"Every Tribe, Every Tongue Rejoicing."

This weekend, Kerri and I had the priveledge of participating in a Global Outreach Conference in Georgia at Lake Oconee Presbyterian Church. During this conference, we were able to hear from various missionaries from around the world about their respective ministries as well as share about our ministry to Zambia. Seeing how God is moving in other parts of the world is exciting! We can't say thank you enough for the hospitality we received this weekend from the body of Christ at Lake Oconee. They were such an encouragement to both of us!

A few updates and prayer requests...

Kerri and I are planning on leaving for Zambia this coming February. We have begun doing repairs around the house to get it ready for the market and we are beginning the process of downsizing. These next few months will be busy and tough on us and our family. Please be in prayer for us. Some specific things to pray for:

• Pray for our relationships with Christ and each other.
• Pray that our house will sell quickly and at the right price.
• Pray for wisdom in decision making over the next few months.
• Pray for our time management.
• Pray for our families--that God would begin to prepare their hearts for our departure.

How Great Is Our God!

Kerri and I were given the opportunity to share our ministry at Blue Cross Blue Shield's Christian Luncheon Club (CLC) Wednesday afternoon. This is a fairly large group of believers who get together on a monthly basis to share testimonies and have fellowship. After we showed our video and shared about God's calling for us to go to Zambia, Steve VonFange, who is one of the members of the leadership team, came up and sort-of cut me off. He said, "Brent has no idea what I'm about to do, but I need to say some things to you." Then he asked me to take a seat. He began to confess that he had not wanted us to come share that day because it was the last CLC of the year and the subject matter was just heavy. Then he told how he had been able to spend 2 hours alone with God this past weekend and how he was completely convicted about his attitude. He looked at me and Kerri, while chocking back tears, and said he was sorry. Then Steve said that as God taught him during that time, he was led to Hebrews 11. He shared how in reading about these men of faith his natural tendency was to look at their failures. But he was overwhelmed at how God looked at their faith and saw them in a completely different light - He saw them as righteous! Then he said he was led to Acts 2 where the scripture talks about all the believers being together in one mind...selling their possessions and giving to anyone who had need. Steve then began to challenge the group. He said, "Brent and Kerri have stepped out in faith to obey God's calling to move their family to Africa and we need to follow them." He said, "I believe that God is calling the CLC to fully fund Brent and Kerri Roberts today!" (At this point we both just started crying!) It was obvious that Steve was in the Spirit because he was speaking with great zeal and our spirits were leaping as he challenged the group to do whatever they had to do - maybe even sell some stuff -to give the money that we need to go to Zambia. And he said something else that was very specific, he said that they needed to make it happen BY FRIDAY!

After his talk, Steve had us come up and asked those who would support us to gather around and pray for us, which they did. It was awesome and we were completely overwhelmed! As Kerri was talking to some of them afterward, she told them that the night before we had asked our community group to pray for this meeting. Shawn Hevel, one of our communty group members, prayed, "God we ask you to fully fund the Roberts, and we ask you to do it tomorrow." What Kerri has also been praying over the last few months is that if God's timing is for us to go in February, then He would have us fully funded by November - giving us time to adequately plan to leave the country. Maybe, just maybe, God is at work in all of this : )

Thursday morning when I got into work, there was a voice message on my phone that had been sent out to everyone who had attended the CLC meeting as well as everyone else who had been involved over the past year. Steve said again that he felt the Lord was telling him that the Roberts needed to be fully funded by this Friday by members of the CLC. We are completely blown away!! We don't know exactly what God will do, but enough has happened over the past few days & weeks that we are very excited! (We will not receive a financial update from ACTION until November 1) Please pray that those who were moved by God on Wednesday will be obedient to act, and pray with us that we will indeed be fully funded!

God has convicted us and challenged our lack of faith! He has reminded us that this venture is not of us, but of Him. He has reminded us that He is a great God who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above anything that we can ask, think or even imagine! We are so thankful for your prayers, so thankful for Steve's obedience to get up and share what God had done in him, and SO thankful for God's sovereign hand on our lives!

