BARBADOS

Bridgetown

Mark Selman

The year 2008 continues to be a blessed one for the members, who are excited and eager to do the Lord's work. We met recently and made our plans for the new year and have already implemented and begun to see results of our efforts. As I have stated, there is a renewed energy among the brethren even more so than last year, which was a very promising year. We have been reaching out to people, meeting them, inviting them to fellowship, and arranging studies. 

So far we have seen two souls added to the body of Christ this year, and just two weeks ago four more souls were added with the baptism of a family, including two teenage boys to the congregation, bringing the number to six individuals since the year began. Moreover, we have been receiving regular visitors to our congregation and these individuals come consistently; we have a good time fellowshipping with them. Please pray for our efforts at reaching these individuals and please pray for these individuals as they come to learn about and know the plan of salvation. We have several prospects, but as you know, the Word of God tells us that Paul planted, Apollos watered, but God gives the increase. 

We have resumed our door knocking, and this effort is two-pronged. First, we are buoyed by the interest that we are meeting and have scheduled monthly evangelism days. We usually go out on Sunday evenings and so far we have met with some interest. Also we have a week of revival services planned for May, and we are out in the community inviting residents to come out and hear the Word of God. Everyone has committed to working this year, even some brethren who shunned away from door knocking are out and having sessions with people that they have met. Indeed some members who have been absent for awhile have begun to come out again. Please pray for these members that they will be more committed, attend fellowship, and get involved more. 

Let me say at this point that as a congregation we have grown considerably, spiritually, even if our numerical growth has been slow in coming. The Bible teaches us that the early Christians spent a lot of time in fellowship with each other, shared what they had, and enjoyed what they had. I am proud to say that the Trents congregation is striving to attain the level of fellowship that the early Christians enjoyed, beyond much more than meeting on Sundays for worship and those days set aside for study. We share our joy and our grief, and while a small congregation there is much closeness among brethren. Praise God and all honor and glory to Him. I request prayer for us that we continue to have that fellowship and continue to be there for each other. 

The radio program continues to attract listeners, and this is very encouraging. I continue to preach topics that are thought provoking and I try to anticipate some of the questions people may be asking and deal with them. Continue to pray for the success of the radio program. It takes the message to those who are out there who may be hesitant to come forward. 

BENIN

Cotonou

Achille and Christian Todego

The Todego brothers, Achille and Christian both students of the Benin Bible Training Center, have taken their fiery spirit to Radio Planete FM 97.5 in Cotonou every Saturday morning. The following is their report. George Akpabli 

Starting this year the radio station accepted that we preach direct and have the public phone in and ask questions. This now leaves only 20 minutes to preach in the French language with interpretation into the Fon dialect. The lessons presented are 10 of the most important questions asked in the Bible. The subject has been of great interest to the public. They call direct and send text messages to our cell phones. Some call to ask questions, to offer encouragement, to ask for prayers, or to ask for a teaching appointment. 

Church leaders keep inviting us where we go and have long discussions. This is to such a stage that Achille has had to be absent from the Wednesday evening Bible classes from his congregation until they have started complaining. Some of the distances to which we are invited are so far we are not able to follow up due to our impossibility to buy gasoline for our motorbikes to keep going there. Another good problem we are facing is phone costs. Some call and ask to be called back. We have also increased the enrollment in the Bible correspondence courses offered during our program. 

One of our listeners, Germain Agbohou, asked to be taken to one of the congregations in Cotonou where he started worshiping with the church at Atrokpokonji until he was baptized. We have physically taken others to know our meeting places. 

We believe there would be more fruit if our radio speaking time could be increased and if we could have some financial help to enable us do the follow-up by phone and by road. Keep praying for us that the people with whom we are studying would accept the Gospel. This work is keeping us so busy we do not have enough time for our congregations and even for our families. We are terribly enjoying it that we believe we could do it full-time. 

BOLIVIA

La Paz

Rufino Lopez

With the Open Bible airs for an hour on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday nights. From the suggestion that I received, we have chosen topics on our Lord Jesus Christ. The calls and the contacts are constant, thanks to God. 

We received 10 calls and have three new contacts. Our program continues firmly. We can reach to our students in the jail now that our visitor’s permission was cancelled. The program is a great blessing in the evangelism ministry of La Paz, Bolivia.

 BRAZIL

Campinas

Allen Dutton

I am writing to thank you for the support you have given us these past years and also to encourage you to keep supporting the work here. As you could see in my 2007 year-end report, radio advertisement has been a key factor to the Lord's church growth in Campinas. We had 42 additions last year with a great majority coming from our theology classes which we advertise on the radio. 

This year we are going to continue our classes as well as many other activities. We have come up with an agreement with the radio manager and we have agreed to be on the air 366 days (leap year). God's name and His church will be broadcast every day 16 times a day on 30-second commercials. 

Below is a list of what we are going to be announcing in 2008 along with the dates these will be broadcast:

1. Jan 10 - Feb. 11  Theology Classes Groups 1 & 2

2. Feb. 12 - March 8  A Study of Matthew 24

3. March 9 - March 28  Guanabara Church of Christ (place we serve)

4. March 29 - April 28  Theology Classes Groups 3 & 4

5. April 29 - May 16  A Study of Revelation

6. May 17 - June 16  A Study of I Corinthians

7. June 17 - July 4  Guanabara Church of Christ

8. July 5 - Aug. 4  Theology Classes Groups 5 & 6

9. Aug. 5 - Aug. 20  Guanabara Church of Christ

10. Aug. 21 - Sep 19  A Study of Joshua and Judges

11. Sep. 20 - Oct. 13  Theology Classes Groups 7 & 8

12. Oct 14 - Nov. 15  A Study on the Afterlife

13. Nov. 16 - Dec. 31  Guanabara Church of Christ 

As you can see we have a lot planned for 2008. We ask you to please pray for us and continue your support. 

We currently have 160 people enrolled in the first two theology classes. Isn't this fantastic! This is the most we have had so far. Please continue to pray for these students. Our prayer is the God will open their hearts and that His Word will produce a crop thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times what was sown. Join us please in this prayer. 

Today we started our theology classes. What a great day this was! I have been at the church building for 10 hours today after spending the morning at the clinic. I want to thank you for your prayers. Please continue. We had a packed auditorium today. A total of 125 people were present for the first class of theology. We are expecting even more on Wednesday when we will have our second class. This represents 70% of those enrolled. I consider this to be our new record for these classes. Several men are present in the class, which is unusual for Brazil. Women are the ones who will come to the studies because men will say, "Church is o.k., but only for women." We are very excited about these contacts. Please rejoice with us. 

Recife

Randy Short

In the first two months of 2008 we have had five baptisms in Boa Viagem. But, I’m distracted. The good news I want to share with you now is what is going on at out ministry training school. EBNESR is having a fantastic start to 2008 as well.

 The class taught by our traveling teacher Ênio Latorre, from Bauru, SP had students representing six different states: Maceió, Bahia, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí, and Sergipe. Those 11 students are studying in our daytime program with intensive courses every other week. The week in-between is for writing papers, reading, and other such homework. All of those students are from local churches of Christ in their states and study with us free of charge.

Our night classes are a different story. They aren’t as different in numbers as there are 13 students studying At night. But these students come from the community and from different church backgrounds. They do pay a small fee that enables us to carry on this program. We hope that this program will produce unity based on a better understanding of God’s plan of salvation and the faith and practice of the church of Christ as detailed in the pages of the Bible.

Rio de Janeiro

Larry Zinck

Sérgio was baptized into Christ. He was an avid Bible student long before we met him earlier this year. Sérgio and his wife Wilma saw the banner offering our free Bible course and began studying with Raul. They quickly grabbed onto the idea of being simply Christians and following the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. How refreshing it is to meet people who so enthusiastically plunge into God's Word and do all they can to share it with others! 

Julia also was baptized into Christ after being taught by Raul. A week later Aparecida and Rosangela gave their lives to the Lord. Rosangela cried because she was so happy to know that her sins had been washed away by the blood of the Lamb. Later I talked with Monica who helped teach Rosangela and she said the joy she felt from having been a part of transmitting this message of hope in Jesus is indescribable. Jupiara said the happiness she felt seeing Rosangela give her life to the Lord was almost as great as what she experienced on the day of her own baptism. Rejoice with us and pray that the Lord will bless these sisters as they seek to walk in the footsteps of the Master. 

To me one of the best parts of Rosangela’s conversion is that other brothers and sisters did all the work. We met Rosangela when a group from church decided to take boxes of groceries to needy families. (They decided this would be more effective in the long run than taking hot meals to homeless people on the streets.) They went to a needy area not too far from our church building and chose three families to receive help. The mothers from all three families have been coming to church and studying the Bible. Two study with Amelia while Rosangela and some other women have been studying with Monica. It is rewarding to see so many people involved and to see their joy as they witness firsthand how God works to transform lives. Monica and Jupiara who have worked closely with Rosangela over the past few months are overjoyed to see Rosangela make this decision to die to self and put on Jesus as Lord. 

The city finally approved the renewal of our building permit. The holdup was that they required a license to demolish the existing building before they would renew the permit to start work on the new building. Since the existing structure had been built before 1930, the paperwork had to go to a special office to see if the house had “historic value.” So now that we have that behind us we plan to finally get started on construction next month. With so many delays and obstacles to overcome we are sure that the Lord is trying to teach us to rely more and more on Him! 

This past Sunday the married couples stayed after the morning worship time and enjoyed a potluck lunch together. Following the meal Lorival and Dejane organized a discussion time to help couples deal with problems and strengthen their marriages. It has been good to see them take on this ministry and to witness how families are being helped. 

Aurelio began working for the church full-time a few months ago. He retired from his job in the Brazilian Air Force a couple of years ago and decided he wanted to become more involved in helping the church grow. He has brought wisdom and energy to the task and it has been a pleasure having him as a co-worker. Aurelio and his wife, Miriam, are also working with some of the younger couples in the congregation to help them grow spiritually. 

It is always sad when people who we have studied the Bible with or who have been coming to worship services slowly drift away. And it is always encouraging when new faces show up, especially when those people show a genuine desire to know more about Jesus. Please pray for these people who have been seeking recently: Sergio, Simone, Célia, Ana, José Marcos, Sirlei, Zezé, Valdete, Lidia, Carlos, Natasha, Edson, Lucilia, Marcia and Estevan. May the Lord touch their hearts and may they allow Him to lead them to true life. 

