The SEED – May 2022 – Share International

The SEED – May 2022

Posted June 1, 2022

In The SEED Newsletters of 2022

May 2022

“Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites (Turkana) is that they may be saved.. “
– Romans 10:1

Just before Easter, the SHARE team, consisting of Jacktan Kachi, Ann Karmojiong, Simon Akuta, Mary Esinyen, Peterson Lokaabuk, Wilson Ekamais, Sarah Esekon, Andrew Edan, and Mary Tukei, working with Josephat Lomuria, the area Motivator and his evangelists, planted a new church in Nangoleki Village, about 47 miles from Lodwar; population of about 600. From April 11th – 15th the team screened The Jesus Film in Nachok, Akatuman, Nakuron and Nangoleki villages. A total of 701 villagers attended the screenings, and 110 people accepted Christ. They also held open-air meetings with 235 in attendance, and 7 people accepted Christ. During the age-appropriate teaching, 278 villagers were in attendance, with 114 people accepting Christ!

This new church will be under the leadership of Motivator Josephat Lomuria and his evangelist Lucas Lochoto. A total of 158 people attended the very first church service, and 20 people were baptized. There are now 42 churches in this zone with 9,365 members led by 11 Motivators/Monitors and 3 Evangelists. There were 42 additional believers baptized in other churches in Chokchok Zone this past month. The Lighthouses are continuing to grow. There are now 76 Champions leading Lighthouses and 516 disciples attending.

In the beginning of May the SHARE Staff Team returned to Nangoleki Village to do a follow-up of their initial church plant. They spent 3 days in the village. The team also showed The Jesus Film in nearby Napia Village, where 205 villagers attended the screening, with 25 giving their lives to Christ. A total of 195 people attended the open-air meetings, with 6 making a decision to follow Christ. They also held age-appropriate teaching, and 11 women accepted Christ.

Please continue to pray for this church and for Motivator Josephat Lomuria and Evangelist Lukas Ekal Lochoto as they minister and disciple the believers here. Many of the adult believers are interested in learning to read and write, so there is an increased demand for Adult Literacy teachers and materials. The people of Chokchok are praising God for the rain that they received this month.

The testimonies in the video below are from 3 different believers in Chokchok Zone. They share the story about their walk before they met Christ, their walk to accepting Christ, and their walk after accepting Christ. This contextualized discipleship method is know as “3-Walk”.

SHARE Staffer Jacktan Kachi preaching at the open-air meeting

Coordinator Wilson Ekamais praying before baptizing a young woman

All those who were baptized during the church plant at Nangoleki Village in Chokchok Zone

People present in Nangoleki Village during teachings on the last day of the follow-up

There are 2,263 enrolled in Adult Literacy classes, with 1,970 attending this past month. A total of 465 of these students are being discipled in Lighthouses, and 30 of them are Champions. That’s so encouraging! There is a great need for more AL Teachers, Audio Bibles, and hard-copy Bibles.

AL Teacher Lucy Eregae teaching the students using the DMM Module

Eunice’s Testimony

My name is Eunice Mzee. Before I knew Christ I was in a ‘black world’. When SHARE International planted a church in Kaitese, the village gathered together to learn about God. I thank God that He has saved me. I am born again, testifying to God’s Gospel and serving God.

SHARE International brought Adult Literacy to our church after many of us showed interest in learning how to read the Bible. We were illiterate but had a desire to read the Word of God for ourselves. We are very grateful to Lucy Eragae, our AL Teacher. I have learned how to express myself through the Bible, and I am helping to disciple a group, teaching others to follow God’s Word. I thank my teacher Lucy Eragae for enabling me to express myself through the hard-copy Bible ,and I praise God for SHARE International Ministry for planting a church in Kaitese.

In April the Toposa Outreach Initiative Team (TOI) visited 34 villages. The villagers were very receptive to the Gospel message. There has been some resistance from the Catholic Evangelists in the area, but the area sultans (chiefs) and government commissioners are addressing this. This past month, 73 people made a decision to become Christ’s followers, 19 of them after viewing The Jesus Film in 4 of the villages. No one was baptized as there is still a severe shortage of water.

