The SEED – November 2023 – Share International

The SEED – November 2023

Posted December 20, 2023

In The SEED Newsletters of 2023

November 2023

“This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
– Romans 3:22-24

A Message from Director Dalmas Esekon

The Kingdom of God continues to grow in Toposaland! In October, the Toposa Outreach Initiative (TOI) Team shared the Gospel message in 62 villages (18 of these villages were previously unreached!). The response to the Gospel was great, with 43 people saved and 9 baptized. The new believers were encouraged to join one of the many Lighthouses that have been established in the nearby villages. The Team distributed 56 Audio Bibles, 3 hard-copy Bibles, and 35 DMM Bookmarks. There are now 78 trained Champions teaching 746 disciples how to make disciples of others! Pray for these Champions and disciples that they will grow in their faith and begin making a difference in their villages.

The gift of rain is a blessing to the people of Toposa, but it can also be a hazard as it makes the roads difficult to travel. Pray with us for safety for the Missionaries as they travel by motorbike. Also pray that they will remain bold and persevere in spreading the Good News of Jesus among the Toposa people.

Missionary Joseph Lotubae sharing morning devotions with a homestead in Penypeny Village

Missionaries Alfred Morulem and James Lomudang (in front) with those that were baptized

Trained Young Men’s Champion sharing the Gospel with the youth in his village using the DMM bookmark

There are 106 children learning at the Sending Center in Wapet Village. The Turkana County government has provided trained teachers for this Center. The teachers have divided the class into two age-appropriate groups. The younger pupils meet outside under a tree. They can count to 100 and write the alphabet. The more advanced class meets inside the Center. They have been learning to read and write short words.

All of the students are learning about God’s love. They are also taught basic hygiene, how to respect their parents and elders, and how to share the Good News of Jesus with others. They have memorized Psalm 121:1 – ‘I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?‘.

This Center is also used for youth meetings and church services.

Teacher James Maisa and the class at the Wapet Sending Center
(Notice some of the mothers are learning alongside their children!)

Children outside the Sending Center getting ready to receive milk

The completed Sending Centers are marked in red.

In mid-October, a SHARE team traveled 94 miles to Kaling’a Village in Katapakin Zone to seek permission from the village elders to plant a church. They also visited 3 other villages in the vicinity and requested permission to screen The Jesus Film. The estimated population of the four villages is 1,060. All the elders from the four villages were in agreement that the team could return to hold evangelistic services and plant a church. On October 23rd, the team returned to Kaling’a Village to do just that!

The Jesus Film was screened in all four villages, with 611 people in attendance. The team also did homestead-to-homestead evangelism, open-air meetings, age- and gender-appropriate teachings. There was a very positive response from the people in all the villages. By the end of the four–day evangelistic outreach, 193 people accepted Christ, 89 were baptized, 63 believers attended the first church service, and 10 believers indicated that they would like to be trained to become Champions! Kaling’a Village was chosen for the church plant as the roads leading into the village are good, no threat of security, and there is a good supply of water nearby.

Staffer Jacktan Erus and Motivator Paul Imojong talking with Kaling’a Village elders about the outreach

In October, there were an additional 78 people who accepted Christ in Katapakin Zone and 40 baptized. There has been a decrease in the number of disciples attending Lighthouses in the zone as families have been migrating due to drought.

These four villages were the last recorded unreached villages in Katapakin Zone! The zone has 13 Motivators/Evangelists that shepherd 46 churches and 69 Lighthouses with 404 disciples attending.

Praying to accept Christ after the screening

Motivator Paul Loreng sharing during an open air meeting

SHARE Staff and those that were baptized

Staffer Sarah Esekon with the new Champions holding their Audio Bibles

Jackson Ewaar Eporon’s Testimony

My name is Jackson Ewaar Eporon. I am from Kaling’a Village in Katapakin Zone. I am a born-again Christian. I used to carry charms, provoke people, steal other people’s property, indulged in consuming alcohol and other things. God delivered and saved me through His Word.

From the moment that I gave my life to Christ, I have shared the Gospel of Christ with my friends. Salvation made me realize that God is good, and He is the source of peace. My life changed and is very different from my previous wayward life. Being in Christ is very worthwhile, calm and peaceful up to your last breath. I thank God for saving me. It’s my petition that God may help and make my soul follow Him now and forever more.

PRAISES

– Many saved and baptized in Toposaland and Turkanaland in October

– Construction of the Next-Gen Center in Morungitak is complete!

– Children in the Next-Gen Centers making good progress learning

– Provision of a government-trained teacher at Wapet Center

– Successful fundraising in 7 of the 10 zones so far this year

– Successful outreach and church plant in Kaling’a Village

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

– Rain in Turkanaland & Toposaland!

– The distribution of Audio Bibles in Nayada Zone

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 County

– Continued growth of Next-Gen children, construction of the 6 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

– Rain in South Sudan has made the road treacherous. Rains in Turkana have caused flooding resulting in loss of some people and livestock

– Motivators and Evangelists shepherding the many churches in Turkanaland and Toposaland

– Peace between the Turkana and the Pokot tribes along the Kalemng’orok and Lokori Zones’ borders

– Fundraising & Outreach in Lokori Zone in November

– Complete healing for Kalobeyei Coordinator, Wilson Lopunguryei

– Motivator Thomas Emuron as he mourns the loss of his brother

With the end of 2023 quickly approaching, I invite you to prayerfully consider making a contribution of any amount towards this year’s remaining budget of $479,686/KShs.57,562,320. We trust that the Lord will provide. Thank you so much for demonstrating your love for the Lord and His people through your prayers and support.

– Sammy