Zambia Hunt

Victor Pakeni, CABU Class of 2022

Three years ago, fresh from his studies at Central Africa Baptist University, Victor Pakeni arrived in a remote village on the shores of Lake Tanganyika. The location – Katete village in Zambia’s Northern Province – is less than two hours from the Congolese border, a place where most residents are Congolese immigrants who have historically placed their trust in witch doctors rather than the gospel.

Today, Katete Baptist Church stands as a testimony to God’s faithfulness and the power of theological training put into practice.

Planting Gospel Seeds in Hard Soil

“Most of the people I am ministering to are from Congo and believe in witch doctors,” Victor explains. The spiritual climate was challenging, but Victor came prepared. His years at CABU had equipped him not just with biblical knowledge, but with an understanding of how to communicate the gospel cross-culturally.

“When I came to CABU, I had little knowledge of God’s word; I couldn’t even share with someone as well as I can now,” Victor reflects. “CABU helped me understand the biblical basis of missions and why it is so important.”

A Growing Church, Growing Disciples

After three years of faithful ministry, the fruit is evident. The church is growing, and members who once had no exposure to Scripture can now pray and read the Bible on their own. But perhaps most encouraging to Victor are the two young men he is discipling, preparing them to carry the ministry forward.

One morning, while walking alongside Lake Tanganyika, Victor discovered one of his disciples already at prayer, Bible open before him. “I found my boy doing the most needful thing in the life of every Christian believer,” Victor wrote. “I did not want to disturb him, but he asked me to join him so I could help with his questions.”

That spontaneous discipleship session alongside the lake was another teaching moment. “It was a wonderful time, and I have been encouraged to see that at least two boys are now able to pick up their Bibles and read on their own time,” Victor says. The seeds of gospel faithfulness are taking root in the next generation.

Prayer Requests

As Victor continues his ministry in Katete, he requests prayer for:

• God’s grace and peace upon his family as they serve together
• The spiritual growth of Katete Baptist Church
• The two young men under his discipleship, that they would grow in the knowledge of God

Location

Katete Baptist Church is located in Katete village on Lake Tanganyika, Northern Province, Zambia, positioned between Ndole Bay and Chibanga village along the route toward Congo.

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This is the kind of ministry multiplication that Central Africa Baptist University exists to foster, training servants to take the gospel to the hardest places, equipping them not just with knowledge but with the tools to make disciples who make disciples. Your partnership with CABU allows us to award scholarships to needy students like Victor! Would you join us by making a donation to our Education Fund at the link below?

Victor’s testimony edited by Claude