In the Lake Bangweulu region of Zambia, four large islands are home to about 150,000 people. Francis Mwansa, superintendent of the Zambia Luapula North District, was able to plant a few churches on three of the four islands in the early 2000s through work with JESUS film. 

There had been an attempt to plant a church on the island of Lunga, but the work died due to transportation difficulty. Mwansa recognized the need for a boat to reach these far-flung populated islands. He proposed a boat and life jackets for the JESUS film team. 

God’s providence provided a boat for this Zambian JESUS film team. The team can now plan and travel to help disciple old and new churches while key leaders are dispatched to follow up on discipleship programs to help strengthen these churches. The district and its 12 zones have over 200 organized churches and preaching points. 

The boat is not just used for the JESUS film and church planting. The local district uses the boat to provide training opportunities for Nazarene Discipleship International (NDI), Nazarene Missions International (NMI), and children’s and youth training. This boat also enables the people on the island to travel to and be a part of district events without the usual difficulties. 

The Church of the Nazarene is spreading rapidly in this area, but the district is asking for prayers for people to answer the call of God to become pastors. The district asks for Nazarenes to continue to lift their Zambian brothers and sisters in prayer as they plant churches in hard-to-reach places. 

--Church of the Nazarene Africa Region