José Marcos gave his life to the Lord after first hearing about us on the radio a few years ago. A few months back he came to our outreach center and said he wanted to study God's Word. Raul began teaching him right away. José Marcos has expressed profound joy in following the Lord and has already been an encouragement to all of us. 

Wilma and her husband Sergio began studying the Bible with us after seeing the sign offer our free Bible course. Sergio was baptized a few months ago and Wilma has now joined him in baptism. Please keep praying that the Lord's church will continue to grow in Rio de Janeiro.

CAMBODIA

All Cambodia / Kampong Cham

Bill Singleton

We had at least 19 baptisms recently. Most of them were from the new congregations, but not all. Koh Dach, one of the oldest congregations in Cambodia, had three of those baptisms. Oh, the preacher at Koh Dach, tells me he expects three more to be baptized next week also. 

Last week we had over 50 attend our bi-monthly leadership training for church leaders (servants). Greg and Sheila Hamlin from Bear Valley International Bibl Institute helped in the teaching. Greg surveyed the book of Romans with the men and sometimes men and ladies. I taught on Religious Authority to the combined group. Sheila taught on proper attitudes from the Beatitudes in the ladies group. Chan Lork and Sophy Siv translated in the main group. Seang Hong and my wife translated for Sheila. The ladies did an outstanding job of providing timely meals for the group. This was the first time in attendance for some of the congregational leaders. They represented newly formed congregations. Some had traveled all the way across Cambodia to be present. 

My wife and I are nearing the end of our three-month stay in Cambodia. I am going to miss the dedicated brothers who are making everything grow rapidly in Cambodia. Even the children are learning many new Christian songs, even in English, and my association with them is a delight. Last night they practiced "I Have Decided to Follow Jesus" in both Khemi and English. They also practiced other English and Khemi songs, some Christian songs, and some school songs. Those six to ten years old are a delight to be around. There are five from that age range living at the Kampong Cham church building. 

Oh, the preacher at the Koh Dach church of Christ, has made arrangements with the Koh Dach High School (with over a thousand students) to let us present the Gospel to their student body one day this month. Representatives of Bear Valley International Bible Institute, The Christian University of the Pacific, and Sunset International Bible Institute are expected to assist in this outreach. 

The Muslims who have come to Christ have informed us of a great evangelistic opportunity coming to our area. We have an opportunity to evangelize in a large way to Muslims in Kampong Cham at the end of this month. At that time there will be a meeting of Muslims from various countries and other provinces of Cambodia. It is thought that on that day there will be over 10,000 Muslims who will participate. Lim Sreng (nephew to the former lead Muslim cleric of Pursat Province who was baptized into Christ) plans to go there too for the name of Jesus, and will stay there for three days to tell them about the Gospel of Jesus. It is a great chance for the servants of God. Pray for strength, wisdom, courage, and peace to come from God. Pray that the Muslim people will open their hearts to accept Jesus as Savior, God, and Lord when the Good News is shared with them. Lim Sreng will leave Phnom Penh to go to Kampong Cham for this encounter. Pray that the members of the Kampong Cham Church of Christ will fare well, conducting themselves as God would have them do, standing up courageously for the cause of Christ. The Kampong Cham radio program sponsored by World Radio and Key to the Kingdom will run special programs in Kampong Cham on those days.

CAMEROON

Bertoua

Paul Ename Thocke

For this past month we continued with the same topic “A Place of Doubt, Incredulity, in Man’s Life.” I continue working for some time with radio listeners Virginie, Matthieu, Aimee, and Arneau. I think that with time Virginie will give her life to Christ. Matthieu, the radio listener whose wife is an unfaithful member of the church, finally gave his life to Christ through baptism this last month. Aimee came to worship last month and asked us to study with her. I continue with other studies. We are waiting to get other WBS lessons to help touch other people. 

Three radio listeners came to the youth forum hosted by the Bertoua congregation. Afterwards we worked with them and they plan to be back next week to worship. 

Some of our old radio listeners have started taking WBS courses. From them we have three people that have given their lives to Christ in baptism: Mosie, Alexis, and Lucie. Let me take to you about Lucie. She comes from a polygamy home, but after she listened to the radio program over the past three years, started taking WBS, and worshiping with us, she had a discussion with her husband about polygamy. Her husband decided to stop every relation with her and permitted her to be baptized. It was not easy for this lady to persuade her husband and to make up her mind. To God be the glory.

Some people have been interested in WBS after we have follow-up on the radio message. You will realize that this program is doing a great work in the heart of the listeners, and we thank World Radio for the help they are giving us by this program. 

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Bangui

Worlanyo Bor

It is good to know that there were several gospel campaigns being organized in our separate localities with joint meetings which were also held to help the members to grow spiritually. But the membership has dropped at some places like Bimbo and 92 Lodgements with regards to several reasons including the political economic crisis which we are seriously facing over the past 20 years. The presence of the rebels in the extreme northern part of the country is also another serious factor or phenomena. 

Bible teachers for helping members is a problem because the leaders are not yet strong enough in their Bible knowledge to help during their teachings. There is constant follow-up by mobilizing the weak brethren and there was a positive progress by restoring erring brethren in some centers. It is good to know that there were additional baptisms too in all the localities. However, we are grateful to God that the existing churches are functioning well in Central African Republic (Benzvi, Bimbo, 92 Lodgements, Begoua Pk 12, Gbango village and Mingala). 

We have also initiated a three-year Bible school program to help with the growth with the work. But unfortunately, the school’s program was prematurely begun and there’s a financial difficulty. Presently there are eleven students, including two ladies. There is much need for outside teachers to come and help because we are only two on the staff, brother Youri Bessin and me. We have contacted outside brethren, but they were not able to respond favorably to our invitation because of worldwide economic crisis, especially the fall of the exchange rate of the dollar on the world market. The school’s needs are many, but it is good to be thankful to the Lord and to the elders of MLR in Huntsville Church of Christ being the major sponsoring church over the years since we moved to Bangui in 1998.They have done much in diverse ways. 

Brother Doyle Kee, being the first brother to begin the work, has also been very sympathetic with us regardless of his numerous assignments. We are also grateful to brother Barry Baggott for his love towards the French work in helping with the teaching materials on CD for the World Radio program and free WBS correspondence courses. We thank World Radio for their constant cooperation by sending regularly the funds for the radio program. It is recalled that the radio broadcast program airs at 6:30 p.m. every Sunday. It along with WBS courses are having good impact on the work and a progressive achievement is made by converting a denominational pastor (Eglise des Frères pastor) and a deserted catholic priest last year 2007. The WBS students have multiplied in number (8,500) as we serve the neighboring countries. Civilians and soldiers do appreciate our lessons with regards to other Bible correspondence courses in Bangui-CAR. 

It is also interesting to know that brother Robert Hill Prater in Germany came twice to Bangui to teach in the school and use the opportunity to exhort the members by visiting the local churches. The first trip he was to Gbango village (45km.); it was quite an impressive trip. 

Though the major supporting church (MLR at Huntsville) is looking for the school support, we need help to find support for running the school. Thanks be to God that we regularly receive our quarterly salary, working funds, benevolent financial assistance from time to time, and some office supplies from our sponsoring church.

Tables and chairs for students are needed because these students spend several hours to study by using church benches as tables and seats. If we could get at least ten tables and twelve chairs for them, it would be greatly appreciated. The church and other activity have been well known by the country’s authority and that most people do appreciate our teachings, so there is need for a push helping hand from you to advertise the school’s needs to let God’s providence be manifested and move a sponsor to facilitate the work in CAR. 

Recently the students from Gbango while on holidays converted a denominational pastor with four members. They are now 15 members. There was a joint service for most delegate members of each assembly at Begoua. The service was conducted by the students who were finally appreciated by the brethren. At the close of the service a traditional common meal (gozo from dried cassava dough and cassava leaves was prepared with cow meat and palm oil) was provided by the members to entertain the delegates and some visitors (95). We do hope that this program can be useful by now as to build stronger local leaders. We believe that those who are sincere and faithful to the Lord will ever continue after acquiring the skills and sound Bible knowledge. 

I’m glad to let you know that the Lord continues to bless our labor as we have had an additional three baptisms during the recent last mid-term holidays. Students who came from the village of Gbango and were assisted by Alain Blaise were able to help again the ex-pastor, brother Madanba Ghislain, to convert the following brethren: Yanfanra Nicole, Princia, and Regomassé. This new assembly is beginning to make an effort in progress. The members would like to organize an evangelistic campaign during the school’s Easter holidays. 

Today Bertin Kopaulina is doing the radio program in the Sango language (“La Nature du Marriage”/”The Nature of Marriage”).

CHAD

Moundou

Daniel Feltoing Djonga

Chemin de Vérité (Way of Truth) was launched on Sunday, January 6, 2008. These are programs produced by Barry Baggott via audio CDs. It is under the supervision of evangelist Feltoing Djonga located in the Djarabé district, not far from Rond Point Mota. Chemin de Vérité offers the opportunity to have access to Bible correspondence courses for free. One program per week will be in French and one program per week will also be in the local language Ngambaye. This puts the programming where there will be the maximum results for the area of about one million people. 

As the broadcast entered its third month, the station changed the program because of the troubles that the country had when rebels wanted to overthrow the regime in N'djamena. This program remains effective until the lifting of the state of emergency. I use Barry Baggott’s French messages every Wednesday, and every Sunday I give a message on the various activities of Christian worship in Ngambaye. As a result, there are a lot of people who listen to the messages and they make good comments. We have three men advanced in age who came to take Bible courses because they have followed the broadcasts. 

We are now at the fourth month of our radio program. It is aired from 4:30-5:00 p.m. on Sundays and at 6:15-6:45 a.m. every Wednesday. I use the messages (CD) prepared by Barry Baggott speaking on the “Life of Jesus.” 

On Saturday, March 29, 2008, we were together with our brothers Doyle Kee (Geneva, Switzerland) and Jean Claude Ethe (Douala, Cameroon) at the radio station. Each of us talked and presented the summary of the church of the Bible. From this introduction, I continue with the comprehensive study every Sunday on “The Church of the Bible.” We get good comments from our broadcast. Others ask for copies of our radio messages. 

