The SEED – August 2023
August 2023
“When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’” – Luke 10:8&9
In July, the Toposa Outreach Initiative (TOI) Team revisited 31 villages, encouraging the believers there and reached 24 new villages. They screened The Jesus Film in most of the villages. The outreached resulted in 45 people accepting Christ! The Team continues to revisit each of the reached villages on a weekly basis to encourage and instruct believers in their walk with God. The believers are constantly being encouraged to listen to their Audio Bibles, use the DMM Signage Bookmark to share God’s story and their faith story with others, and to join a Lighthouse. Plans are in process for training more Champions to lead the increasing number of Lighthouses needed. A total of 19 Audio Bibles, 6 hard-copy Bibles, and 16 bookmarks were distributed to new believers in July.
This is the rainy season, making travel treacherous. Many of the villagers are out in their fields planting crops, which makes regular meetings challenging.
The TOI team requests prayers for safety as they travel, that they remain bold in their mission of sharing the Gospel, and for protection from opposition. Insecurity between the Toposa and another tribe called Buya is also making travel unsafe on some of the Kapoeta-Lomeyan area roads.
The Team is grateful for the time spent in Lodwar in June/July to attend “Sustaining A Healthy Church” teaching/training summit. They are praying that soon they will hold a similar summit in South Sudan for existing and potential church leaders there.
Champion explaining the the ‘3-Circles’ to his Lighthouse
Turkana Believers Reach Another Tribe!
In July 2023, a team of SHARE Turkana staff and motivators crossed the border into Ethiopia to take the Gospel to the largely unreached Nyang’atom tribe! They were joined by a team of the few Nyang’atom believers that had invited them. Together, they conducted homestead-to-homestead evangelism, screened The Jesus Film, and carried out age/gender-appropriate teaching sessions in three villages – Koutom, Narus, and Kangaten.
The combined team also taught the DMM Methodology at an existing church facility in Kangaten Village, with a total of 109 attendees. The team ministered to a total of 744 people in Kangaten and 635 people in Koutom and Narus. A total of 204 people received Christ as Savior. Only 29 could be baptized due to lack of water. Those baptized had to be transported in SHARE vehicles to a puddle of water about 4 miles away.
The Nyang’atom people are thirsty for the Word of God. They are keen listeners; they ask hard questions! They are very hospitable and hardworking people. Their land is arable. Besides keeping herds, they also practice sustainable agriculture.
Outreach among the Nyang’atom tribe is now effectively underway! We request your prayers and support as the indigenous people catch the vision and spread the Good News. Below is the new team of Nyang’atom missionaries that has been formed and committed to follow up with the new believers and reach more of their own and other neighboring tribes in Ethiopia with the Gospel.
Top (L-R): Bekele Loubin Lukucho, Elias Echom Loutien, Gabriel Napeiwi Lochege, Ilikori Ekuwom Lokuja, Jeremiah Tebakol
Middle: John Ebei Lokiria, Kennedy Egiron Lokiriama, Kula Mama Lokoel, Lochampa Namuya Lopiao, Lochin Ekeno Alemoe
Bottom: Loreng Achok Tikapel, Lucas Akidor Nakotoi, Michael Ekolor Ekuwom, Mitiko Tikapel Lokwaat, Samuel Lokiriama Esinyen
SHARE Staffer, James Ewoi, teaching on church leadership at Koutom Village
SHARE Staffer, Simon Akuta, praying for the new converts in Narus Village
Teacher Joseph Kotome teaching the children short phrases in English
Next-Gen Coordinator, Mary Esinyen, recording Dominic’s faith story
The Nakuk Sending Center is complete!
Construction has begun on Sending Center #8 in Lomidat!
The completed Sending Centers are marked in red.
At the beginning of August, the SHARE Team spent 3 days conducting a survey in Nakiria Zone in an area where there were 4 identified unreached villages. They traveled about 65 miles north of Lodwar to reach these villages: Nakwamor (pop. 368), Katukokeiny (pop. 235), Komion (160), and Lomantuluke (pop. 420). They met with the area administration, and the village elders asking permission to plant a church in this area. The village elders all responded positively to the request, and the choice was made to plant the church in Nakwamor Village. The Team will come back to begin the process of planting a church.
Nakiria Zone Coordinator, Peter Ille, talking with the village elders about planting a church
SHARE staffer, Jacktan Kachi, talking with the villages’ elders, explaining the process of church planting and asking permission to screen The Jesus Film in their villages.
PRAISES
PETITIONS
– Safety for the Toposaland Missionaries as there is unrest in Buya communities where they would like to minister and along the border between South Sudan and Turkana
– Spiritual growth for new believers in the villages in Nyang’atom
– Continued growth of Next-Gen children, construction of the 7 remaining Centers, and finding qualified teachers for each of the Centers
– Availability of clean water at all the DMM Centers and Next-Gen Sending Centers
– More and more Turkana children to attend Sunday School and boldly share their faith with others
– Motivators and Evangelists shepherding the many churches in Turkanaland, Nyang’atomland, and Toposaland
– Peace between the Turkana and the Pokot tribes along the Kalemng’orok and Lokori Zones’ borders
– For the missionaries health: John Ebongon – throat infection; Samwel Lomoria – tumor in his foot
– Implementation of lessons learned during the Summit in Lodwar in July
Our financial need up to the end of 3Q is $215,000. We request your continued prayers and support. Your contribution of any amount is greatly appreciated – always!
– Sammy
Thank you SO MUCH for your prayers and support!
