Loudon, John & Karen

John & Karen served the Lord through mission aviation in Africa for 34 years, from 1984 -2018, living in Kenya for 5 years and in Tanzania for 7 years before moving to Zambia in 1996. They worked at Kalene Mission in northwest Zambia with Mission Flight Services until 2018. John served as the Operations Manager and pilot/mechanic.  John led a weekly Bible study for young men from local assemblies, with an emphasis on discipleship training and encouraging local assemblies. He preached occasionally at the Kalene assembly and sometimes would teach sessions at the yearly assembly conference or elders conference. Karen's long-term contribution was as the MFS Flight Follower, tracking the plane whenever John was flying, recording important details. Hospitality, bookroom management, flight scheduling at the hangar, bookings for the Lusaka Guest House, working with a girls' sewing class - these were all on Karen's agenda from time to time during our years at Kalene Mission.  In 2016, John & Karen began attending a small rural assembly, Chifwafwa, about a half hour from Kalene Mission, in order to encourage them in their understand of the scriptures and their walk with the Lord.

Karen and John were also involved with Sakeji Mission School over the years, with John on the board, and Karen in the dorm or teaching or on the PTA. Their 4 children were raised in Zambia & all attended Sakeji School. When the youngest one graduated from Rift Valley Academy in July 2018, John & Karen came on an extended furlough, with the desire to return to Zambia, either full-time or part-time, in a discipleship Bible teaching ministry rather than aviation.  Since covid prevented their quick return, they were invited to join the work of The Ezekiel Project School of Evangelism (TEPSE) in Richmond, MI.  Recently, the Lord made it possible for them to assist the work at Sakeji in classrooms, the dorm, and the dining hall for 10 weeks during the summer of 2022.  

From 2018 through the present, John has been teaching at TEPSE while Karen helps in the office. Josh graduated from TEPSE in 2020 and is considering full-time overseas missions. Julie is now improving her French language skills at a Bible School in France. Jeannie spent 5 years teaching at Christian schools in the Bahamas & in Rwanda, and later completed the 2-year TEPSE program. She is now teaching at a Christian school in Michigan.  Nathan had been serving the Lord with us in Zambia from 2013-2018, discipling young people, doing outreach and preaching on Sundays. He & his wife Chichi are now in Michigan, with us. Nathan has been teaching at TEPSE. Chichi attended T1 TEPSE classes while caring for our 2 grandchildren, Jonathan & Natalie. They have a desire to return to Zambia as full-time missionaries, perhaps in 2023.  Please keep them in your prayers.