The SEED – April 2024 – Share International

The SEED – April 2024

Posted April 30, 2024

April 2024

“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”
– Romans 1:16

On March 11th, the SHARE Team traveled 260 miles to Kakuta Village in Ethiopia to aid the Ny’angatom Missionary Team with evangelistic outreach. Entering Ethiopia was challenging. The normal route was impassible due to flooding of a river, so they had to find a new route. The only other route was very dangerous. Fortunately, an escort of 6 Kenyan police officers on motorbikes was arranged to lead the Team safely across the border.

Upon arrival, the Team was welcomed by the Kakuta villagers. The people were very hospitable and kind. The Team shared the Gospel and a message of living peacefully with the Turkana people. The people received it well and agreed that the fighting between the two tribes had gone on long enough. The Team conducted homestead-to-homestead evangelism, and 3 villagers accepted Christ as Savior. About 515 people attended the screening of The Jesus Film and ministry teachings with another 131 people accepting Christ as Savior! Even the chief diviner of the village, Lokol Lomor, received salvation and decided to be baptized! Previously he had beaten and tortured men and women who were followers of Christ.

A total of 54 new believers were baptized, and new church was born! The church was planted in Nangolekoree Village, a village close to Kakuta. The Team also distributed 50 Audio Bibles to the new believers.

Afterward, some of the Team traveled on to Koutum Village, where they had previously planted a church in 2023. The church in Koutum Village is thriving and growing. They have even begun to build a shelter for worship. About 56 members attend this church regularly.

SHARE Staffer, James Ewoi, speaking at an open-air meeting in Nangolikoree Village

Baptizing new converts

The new congregation in Nangolekoree Village

Newly constructed church building in Koutum Village

The Word of God continues to saturate Toposaland! In March alone, the Toposa Outreach Initiative (TOI) revisited 40 villages and shared the Gospel in 31 new villages! Through sharing the Gospel one-on-one, screening The Jesus Film, and Champions and disciples sharing their faith stories using the DMM methods, 160 people accepted Christ as Savior, and 3 were baptized! New believers are encouraged to join a nearby Lighthouse where they can grow in their faith and learn how to share the Gospel with others.

At the end of March, 7 SHARE Staffers from Lodwar traveled to Toposaland to facilitate DMM training among the TOI Team and Champions. In attendance were the 17 TOI Missionaries and Evangelists and 48 Champions! There are now 95 Champions training 916 disciples in the formed Lighthouses. The TOI Team also distributed another 107 Audio Bibles, 11 hard-copy Bibles, and 24 DMM Bookmarks.

The TOI Team will be taking a furlough and returning home to their families in Turkanaland between April 16th and May 16th. Pray that this will be a time of refreshment and encouragement for them. Also pray for safety as they travel to and from Turkanaland.

A Champion using an Audio Bible to share the Gospel in Kalominakung Village under Missionary Simon Lotabo (seated, wearing hat)

A Champion showing other women in her Lighthouse how to use the DMM bookmark to share the Gospel

Director Dalmas Esekon facilitating a group discussion during DMM training

Construction of the 10th Sending Center has been completed! This center has been dubbed the Neve-Poole Kang’ageteiberu Discipleship & Learning Center in honor of its sponsors. SHARE Staffers are in the process of strategically erecting signposts for each of the centers. Each of the centers has been officially named after its/their sponsor(s).

Construction of the 11th Sending Center has begun! This one will be named the Turning Point Lomeringal Discipleship & Learning Center. Only 3 more centers to go! Hallelujah!

TRAILHEAD NAKOROS SENDING CENTER
(Est. Oct. 2022)

Joseph Longoli is the teacher at the Trailhead Nakoros Sending Center. There are about 140 pupils that attend school here, but some do not attend regularly as there is no food provided. The children have learned how to recite and write the alphabet, count from 1-50, add and subtract, and read simple words. This month, they were taught about creation from the Bible and are practicing the ‘3-Walk’ DMM methodology. This methodology tells the story of one’s life before they knew Christ, how they came to know Him, and how their life has changed since.

The Center is also used for services on Sunday under Evangelist Boaz Ekal, with about 70 members in attendance.

Trailhead Nakoros Sending Center class in session with Next-Gen Coordinator Mary Esinyen teaching

ICM-TRAILHEAD KANGIPUSIA SENDING CENTER
(Est. June 2022)

The ICM-Trailhead Kangipusia Sending Center has 256 pupils attending! The teachers, Samwel Lemuya and Michael Echwa are teaching the students to read and write in English, Turkana, and Swahili! The children have learned how to recite and write the alphabet, count to 100, read simple words, and do basic math. They are memorizing Matthew 7:7 and are learning about the love of God. Some of the students are able to share their personal testimonies.