The TOI Team has identified 33 men and women of peace and are training them to be Champions and continue to work with them, training them how to use the DMM curriculum, the Audio Bible, and the DMM Bookmark. This month they have distributed 33 Audio Bibles and 11 DMM Bookmarks. The Team lives in the villages that they have reached for about a month each time, exemplifying what SHARE’s theme verse states – “sharing the Gospel and our very lives” (1 Thess 2:8).

Consumption of alcohol, smoking, and chewing tobacco is prevalent among the Toposa people. Pray with the TOI Team, that the Gospel message will penetrate deeply, and habits would change. The local administration is also asking them to aid in providing education, clean water, and food for the children in the villages. Also pray for the security and protection of the Toposa children that are being kidnapped by the neighboring Murle tribe.

Missionary John Eipa sharing the Audio Bible with the Village Sultan (Chief)

Missionary John Eipa sharing the Audio Bible with the Village Sultan (Chief)

The TOI Missionaries were able to share the Gospel message with this entire village! They are often not allowed to do this. They can usually share one on one or in small groups.

Magdalene’s Testimony

My name is Magdalene Lopir. I live in Napei-Ngoroko Village in Toposa. I used to do bad things that were not pleasing to God, like drinking alcoholic drinks brewed locally as well as engaging in fights whenever my children were in trouble or insulted by other people when I was drunk.

Now I am a follower of Jesus, and God has dominated my heart since I accepted His Word. I share God’s Word with my husband, my children, my mother-in-law, and my co-wife. We now live in peace and harmony. In the past we were enemies.

When people in the village engage in fights and utter harsh words when they are drunk, I intervene. I am a person of peace because Jesus speaks through me, and He makes everything calm.

It is exciting to share construction of the very first of 14 Sending Centers is almost done in Kangipusia Village, Kachoda Zone (see picture below). Construction of the second center is almost underway in Kalobeyei Zone. It is a monumental task as all the bricks are made by hand, one-at-a-time, and must dry before the construction process can begin.

The roof will be added by the end of May

PRAISES

For the rain in some areas!
The church plant in Nangoleki Village, Chokchok Zone and for all those that came to Christ
For the effectiveness of the DMM curriculum
For the DMM Center and the water pump in Chokchok
For the donors providing the necessary tools to reach the Toposa people
Continued commitment and dedication of SHARE staff, Motivators, and Champions
For the continued openness by the Toposa people to the TOI Missionaries living and sharing the Gospel with them
Ongoing construction of the Sending Centers in Kachoda and Kalobeyei Zones

REQUESTS

More Adult Literacy Classes, Early Childhood Schools, and supplies in Turkana and Toposa
That kidnapping of young girls in Toposa along the South Sudan-Ethiopia border would stop
Motivators to grow spiritually strong and healthy congregations and Lighthouses
Establishment of solid DMM Lighthouses and Champions in Toposa
Moderate rainfall to eradicate prevalent drought and famine
Drilling boreholes of clean drinking water and relief for starving masses throughout Turkana and Toposa
Peace between the Turkana and the Pokot people

Thank you for your continued support for this ministry. Your partnership with us is bearing amazing fruit for eternity. We encourage you to continue with your support a together we stay the course and cause of Christ, even as His return draws nigh by the day. We invite you to join with us in raising the remaining budget of $78,575/KShs.7,857,500 for the 2nd Quarter of 2022.

You may reach Sammy, SHARE Founder, at 318-243-4243 or sammymurimi@shareint.net or Dalmas, SHARE Director, at +254-711565644 or dalmas@shareint.net.

We also request you to consider sponsoring one or more of our Motivators that are in need of support at $2,400/KShs.240,000 per year (or $200/KShs.20,000 per month). You can sign up to support one here.

Thank you SO MUCH for your prayers and support!

Men value large herds of cattle and multiple wives. Each new wife requires a dowry to be paid. The dowry is the primary motivation for the theft of cattle from neighboring tribes.