At the biblical seminar on March 29, 2008 with the World Bible School students, the listeners from The Way of Truth, and the people of Moundou, four people were baptized: Ngarndouba Beinde, Roland Djessenlar Nodjigoto, Sylvestre Nodjigoto Djeralar, and David Lagwe. The seminar was led by brother Doyle Kee and Jean Claude Ethé. 

Doyle Kee

Two thirty-minute radio programs, Le Chemin de Vérité (The Way of Truth), are broadcast in Moundou, Chad, on Radio Kar Uba-Soleil FM 95.0. When the national missionary, Daniel Feltoing Djonga, made a survey trip to Moundou in May 2007, he found that a local, independent radio station would offer two thirty-minute programs for the price of one. Ken Bolden of World Radio was informed of the opportunity and he began raising the funds. The new broadcasts began in January 2008. The two broadcasts are presently using programs which Barry Baggott has prepared. Barry worked for 15 years in the Ivory Coast. One of the programs will later be broadcast in the local language by one of the Chadian Christians. 

This broadcast from Moundou is the first in a country divided between the Muslim north and the “Christian” south. As the radio programming works in cooperation with the French WBS ministry, the double approach is creating much interest in the southern region of Chad.

COLOMBIA

Bucaramanga

Ricardo Martínez

I am sharing with you the good news of this year. Up to this time we have had eight baptisms. The radio definitely has been and will continue being a motivating element for the preaching of the Gospel. We continue working in personal evangelism and we trust that soon there will be added by the Lord Jesus Christ a study group that is growing in one of the areas of the city. Brothers Ricardo Moreno, Hernan Rueda, and I, Ricardo Martínez, maintain a daily live radio program at 1:00 p.m. on Radio Melodía AM 1080. We always remember all those that are contributing so that this radio work is maintained. In our prayers as a church on Wednesdays, you are the reason for our thankfulness to God.

 Montería

Blas Negrete

We are very happy and appreciative that you help us to be on the air daily. What has transpired this year is that we have baptized approximately ten brothers in the area. Also we have initiated a new congregation in Mata de Pita, approximately 20 km. from Montería. Thanks to God, about three years ago a person came to visit us by invitation of the radio. This person continued visiting us unto he and his family were baptized. Today this brother and his family work untiringly in the work of Christ. This family started to preach in the area of Mata de Pita where they hear us every day and from there now eight people have been baptized. Some 12 km. from Montería we are preaching to a congregation of about 15 people. Those baptized are celebrating the Lord’s Supper weekly and we are working to baptize the rest of those that make up this congregation. 

In this area the members of the evangelistic churches hear us daily and we are reaching them in such a way that we have managed to bring together up to 20 congregations on many occasions and it has given us the opportunity to take the message of Christ to them. Up to now in the area many people hear us by radio from approximately 500 evangelical congregations to which we are trying personally to reach their congregations. This work isn’t easy. We should be very patient, respectful, and understanding, but God is filling us with courage and wisdom to be able to be able to reach them and share the glorious message of salvation without being rejected. 

We have offered brother Larry White’s Bible courses. Many are doing these courses with us. Also brother Larry wrote me because some pastors are doing the courses and I know that 20 pastors are doing the Holy Spirit course on the Internet. Many of them are at the point to finish, and others are very advanced in their studies. I have talked personally with some of them and they tell me that they are very happy with what they are learning in these courses. 

We are very happy because the Lord is opening many doors for us to enter with the Gospel. We hope that you continue praying for us so that we will continue putting the chest to the breeze and advancing with the help of God.

CROATIA

Zapresic / Stubica

Ivan Tesic

Greetings to you who are involved in coordination as well as those who help with support! We who are thousands of miles away are blessed by you, and we in turn are blessing many listeners of our Good News programs over local radio stations. This is a great way to bring the Good News into people's homes, cars, and work places. We're thankful for your generosity! 

I’d like to share with you a recent telephone call from a 56-year-old lady who had lost all of her sight from an accident. Since we don't have the Bible on tapes or CDs in Croatian, she said our programs that are broadcast at 8:30 each morning always brighten her day and make her more aware of God's will through learning more about His Word. 

Another call came just the other day from a man who used to be very involved in a leading Croatian political party. He said he's not a politician now, but rather that he teaches management. He drives to work each day during the time of our radio programs, and he told me that he likes our way of presenting God's Word along with a practical application. His wife is taking care of bookkeeping out of their home and he tries to encourage her to also listen to the programs. I hope to be able to make further contact with him (his name is Stjepan which means Steven). 

Only God knows how many other listeners there are who haven't called yet, but we hope and pray that they will contact us. We are thankful for all of you loving partners in spreading God's Word through the radio!

CUBA- SOUTH FLORIDA

Miami

Rex Morgan

Christian Productions International is pleased to function as the conduit that has placed radio programs from Herald of Truth, World Radio, and our own program With the Open Bible on the air. These programs fill up 40 minutes a day, five days a week. In this partnership to spread the Gospel in Cuba, Tony Fernandez heads up the follow-up of our radio contacts. Jorge Pineda produces the programs aired by World Radio.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

La Vega

Fausto Piña Bello

We had two baptisms, Odalia and Adonis. They have been visiting the Jarabacoa congregation for many months. Please pray for them. Many people are visiting the congregations so I hope this year will be very good for the congregations. I am working very hard because I wish the congregations will increase their membership. Many people are listening to the radio program and I hope some of them will be baptized very soon. Thanks for your help to preach the Gospel by radio. I pray that God recompenses everyone that helps us.

Mao, Valverde

Prudencio Rodriguez

Last month those baptized were: Carolina Blanco, Carmen Álvarez, and Samuel Gonzáles. 

I am very happy because we had the fellowship for the entire country and some 2,000 people were reunited. The meeting was held at the Aquatic Ranch in Navarrete and some ten people gave themselves to the Lord. They are: Genobil González, Ángel Cordero, Santo Medina, Altagracia Medina, Flordelisa Fernández, Arelis Frías, Sonia Hilario, Arelis Medina, Flaulir Sánchez and Nelson Brito. This was a day of many blessings; always we give thanks to the glory of God for these works.

Concerning the radio program, it always gives a good result. This month there were many telephone calls. Mr. Ramón Regalado called us at the station and asked us to come to his house. The result was four people baptized in la Guneta (12 km. from Mao). That is Ramón, along with three more people, became Christians and were baptized in this place where a new congregation was established. The other three people are: Fonzo Ureña, Yomaris Fernández, and Ana Mercedes de Ureña. They were evangelicals and now pass to the true church of Christ.

Brethren, concerning the help that you sent for those affected by the storm, they gave thanks to us for your making such an important donation. We passed out beds, medicine, food, blocks, steel rods, cement, wood, zinc, and some money for some operations. We are going to send photos that we took when we gave the donated goods to them. Thanks to God, through this we have contact to transmit the Gospel of Christ. Truly this was a very blessed month for us the church, even though it is one of the shortest months, but with many blessings. 

The help that you sent has been a great blessing. The radio program is being heard more each day. To all the people that we gave help, we talk to them from the program. From all the people that received help, this month we baptized four people. They are: Milagros Gómez, María Reyes, Rosa Reyes, and Olga Rojas. The glory be for Christ. 

In Catalina de Sabaneta de Yasica now, thanks to God, we are finishing a chapel. The brothers from there are very joyful. This place has capacity for some 50 people. Here we baptized Mr. Francisco Arias. In Jaibon Laguna Salada we have a strong fight with a denominational group since through the radio program part of them came to the church of Christ. This was the beginning of 2006, where the preacher of one of these congregations passed to us. His name is Juan Reinoso. His wife, children, and other members, and now his father, Anastasio Reinoso, was baptized. We are winning the battle. Pray for us that God will give us wisdom. 

San Juan de la Maguana

Bolívar Ramírez

The radio program continues extending itself. The people are very interested to hear the Word of God and at the same time are being added to the church. We have baptized four brothers. Please ask the brethren to continue praying for us. Now we can see the TV program El Pastor en Tu Hogar (The Pastor in Your Home) on Friday at 7:00 a.m. and Sunday at 7:30 a.m. by way of the Web site www.tv10sanjuan.com.

ETHIOPIA

Addis Ababa

Behailu Abebe

We just finished the preparation of the first announcement of the Amharic radio broadcast that is going to be aired from the United Arab Emirates radio station. We were able to record this announcement in our office and sent it to Mr. Hans who is our direct contact. He has told us that it is well prepared and meets their standard. 

Once we start the program millions of our Ethiopian people will have the opportunity to listen to the message of the good news every week. This broadcast will encourage all the churches of Christ in Ethiopia and the surrounding countries and also it will be a great tool to reach millions of people with the love of Christ. God is good! 

We have received all the necessary funds to purchase all the equipments we need right here locally and my team is excited to implement our vision. Thanks for World Radio who is behind this great program. Please pray that we will reach many with the love of Christ through this fantastic radio outreach program.

THE GAMBIA

Bakau

Isaac Daye

“Hello Evangelist Isaac Daye. Your program on West Coast Radio each Saturday is being of tremendous blessing to me. Though I am a believer in Christ, your powerful and hermeneutical exposition of God’s Word in your preaching has elevated me from being just a believer to a bold fighter. As I listen each Saturday to your exhortation on how to struggle against sin, over works of the flesh, to resist the devil, and repel the attacks of the host of evil, I have gone from being a victim to a victor. I tell you the truth, you are indeed a blessing to this nation and God’s kingdom and I ask God’s blessing upon your life and ministry.” 

To be honest, as one preaches on the radio and solicits response at the end of his message, the response does not always come as we wish, but from time to time one may come across someone who will express gratitude or offer a suggestion on how to improve upon your communication skills or make your preaching more relevant. In my case, at the standard and chartered Bank in Banjul, The Gambia, the above listener had nothing but praise and appreciation for our World Radio broadcast. This kind of response brings joy and justifies every cent being invested in providing the bread of life via the airwaves. 

How we have managed to consistently remain on the air for the past nine years in a predominantly Muslim nation as The Gambia is nothing short of God’s will for all men to be saved. But to be honest with you, the Muslims are not an easy nut to crack as far as soul winning is concerned. The god of this age has put a black veil over their faces and blocked their ears and hearts by making them to believe the lie that God has no Son, and Jesus did not die for our sins. I need your prayers as we are working and witnessing in Satan’s stronghold. 

