Our Partner in Zambia - Esau
The Ministry
Pastor Esau Phiri is the minister of a church in Lusaka, Zambia, and he is passionate about sharing the love of Christ with others. Zambia is one of the poorest countries in the world, facing significant challenges such as poverty, low standards of education, and high unemployment. Due to limited resources, church leaders struggle to adequately train their members in spiritual growth, let alone equip them to disciple others. Without external support, they are unable to fulfill God's call to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).
The Vision
Esau’s vision hinges on Mathew 28:19-20 and Mark 16:15-16, where Jesus commands us to preach the gospel and make disciples of all nations. The starting place is Zambia, which has 11 provinces and 116 districts; the focus is to reach all parts of the country including remote areas where the gospel has not been preached. 10 years ago the Lord impressed Esau and his wife, Ethel, to establish an orphanage and a community school for children who are most in need. They started one school but could not continue due to a lack of sponsorship. Their hope is to have a Bible School where church leaders can be well-trained and, therefore, equipped to effectively teach the truth of God’s word. Since most cannot afford the high fees charged by Bible Schools in Zambia, starting one that is affordable and accessible is necessary. God willing, Esau also intends to establish a Youth Training Center, where young people can learn skills that will support themselves and their families financially. This is necessary because many of the youth in Zambia have no job and do nothing. Esau believes that job training will also open the door for spiritual training and growth.
The Impact
Esau began his relationship with Disciplers International through Edward, a fellow pastor from Lusaka, who became a close friend and spiritual mentor. Through Edward, who also serves as a Ministry Partner with DI, Esau has matured from a Disciple of Christ in training, to a Discipler for Christ training others, to ultimately to full partnership with DI as a Partner in ministry. Now, Esau is taking the training that he received from Edward and training other pastors and church leaders in like manner, who in turn are doing the same. This is how discipleship is meant to work according to 2 Timothy 2:2 – “the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
The training and material support provided through Disciplers international has revived Esau's faith and vision to equip and train believers to become Disciples of Christ who will later become Disciplers for Christ. Esau is very grateful to his DI team members, who have become important and trusted friends and mentors to help him equip others with the true knowledge of discipleship through their unwavering support.
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