Due to the heavy rains in the region Mary Esinyen, Next-Gen Coordinator, was not able to get photos inside the classroom this month. However, milk was brought across the river to the children waiting on the other side, and they held class review and enjoyed milk right there by the river!

Crossing the river to bring milk to the children

Mary with the Kangipusia children enjoying milk by the river

Construction of the 11th Sending Center: Turning Point Lomeringal

The completed Sending Centers are marked in red.

KALOBEYEI ZONE

There are 19 SHARE Motivators overseeing a total of 55 churches (two of which were planted this month) and 117 Lighthouses throughout Kalobeyei Zone. A total of 831 disciples attend these Lighthouses where they are learning how to make disciples of others.

In March, the SHARE Team, in collaboration with area Motivators and Evangelists, conducted outreach in three villages in Kalobeyei Zone: Ngikengoi, Epelpel, and Esenyanait. Through homestead-to-homestead evangelism, screening The Jesus Film, open-air meetings, and gender/age-appropriate ministry teachings, a total of 241 people accepted Christ as Savior, and 45 were baptized! Ten of the new believers committed to be trained as Champions. The Team also distributed 130 Audio Bibles to new believers.

Two new churches were planted! First in Ngikengoi Village, then in Epelpel Village. These churches are about 4 miles apart. Evangelist Sammy Lotiir will oversee them.

Evangelist Sammy Lotiir praying for the new converts in Ngikengoi Village after the screening of The Jesus Film

Motivator Immanuel Esuguru praying for the sick during homestead-to-homestead evangelism

SHARE Staffer, Ann Karimojong, teaching women in Esinyanait Village

SHARE Staffer, Jacktan Kaachi and Motivator Immanuel Esuguru baptizing new believers

Testimony

“My name is Sammy Lotiir. I am from Kalobeyei Zone. I am a born again Christian and I love Jesus Christ.

Before I got saved, I used to drink alcohol and insult people, but God delivered me. Currently, I oversee three churches and three Lighthouses.

I thank God for the Audio Bibles provided to us by SHARE. We use them in training Champions. Moreover, people have heard God’s Word through this Audio Bibles in their own dialect. This has been of great use to the believer. Champions are increasing and people are growing more thirsty for the Word of God

We are very grateful for the Word of God that has reached out to many souls. We are continuing with the race, and we love Jesus Christ. Thank you.”

PRAISES

– Successful outreach and church plant in Nyang’atomland between March 11th and 17th

– Successful DMM Training in Toposaland

– 10th Sending Center in Kangageteiberu complete! Construction has begun on the 11th one in Lomerimagal!

– Successful outreach and 2 churches planted in Kalobeyei Zone

– Many saved and baptized in Nyang’atomland, Toposaland, and Turkanaland in March

– Evident effectiveness of the contextualized DMM Curriculum used in teaching throughout Nyang’atomland, Toposaland, and Turkanaland

PETITIONS

– Safe travels and refreshment for the TOI Missionaries as they return home to Turkanaland for a 30-day furlough

– Continued growth of Next-Gen children, construction of the remaining 4 centers, finding qualified teachers, and providing food and water at each of the centers

– Successful outreach and church plant in Kachoda Zone in April

– Safety and perseverance for the Motivators in Turkanaland, Toposaland, and Nyang’atomland

– Internal conflict between the Turkana in Sopel, Lorugum, and Kalemngorok Zones

– Preparations for this year’s Short-Term Outreach & Relief Mission (STORM) trips happening in July

What Crossed Your Mind?

I don’t know about you, but my heart was deeply moved when I saw this photograph of the ‘Newly constructed church building in Koutum Village’ in Nyang’atomland, Ethiopia, built by/with ‘sweat equity’ of new believers

Notice what they used for nails! I wonder how this would compare with your current church building, not to mention the temple built by Solomon!

My point? It’s not that the structure of a building that counts before the Lord, it’s the True Church – the Body of Christ – those souls that you see as you pierce through those rugged poles – your brothers and sisters with whom you will spend eternity.

How many more souls can we reach with the Good News of Jesus Christ; the Spoken Word that’s recorded in the local vernacular in the solar-powered Audio Bibles that SHARE is distributing among the Turkana, Toposa, and Nyang’atom people-groups? It’s that Word they hear that the Holy Spirit is using to birth faith within them (Rom. 10:17), leading them to put their faith in Christ as Savior. It’s that Living Word that the Lord has called SHARE to saturate among those tribes.

As you consider the physical looks of your church building, I encourage you to seriously consider the question our Lord (referring to the buildings of the temple) asked the disciples: “Do you see all these things? Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down” (Matthew 24:2). Then pray and consider how you could help us initiate faith among those that have never heard the Good News among the Turkana, Toposa, and Nyang’atom people-groups by providing them with the Spoken Word through the Audio Bibles at $25 each.