Patrick G. Coleman

After high school I went to Bible school then on to seminary. Over the years I have earned my PhD in Theology and Biblical studies.

I served as youth pastor for several years and as a school teacher. I was the principal of a private academy for five years.

I moved to Lubumbashi, Zaire, (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) in 1985. In 1991 we were evacuated from Lubumbashi because of civil unrest. I based my family in Luanshya, Zambia.

In 1994 my first wife, Cindy, was killed by a drunk driver in Zambia. After a few weeks back in the States I realised that Africa was home. I returned to Zambia and continued working.

A few years later I was working with Rotary in a Polio immunisation program in Zambia and became interested in another Rotarian, Sherry Welch.

Sherry was born and raised in a Jewish home in New Jersey. She came to know the Lord as her Messiah and personal Saviour when she was 17. She came to Zambia in 1990 to administrate a correspondence Bible school. She also taught in area schools and in churches.

We were married on August 1, 1997.

Today we serve the Lord together in Zambia. Our ministry responsibilities have grown. We own and operate the Lighthouse Children's Home with four AIDS orphans, we have opened our personal library to the public in Luanshya through the Christian Resource Centre, Sherry still has a correspondence Bible school and I still work with local church leaders as well as serving in leadership at Fellowship Chapel in Luanshya (a non-denominational assembly of Christians).

We are both quite involved in the Rotary. Sherry in the Rotary Club of Luanshya. Me in the Rotary E-Club of Southern Africa. Our initial project is "Water for Education in Zambia" which endeavours to put a deep water well and hand pump at eery rural primary school in Zambia. We have already done 60 and we have about 170 more to do in the Copperbelt Province.

I also lectured at the Gospel Literature Outreach Discipleship Training Centre and am Chairman of the board of Mobile Mission Maintenance Vocational Training Centre and Mission Medic Air in Zambia. I am the current chairman of the Luanshya District Education Board (a position I have held for six years). I was just appointed to another three-year term. I sit as a Governor for Chengelo School in Mkushi, Zambia.

I am also a cancer survivor in 2005. Five years free now and clear now!

Sadly, attending the Reunions is a challenge. It is too far away and there is too much to do in Africa!

I always wanted to be one of the "cool" kids, but I did not have the "cool gene." (My dad also made sure that my hair was too short to even hint that I was "rebellious.")

I wanted to be one of the class comedians, but Calvin Davis was funnier than me on his most serious day. (I recall with horror the many attempts made to be funny... unsuccessfully. It is actually funny... now.)

I enjoyed singing, but I have a "sing-along" voice so solo parts were not in my future. (I still have that Irish tenor voice and sing along with Celtic Thunder on my iTouch.)

The only "trouble" I got into at school was being called into the VP's office several times for having a Bible study on (or near) campus. We were chased from the library, a classroom, the outside lunch area and even from a bus parked on the "school side" of McNab. We finally began meeting in a home 5 houses down the street from the school. John Killeen (the VP) and I had more than one heated conversation about the "freedom of speech" in the late 60's and early 70's.

Is it any surprise I ended up in Africa working with schools, orphans, community service and ... preaching? Interestingly enough, I am now called upon to speak publicly and I have learned to tell a joke or two.

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