Celebrating 50 Years
24/05/2020 8:19:01 PM | Roger - Zambia
Almost 50 years of ministry for Keith and Pam, what a testimony to God’s faithfulness!
On field colleague and good friend Roger Kemp, honours their years of faithful service.
“Don’t you ever stop asking questions?” was my initial reaction to Keith when I arrived in Zambia in 1977. I was trying to adjust to my adopted country, and he was asking question after question…
Not long after, I began to appreciate his inquisitive nature as it made me think through issues I may have overlooked. And that’s Keith; inquisitor, straight-shooter, wheeler-dealer, backyard mechanic, stirrer, evangelist. Oh how God has used his personality to expand His work in southern Africa – particularly Zambia and Zimbabwe but also Malawi and Mozambique!
You see, dig beneath the surface and you’ll find a self-deprecating, soft-hearted, hospitable and generous man. He may have got up the noses of some mission administrators but on the field we needed his directness to cut through the bureaucracy. He got things done!
Pam’s hospitality and efficiency has been experienced by literally hundreds of people. Her thoughtfulness expressed in practical ways is legendary. Pam is always there for people, providing whatever help she can.
Intercultural mission is Keith and Pam’s passion. They have given themselves selflessly to God’s work in many places. Ever since they returned from permanent life in Africa they have remained connected, Keith as consultant for Zambia and Zimbabwe and Pam as the Executive Assistant in the Global Interaction State Office in Western Australia.
There are many facets that could be mentioned in such a reflection of this faithful couple, but I’m going to mention just two:
1. Change of approach to mission work
Keith and Pam were around when Global Interaction (ABMS at the time) took over from the South African Baptists in Zambia. It was the early 1970s and the Australians sought to change the focus of ministry amongst the Lamba people. Up until that time the only way a Lamba believer could have regular Bible teaching was to attend the Fiwale Hill Bible School, and that was beyond the financial reach of most.
Keith, along with his colleagues Les Haydon and George Stubbs, decided to take the Bible to the people rather than make the people come to the Bible. They embarked on a program called Regional Bible School (RBS) whereby one of the intercultural workers or Lamba church leaders would regularly go out into the rural areas and teach the Bible for several days to village churchgoers. The result was amazing!
In many ways the RBS was the forerunner to what is being done today in training of teachers in rural areas. It paved the way for future ministry where intercultural workers went and lived in the rural areas rather than remain at the mission compounds. Keith and Pam themselves led the way later by living in Mkushi, and at one time travelling up and down the Mkushi road living in a converted bus!
2. Relationships
Keith and Pam are very relational. So naturally they developed relationships with everyone... Their work with Ba Kabilo along the Mkushi road remains a benchmark for cooperative ministry.
Many times when the Gallagher family went on holidays, they would take with them one or more of the single women in the team or even other missionary families. Those relationships have stayed long after they have left Zambia. If you want to know where a former intercultural worker is today, ask the Gallaghers! They have kept those relationships strong. Such is their impact over the years. It is the relationships with national leaders that Keith built while in Zimbabwe and Zambia that has driven his ministry as Country Consultant. Those relationships will remain.
Almost 50 years of ministry for Keith and Pam, what a testimony to God's faithfulness!
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