After all my yelling, screaming, entreating, beseeching, requesting, persuading, reasoning, debating, convincing, contending, exhorting, rebuking, exposing, correcting, and instructing, after all this I felt sad like Jeremiah when he preached to the children of Israel and they rejected God’s Word and him. When I felt like Jeremiah, I turned to Isaiah the prophet for encouragement. He told me in his book Isaiah 56:10-11, that as long as what I preach is God’s Word, a result will inevitably come. Lo and behold, the comment from the above listener and the four souls that were baptized last month prove that God’s Word is powerful and that the prophet Isaiah is a true prophet of God, and that turned my sadness into joy. Do you agree with me with in concurring with the Hebrew writer and the prophet Isaiah that the power is in the Word and not us? 

Ten requested and received complete packages of WBS lessons to study God’s Word and 13 WBS students also graduated at a colorful WBS graduation ceremony held at The Gambia Pastoral Institute. 

By the good grace of our Lord and God, I will be making my first mission trip this year to Liberia and Sierra Leone. In Liberia I will be presenting roofing sheets to the St. Paul Bridge Church of Christ for the roofing of their church building. This is made possible by Center Street Church of Christ who has provided $1,500 to cover that. On my last trip to Liberia I presented them with $2,000 to start with their building. 

Also I will be briefly visiting the construction site of the house for Fatu’s mother that recently burned down. We want to offer our special thanks to everyone who has been praying for us and has contributed financially towards getting a smaller house for my mother-in-law. Fatu is right now in Liberia overseeing that work where your love is being translated into action. 

I will be working in Bong County, Liberia, with John Travis and the Flelah Church of Christ in a 10-day marathon outreach. Thereafter I will proceed to Sierra Leone and work with the Bo Church of Christ where we will be signing a contract with a local radio station to get back on air with a World Radio program. From there I will move on to Kono and Kenema to labor along with the churches. Our focus will be on follow-up and new recruitment of students as well as a gospel meeting and film show. 

Recently I was privileged to appear on Gambia national TV along with some Pentecostal ministers to speak on prayer and our duty as a church to pray for the government. The government appreciated our intercessory role and sent a powerful delegation to a special Independence Day prayer meeting held at The Gambia Pastoral Institute where I lead prayer against the forces of darkness and evil operating against The Gambia and the spread of the Gospel in this predominant Muslim nation. 

I am fighting hard on the air focusing on the powerful effect of God's Word on our listeners. We have had many visitors visiting with us after hearing me on the air. Currently there is an assistant pastor of the new Apostolic church who has been worshiping with us for the past three months. He said to himself after listening to my preaching that he needed to come and test our spirit by visiting with us. Ever since, he and his family have been coming and he is considering being baptized to become a member of the church. 

Gambia needs your prayers and Bibles for free distribution. As the Lord is opening the heart of the Muslim government through prayer, we need to get Bibles into their hands. If you know of any way or ministry that ships free Bibles to the mission field, I appeal that you get them to ship hundreds to The Gambia. I call the Bible the seed of salvation, and until we can sow it in the heart of the lost there will be no harvest.

GHANA

Ho

Sem Akumia

A regular listener to our program who called at the beginning of the month requesting baptism was baptized by a preacher who lives about 300 km. away from my home, but lives closer to the brother. The preacher called to inform me that the brother came looking for him as I had directed. He stayed with him for three days after which he was baptized. He had his first worship service with the church there before he left for his village. We are grateful to God and our sponsors for the dedicated service they offer to save souls here in Ghana. 

The program went throughout the month successfully. My message was about the cross of Jesus Christ. Many people called on the phone to commend the speaker and also asked questions. One caller wanted to know more about the church and promised to visit me to study more of the truth. We shall continue to pray for all truth seekers for their salvation.

GUATEMALA

Guatemala City

Roberto Álvarez

We went to Playa Grande, Quiche (nine hours from Guatemala City), a place of mountains and jungles. The town has 200 houses, but you can find one house every two miles! We traveled with eight students of BICA with the goal of establishing a house church in the home of brother Anacleto Rodríguez. By the grace of God our goal was reached. Four people were baptized and brother Anacleto is taking the responsibility of teaching and leading the new congregation in his home. Other families were contacted to study the Bible. The closest church to Playa Grande (three hours driving) is El Eden which has had some recent problems and they were requesting our help. They heard about our visit because we made announcements through the radio program two weeks before our trip, and thanks to God the radio has a signal in this area. So we traveled and visited the brethren there with the purpose of helping in this matter. Thanks to God we taught them and the group was reconciled. Seven brethren were restored, and the small church in El Eden was in the peace of the Holy Spirit again. 

We are in the process of buying property for the church in historical downtown. The elders from Pinares, Juan, Lucy, Beto, and I had a good meeting with the owner of the property, lawyer Hugo Hernandez (64), and he was very special with us. He told us that the house was built by the government of Guatemala 147 years ago. It was used for government parties for ambassadors and special celebrations for high members of the government. Then Hugo’s father bought the property, a mansion for Guatemala City, and he grew up in this house. His father passed away 13 years ago and left it as an inheritance for the four children. Hugo told us that the government of Guatemala made a proposal to buy the house from the family, restore the house with all the original details, and use the house like a museum, which the family didn’t accept. Anyway, the house is a jewel of architecture of the city, but now sadly is very rundown. I think it is amazing how a place used in the past to honor ambassadors, now will be used for honoring the King of Kings, glory to God! Hugo was very kind and told us that he rejected a couple of deals with this house because he didn't like the people and their purposes for the house. Well for sure, our God is beautiful! He told us, "I feel a special empathy with you guys, so I will do business with you and help all that I can." We touched some Bible subjects with him and he said that he was impressed with the Lord's Word. He promised to hear the radio program next Sunday. 

Since then I received a call from lawyer Hernandez (the old owner of the property) and he told me that he listened to our radio program the last three weekends! He said that he likes the radio program. I was very surprised. He wants to know the church in Pinares and also the Kyrios school. We have a deal to go together to Pinares next Wednesday! Thanks be to God. 

The elders in Pinares reported one baptism in the church last Sunday. Glory to God! Today two men were baptized in Pinares. One of the new brothers has been a faithful listener of the radio program for more than one year!

HAITI

Cap-Haitien

Lucner Pierre

I am so happy to keep you informed about my radio ministry in Haiti. First of all, I would like to thank you all for your dedication to the Lord's ministry in many nations. From my part, this is the biggest gift that you are sharing with the Christians and non-Christians. Fifteen people got saved and 10 got back to church that left years ago. According to many of them, they are not at peace with themselves in worshiping with denominations. So by listening to my program they decided to get back home. I received 60 calls from different people of various denominations asking questions about the different steps of salvation and other subjects. I only received 25 letters. About 25 people are studying the Word. Please pray so that they can make a decision as soon as possible for the Lord is coming soon. 

Last month 15 people were baptized and eight former Christians got back home. Most of them declare that they found nothing in the denominations. I received 60 calls and 35 letters from Christians and non-Christians. More than 200 pagans visited several churches of Christ. These people were encouraged by the presence of brother Tim Mastenbrook's group that was very helpful to many congregations. According to the new visitors of different congregations, we believers from the church in Haiti have a big family in the States. This statement from the visitors is due to the behavior, love, support, and humility shown by each brother and sister of Tim's group. Thank-you so much for your support to brother David Heath from World Radio who was very courageous to go everywhere in northern Haiti in order to encourage the very needy Christians. 

Thank-you so much for your prayers and various supports to my ministry. You are a big encouragement for me. I am very thankful to God who always blesses my radio program. This month fifteen people were saved and 20 are studying the Word. Five former members got back home. I only received 20 calls from different people requesting prayers for fighting against “Chlorox” or “Battery Acid.” (These are the names given by starving people to the great poverty that exists in Haiti.) Some areas call it “Chlorox,” others “Battery Acid,” that is killing people. It seems to be a game. However, it is a serious problem. I had a chance to speak to a man who has a mortuary. He let me know that he received several people who had died because of lack of food. Please remember my country in your prayers, especially the very poor Christians. 

Hinche

Bellot Calice

Day by day my broadcast goes farther than in the past. On Sunday after my Bible study, I received 15 calls. That night they visited us, and 10 were baptized. The next Sunday five other men and three girls were baptized. Please pray for these people, so that they can keep the faith and stay in the church. 

Now, we rented a new building in the town for worship services because all the time the listeners asked me why I didn't enter in the town. So I think that can help more people come to the church.

Our subject for this week is the theology of the centuries (Acts 2:36-47; Acts 19:1-17). 

Port-au-Prince

Jeantyrard Elmera

The churches of Christ in Haiti are under attack. A dissident minister decided to attack the church. He is against the church of Christ. He swore to tear down the church of Christ. He advocates there cannot be two local churches of Christ in one town. If you don't speak Greek, you are a fake preacher. There is a lot of false doctrine going on. 

Early in December the Delmas church was attacked by three high ranking police officers. Thank God for Delmas 38 church. The members stood in one accord to defend our common faith. Your servant Jean Elmera had to flee from danger for a week. 

Now they attack us on the radio. They tried to recruit some of our members and preachers. The radio program supported by our World Radio partners has become a great means to encourage church members and preachers. We now know who supported and financed this movement. Pray for us as we are winning the battle. We are praying to find a way to organize a seminar for our preachers. Pray for us as the battle is not easy. The churches need World Radio more than before at this time for healing. The radio program is effective in helping us encourage our brethren. We are still in the baptism and church-planting business.

INDIA

Bangalore / Nellore

Asee and Sanjay Darla

We are continuously striving to teach more people to help them receive the Gospel. Our politics and the corrupted mentalities in the society supported by the curses of idol worship are bringing so many obstacles to the preaching of the Gospel. But, we are trying our best to divide our time to preach and pray to bring changes in the country with the help of our wonderful Lord. I am so thankful for your prayers about this nation. 

Last month we have received 64 new responses, 17 previous responses in the form of mail, 23 phone calls, 12 sms, and three e-mails. We have several invitations to visit and help to learn more about the Way. We are using every opportunity to serve the cause. The number of inquiries is increasing for further guidance to become Christians and leave idol worship. We have baptized one couple in the Tanuku area. 

