SOWERS International Newsletter June 2018

News From Around the Fields

Ghana

Samuel writes from Ghana: A total of 19 churches held Level One seminars with 491 participants. Two Level 2 seminars were held with 34 people trained. During the open air, 14 gave their lives to Christ including a Muslim.

We are following up 19 churches where 359 people gave their lives to Christ at open air meetings.  

Malawi

In Malawi a SOWERS team along the lakeshore has led two Muslims to the Lord. They are being discipled secretly to protect them from persecution from their families, friends and Muslim community. Nearby, two other Muslims were saved. One has joined a church and the other is at a crossroad as he is still contemplating what to do with his two wives and children. Polygamy issues are difficult to deal with here in Africa when one converts to Christianity.   

An influential Chief in Salima has been saved after an open-air meeting. He has joined a Baptist Church and has been baptized. He used to be a leader of Gulu Wamkulu Society commonly known as the animal masked people.

When we had the open air at Uthuli, we saw the power of God deliver a drunken Chief from alcoholism. He is going to the church now. Glory be to God. 

Uganda

From Uganda, Pastor Julius of Kamuli says that the sketch board dissolved the crowds' anger. The site chosen for the open air meeting after the seminar was a bar premises. Never before had evangelists been at that place without either being beaten or chased away shamefully. Nevertheless the team went ahead and put up the sketch board. His fears were all the more intensified when he saw many furious people leaving the bar and moving towards the SOWERS team. However, he was surprised to see them being peaceful and very attentive. A number of them even requested counselling following the message.

What made the difference? It was the curiosity created by the sketch board. 

We are thankful to the Lord that SOWERS is now registered in Uganda. This means that very soon they will elect their first National Board.

In the short time that the Uganda Tent Project has been operating as an income generating project (IGP), it has grown significantly. The Financial Report for the past twelve months shows that tents are being hired throughout the year with the period from September to February being the busiest. 

Zambia

A 25 year old woman was involved in drinking, smoking, adultery and fighting. This resulted in her spending a year in jail. She gave her life to the Lord at an open-air meeting in Kasama. She is a changed person and she has now led her mother to Christ Jesus.

Sininza J, a 40 year old man, went to church all the time as if he was a Christian but when he was learning how to use a counselling booklet during the seminar, he found out that he was not saved. It was at that time he invited Jesus to come into his heart as his personal Saviour. Going to church does not always mean you are a Christian! 

Titus has commenced his Level 6 training. Much more will be achieved in July when four men are assessed at Level 4 and Titus at Level 6.

A source of cardboard boards for the sketchboard workshops has been needed for some time. In May a cardboard box factory on the Copperbelt agreed to provide cardboard boards at a very reasonable price.

DR Congo

A very happy Emmanuel in DR Congo recently reported, "Through this photo, we want to give thanks to the LORD for hearing our prayers. Thanks to a donation received from the Centre for Development of Indigenous Christian Leaders (CDLA), a committee overseen by our friends Murray and Joy Stevenson, we were able to restock our shelves with much needed manuals, contact tracts, counselling booklets and certificates in both French and Bemba."

Kenya

The work is growing steadily and Tobias has commenced his Level 4 training. More churches, from different denominations, are requesting to be trained.

The Gospel to Every Creature Church SOWERS Team is using the SOWERS Program and has planted four churches and in July plan to conduct a two week evangelistic outreach in the Western Region.

The current Level 2 Swahili manual has many problems. In June, Tobias and Christine worked on correcting it. The Manual will now be photocopied and trialled to make sure there are no more problems. Only then can it be re-printed.

A SOWERS Rally, pictured right, was held on June 8 and people attended from within Nakuru, and from Eldroret, Nairobi and the Western Region. It was an encouraging time.

The Interim SOWERS Committee is very committed and are seeking out ways to have SOWERS registered in Kenya. They are planning how to promote the work and enable it to become more self-sustaining.

Zimbabwe

In the past six months many things have changed for the better. The maize harvest was good and acres of wheat are being grown. There is a much more positive atmosphere everywhere but lack of income from exports is restricting the growth in the economy. People are now waiting for the results of the elections on July 30.

At the end of the Level 6/4/2 Seminar in June, Edmond graduated at Level 6, Delight and Tsitsi at Level 4 and four students at Level 2. With the addition of these Trainers, the work in Zimbabwe can grow more quickly.

The Zimbabwe Board’s chicken project is up and running and they are branching out into broilers as well as layers to see if this will give them more income to assist the ministry.

Prayer and Praise Points

1) Pray for the many people who are being led to the Lord, followed-up and encouraged in their faith.

2) Thank God that SOWERS is now registered in Uganda. Pray for wisdom as the National Board is elected.

3) Pray that Kenya would be able to get their registration soon.