An Update from John & Noel Powell August 2007
Dear friends and supporters. Our time here in the States has been wonderful and we have greatly benefited from your continued support and prayers. We have been able to visit with many of you and show you pictures and tell you stories of our life in Zambia for the past year and a half. God has blessed us greatly as we have been able to spend most of our time in Hickory, North Carolina with our home church and close friends. Many of you have asked about when we will be returning to Zambia and what we expect our next term there to be like, and we had made many plans to return in September, but things have changed.
Our first term in Zambia came with much excitement and activity. We made new friends, learned about life in a different culture, struggled to learn the local language, and became involved in ministry to street kids. We made many wonderful memories and it is a time that we reflect on with great joy. But it also came with many difficulties. Leadership struggles on the field soon began to overshadow the work and relationships that we were called to be a part of there. As John began to accept more leadership responsibilities, it became clear that the situation was becoming unworkable. After several events that seemed to bring the difficulties to a head, Action International intervened. The leadership on the field, consisting of John and the team leader, were asked to come home for an early furlough for training and reflection. So, we returned in March.
This time at home has really been great. John has been meeting weekly with the pastor of our home church, who has helped facilitate a program of leadership training and reflection on times in Zambia. The Lord has rewarded this time in many ways and brought much growth as a result, and we were becoming more excited about returning. We were busy planning for ministry: which resources to take back with us, relationships we wanted to pursue more deeply, defining our ministry philosophy and goals, and praying about which churches to partner with. So, it came with great sadness when we decided that returning to Zambia was not possible. Let me explain.
Action International and the local Board of Directors in Zambia have been involved since February in the rebuilding of the team in Zambia. They have decided on a new structure for leadership and want to create a better culture within the team. These are welcomed plans and are much needed. However, at the same time this summer, we have been reflecting on what we need in order to return to be both productive in ministry and to have a healthy family life. Based on past problems on the field, we had several things that we hoped the new leadership would both address and create to make this possible. It became increasingly clear over the summer that these things were not going to be met. That, in addition to much difficulty in communication and understandings between us and Action International, we feel like we are not a fit with the new direction of the Zambia field and its leadership. Based on these things, we will not be returning to Zambia. So, what now?
We have been in much prayer over where God would lead us now. We will remain with Action International Ministries while we seek clarity and direction. John is still meeting weekly with our pastor and we are looking into a few options. We desire to remain in vocational ministry and are considering many different possibilities. We would ask that you continue in your financial support of us as we remain here, and we will do our best to keep you current on any developments. Please keep us and our kids in your prayers. Know that we are hopeful about the future and anxious to see where the Lord will lead us.
Contact Information:
35 18th Ave Drive NW
Hickory, NC 28601
John’s cell 828-291-4284
Noel’s cell 828-291-4582
powell_six@yahoo.com
The view was amazing! Next blog will be about our stop at the gem mine. . .
Stranberg kids - this post is especially for you!
