Background

Ken Auer has a history of building relationships in East Africa, with a particular focus in Mpika in Northern Zambia. 

His original trip in 2012 through New Foundations International was to come alongside indigenous church leaders in Zambia and Kenya. The goal of that trip was to encourage them to become strong self-sustaining churches that rely on the Bible and the Holy Spirit to multiply into more healthy churches. On his first trip to Africa, his heart was bound to Pastor Henry  Katontoka – who is also the founder of Disciple Making Ministries and has helped plant 20-30 churches in Northern Zambia. After that first trip, he made several other trips to Zambia to continue that ministry. Through his long relationship with Henry, he has been introduced to and developed relationships with other pastors in Northern Zambia and even the Democratic Republic of Congo led by Pastor David Kiluba Mumba.

In the process, Ken also found an extreme amount of fatherless children and widows or “virtual widows” abandoned by their husbands and often, neglected by the church itself. He spent much of his visits calling men to faithfully lead their families spiritually and as hard-working providers as the Apostle Paul did (Acts 20:17-35). In the spirit of James 1:27 he was convicted that not only must he preach to the church how to treat their widows (1 Tim 5:1-16) but also that he could not stand by and do nothing as he visited. However, he also saw the dangers of dependency on funding from the west.  He kept his eyes out for those who were already taking initiative that he could come alongside.

Eventually Ken was introduced to Belinda Chitusa Siame and her husband Geofrey Siame. Belinda is the Founder and Director of Latterrains Christian School in Mpika.  Geofrey is a pastor at Mt. Olivet Pentecostal Church in Mpika. Together, as Spirit-filled Christians, they have sacrificially built up the private Christian primary school (2-3 year olds through Grade 7) on two campuses where they have about 400 learners, about ⅓ of which come for free due to family hardships… most of them fatherless.

Over the past several years, we have gotten to know them and see the needs that Belinda and Geofrey’s sacrifices have not been able to fill to continue to increase the critical thinking and practical skills of the learners, supply some basic infrastructure needs, and help them grow into a strong self-sustaining organization as a model and help to others. We want to help without hurting, teaching the less privileged that they need to recognize the gifts that God has given them so they can become fruitful producers and not just consumers. At the same time, they have inspired us by their faith and resourcefulness. We both have much we can offer each other based on the deposits that the Lord has given each of us.

After Ken visited the SIHA Leadership School in Tanzania (co-founded by Joy Sasser’s father, Tim Neet, 20+ years ago) with the Siames and others in 2023, we have been able to make some improvements and form the Abundant Futures of Northern Zambia non-profit organization to help them continue to raise up Christ-following Servant Leaders through Latterrains and beyond. Jeff Canna joined Ken on a trip there in 2024 to explore how to bring more agricultural skills and other practical trades to them and beyond. Henry Katontoka has formed “Tools With A Mission – Mpika” with other skilled tradesmen/women in cooperation with “Tools With A Mission” in the UK and are in the process of acquiring tools and a training center to pass on skills and opportunities to the next generation of Christian Servant Leaders.

And Latterrains has multiplied the gifts of partnerships tremendously in a very short-time, matching any contributions through their own resourcefulness, to increase productivity and ministry. More of the history and overview leading to this trip is included in a slide show.

Goals – 2025

We’re taking two groups back to Zambia in July 2025.

Group A – Jeff Canna, Anna Douglas, Audrah Lewis, Judah Garner, Kirsten Baker – July 1-29
Group B – Ken Auer, Carmen Gruden, Gideon Ruhl, Joshua Auer – July 15-29

The main goals are:

• Build more relationships with Latterrains Christian School community and the people of Mpika to both encourage them and share the mutual deposits of spiritual gifts each supplies
• Work as teachers assistants to develop a culture of reading and critical thinking among the young people, especially the older grades (Grade 3 – 7), while also encouraging the teachers of the younger classes (Baby class – 2-3 year olds – through Grade 2)
• ⁠Build some recreational equipment (ninja warrior style) for the kids and encourage the TWAM-Mpika group in their efforts to develop their training center
• Help encourage the agricultural development based on the Farming God’s Way techniques of Overland Missions’ Sustain program and the development of the Abundant Futures land outside of Mpika for the future of a Secondary School where agriculture is part of their practical training and sustenance with both hands-on work as well as analysis of upcoming needs.
• Bring Precious Namonje to the US as an ambassador for Abundant Futures of Northern Zambia as well as to continue her studies in the US in the Fall at Wake Tech.

Logistics

Each group will begin their trip with:

• An overnight stop in Johannesburg, South Africa to rest and adjust to the different time zone, 
• A flight to Livingstone, Zambia to see the beauty of Victoria Falls on the way to their destination, 
• A vehicle to Choma (3 hour drive) to see Overland Missions Training Center where the Sustain program and Farming God’s Way are introduced, demonstrated, and developed.
• Travel to Mpika via various means including small planes and some road travel
  • The first group will be traveling over two days from Choma to Mpika, with our friends from Mpika who will be bringing their van/mini-bus
  • The second group will be traveling by small plane from Macha (2 hours from Choma) to Mpika via Flying Mission Zambia
• All will return by van/mini-bus to Lusaka International Airport for the journey back to the U.S. along with Precious

Jeff’s focus will include practical skills and building needs (in addition to assisting Teachers and agricultural projects), while Ken’s will include strategic planning for the future.  Of course both will be building on past relationships as well as building new ones. We expect that those who accompany us will serve as Teachers’ Assistants (especially in the areas of reading and critical thinking skills through manipulatives and more), agricultural help, and possible building projects. Other projects may also come up between now and then (e.g. basic computer skills, musical skills, crafts, etc.) and can be suggested by either our friends in Mpika or those going.