Welcome to the new year!  I am overdue for an update on where my progress towards Zambia is headed.  The past few months have been full of catching up with family and friends and reporting to a few supporting churches from last year.  As I mentioned in my last newsletter, I now officially have a minister's license as of July 2014.  This October I spent a week in Springfield with other new missionaries-to-be.  We spent the week learning some of the ins and outs of missionary life overseas and at home.  We had our official interviews with the Missions Committee and our Area Directors.  I am now a fully-appointed missionary to Zambia with the Assemblies of God.

I am working part time at Southwestern Medical Clinic while I itinerate.  My plans are to take my pediatric board test in early 2016 (once every 10 years).  Around that same time I hope to have my funding raised so I can head over to Zambia.  I am grateful to have excess funds from last year.  They are enough to cover my $12,000 cash budget I need to raise.  I am working on my monthly support now which is a budget of $6,000 monthly.  I appreciate so many who have already supported me last year financially and through many prayers.  I would love to come talk to any church or home group about my plans for my next 3 year term.
I can be reached at heathermarten@peoplepc.com or 269-932-5859.
You can check out my AGWM web page at agmd.org/u/Drheather

Here is a link to my latest email newsletter.  I wanted you to know what is happening next.
Thank you so much for your continued support and prayers!

http://eepurl.com/ZkZvH

zambia presentation

Here's a link to a video overview of what I did this past year in Zambia.  Sorry the sound didn't work well on my last video.  I'll try and figure out how to get it to work.

zambia presentation

I have been back in the U.S. for one month now.  Much has been accomplished.  I took my test for my license to preach pastoral license and interviewed with the credentialing board.  I passed and a letter of recommendation for my license is on its way to Headquarters!  I met with the Michigan missions committee and they also have endorsed me to the national office for career missionary status.  I am almost ready to send my application to Springfield.  On the home front, I found a lovely little house to rent in Michigan and did my computer training and reappointment paperwork for working at the clinic.  I'm looking forward to sharing at Poplar Creek tomorrow morning and at the Blue Roof Church in August about my last year.

I was missing my African friends so here is a video of part of worship my last Sunday at Oasis of Love.

Sorry to be so delinquent in posting the last few months.  Much happened in April and May since I last wrote.  I won't share all the stories today but will have to fill in some later.  I completed my missionary associate term at the end of April and traveled back to the United States.  On the way I stopped in Greece for two weeks.  Christine and I attended the Christian Medical and Dental Associations international conference for medical missionaries.  It was an incredible time with over 700 medical missionaries from all over the world.  It was great to see several of my partners from SWMC in Michigan.  We had rich times of fellowship and worship and sharing along with learning new things in medicine in the 2/3s world.  We met several doctors from Zambia.  Some working in the northwest province with SIM at a hospital and several Zambians from the University Training Hospital in Lusaka.  So good to know of fellow Christians working in the medical field alongside of us.  We are looking forward to connecting with both these groups more as time progresses.

We also spent several days exploring Greece.  My favorite was our tour of Corinth.  This is a picture of me on the road we know Paul walked on.  Our guide was excellent at telling us about Paul and the events of Acts and the accuracy of the Biblical account as far as archeology goes.  It was very faith building.

Now I am back in the States.  I'm staying with my parents for a little while.  I've gone one weekend to Michigan so far to reconnect in clinic and take my pastoral licensing exam.  I passed the test! So now I interview with the credentialing committee in a few weeks and the missions committee of the Michigan District so I can be on my way to full missionary appointment for the national interview process in October.  My plan is to work part time at my clinic starting in midJuly.  Thank you for all your prayers and support.  My transition back to the U.S. has gone smoothly so far.  I'll share later about some of the last days in Zambia and the new things to come.

The last few weeks have been the "usual" if that is possible in Africa.  There has been so many malaria cases in clinic and several more severe cases at the hospital.  I was worried about what I would find Friday at Liteta because of how many I saw in clinic on Thursday.  I was presently surprised when all but one of the kids with malaria at the hospital Friday were ready to be discharged home.  It's a good sign when you have to go find the patient because they are playing outside.  Another little girl was practically jumping on the bed as I came to round on her and giggled through her whole exam.  She was rightly named Gift.  Her smile was my gift that day.  It helped when we lost a little three month old girl to sepsis/pneumonia.  

This week also included a belated birthday party for two team members.  Black raspberry pies turned out well for the celebration (and even coincided with Pi day:).  Wednesday was Youth Day in Zambia.  I was able to do a follow up talk with the youth of my church on HIV/AIDS and purity.  We had a good time demonstrating how quickly diseases pass when we don't follow God's guidelines.  His rules aren't to be mean and say we can't have fun, but are to protect us.  

Yesterday had an amazing day at church, Dominion Centre Grace Ministries.  It was one of those times the presence of the Lord was so powerful it felt like you were in the very throne room of heaven.  Christine had a picture that this was just the hem of His garment in the room.  I like how that fits with the image of the earth being his footstool.  How incredible and big is our God!

During worship God dropped a word into my spirit that I felt I needed to share but wasn't sure how or when in the service.  He was faithful to make it clear when Christine got up to preach and started with asking me to greet the congregation.  The message was that even in all the bad and difficult situation in each of our lives, God says He is working them to bring glory to Him.  Political upheaval in Ukraine/Crimea, disappearing planes, thyroid cancer with paralyzed vocal cords, three month olds dying of sepsis, chronic medical problems that interrupt life plans...we live in a sinful world but He is working in every situation to bring glory to His name.   

It was a beautiful lead in to Christine's powerful message on "By Faith...Trust God!"  (I had no idea what she was preaching beforehand) As she read Hebrews 11, the words just leapt off he page talking of Abraham, Joseph, Moses etc walking by faith, looking forward to a promise, not seeing it fulfilled in their lifetimes but seeing the heavenly home...the builder and architect being God.  They believed in what is not seen so were able to step out of their comfort zones and let God work mightily through them.  They weathered dry seasons, becoming stronger in character and faith.  They faced and overcame giants of all sorts through His strength.  And the same Holy Spirit that raised Christ from the dead is living in us so we can do the same today!

Our music class ended well.  So you don't think the topics were just history, we also taught about evaluating the songs we sing in church, arrangements of instruments, choirs, songs in a service etc.  One of the pastors asked us to come do a one day music seminar at her church later in April.  Great pastors to work with and great connections!

Last weekend we held a health screening and evangelism day at my church, Oasis of Love PAOG.  There is a Zambian doctor in the congregation and at least 4 nurses.  Christine joined us on Saturday.  We checked people's blood pressure, height and weight for BMI, blood sugar and HIV.  We had a great turn out.  I only know the numbers for Saturday.  We saw 70 people total with 1/3 getting tested for HIV.  The evangelism team had 5 people accept Christ.  Sunday morning there were definitely more visitors in church.  We saw a good number of people after church and had some good health discussions.  The evangelism team normally goes door-to-door on Saturdays but during the rainy season that produces muddy shoes.  They were afraid people were more worried thinking about the house getting muddy than listening to the message.  This was a way to be seen in the community during the down time and is a great touch point later when they go out again.

 Praise team helping to draw people's attention while worshiping.

 Two of our nurses getting ready for the day while Bishop waits for his turn.

Pastor Malembeka, Christine and me talking about health matters.