Interviewing the Roberts Clan

Kerri and I thought it would be interesting if we interviewed the children on their thoughts about going to live in Zambia. We thought that they, being kids, would be unfiltered in their responses. The responses, as you will see, were totaly unscripted. Some were downright comical. We shared the video this morning at our church, Columbia Crossroads, but thought it would be a good idea to post it on the web site as well. Please take the time to watch the video if you get a chance. It is located in the video section of this website, on the lower right-hand side of the page. It's titled Roberts Kid's Interview.

Picking Up Steam!!!

The last few months have been a time of regrouping. Kerri and I took some much needed time off from raising support to adjust to having three children. As someone recently told us, we've now switched from a man-on-man defense to a zone defense. It's been an adjustment, but a good one.

Now it's time to move on and this month, things have begun to pick back up. Tuesday, last week, I was invited to share about our ministry at a men's bible study in Florence, S.C. I traveled down there with my pastor, Brad Bird. He leads this study as part of his ministry--Center for Biblical Discovery. The trip was a very encouraging one. A few of the men stayed behind afterwards to talk with me and several of our ministry brochures were distributed. We are praying the Lord will raise up some new monthly ministry partners from my time of sharing with this study.

This past Sunday, August 26th, Kerri and I had the opportunity to share about Zambia with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ at Charleston Baptist church. The trip went really well. Kerri and some of our friends from Columbia Crossroads church led a time of worship. We then showed our ministry video, followed by a short presentation on our calling and vision for Zambia. We are so very thankful for the leadership of Charleston Baptist for having us down for this time of worship and sharing.

September and October also look to be busy. It looks like we are going to have the opportunity to share with various bible studies in Columbia and possibly Charlotte. We also have been invited to share at a couple of churches (one in Columbia and one in Georgia). Please continue to pray for us as we seek to serve the Lord in Zambia. Pray that God would continue to prepare us for the field and that He would also continue to raise up monthly financial partners for our ministry.

Financial Update Through July 2007

We’ve been completely humbled by the willingness of many to partner with us through prayer and giving. We continue to ask God to move in the hearts of His people to join our ministry team! It takes all of us—those who pray, those who give, and those who go—to reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus. So far God has provided 40% of our monthly needs and 87% of our one-time needs.

Have a Good Day

For the past two weeks our home church has been providing a summer enrichment program for the students of a near-by elementary school. They asked me if I would come and do music classes. It has been fun! They are really great kids!
Today one of the teachers asked me if I would share a little about Zambia with her class before I did the music lesson. Each day they have learned about a different country and then prayed for that country. So, off the cuff, I just told them basic information like where Zambia is, what the climate is like, what kinds of animals live there, what a hut village is like and then told them a little about what our family is going to do there in Zambia. I told them how the people are very poor and many are sick and that they need the hope of Jesus. Then I told them a little about the children who live in the streets. Then they prayed. The first child prayed, “God, I want you to give those people clean water to drink and food.” The second one prayed, “I want those people to know Jesus in their hearts.” Then the third prayed, “I wish that Mrs. Kerri’s family will not be killed; that they will survive….and have a good day. Amen.” Precious!

Potter's Christian Life Center

From left-to-right: Brent, Kerri, Mrs. Sandra Formey & Pastor Greg Formey

Our home church, Columbia Crossroads Church, is a participant in something called Mission Columbia. It's purpose in the city of Columbia is to envision, network, train and mobilize leaders within the whole of God’s body to strategically reach the the city of Columbia with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

On Sunday, May 27th, our family had the opportunity to visit and share with one of our "sister churches" in Mission Columbia, The Potter's Christian Life Center. Pastor Greg Formey invited Kerri to share in a portion of the worship by singing two songs. In between the two songs, we showed our ministry video and I shared a few minutes about how the Lord is leading us to serve in Zambia. It was a very encouraging time of fellowship! Many of the members of the Potter's House came to us afterwards and expressed interest in our ministry. We are very thankful that the Lord provided us with this opportunity and feel very blessed to have worshipped with the members of Potter's Christian Life Center.

To learn more about Mission Columbia visit http://www.missioncolumbia.org/

To learn more about Potter's Christian Life Center visit their link located in the "Churches" link section on the right-hand side of this site below.