We are progressing with group studies in six places. Our training classes are going on well in spite of some physical burdens; some opposition is growing big from the Hindu groups who believe giving Bible education is wrong in this Hindu country. We are so blessed in believing the Bible, and teaching the Bible is changing our lives and the lives of our students. Kindly pray for my family and for the work that World Radio is striving for in this country.

INDONESIA

Jakarta, Java / Gunung Sitoli, Nias

Steve Cate

Tuloasa reports nine baptisms in Medan during the month of December; however, not all of them by his own hands. Daniel baptized two the same month here in Jakarta. Benjamin and Siteli have experienced a few problems arranging seminars on Nias, but now have one scheduled for February. 

Daniel and I continue to teach every day and have anywhere from four to six students a day. All of these students come to us as a result of the continuing radio program sponsored by World Radio. Without their support we would have few, if any students. About 30 students are actively studying with us at this writing. We are using material from World English Institute out of Oregon as the medium of instruction, and we are teaching the Bible in English and Indonesian.

ISRAEL

Jerusalem

Joseph Shulam

On Tuesday this week a two-page article was published in the biggest Hebrew newspaper in Israel. Here is a shortened English version: 

"Messianic Jews stir controversy in Jerusalem Group's plan to open center in heart of secular Rehavia neighborhood enrages local residents, who threaten to launch bitter fight to prevent project from materializing 

By Danny Adino-Ababa

A request recently granted by the Jerusalem District Planning and Construction Committee for the restoration of a house in the well-to-do Rehavia neighborhood in the capital is threatening to lead to a violent conflict in this normally peaceful area of the city. The reason: The request was submitted by Netivyah, an organization of Messianic Jews wishing to open "a new public center" at the heart of the mostly-secular neighborhood. Local residents, in response, pledged to do whatever was needed in order to thwart the project, including an appeal to the High Court of Justice and even rioting. 

"This is like building a synagogue in the midst of Umm al-Fahm," said one of the outraged residents. "This is set to be the first institute in the country to be openly operated by Messianic Jews. This center will be erected over our dead bodies," he proclaimed. 

Another resident warned of "an all-out war" should the construction of the center go ahead as planned. "We don't care if a mosque or a church is built here, but we won't tolerate the presence of missionary Messianic Jews," he stated. 

The locals' greatest concern is that Messianic Jews would "infiltrate" their neighborhood and try influencing their children. A group of residents, together with three city council members representing the National Religious Party, are now planning to file a petition against the project to the National Planning and Construction Committee. 

'As good as those who claim to be real Jews' Joseph Shulam, Netivyah chairman and one of the Jewish Messianic community's leaders in Israel, said he was already used to such threats. Ten years ago, two Molotov cocktails were thrown at his house. “I've paid a hefty price for my belief," he stated. Shulam claimed that his organization has been operating in Rehavia for many years conducting charity activities and aiding the needy, with the cooperation of some of the neighborhood's residents. “The people of Rehavia are being incited by haredi groups. Most of the opponents don't even live in the neighborhood… I don’t understand all this hassle. We are Jews as good as those who claim to be real Jews," he explained. 

Nevertheless, you can sympathize with the concerns of the neighborhood's residents. "We have never concealed our faith. Throughout the years we have operated in the neighborhood, everybody knew what we were doing. We don't preach or convert Jews to Christianity. All we do is help Jews by opening soup kitchens, giving alms, nothing more." 

In the meantime the project, which has already received the required permits, is set to go ahead as planned. "We will go through all the committees and the center will be founded here," Shulam concluded." 

If you read between the lines you can see what is happening here. The city building committee decided to approve our building, but not to give us the permit to build an additional floor. The Orthodox Jewish organizations have pressured one of the committee members to withdraw his vote and change it against us. In this interview I did my best to state very clearly some of the truths that we hold as Jewish disciples of Yeshua in this land. We are not interested in historical Christianity. We are interested to be, to capture, to restore, the church of Jerusalem in the first century and bring Yeshua back home to His people. 

The public opinion about this article is good, it is amazing. Many people have approached me in the last two days and have said that now they understand much better who we are and what we believe and they don't understand what the "fuss" of the Orthodox Jews is all about. If anyone comes to our congregation and sees how we worship and pray and how we live at home and abroad he will have no doubts that we are 100% Jews and 100% disciples of Yeshua the same way as Peter or Paul were in the first century A.D. 

Please keep us in your prayers. This publicity is very powerful, but at the same time it can raise up violence and persecution by radical extreme groups.

KENYA

Eldoret / Kapsabet

Charles Cheruiyot

On top of the other program we have, the radio station gave us another airtime free to reach out to the people. We see this as a great honor to the church and the radio ministry. The new program is called Nuru Ya Matumaini (Rays of Hope). I’m the main speaker at the moment, but will be inviting our preachers to speak on topics that will heal the heart of the people during this trying moment. The last month has been calm after violence that saw destruction of life and properties in our country with thousands of people displaced since last year’s disputed election results. 

The radio crew here has been using most of their time and resources in restoring peace and bringing hope to the victims. Our radio programs are targeting the victims and all the people affected by the violence with the aim of making peace and harmony among the communities. The Rays of Hope program in the Kiswahili national language was started this year with a vision to restore lost glory in families, communities, and to bring hope to most Africans who are hopeless due to poverty, ignorance, and other calamities facing the continent. The program has been popular among the audience as the many calls and messages received from them have witnessed an increase in church attendance and hope in the families. 

Oneal Tankersley, who was a pioneer in establishing churches in the North Rift Valley region in Kenya, had the opportunity to speak to thousands of people over the radio while visiting us. Many of our Christians were encouraged by his messages. 

The government has now agreed to share power with the ODM party, which has the majority of members of parliament and local authority. This has really cooled things here despite the fact that many internally displaced people are still at the camps. Many of these are really homeless and facing many problems like diseases and the basic needs of food and shelter. Now that the rain is pounding most parts of our country, it is an indication that they will suffer from the cold and related problems brought by the big rains. Flooding in the camps and poor sanitation have been sighted as the main challenges when we visited the camp to pray with the victims. 

We thank God for using many of our friends and partners in the U.S.A. to assist during those difficult times; their prayers and substance brought relief to many souls. 

Christopher Otsieno

We really praise the Lord for the prayers answered for our beloved country Kenya. I take this chance to thank all the radio speakers, the sponsors, and staff for their endless prayers for our country. Much of this goes to the donors who sponsor World Radio programs because these programs aired have really contributed a lot to peace in these areas. They reached a time when people wanted to hear the Word of God, and yet there was no way to travel to the church. The only place to hear the Word of God was through the radio or television which aired Christian messages like on Sayare Radio and TV. 

Although there have been a lot of problems, I have seen many souls come to Christ. When I was invited last month to one of the churches on the border of two communities, I was so blessed to see 10 souls get to Christ through baptism. 

A person in one family which had some domestic problems heard the program of love, peace, and forgiveness on the radio. She said that was the first time for her to hear Radio Sayare Luhya (local station). She felt like she needed Jesus to come to their home. She had run away from home. She called home and wanted to meet with her parents. She informed them about a visitor whom she intended to visit the family. When the parents gave in, she quickly invited me to visit the family. She was working out the plan even before calling me to know if I were available. 

When I visited the family near our former vice-president’s home, I was so shocked to find a well-off family. Despite their riches, they had a problem. I was so blessed to have a silent Bible study with three people: the father, mother, and daughter. This brought about a family reunion where each person shed tears as they confessed to each other. Praise the Lord. 

Joseph Maiyo

Receive New Year greetings in Jesus’ name. Here in Kenya this is the time we are sending messages for the New Year. When the actual New Year came it was never realized here in Kenya because the country was facing a tribal crisis that had never been experienced in the history of this country. Many people lost loved ones and property was destroyed. The spirit of death and hatred was poured in this great nation by the devil who is a liar. I thank God because He has protected me to this very hour with a divine purpose and I cannot take this for granted. At least peace has been restored. 

I thank God because He has taken away all our pain, bitterness, and wiped our tears. We are now a new nation speaking one voice. Continue praying for us that we continue preaching the Gospel and encouraging those who were directly affected by the crisis. The work ahead is enormous and requires God’s wisdom and grace. 

We have started visiting our listener from the village, preaching reconciliation and oneness. We are also visiting with those who have failed to attend church service claiming that even in the church there is no security. Remember us in your daily prayers. We now need prayers more than ever before. 

In February we had a cluster meeting on family life and the turnout was good. About 20 couples were in attendance and five people gave their lives to Christ. Irrespective of what our country has gone through, we are still on our way to heaven and feel more strengthened than before. May the peace of God dwell in this nation. Shalom! 

Ezekiel Ngososei

May I thank God for having sustained us up to this year of chaos and skirmishes, which resulted from the end of elections in our country after December 30, 2007. Pray for our province since it was most affected with violence since it is inhabited by almost all tribes.

Our town was also affected and we could not travel to record and air the program. We remained calm and prayed for the skirmishes to end. God intervened to break the war through external mediators lead by Kofi Annan who really made a great change in Kenya to have peace through the prayers from all over the world. 

I am taking this chance to request prayers from all brothers and sisters to pray for the Christians who were affected and need spiritual and material goods after they were evicted, houses burned down, goods stolen, and others killed. Pray for those who left the church and joined the pagans by doing the wrong things in the eyes of God. If God had come on that day, very few could enter into the home in heaven of which God still waits for the church to repent and change. I am afraid the rich defending their properties were using most of the youth and God does not allow this to occur. 

Let me say that though this occurred, I never stopped preaching. This was the time the church was very keen to differentiate from the Christians and the heathens. I won for the Lord four souls added to the church in the beginning of the year January 2008. The church now is growing by reaching the denominations and the un-reached, being assisted by the radio program aired. Many new areas have confirmed churches of Christ to be planted. I need your prayers this year so that the Lord can establish several new congregations and restore those churches that have backslidden and need guidance and counseling. 

The church in Kenya is now faced with challenges of preaching peace and reuniting the people. There is a need for more resources towards this effort. Many of our people are still staying at makeshift camps and suffering due to cold and lack of basic needs. Pray for us so that God can open the way for us to reach out with the love of Christ which is for all nations. 

