital. The other is well past retirement age. There ought to be a person who devotes his full attention to the Bible curriculum. Unquestionably, a Zambian should be found to fill that role. But there are none immediately available, so for a short time it might need to be a missionary.
Slight problems related to our health have come up. Kalomo, Zambia is 4000 feet above sea level. That means a reduced amount of oxygen in the air (about 15% less than at Toledo, Ohio). It is not a huge reduction; and it has not troubled either of us in the past. Thayer used to even play soccer here (back in 1990, when he was 33). But this time he struggled with low energy and high blood pressure. The likely cure for this would be to get in better shape before returning.
Difficulties in making the journey twice per year have also been revealed. We have driven around southern Africa in the past, but we have not come this far in over twenty years. We thought of the drive from Eswatini to Zambia as a pleasant journey, almost as a vacation, as it had been when we made the same trip in 2003. Things have changed. The road through Botswana was particularly shocking and stressful. Our car is not four-wheel drive, and we wished for that all though Botswana and often since we reached Zambia.
Possibilities
We have considered several ways of dealing with the difficulty of travel.
One possibility would be to fly back and forth instead of driving. That cuts out the stressful drive. But it creates a ground transportation problem at one end or the other. Owning a car in each country is a possibility, but it is obviously a very costly solution.
Another possibility would be to trade our current vehicle for one that would be suitable for all the roads we must navigate. The stress of driving through Botswana, and of driving around in Zambia, would be greatly reduced if we were in a vehicle suitable for off road use. For use in Eswatini, we think our Urban Cruiser is great. But it does not work well in Zambia during rainy season. Even more concerning, parts are not available for it in Zambia (since the model is not sold here). It seems we could trade for a small four-wheel drive double cab truck of about the same year and mileage for around $20,000. But again, that is a costly solution and would lead to higher fuel costs for us on a regular basis.
A third possibility would be to move to Zambia. That would be the best solution from the Zambian point of view. It would be the worst solution from the Swazi point of view! It would also put the textbook writing on the back burner. We are set up for writing in Eswatini and have fewer distractions. Here, the opposite would be the case. We would have many distractions, especially while trying to set up a house as it needs to be arranged for writing. Moving would be the most costly option. Trading our vehicle would be needed, plus another $15,000 for moving our household belongings, plus whatever it cost to remodel a house for all we must do.
We will be hard-pressed to decide what is best. We trust that the Lord will provide some form of guidance. It is nice to be needed. But to be urgently needed in two different places, separated by a considerable distance, is heart-wrenching.
Meanwhile, we are sure glad to be going home to Eswatini. Thanks for your prayers and support.
Last Sunday in Zambia
Our last Sunday in Zambia we worshipped with the Shungu Church of Christ in Livingstone. Two former students, Collence Chikuni and Trevor Wamundila, work with that congregation, under the oversight of the church’s three elders. Collance and Trevor both earn their living elsewhere – Collence as a taxi driver, Trevor with a Bible translation project. The worship was lively and uplifting – with incredible singing.
The only complaint we heard was that many felt Thayer’s sermon was unusually short. The requested topic was “What Leaders Can Do to Encourage Church Growth.”
[P.S. We are home now. The trip was relatively trouble-free. We only got lost once. The border crossings were all a bit difficult, but nothing terrible. The governments along our route have learned their lesson. They allowed the price of fuel to rise instead of making it totally unavailable.]
African Textbook Ministry, %Church of Christ, 5130 Flanders Road, Toledo, OH 43623
