We were doing a survey of a village in the bush called Mapanza. Maxwell showed up at a Bible study, and it was seriously like he was waiting his whole life to hear the Gospel. He reminds me so much of Apollos in the book of Acts...he knew he was supposed to be preaching but he didn't quite have the whole story to preach yet. We gave him some materials after he accepted Christ, and he returned the next day. We said "Well, Maxwell, how was your night?" He said, "All I can say is that it was filled with the Spirit...and I know I need to be baptized right now." He was baptized, and he returned home and led his wife and neighbors to Christ. He is now a pastor of a church and just this month completed his 3 year seminary degree. Maxwell's everyday job is that he grows tomatoes! When he moved to the bush, everyone told him that there was no way he could grow tomatoes in this soil, but he had been to agricultural school so he knew he could do it. He grows tons of tomatoes that he sells to bigger cities in Zambia. Many people ask Maxwell, who is so educated, why he would choose to remain in the bush. Maxwell said he knew that this was where God wanted him.
Maxwell's wife is named Priscilla. She is so beautiful, inside and out. She had a baby, about 18 months old, named Chibotu, which means "good." Chibotu sadly died after we left due to hydrocephaly (water on the brain).
This is Maxwell's daughter, Lwiito. Lwiito means "call." Maxwell named her this (2 years before he became a Christian) because he knew he was called by God. We gave her this stuffed bunny and she carried it everywhere!
Last we heard, Maxwell was doing an excellent job as pastor and had even ventured out to a nearby village to start a church there as well!!
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