Kisii

Simeon Ongiri

Yes, the radio program is on in Ekegusii language every Monday at 8:45 p.m. This is the right time when everybody has arrived home. I have covered some important topics based on the situation in Kenya right now: 

Jonah 1:6 “O Sleeper? Arise, Call upon thy God, if so be that God Thinks about Us” The idea is the people of Kenya need to rise and worship the God of Jonah, not the other gods worshiped by other people.

Jonah 4:2 “For I Knew that Thou Art a Gracious God, and Merciful, Slow to Anger, and of Great Kindness” The idea is the people of Kenya need to repent truthfully so that God will heal the country.

Luke 13:3 “I Tell You Nay: Except Ye Repent” The idea is those people who were not touched by the violence should not boast and judge those who were touched as sinners, but they need to repent also.

Mathew 9:21 “If I May but Touch His Garment, I Shall Be Whole” The idea is we need to have a strong faith like the one of this woman in order to be healed.

Kisumu

Peter Andhoga

God has been faithful because in all these happenings, He has kept my family and our home safe. That is the best news so far. Kenya, I believe, will come back to normal life, but it will take time. The common man on the ground will continue to suffer the way we are seeing. 

Last year’s church planting was a result of the follow-up work which Jared and I did with Barrack Odhiambo, who was a WBS school student and a very regular listener of the Duond Wach Maber (Voice of the Good News). That is how our radio program is known. Barrack had invited us to go visit with them and we had two days of Bible lessons. At the end of the second day, a Sunday, Barrack, his wife, and seven others gave their lives to Christ. Kodada Church of Christ was planted. Mark Sure was with us and we left him behind to continue to mature them. We had agreed and planned to make the official launching of this curch on January 12, 2008. Following the unrest n in the country, we could not make it to this planned meeting. We are still hoping to have it done at another date. But the good news is that since then, Mark and Barrack have continued to make Christ known to many people in that region. So far 17 more souls have been added to the church at Kodada. We want to thank brother Mark Sure who has dedicated himself so much to help this new young church come up. 

Duond Wach Maber acquired a new contract with another local radio station. We used to air our programs through the National Broadcast Corporation which is known as KBC. Due to the change they wanted to make in the way we were being charged, and even though they were and are still the least charging radio station, it was difficult to renew our program with them. It is like the new Pharaoh who did not know the contract the old Pharaoh had made with Joseph. Here also a new officer came who could not honor the contract we had made with the old one. He insisted that we had to pay as per the requirement. As we were pondering this, our listeners also kept on calling us urging us to shift and go to Radio Lake Victoria or Ramogi which are among the famous FM stations. Based on the fact that Radio Ramogi was the highest, we decided to change to Radio Lake Victoria 92.1 FM. 

As the political temperature is high in Kenya today, our program has really been a great hope to the people since it is a time our people need to hear the message of peace. It is therefore on this note that we based our lesson to be “There Is a Way Out,” taken from the text when the Israelites reached the Red Sea and the Egyptian soldiers were also coming behind them. Duond Wach Maber is also helping our listeners to adapt the slogan of “No Christ, No Peace, No Christ, No Salvation.” It is unlike the slogan which is going on here “No Raila, No Peace, No Raila, No Government.” People have made those remarks to protest what they term as their democratic right which is being stolen from them. 

We do believe that we are going to get out of all this mess, even though as I write this report, there is already a secular given out by the ODM that on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008, there is going to be another nationwide mass protest. This new development came in just after the PNU (which is the government side) came up with proposals which are going against what they had agreed, putting the peace and negotiation process in jeopardy. It is now visible that the government sides are not after any positive result in the on-going peace talks which are led by the former United Nations Secretary General, Dr. Kofi Annan. The problem is that only the common man is suffering. Prayer is the best aid we need in this episode.

LIBERIA

Bassra / Monrovia

Maxwell Whea

We want to thank God for all His blessings He continues to bestow upon us. Also thanks to all the staff, administrators, and supporters of this unique ministry. For the past two months God has been working and doing good things in Liberia. The month of January saw the making of more contacts with denominational pastors in Bassa where three were added to the church and God willing, more to be added. Right now in the Duport Road community (especially the cowfield area) Sammy Yarkpowolo is studying with 15 of our listeners. This is going to lead into the formation of another local congregation in the cowfield area in Monrovia.

Weala

George Tengbeh

Surprisingly, while sitting in front of my house at about 3:15 p.m., a man (48) walked up to me and told me that he wanted to be baptized. Richard Yugbay was baptized because of the good news he has been listening to from the radio. He is now a member of the church. 

World English Institute has graduated a number of students. Five of those that have been baptized came to Christ and the school from the radio program. Since January we have had 45 souls baptized.

MEXICO

Torreon

Gabino Rico

Two of the sisters in the congregation listen to the radio preaching and share it with their husbands. Now one of those men was baptized on March 14, and the other is close to making that decision.

NICARAGUA

El Cúa Bocay, Jinotega, and Wiwili

Fernando Castillo

The evangelistic work that is being done in the northern zone of Nicaragua is made possible by the backing of the World Radio program and Misión Para Cristo (Mission for Christ). This month we had two baptisms; one in la Concordia and the other in Jinotega. They were attained by evangelism and the radio program that is transmitted in Radio Dinamica.

NIGERIA

Onitsha, Anambra State

Felix Aniamalu

Last Sunday a preacher in one of the local churches informed me of a listener to our program who visited his congregation. There is every hope he will obey the Gospel when he visits them again come next Sunday. The program’s impact has continued to be felt. 

We went to the prisons at Onitsha where I hold a weekly class for the inmates and about 57 souls were baptized. The American missionaries who visited the prisons included Ruth Orr from Tennessee, Anita Davidson from Colorado, and Ron Pottberg from Texas. Further work we had in Abia State saw five souls obey the Gospel. 

Based on your approval to allow us to switch over to the FM station of the ABS Onitsha following the problem with the transmitter of the AM station, we switched over. I am so glad that we did as a lot of our listeners who once listened to the AM station are now listening to this station and we now have more persons listening to the program that were never acquainted with it when we were with the AM station. We continue to receive text messages on the phone and some phone calls as well. One of the good things about the arrangement with the FM station is that our program is still aired on Wednesday 7:00-7:30 p.m. 

Last Wednesday we had a young man baptized into the Lord and on Thursday I had to travel to one of the states where our programs are heard (Delta State). I was invited through phone by one of the churches of Christ to come preach a funeral sermon of a brother that died in their congregation. It was a thrill as I got acquainted with some of our listeners in that state and learned of the impact our program is making there. Once in a while listeners bump into the church meeting places to make inquiries and ask questions on messages they listened to on the radio.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Lae

Jab Mesa

The Sunday radio sermon indeed has been a blessing to the Lord's church in many ways. It helps the Christians in rural areas to continue in their faith and they want the program to continue. For many who are not members of the Lord's church, it is a planting of the Word in their lives. The church is made known through the program and World Radio is also acknowledged in supporting the Sunday sermons. I am gaining confidence to preach boldly the Truth. Thank-you for having faith in me to be a part of this great and wonderful ministry. 

A young mother, whose sister and mother were taught by Becky and became Christians, came forward and wanted to be baptized and be part of the Lord’s church. She was the first soul added to the church since we started meeting at the MBC multi-purpose hall the last eight weeks. 

The World Radio sponsored program is going well. I have met students from high schools out in Lae who listen to the Sunday sermons and enjoy the programs. As soon as I tell them that I preach, they put my face to my voice. I could only thank the Lord for the opportunity to preach His Son’s Gospel. Thank-you to the World Radio team and the sponsoring churches for funding the airtime. 

As I am writing this newsletter, my wife Becky and three other sisters are traveling on a passenger boat from Madang to Wewak with about 20 more women joining some that have already traveled to Neimo village in the East Sepik Province. Yes, it is the Papua New Guinea Women’s Forum, or we call it workshop. They will arrive early tomorrow morning and catch a PMV truck and leave for Neimo village some hours and then another hour on foot. Last year they traveled to Kerema. The women had to save money to travel long distances to attend their workshop to encourage each other to continue ministering to their families and church. The women, regardless of circumstances that happen around them, continue to shine in their faith and indeed are challenging us men of Papua New Guinea to revive the PAN Evangelistic Workshop which has been put off over the last three years because no one is keen to host the forum. It is sad as we men are not better organized. Women in our society are not seen as equal to men, yet I am humbled by their love to travel miles each year to have fellowship and pray for the Lord’s church to continue maturing in faith and reaching out to the lost. 

The beginning of this month saw another addition of a sister in our neighbor who was immersed into Christ. Janet has been attending our classes and worship service over the past few months and wanted to be free from sin and become a Christian. I asked one of our third-year students to baptize her as part of his learning. We rejoiced with her and the church. God is so good to us. 

Our last Sunday of the month saw the first of four Lae City combined worship services for the churches of Christ. There were eleven congregations meeting at the Boundary Road Church of Christ with each church participating. We at MBC Outreach were asked to lead the songs and the guest speaker was John Kerenga from Goroka, a former staff member of MBC and long-time member of BRCC. It was a great worship day with 520 men, women, and 228 children totaling 748. Not all members of each congregation attended as they didn’t receive the program on time. There are three more of the combined worship services for the year, and the idea is for all Christians to meet each other and get to know each other.

PERU

Lima

Tomás Parillo

My family and I were in Honduras the last two months, sharing the time with our family there. We rejoiced with faithful brothers in Christ in different churches of Christ in Tegucigalpa, Comayagua, Siguatepeque, La Paz, San Pedro Sula, La Lima, and El Progreso. 

I was invited to preach in the church of Christ in San Jose de la Vega, and I preached on the topic “How to Live in a Bad World.” The brothers of this church were very happy with our presence because my wife Miriam was a faithful member of this congregation. There was a spiritual atmosphere of many commendations, and we enjoyed all these blessings. My wife's parents are faithful Christians of this church. 

I visited the city of Siguatepeque, where the brother Hector Ardila invited me to share two topics in the seminar for preachers that he organizes every two months. It was a very good opportunity to expose two important topics for the preachers: “The Habit of Good Reading” and “How to Be an Effective Student of the Bible.” The place of the seminar was a very beautiful place called Germania II. Also brother Hector invited me to preach on the World Radio program With the Open Bible, where I preached three times. Every day we passed marvelously with the brothers of the church. At night I was invited to share a Bible class in a home where the brother Adrian Diaz preaches, where a good number attended. 

