A letter from Dustin Ellington serving in Zambia
december 2014 - scholarships help train pastors
Dear Friends and Partners,
Greetings from Zambia. Sherri and I are so grateful for the individuals and congregations that support our mission service in Zambia. It is quite encouraging to have people behind us. I am writing now in order to share about a possible scholarship for a Presbyterian student at Justo Mwale Theological University College, where I teach and train pastors for ministry.
Numerous people in Africa yearn to be trained for a life of ministry; it is not difficult to find good candidates for such scholarships. Justo Mwale prepares pastors from church bodies throughout Southern Africa. Synods of the Uniting Presbyterian Church (Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa) and the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (Zambia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe) choose persons they are consecrating for ministry and send them for training at Justo Mwale. However, these synods are not able to send a student unless a partner church body or individual chooses to offer a scholarship. Justo Mwale could train far more pastors than we currently do, and there is need for far more pastors in this part of the world. It is not unusual, for instance, for our students from Malawi to serve as many as 7,500 persons—as a solo pastor. It is routine for our students to start as solo pastors of multiple large congregations, numbering in the 1,000s. There is no risk at all that a student will be trained and no position will be available for him or her. “The harvest is plentiful” here in Southern Africa.
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Student Dora Longwe
One such person is Dora Longwe, who is preparing for ministry with the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian and has just finished her third year of training. She once shared that on the day she was accepted to be a student at Justo Mwale she was absolutely delighted. On the very same day her twin sister, Doreen, was offered a very good job with Zambia’s Ministry of Education. The family immediately threw a celebration right on the spot. At one point while they were celebrating, another sibling of Dora's, a younger sister, said to her, “I know why we are celebrating for Doreen, because she will have a salary. But you’re preparing for ministry and may get no salary at all. So why are we celebrating?” When Dora heard the question, she answered her sister with a song, a song repeating these words: “I’d rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God… I’d rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God… I’d rather be a housekeeper in the house of my God.” Dora shared with her sister that the joy of being in God’s presence while giving her life to the ministry of the gospel was all the pay that she required. Dora said she went on singing that song to herself throughout the day as a way of expressing the joy she knew. For me Dora’s response embodies our students’ wholehearted love for ministry and commitment to it.
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Dora Longwe sharing God’s Word with women in a poor community near Justo Mwale Theological University College
When you support a scholarship you help train someone like Dora for a church that is very hungry to grow in Christ and spread the gospel. And when a new scholarship is funded it’s a real encouragement to our African Presbyterian partners.
It is ideal if $5,000 can be given in four consecutive years, in order to train someone throughout his/her Bachelor of Theology program. However, even a one-time gift of any amount is quite helpful, because such gifts often fill in gaps and mean that a student is able to begin study or continue his/her training who otherwise wouldn’t do so.
The gift can be given through the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (click here) or through The Outreach Foundation (www.theoutreachfoundation.org). It is important that the gift be clearly labeled to be for a Bachelor of Theology scholarship at Justo Mwale Theological University College in Zambia.
Thank you so much for your considering such a scholarship, which I believe will make a substantial difference for the advance of the gospel and the kingdom of God in Africa as it touches innumerable people’s lives and the life of whole communities. We would also very much appreciate your ongoing financial support for our position, and prayers for my family and for the ministry of Justo Mwale, where we live and serve.
Grace and peace,
Dustin Ellington
The 2015 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 154
Read more about Dustin and Sherri Ellington's ministry
Write to Dustin Ellington
Write to Sherri Ellington
Individuals: Give online to E200478 for Dustin and Sherri Ellington's sending and support
Congregations: Give to D507543 for Dustin and Sherri Ellington's sending and support
Churches are asked to send donations through your congregation’s normal receiving site (this is usually your presbytery).
Double Your Impact!
A group of committed donors has pledged to match all gifts sent by individuals for mission personnel support now through December 31, 2014, up to $137,480. This means your gift today will be matched by a gift to support mission personnel around the world, wherever the need is greatest. We invite you to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity to double the impact of your gift. Thank you!
