From August 2016 to July 2017 in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda and Mozambique:
* 393 teams held 2011 open air meetings
* 80,054 people heard the Gospel
* 30,367 people were counselled
* 21,640 people were followed-up
* 10,665 people joined churches with SOWERS teams and many more joined other churches and
* 46 new churches were planted
These figures do not include Malawi, as their statistics have not yet been finalised.
SOWERS relies on TEAM WORK. National Boards and Committees, Coordinators and Trainers work together and God changes lives. Much of the work is done by Trainers who are mainly volunteers and they sacrifice so much to train and encourage teams. Gifts, such as bicycles and sleeping bags from interested friends, make such a difference.
With the many problems after the August elections, Emmanuel was very limited in what SOWERS work he could do. But recently he has:
- Conducted a Level 2 seminar near Migori in the south west of Kenya with the assistance of Tobias, a Level 3 Sower. The picture right was taken at the open air meeting at the end of the seminar.
- Taught a Level 1 seminar near Eldoret. He also visited Kamasai with a church based in Nakuru just before Christmas. They conducted open air meetings and a new church was planted.
In the past few months, Christine Sexton has been busy preparing a counselling booklet, contact tract and follow up lessons in Luo and also completing the Level 2 manual in Luganda. They are now being trialed in the field.
Sowers workers have witnessed a lot of people coming to the Lord and joining churches especially men. Many churches had few men and they are now asking for Sowers training in their areas around Lilongwe.
In another open-air meeting seven backsliders surrendered their lives to Christ and have joined an Evangelical church. They are now being followed up and discipled by a SOWERS Team.
The Anglican Evangelical church of Tanzania invited SOWERS to come and train some of their people. The training started on February 19th and will finish on the 25th.
During the Level 1 seminar, all of the participants were Pastors and very interested in the program. All who attended were church leaders. The demonstration open air meeting saw about 50 people come to hear the gospel and four came forward during the invitation. Another 36 were counselled and gave their lives to the Lord.
From the 18 Level 1 participants, ten have been chosen to continue with Level 2 training. They are finding that the people of Tanzania are open to the gospel and are showing much interest in the programme.
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Emmanuel from DR Congo reports: From the 2nd to 16th Feb 2018, we were again asked to obey the Great Commission of our Lord declaring, "Go, make disciples of all nations ... and teach them to observe all that I have commanded you ... and preach the Good News to all creation." (Matthew 28: 19-20, Mark 16:15)
I arrived in Bangui at the invitation of Pastor Sachou who formerly oversaw the work in Ivory Coast but, with his wife, is now serving as a missionary in Bangui, CAR.
17 participants completed the Level 1 program of teaching over four days. An open-air meeting was organized on the third day, and the Lord allowed us to win souls for him in the demonstration open air and through the use of counselling booklets. The training of the first Level 1 Sowers in the Central African Republic ended with a presentation of the certificates in the presence of the guests.
Level 2 training started on Saturday 10th. Twelve participants were committed to this training. The participants were passionate about the quality of the teaching and messages prepared for each day. In addition to the conversion testimonials received from each student, we were encouraged by the amazing feedback given by almost every participant.
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The study on the use of the sketchboard scared everyone, but what joy we saw on the faces of all when they discovered the secrets of using the sketchboard, and the message of the second open air was given correctly by one of them at Bangui University.
Boards were established near the end of Emmanuel's stay to oversee the growth and development of this fledgling work. Another visit is arranged for later this year.
Zambia: A 25 year old woman was involved in drinking, smoking, adultery and fighting. This resulted in her spending a year in jail. She gave her life to the Lord at an open-air meeting in Kasama. She is a changed person and she has now led her mother to Christ Jesus.
Kenya: In Kamasai, one person who gave her life to the Lord during an open-air meeting said, ”I am very thankful for you people coming all the way from Nakuru to bring us the Word of God here. People here are dying because of their drinking. I will bring my husband so that you can share the Word of God.” In the evening she brought her husband to the centre the Sowers team was staying at. The team members shared with him and he gave his life to the Lord. Many other people were also helped. You could see hopelessness in them.
1) Upcoming elections in Zimbabwe
2) Registration in Uganda and Kenya
3) New opportunites in Tanzania and Rwanda
4) The Lord’s protection and provision for Senior Sowers and their families:
Zambia: John, Stephen, Titus, Puta, Wallace, Benedict
Malawi: Godfrey, Blackson, Mateyo, Amos, Patrick, Oswald
Zimbabwe: Edmond and Musa
Mozambique: Macheso and Ibrahim
Uganda: Deo, Richard, Mary, Ronald, Fred
Kenya: Emmanuel, John, Tobias
5) Funds for Bibles for new churches, bicycles, printing, sketchboard kits, translations and sleeping bags.