We took a trip to the city of Comayagua to visit the church in that place, where World Radio speaker German Hernandez preaches. 

In the city of Choluteca I was invited as a main speaker for the gospel meeting “A Successful Family.” My first message was “How to Build a Christian Home.” My second message was “How to Preserve a Christian Home” and my third message was “How to Confront the Crisis of a Couple.” The results of this campaign were nine baptisms. Eight young people and a woman are ready to meet with Christ. Leonardo Ken and the church were grateful for the success of this activity. The campaign finished with celebration of a wedding of a young people couple, where several brothers and friends attended. All the brothers and friends were very happy. The attendance averaged 250 people and the last day (Sunday) more than 300 people (adults and children). 

After arriving back in Peru, three baptisms marked the start of the church in Pisco, the city that was devastated by the earthquake on August 15, 2007. They are members of a family: Francisco, Albina, and daughter Karina (16) Corrales. They feared being baptized in the sea close to their home, and wanted to be baptized in the river. The problem was that the river was dry. When Albina called us and said that the river continued very dry, we said that we were praying so that they could be baptized. When we arrived the river was completely full and overflowing from rain the day before; it was a good lesson of faith. Thirty people attended the baptism in the Pisco River done by Rodolfo Casas and Julio Cesar. 

Manases Aylas Tolentino invited preachers to Ayacucho to share a seminar for leaders of other religious groups. Ayacucho is an important city in the mountain range of Peru, located nine hours by bus from Lima. We are sure that the church will be established there soon. Adriano Vallejo, one of the denominational leaders present, expressed that step by step he and his congregation are making doctrinal changes and have good hearts. Manases Aylas is a member of the church in Jauja, a city 10 hours from Ayacucho, but because of work is going to live to Ayacucho. The radio program With the Open Bible is an instrument to aid in teaching the brethren and people from other groups. 

The radio program continues being a great tool, especially to maintain contact with the membership in all of Peru. Now several are asking for Bible studies. For example we went to Ayacucho to contact with some leaders of different religious groups and when they learned about the radial program With the Open Bible, they immediately became very happy because they want to learn more about sound doctrine. The students of the Inter-American Bible Institute are training to use this tool to spread the Gospel.

PHILIPPINES

Pagadian City

Feliciano Blen

By God's mercy, we are continuing with our mission work together over the radio to evangelize Pagadian City and gather some into the fold of God, the church. Also, we are doing our very best to teach, strengthen, and initiate God's people here to become active, willing to share, and willing to work for the Lord. We realize that this is a tough job, but with our determination and intelligent effort, we believe that together we could steadily work on one step at a time, slowly but surely, could develop in the process of time, a strong and faithful church in the future with the ability to usher more life-renewing services in the coming generations. May the Almighty and merciful God bless our efforts in broadcasting the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ, visitations, home Bible Studies, special services, counseling, family devotionals, worship services, and follow-up works. 

Last month we expounded the congregation about God the Father. We made our Bible studies centered on the attributes, character, and power of God. The whole congregation has received at least eight messages based on the Bible about God and His dealings with man. Some of these messages are: 1) The People Shall Know God through Seeing His Creation, 2) His Revelation Will Enable Man to Know His Will, 3) God Searches the Heart of Man, 4) God's Love Is the Greatest Love of All, and 5) God Has Appointed a Day to Judge All Mankind, and more. We hope that our brethren here have grasped some lessons more than enough to keep them strong in their convictions that God owns everything, including our very own body, soul, and spirit. So that God must be supreme and He has all the authority, being all powerful and has all the wisdom, who knows everything, and has known everyone from birth to death, and that everything has a finished script in His hand even from the very beginning until the end of time. 

Our radio program of 15 minutes is continuing and many of our listeners are asking questions through text messaging. We have answered many questions each month through this medium. We have also sent religious tracts to them by mail. We hope that our efforts will be more fruitful. 

This month we have again aired four consecutive times about being born again and have finished our four Sundays of Bible studies, sermons, and selected spiritual songs centered upon Jesus Christ. We have divided it into four topics: 1) The Nature of Jesus Christ, 2) The Identity of Jesus, 3) The Character of Jesus, and 4) The Second Coming of Jesus Christ. We have stressed to the congregation that the identity of Jesus is not his nature because Jesus Christ is God. That is His nature. So when He was identified as the Son of Man it does not make Him 100% man, but only He was known and identified as man while in his fleshly body which has a primary purpose of offering it to the cross. 

While his nature being God, He existed before the foundation of the world. He even appears as rock in the desert when the Israelites were being led by Moses in going to the Promised Land. Expounding on His character has made everyone in the congregation wonder how Jesus was able to triumph over great trials and live a down-to-earth humbleness to follow His Father's will even if it cost him a cruel and unjust death on the cross. Many have realized that following Jesus is not an easy thing; it may be an easy task to just say "I am a Christian," or a "disciple" or "follower." But definitely in reality, we must be tough, flexible, and optimistic to be able to follow Him. 

We also have stressed to the congregation that Christ's second coming is getting nearer every day and that no man knows when it will be. And although we do not know when it will be, surely as He promised He is coming and every man must not take it lightly. Before one dies everything has to be done to be ready to go with Jesus Christ into His Father's house to live with them there in eternity. We hope that those things have strengthened their faith to be able to exercise more freely in their own lives the character of Jesus, and to truly be the body of Christ in this part of the world. 

The Gospel Meeting and Youth Encounter at Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte was postponed by the host congregation. According to their minister, Alex Canonayon, it was due to the adverse peace and order situation in the area. Accordingly, the local government of Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte will not allow any form of physical gathering of people because of the presence of rebels around the community which may cause trouble and Christians’ lives there will be at risk. 

We are planning to have a Leadership Training and Gospel Meeting this coming August 5-6, 2008, here in Pagadian City and this congregation will be the host. Our target attendance for the leadership training will be 75 people who will be coming to us and be accommodated for about three days. All the labors in the preparations, accommodations, and catering will be a labor of love from all the members of this congregation. The scope of invitation for these activities will be preachers, church leaders, and ministers from the different congregations inside Zamboanga Peninsula. This comprises the provinces of Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, which includes the cities of Pagadian, Dapitan, Dipolog and Zamboanga. We will be inviting some good leaders from around the nation, especially those who have developed strong congregations. They will share their knowledge and wisdom from the Word of God during the leadership training and gospel meeting. 

During the gospel meeting each evening we will be inviting our friends and neighbors, and those who have interest in learning God's Word from the whole community here in Pagadian City, as well as our radio listeners. Hopefully, each night we might make use of our new baptistery to be used extensively in making new Christians.

May God bless all our efforts in serving God's people and our concern for the broadcasting of the Gospel of Christ as an instrument for the expansion of God's kingdom here in Pagadian City. 

Baguio/Cabanatuan/Dagupan/San Fernando/Tarlac

Daniel Oliva

For the past two months, 12 persons were added to the church of Lord at Midtown through the combination of radio preaching, WBS and personal teaching. Those who were immersed into Christ after studying the seeker’s lessons as follow-up courses, in addition to WBS and radio messages, were as follows: spouses Pedro and Cora Gomez and their children Michael, Lorence, Abby, Ray and Daisy; Jun and Chris Chavez (all of Baguio City); Janet Arnidoval (24) and Sales M. Loy-asan (28) of Asin, Tuba, Benguet; and Jocelyn Batang-ay-Antivo (30) from Tabuk, Kalinga but a resident of Baguio City. 

Midtown church plans to install elders and deacons in 2010, thus a symposium was held at Midtown church. These lessons on local leadership are serialized on the radio and church members are well-informed on these leaders and their qualifications. 

The Pinged church in Nangalisan, Tuba, Benguet, listened to these lessons aired in the radio and used them to teach its membership. A plan to conduct lectures on substance abuse and addiction in some barangays (villages) and secondary schools is being hatched. These lessons are also serialized over the radio and many people are well informed, especially the young people, about the dangers of substance abuse and addiction. Another subject that shall be serialized in the radio messages is prayer. Many people, even church members, are not well versed with prayers for various occasions. 

Please, pray that the Lord’s Gospel will become more powerful and fruitful in bringing more souls into God’s kingdom. Again, thank-you for the continued fellowship in the propagation of the pure New Testament Gospel in the Philippines, particularly in Baguio City, San Fernando City, La Union; Dagupan City, Tarlac City and in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.

ST. KITTS – NEVIS

Basseterre

Randolph Prentice

We are here laboring for the cause of Christ and will never stop. I studied with about six persons who visit the services on occasion; we are praying that they will soon be a part of us. 

The month for us sped quickly, but not without another newcomer to the church. A gentleman who usually sits with his radio to his ear daily said he heard about the church on the radio and has come to see what the church is like.  We will study with him and pray for his conversion. 

Walter Rouse, another radio listener, was baptized. Walter was living with a "lady friend" whom he gave up to accept Christ. Please pray that we can also reach her and the six children with the Gospel. 

While we were about to baptize Walter, a couple at the beach heard me praying. After I finished, the lady said, “Mr., you do be on the radio every Sunday afternoon. I know that voice. I listen to you every Sunday. It’s nice to know you.” See how radio works? We will also try and speak to them.

SENEGAL

Dakar

Arnold Dzah

God is still blessing His work here in Senegal. The radio program is still gaining new ground. This time it has entered the community of the intellectuals. I just received a call from Anta Diop University. A student named Augustine Faye called praising the program. I'm so glad about this as it had been on my mind to visit the university and God himself is opening the door already. I continue to have some discussion with Augustine. We hope God will bless the work He started. Please continue to pray for us. 

The calls I received now are all asking that the program be translated into the local language, Wolof, so that they can benefit from it more. There's another radio station in one the regions that does most of their programs in their local language, Serrel. This station is situated in the language zone of the new congregation of N'diaganiao. I hope you can give some consideration to this and help us with the second program in one of the local languages. The Serrels are very receptive to the Gospel and I hope when the program is done in their language, the church may spread like bushfire in that zone. 

