Serving Sesheke for Christ

From December 21, 2025, to January 4, 2026, Generation. Youth. Christ. (GYC) Africa, in partnership with IMPACT Zambia,conducted a short-term mission outreach to the small border town of Sesheke in western Zambia. Seventh-day Adventist volunteers rebuilt houses as communities, and hearts were transformed, hope was restored, and people’s lives were changed.

More than 100 youth and young adults from Kenya, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe traveled to Sesheke for the evangelistic efforts that were a follow-up to previous evangelistic initiatives in the area. The youngest missionaries were 11 and 12 years old, while the oldest participants were in their 50s. They came from all walks of life—students, young professionals, and local missionaries alike.

The Gospel in Action

At the heart of the mission outreach was door-to-door evangelism. Many families were open to receiving Bible lessons on Creation, the plan of salvation, the Sabbath, and Christ-centered living.

In addition to the spiritual nourishment received, more than 5,690 individuals received health and community services. The missionaries provided health screenings, taught them how to use natural and conventional remedies, and attended to their wounds.

Community service met families at their points of need. The missionary team distributed clothing, blankets, and food as they rebuilt broken-down houses and visited prisoners. These acts of service broke barriers and allowed the light of God to be seen and spoken powerfully through compassion.

Reaching Every Corner of Society

The mission outreach was intentionally inclusive. Open-air evangelism encouraged communities to hear the gospel while the young ones were engaged through such children’s programs as football tournaments and Bible programs. These programs created safe spaces for learning, friendship, and spiritual growth.

Prisoners, often overlooked by society, were deliberately sought out and ministered to. Through Bible studies, prayer, and personal engagement, many encountered hope where despair and darkness had taken root.

Thirty prisoners made the decision to give their lives to Christ through baptism, powerful reminders that no place or heart is beyond the reach of grace.

Volunteers distributed copies of The Great Controversy, Steps to Christ, Old Testament guides, Bibles, and IMPACT-produced tracts. Often they shared and discussed these materials with the families, ensuring an understanding of the printed material.

An Eternal Decision

Among the many encounters during the mission trip, one story captures the power of faithful witness.

A team visited a young couple in their home. Edith,[1] in her early 20s, sat by her husband as they listened to a Bible lesson covering Creation, the Sabbath, and salvation. When asked to share her thoughts, she expressed a desire to join the Adventist Church.

Before she could give more details, her husband, Tom, interjected. He explained that he was from another Christian denomination and that although he had attended an Adventist church with her in the past, he had withdrawn and was not comfortable with her returning to the Adventist faith.

The conversation revealed a deeper struggle between the couple: Edith had agreed to marriage because she believed Tom to be an Adventist, only for him to later renounce the faith. Pressured to follow him to his church, she had eventually stopped attending the Adventist church altogether.

That afternoon, however, Edith was surrounded by gentle encouragement, open Bibles, and prayer. Something within her shifted, and she recommitted her life to Jesus. She expressed her intention to attend the nearest Adventist church, not rushing into baptism but choosing first to be reintegrated, grounded, and taught.

The Fruit of United Labor

Edith’s home was one of more than 300 homes that were visited on the mission trip. The Bible study with her and her husband was one of more than 2,000 Bible studies that were conducted in homes and public spaces. By God’s grace morethan 112 individuals were baptized, including 30 prisoners from a local prison.

“The figures tell only part of the story,” participants said. “Behind each number is a name, a family, and a life touched by hope.”Young missionaries crossed borders, cultures, and comfort zones to meet people where they were physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Christ was lifted up, and lives were changed. But the work is not done. May the seeds planted be nurtured and watered to bear good fruit that will multiply across the world until the work is finished.”

About GYC Africa and IMPACT Zambia

GYC Africa is a supporting ministry of the Adventist Church, a member of Adventist-laymen’s Services and Industries (ASI), and a GYC affiliate ministry. Their mission is to empower African youth “through wholistic ministry, nurturing them spiritually, physically, mentally, socially, and economically to become proactive agents of positive change in anticipation for the imminent return of Christ.”[2] 

IMPACT (Inspired Missionaries Proclaiming the Advent of Christ Today) Missionary Movement is a supporting ministry of the Adventist Church registered with the Lusaka Conference in Zambia. It aims to mobilize youth and young adults for evangelism. IMPACT Zambia works to encourage Zambian young people to reach the unentered territories in their country.

[1] Names have been changed for privacy.

[2] https://gyc.africa/about/