The SEED – July 2023
July 2023
“This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you:
God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all.” – 1 John 1:5
The SHARE Outreach, Church-Planting and Disciple-Making Movement (CPM/DMM) ministry in Turkanaland marked 26 years this year, with a total of 480 fully functional churches planted and 663 Lighthouses (Cell-Groups) well established from those churches! The critical need to sustain both the movement, and, most importantly, over-all Healthy Churches in Turkanaland and beyond was the primary reason behind SHARE’s recent Teaching Summit that took place between June 24th and July 1st in Lodwar. A team comprising of 8 Americans and 10 Turkana staff covered a total of 18 topics underlying the Biblical principles and practice necessary for “Sustaining a Healthy Church”. A total of 144 Motivators and Evangelists, 26 Adult Literacy Teachers, 24 Staff, 50 selected women from 10 zones in Turkanaland, SHARE’s Missionaries in Toposaland, and a group from Nyang’atomland attended the Summit. The Summit substituted this year’s Short-Term Outreach & Relief Mission (STORM).
The attendees received the teachings with enthusiasm. They promised to replicate the teachings – building upon the firm foundation already laid since 1997 and sustaining a vibrant, healthy and growing Church across Turkanaland and among the frontier countries of South Sudan and Ethiopia where SHARE is already making significant outreach inroads.
Interspersed during the Summit were “Vision Visits” by the American team to 4 remote villages in three zones, which included distribution of foodstuffs among the very hungry.
Like the Early Church, the corporate “living stones” (1 Pet. 2:5), the “royal priesthood” (v.9) in Turkanaland is now sufficiently equipped to replicate the Summit’s teachings in the local churches/lighthouses and witness even greater and an all-round healthy Ecclesia with Christ as The Cornerstone and The Head of His Church!
Mary Ann Lee sharing with the women, with SHARE Staffer, Sarah Esekon, interpreting
979 Audio Bibles arrived at the SEND Center in Lodwar this month.
They will be distributed among the Turkanaland, Toposaland, and Nyang’atomaland people-groups.
Thank you to the donor who made this possible!
The 6 Motivators and 5 Evangelists in Kachoda Zone continue to effectively see and shepherd 21 churches and 30 Champions who lead 32 Lighthouses. In June, a total of 57 people accepted Christ and 41 were baptized when the Gospel message was shared throughout the villages in this zone. A total of 18 Audio Bibles were distributed to new believers. Another 15 will be provided to 15 Champions. As people migrate in search of greener pasture for livestock, Audio Bibles can be heard playing in the morning as one wanders through the homesteads!
Between June 12th and 18th, a SHARE Team traveled to Kachoda Zone where homestead-to-homestead evangelism was conducted, The Jesus Film screened, and a church planted in Koyasa Village. As always, age- and gender-appropriate teaching ministries were also carried out. A total of 377 people viewed The Jesus Film. Altogether, 232 people committed their lives to Christ, and 130 were baptized! Eight of these new believers indicated their desire to be trained as Champions. Sixty-four believers committed to attending the new church in Koyasa Village under the leadership of Evangelist Kennedy Egiron Lokiriama.
There are only 14 identified villages remaining to be reached in Kachoda Zone! Plans are underway to reach them within the next 3 years!
VIDEO: Evangelist Kennedy Lokiriama
SHARE Staffer, Jackson Erus, teaching at the Open-Air meeting in Koyasa Village
TESTIMONY
My name is Maximillah Akolom Akal. I come from Koyasa Village. I was very glad when God’s people brought us the Word of God. We were formerly unaware of the Word of God. When we attended the screening of The Jesus Film, we watched Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, and later that night, I realized that He had shed His blood for my transgressions. It was so profound to me, and that led me to accept Him today and be baptized. I have decided to go and share God’s Word with others, teach them to believe in Christ, and bring them to baptism in Christ’s church. Thank you. God bless you.
SHARE Staffer, Simon Akuta Lochoro, teaching young men in Koyasa Village
In June, the Toposa Outreach Initiative (TOI) Team reached 24 new villages with the Gospel and 28 villages were revisited, resulting in 75 more people accepting Christ! The new believers are constantly being encouraged to join a Lighthouse. Plans are in process for training more Champions to lead the increasing number of Lighthouses, which now stand at 48 in 39 villages and 480 disciples in attendance! In June, 44 Audio Bibles, 2 hard-copy Bibles, and 34 DMM bookmarks were distributed to new believers. The Team continues to visit each of the previously reached villages on a weekly basis to encourage and instruct believers in their walk with God. This is the rainy season, so roads become treacherous, making travel difficult.
Among the dreams that the TOI Team has include:
- Churches to be fully established in each of the reached communities
- Adult Education classes to be initiated
- Clean drinking water in each village
- Next-Gen Centers established so the children can learn to read, write, and how to share their faith with others
- Secure more DMM materials (Audio Bibles, DMM Bookmarks, The Jesus Film Projector Kits)
Trained Champion sharing Christ with his family using the DMM Bookmark
The completed Sending Centers are marked in red.
PRAISES
PETITIONS
– Implementation of lessons learned during the Summit in Lodwar last month
– Spiritual growth for new believers at the new church in Koyasa Village, Kachoda Zone
– Motivators/Missionaries and Evangelists shepherding the many churches in Turkanaland and Toposaland
– Safety for the Toposaland Missionaries as there still are skirmishes at the Kenya/South Sudan border
– Continued growth of Next-Gen children, construction of the 8 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
– Peace between the Turkana and the Pokot tribes along the Kalemng’orok and Lokori Zones’ borders
– Peace along the South Sudan and Turkana border
Based on the Savior’s own words in Matt. 24:14 – that, “… this Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come”, the fact remains – that His imminent return is squarely dependent upon completing the task of preaching the Gospel among ALL people-groups. We now have only 100 villages to go to complete that mandate among the Turkana people-group of Kenya! We are making good progress reaching the Toposa people-group of South Sudan; and are now making inroads among the Nyang’atom people-group of Ethiopia – one-village-at-a-time! We don’t lose heart. We anticipate His return with confident “living hope”. And that hope is kept alive among those in the frontline by your prayers and financial support. I call upon you to stay persistent in prayer and in your monthly support so as to hasten His return.
Our financial need up to the end of 3Q is $359,159. Help us hasten our Lord’s return as together we reach more and more villages each month. Your contribution of any amount is greatly appreciated – always!
– Sammy
Thank you SO MUCH for your prayers and support!
