Melville News – July 2006

Aha! An early Christmas letter you think, or have the Melvilles just got confused? No, we know it’s July and we haven’t bought any presents yet!

We have spoken to many of our friends and family about our plans for the next few years and we wanted to share “officially” what we are hoping to do. In a nutshell, we are looking to leave California next year to spend two years in Lusaka, Zambia working with local churches and street kids.

The organization we will be working with, work among the poor of Lusaka and also with many of the churches in that needy city – a few facts will paint a sketchy picture:

· Life expectancy in Zambia is only 38 years.

· Over a million children are orphaned.

· By 2015 it is estimated that 20% of the nation’s children will be orphans.

· Over 70% of Zambia’s population (11.5 million) live in extreme poverty.

So why are we going? We believe that this is what God would have for us at present – the verses that sum it up for us are: “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him. Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with action and in truth (I John 3 verses 17&18).

The aim is to go to Zambia in August 2007 which seems a long way off at the moment but we all know how quickly time passes. During that time we will be raising support and undertaking all the practical things that moving between countries involves – at least we have no notions that it is an easy task!

We would ask for your prayers as we start these preparations and look forward to sharing more with you in the months ahead - please let us know if you would like to receive further letters from us. We look forward to hearing from you!

With love from Graham, Sarah, Philip & Rachel

14925 Sword Dancer Ct, Morgan Hill CA 95037; themelvilles80@yahoo.com; tel 408 779 0418