Finishing the Race

Today Brent participated in the Lake Murray Triathalon. He has been running for months now and is training to run his first marathon in October. He has not, however, trained to do a triathalon and just decided to do it for the challenge. I thought he was nuts! Brent's Dad called and said they were coming to watch him to see if it's really God's will for us to go to Africa. Perplexed, Brent asked, "What do you mean?" His Dad said, "Well, we figure if you drown in Lake Murray, you weren't supposed to go!"

In spite of all our ribbing and doubting he did finish, and he finished well. I was reminded of the challenge from Hebrews 12, "let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Brent did that in the physical sense today and we are proud of him!

May 13 ~ Dedicated to the Lord

Last Sunday, on Mother's Day, we had the privilege of having Maddie dedicated to the Lord at Columbia Crossroads Church. It was a very special day for many reasons: all the grandparents were in attendance (except for my Dad who was speaking in NC that day); we were able to stand alongside our best friends, the Ballentines, who were having their son Ben dedicated as well; and the charge was given by Brad Bird - an elder of our church and dear friend who has now officiated our wedding and overseen the dedications of all 3 of our children! The charge came from Joshua chapter 4 and Deuteronomy chapter 6. We were once again challenged to impress the love and Law of the Lord upon our children as we walk it, talk it, breathe it and build every moment upon the goodness of our God! Caleb added some humor to the occasion when he decided to pick his nose as Brad was speaking. Brad turned and saw him and said something like, "We as parents need to be the ones to teach our children to love the Lord with all their heart, mind, soul and strength, and not to pick their noses!" Oi vey! Anyway, it was a great time of celebrating Maddie as we committed to raise her in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Please pray that we will be able to model His unfailing love to all our children ~ even when they pick their noses!

Mary Addison Roberts Arrives!!!

On Friday, March 30th at 12:19 pm, Mary Addison (Maddie) Roberts was born. She weighed 7lbs 1 oz and was 20 & 1/2 inches long. Thank you very much for your prayers. The delivery went great. Both grandmothers were present, two of Kerri's close friends, our sister-in-law, and yes, me. It was a party! Maddie and Mommy are doing great. We've had lots of help from the grandmothers as we're learning how to do life with three kids! For that we're very grateful.

We're Expecting!!!

Just in case you didn't know, we're expecting!!! Yesterday, Kerri went for the 12-week ultrasound and the doctor said that everything looked good. The baby is due mid-April and we should know whether it's a boy or a girl in about 8 weeks. Please be in prayer for both Kerri and the baby--both for a healthy pregnancy and delivery.

Update: Wednesday November 1st, we went for another ultrasound. We're having a girl! So far so good. The baby is healthy and has passed all ultrasound tests.

Action International Orientation

On September 11th - 15th 2006 Kerri and I traveled to Seattle Washington for Orientation withh Action International. The week was very busy with tests, training, and finally a board interview. Our desire is to see the church in Zambia grow as a result of our ministry and the board confirmed this with our full acceptance. Up next, we will be meeting with leadership from our home church, Columbia Crossroads, to discuss next steps.

Our Ministry...

While in Zambia, Kerri and I both want to use the gifts that God has given us to encourage the body of Christ there and to make new disciples. Because of this, a lot of our time will be spent assisting the church in small group ministry and one-on-one discipleship. Our desire is to assist the church in any way possible so that it is more equipped to extend God's message of reconciliation through Jesus Christ to the people of Zambia.

While there we also hope to be part of the "Children in Crisis" ministry. There are over 1/2 million orphans and street children in Zambia. And that number is expected to grow over the next few years because of the AIDS pandemic. God has given the vision in the book of James when His word says, "Pure and undefiled religion is this, to look after widows and orphans, and to keep onself from being polluted from the world." We want to see the Zambian church establish a vision for applying God's word and ministering to these little ones.

If you would be interested in learning more about our ministry, please can e-mail us at: Mzungubwr@aol.com or Kerrisings@aol.com for additional information. If you would like to learn more about Action International or, specifically, you can visit their web sites by clicking on the appropriate link in the links section of this website.