Partnership Overview

OM Zambia is a missions training centre that is equipping potential missionaries and the churches that send them. It is particularly aimed at mobilising the African church for the task of missions. It is based at a strategic location in Zambia and produces good quality graduates. 

Once trained, OM graduates are sent to various parts of Africa with the aim of reaching the unreached using holistic ministries. To date, these people have been reliant on financial support from donors to meet their day-to-day needs, but OM is now seeking to empower their graduates to be self-sustaining in their ministry by providing one-off financial support to enable them to establish income generating activities in an effort to meet their own financial needs. 

History of Partnership

Since 2004 BHW has been financially supporting the work of the OM missions training centre in Kabwe, Zambia. Over the years our relationship with OM has diversified to include subsidising the training at the centre in Kabwe, financially supporting Nakoli community school (ZAM25), helping build IM flats, and developing a new site at Maplehurst farm.

Following a visit to Zambia in April 2023, BHW's Zambia Partnership Facilitator presented a proposal to the BHW Executive to provide funds on a case-by-case basis to assist OM graduates with income generating activities in an effort to enable them to be self-sustaining.

Beneficiaries

The direct beneficiaries here will be the OM Africa missionaries that receive financial support but indirectly the local churches in many African countries will benefit, including but not exclusive to, Ghana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zambia, Madagascar. 

What We Like About The Partnership

Many benefits exist in sending out Africans as missionaries in Africa, including:
• Understanding African culture
• Knowing African languages already or quick in learning new ones, enabling direct ministry to begin at a faster rate
• Adjusting adeptly to difficult circumstances—able to live simply
• Significant cost benefits in mobilizing Africans within Africa, rather than mobilizing non-Africans to Africa 

Enabling these missionaries to financially support themselves and no longer be reliant on external support also has considerable benefits. 

Key People

Leadership Profile

Melvin and Veronica Chiombe 
Position: OM Africa Associate Leader 

Current involvement: Melvin serves in charge of the entire Africa area.

Passion: His passion is to see every tribe, language and tongue worship and glorify God. 

Background: Melvin has studied theology, social work, management, discipleship and missions in the UK, Jamaica and Zambia. He has been in ministry for a long time, doing church planting and pastoral work in remote parts of Zambia.

Family: Veronica is an agriculturalist by profession but has also done management studies as well as psycho-social counselling. They have six children of whom two are adopted, Bertha, Marien, Bwalya, Natasha, Joshua and their youngest son Blessed. Melvin and his family have been with Pro Christo since its inception.

Other People Involved

Dan and Ruth Bullock
Position: Director OM Zambia

Current involvement: Dan serves as Director of the organisation. He is involved with the co-ordination, administration, discipling, training and equipping of missionaries for pioneer work both inside and outside of Zambia.

Background: Dan and Ruth are from the UK and have been serving in Zambia since 2010. They have four children and one vulnerable dependant. Dan has background in building and church leadership from the UK and was a big part of completing the building of the new college.

Vision And Annual Strategy

Vision

Operation Mobilisation is a bible based ‘faith’ movement committed to world evangelism. They want to challenge and train Christians to live and get engaged in cross cultural evangelism.

Christians are challenged to live a life of faith, love and prayer as set forth in scripture.

OM wants to express the compassion of Christ through material relief (in times of disaster) as well as in social involvement to the poor and needy.

OM wants to strengthen and help churches especially among the least reached.

Strategy

BHW will be informed of any financial requirements to fund income generating activities as the proposals are submitted to OM by their missionaries. The specific activities funded by this project will be detailed in the Reports section.