Zambia

Dear Friend,

Greetings. We are excited to update you on what God is doing in our lives.  As you know, we have had a strong calling to overseas missions for many years and have served the Lord on many short-term trips, both medical and non-medical.  We have had the opportunity to participate in medical missions in Kenya, Honduras, and more recently in Zambia.  In 2009, we went to Zambia with Pastor Ray and Darlyss Kipe to serve at Macha Medical Mission and to explore the possibility that someday God may want us to serve there long term.   While at that time we felt called to continue to work here in the states and help mobilize and send others, we have now felt a call by God to move to Zambia.

Dr. John Spurrier, who Mark worked with in 2009 and filled in for in both 2010 and 2016, has now retired and this past summer BIC U.S. World Missions put out a call for a doctor to go full time to Macha Hospital to practice medicine (especially surgery) and assist with hospital administration.   We began to feel God calling us to go and this was confirmed by our youngest daughter Jocelyn, who told us in no uncertain terms that we could be replaced here in the states, but were needed in Zambia.   We asked several close friends and mentors to partner with us in prayer as we explored this calling.  After several meetings with BIC staff and John and Esther Spurrier, we believe God is calling us to serve at Macha.

Over the past five years while living in western Pennsylvania,  Mark has continued to work as a general surgeon but has also taken on the role of Medical Director of Physician Services.   Last June he completed a master’s degree in Healthcare Administration. We feel these roles and new training were for the express purpose of moving into a position which is needed in Zambia.  Maggie has continued to work as a speech therapist doing early intervention, as well as raising our four now adult children.  Our three girls, Holly (22), Naomi (20) and Jocelyn (18), are all in college and grad school.  Zach (24) has recently moved back from Austin, Texas to relocate and work in Pittsburgh.  Maggie’s mother, Holly Campbell, who has lived with us for the past 13 years has relocated to a personal care home near her son, Ian.

We are thankful to the many of you who have been praying and walking with us on this journey as we begin to make this transition to Zambia.  We have now been officially accepted to serve with BIC U.S. World Missions and are anticipating leaving for Zambia in the fall of this year.  We are excited at what God is doing.  

We ask that you would prayerfully consider partnering with us on this endeavor.  We are seeking at least 200 individuals who are willing to pray for us on a regular basis. Additionally, we are responsible to raise financial support for the upcoming years (more details to follow in future updates) and would appreciate your prayerful consideration of partnering with us in this physical way (see giving options below).

We look forward to keeping in touch and are setting up a blog with links to our profile and updates that we will post at markandmaggieBICWM.travel .blog[

Thank you for your continued prayers and support.  

Mark and Maggie

Ways to donate toward our fundraising needs for ministry with BIC U.S. World Missions in Zambia:Online by credit card or bank account (https://secure.etransfer.com/BIC/MarkMaggieRoth.cfm)

pledge for a future donation (click the “give” button on the right of our profile page: https://bicus.org/missionaries/mark-and-maggie-roth/)[