Loloma Mission, Zambia
- Steven & Stephannie Anderson
- Jan 28
- 4 min read
Updated: Feb 8
As Stephanie and I look back on 2025, we must give thanks and praise to our Lord and Saviour for largely undertaking for us. There has been much to be encouraged about in Namibia, but we also see some negative things. We have seen the Lord move and reach people in a big way in this area of the world. We have also seen the enemy moving in, trying to disrupt the work and movements, as well as the zeal and gumption of the workers. This attack from the enemy was unlike anything we had seen before. Pray for the people of Namibia; they are blind and in the dark, yet yearning for something better.
We arrived in Swakopmund, Namibia, in late November. In addition to our family, we traveled along with Nathanael, Shoshanna Poidevin, and their children, as well as Joel and Apphia Poidevin. We were met in Swakopmund by Matt Jenkins, Chloe, and Naomi, who stayed there with us for two weeks. In the three weeks we were there, we had two weeks of gospel meetings and children's meetings, along with three weeks of home Bible studies. We also distributed 10,000 calendars featuring clear gospel verses and photos of Namibia for each month. When it came to passing out the calendars, everyone wanted one, and people would track us down to get one. These calendars seem to be the best way to get the Word of God into people's homes and last the whole year.
In the daily gospel meetings, which would start around 10:30 in the morning, we saw many new people we had not seen before. A lady named Victoria comes to mind; she attended many of the meetings, and we were able to have some time for visitation with her to answer many diverse questions.
The children’s work went on for two weeks. There were great numbers the first week while school was still in session, but when school closed for the holidays, the number of children dropped. When schools close in December, many families who live in Swakopmund travel north to their original homesteads to spend the time preparing their fields and planting their crops for the year. We had about 80 to 100 on any given day. Since we have been in the same location for some years now, the children have memorized the songs we sing and many of the verses that have been taught. They notice our vehicle, wave, and get excited when they see us in the area.
At the end of the outreach, if any child could recite all the verses, they would receive a case of school supplies from the UK. Many worked very hard to memorize all the verses, and at the end, many were rewarded. It was a bonus that we were able to have a home Bible study every evening while doing what was mentioned above.
The book that was taken up was Romans. It has been beneficial to those who came; one young woman, seventeen years old, expressed much interest, asked very good questions, and was searching the Scriptures to see if what was said was true. At the end of our time together, she said that she knows that she is a sinner and that the Lord Jesus is God and died on the cross for sin, and that she no longer believes in her traditional teachings. I went over Passover with her and tried to convey the need to make it personal, for her to apply what she has learned to herself. Please pray for her salvation. Her name is Selma.
Our next destination was to the north of Namibia. We were invited to have gospel meetings a few kilometers outside of Okahao. This is where Selma's (Erickson's wife) family has a homestead. We had the privilege of setting up camping tents for sleeping and a large gospel tent for daily gospel and children's meetings. Many came to hear the Word of God (most of whom were relatives of Selma). We have seen a great desire and ability in Selma to bring others under the sound of the gospel. She brought us to a homestead where her elderly family members reside (all of whom are blind because of glaucoma). They were unable to attend the meetings, so we made a point of visiting them to share the gospel.
Knowing that some of Selma's family were blind, we brought them a gift: a device with the Bible recorded in their own language and solar-charged. When they played it for the first time, there were many smiles.
During the children's meetings in the area, we realized that most children who live full-time in the north have very limited English proficiency, despite English being the official language and the language of upper-level schooling. Erickson started translating one of the children's songs into Oshikwanyama, but that still seemed less than ideal, since the children there primarily learn Oshindonga in school and speak Oshikandela at home. Thankfully, one of Selma's younger sisters, Julia, had travelled up from Swakopmund and was quite eager to help out with translation. Please pray for her that she would continue to show an interest and that she might be led to salvation, possibly even through the gospel she is exposed to as she helps with translation.
On our last night there, we had to weather a storm that we had never seen before. It was torrential rain, high winds, thunder, and lightning. It was so bad that our tents were bent, our bedding was soaked, and the lightning was so close that we ran to the Land Cruiser for cover. God was merciful in holding back the storm until after all of the meetings had taken place and we had already packed away the gospel tent.
Written by Steven & Stephanie Anderson