I want to seize this opportunity to tell you that one from the World Radio village churches of Christ at N'Diaganiao has decided to be trained as a full-time preacher for the Lord. Paul Faye, baptized in 2006, has begun his course today, the 31st of March. We believe his presence in the village will bring a lot of improvement since he's a native and loved by most of the village folk.

SOUTH AFRICA

Cape Town

Jim Hyde

We have seminars (Bible Studies) planned for each Saturday this month. Today we held a seminar in Rocklands, which is a subdivision in Mitchells Plain. Roger Dickson was the speaker today and he began a study on the book of Colossians. These seminars are general held three Saturdays a month in a different location. 

The 15-minute radio program on Radio Tygerberg continues to do well. This program is broadcast two times a week on Tuesday and Thursday. Dereck Bukeus, a local evangelist, does the speaking. We continue to receive a great number of telephone calls asking for the free Bible correspondence course.

SRI LANKA

Colombo

Asee Darla

Last month we started receiving responses requesting further information about Jesus and His church. We received four letters and three phone calls. We sent the first lesson of the correspondence course we are preparing for Sri Lanka. 

We are working towards establishing our Bible School with the help of the Colombo Church of Christ. As agreed, they are building accommodations for the students on the premises of the church building. This work is progressing. Once it is completed, we will have the classes as we planned. In the meanwhile, we are meeting with the students in a private place. Still we have not determined the number of the students we want to work with for the next two years. 

I realize the enemy is closely watching every step as we are going out with plans to spread the Gospel. This is strengthening our hopes that we will surely win the battle for our Master. Ten days ago I received a phone call telling me that our Singala language translator, who was helping me in meeting people there, translating, and printing our correspondence work, died suddenly of a heart attack. He was about 50 years old. One of our students called me saying, “Don’t worry about losing that man; the Lord may have a better plan.” I trust the Lord will surely help us with better providences to continue our efforts there. I visited his family. He left a wife and one son (25) whom we greatly expect to be a helper in the work. 

We are progressing in our study with the engineer and his family to convert them from their Buddhist beliefs. We have two new families for a regular study that are also Buddhists. One young couple is almost ready to be baptized. I think they may require one or two classes before they finalize their decision. I am confident we can have a real good work in the future once we overcome the beginning problems. I know your prayers are with us.

TANZANIA

Moshi

Charles Ngoje

God heard your prayers. And it was confirmed by several actions and revelations. One stands out for being out of the ordinary. This comes from my radio program. A lady in her twenties is a keen listener to our radio program. She has been following my lesson on “What This Life Is All About” from the book of Ecclesiastes. She was convicted by the last lesson on Sunday. The following day, Monday, she came to the church. “I have come for prayers,” she announced. I had another counseling session with a member and so I referred her to Samuel. He talked with her, asked her questions, got into the depth of the problem, and prayed for and with her. She came back on Tuesday and again they talked and prayed. 

In the process she repented of her sins and confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior. “What can I do that my sins be washed away and that I may be forgiven?” she asked as Samuel reports. Samuel talked to her for three hours about baptism, much water, burial, second birth, and she said, “I want to be baptized.” She did not have clothes to change into so we promised her that we would baptize her on the following day, Wednesday. That evening, I was summoned and was to avail myself the following day, Wednesday 13th at 10 a.m. We were discouraged and tired and down. At lunch break she called, for the third time now, and said, “I hope you have not changed your mind about baptizing me.” As soon as we were done we drove to her shop, picked her up, and took her to the river. She was baptized as you were praying for me and for this church. Then the evening session came and it was a more friendly talk with the big guy than we had in the morning. Praise God with us. We are thankful about what God can do when his people pray. This story is possible only because of you. If you do not get the context, don’t worry! Our God is bigger than the problems we face. Amen. 

If you have heard me speak on spiritual warfare, then you have heard me say, “One way to win against Satan is to be offensive and not defensive. We defend ourselves best by offence.” 

Senni stopped breathing Saturday, March 22, at 5:15 p.m. His widow in the company of Samuel and Lillian Kasumila were by his death bed at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC). Samuel had just prayed with him and did what has come to be the most critical work of ministers in Africa in this period of aids, malaria, and road accidents - he prepared him for death. It was not immediately established what he died of, what I know is that when I left Moshi on March 15, Senni was as fit as a fiddle. 

His passing could be a plus for the kingdom of God. Senni was a bad guy in town before he accepted Christ in baptism. That he died in the LORD and in the hands of a minister who helped him to reexamine his life and to a final re-confession of Jesus as Christ and Lord, should appeal to his old friends who have not given up their lives for Christ. When Senni was born again in baptism I compiled the following report. It is a powerful testimony of what his being a Christian meant to his friends. It is the power and the fruit of missions, people who would have died without the Lord, dying in the LORD. Senni was a friend to Samuel and it was through Samuel he gave his life to Christ. It was very symbolic that he passed on next to Samuel. 

On October 6, we baptized a man by the name Senni (Msukuma by tribe). I have in other writings referred to him as Zen. This has turned out to be an important conversion! All baptisms and conversions are important. But this would be more special. After the baptism, Senni said to me, “It is over and I am very happy…My wife must be very happy too…” He said many other words. I took all of them lightly since I do hear them a lot after every baptism. Sometimes the penitence is only during and immediately after the baptism, but then sooner or later you realize that the initial enthusiasm has quickly faded off. But for Senni one phrase was unique and I did not pick up on it then, “My wife must be very happy too…” It would take me a week before I would appreciate the value of this phrase “my wife must be very happy too.”

Senni came to the office and asked if the pictures taken during his baptism had been printed. He needed them. We took the pictures with a digital camera. Only one studio in town can print them for a fortune. And so I apologized to him that it would take me time before I can print the pictures, but that I would certainly print them. He was not as happy as when he came in. I thought of how best I could cheer him up, when I remembered that I had downloaded the pictures onto my computer. I knew then how to cheer him up and he immediately brightened up. “How?” he asked. Then I told him that the pictures were on the computer. He is not familiar with the computer and the entire world of digitals. I booted the computer and had a slideshow going and he was amazed. 

Immediately after that, people have been trickling into my office to confirm the baptism of Senni. He brings them to confirm to them that he has been baptized, is now a believer, and he has repented of his past life. He is a new creation and is serious about it. Recently he brought his brother who heard of his salvation and came to town to congratulate him. He had come all the way from Mwanza (1000 km. away) because they had been praying for Senni to change. Senni brought him and he saw the pictures and said, “Pastor (in reference to Samuel) thank-you for this.” Then he turned to Senni and encouraged him with the words, “Now I believe you. I am taking home good news. Please do not backslide.” 

Last week Senni’s wife invited Samuel to their home just to thank him for the conversion of her husband. Today Florence met her at a bank and she said to Florence, “Count me as one of you. I do not come to church just because my son is still too young. Soon you will be seeing me every day.” She has a six-month-old son. She is the most happy! Her husband now gets back home by 6:00 p.m., asks her for permission, and informs her of his whereabouts. He eats her food. He helps in the kitchen. He prays in the morning and gives thanks for the food and the wife who cooks most of it; this is about all that most African women are looking for in a husband. And the wife is the most happy. And so I echo the object of this letter; to solicit prayers for him. Such a conversion as this one hurts Satan the most. “Please join us in praying for Senni that he will not backslide and that he will continue in his faith and grow from strength to strength.”

 THAILAND

Nongkai, Ubonratchathani, Khonkaen

Catherine Thamkaew

Many letters came in asking for Bibles. We sent them one each and there were many people asking for more than one to give to their relatives, and we sent to them as they wished. Many people asked for the Old Testament too, but we don’t have any. 

There were many letters from Ubonratchathani, our new radio station. Ubonratchathani Province is in the southern part of northeast Thailand. If we cross the Mekong River here to Laos, we will meet Jampasak of Laos. (If we cross the Mekong River at Nongkai above Udornthani, we reach Vientien, Laos). A letter came from a very old lady who is a believer, I guess. It was the most beautiful and sweetest letter I ever read. The letter was written with beautiful handwriting: 

My dear little children, 

Granny listens to the Bible story from your radio program almost every day. I love it so much. If there were a day that I missed, I would feel so sad. So I would ask if I could buy your recording tape. In case I have to go anywhere that I could not hear from you, I would not get so worried, because I could listen to you wherever I go. I thank all of you and your team, everybody, for you share God’s Word with me. It is the bread of life which makes me dare to face the trouble of life each day, and helps the listeners to be encouraged to have strength to fight along the way of life. I have some friends that have trouble in their lives. I listen to your words then I have God’s wisdom and I share it with my friends, to give them strength and joy to rise up and to be strong again. They will have hope while looking ahead. We will have strength to hold each other. Hand by hand, we will hold each other’s hand tightly until the day that we win the victory and see God together. I also ask you for a Bible to read when I’m alone, I want to love God more, know Him more, and I want everybody to know Him well too. I wish you to have God’s blessings and good health for you to serve Him more. 

Your Granny,

Boonlai Saingam.

I sent her a Bible and answered her letter on the air. She answered me with her sweet letter again. How could she write such an encouraging letter to us? God knows when we need the encouragement and He always sends it at the right time. She wrote:

My dear little children,

I received the Bible you sent me with thankfulness. It was like a Christmas gift to me. It was so appreciated and I was really glad. I started reading it right now. This gift was really meaningful to me. I thank you, thank you for your kindness. May God bless you all to have strength to serve God for a long, long time.

I listen to your radio program every day now. I received good things that I never heard before in my life. Thank-you so much that I know God better and I have the chance to learn more about Him every day. 

Love you with Jesus’ love.

Granny Boonlai Saingam

Her letter encouraged us a lot. I hope it will encourage you too. Thank God for His strength for the World Radio team through every prayer. 

Another letter came from a listener at Ubonratchathani. I think he is studying many beliefs. Mr. Anekpong Namsri from Sawangwerawong District wrote an interesting letter that he listens to our radio program every day. He studied the Bible for a long time in many churches where beliefs are varied. He noticed that there is something different in the church of Christ which he has accepted and he likes to listen to us more. He also asked for a Bible, a songbook that we open with on our radio program, and other books that we have. He wished us God’s blessings and he hoped that our radio program will keep on going for the listeners for a long time. 

Our Light of Life World radio program in Khonkaen is very popular for the congregation here in Khonkaen. It is on the air in town near the church and everybody in the Khonkaen Church of Christ can listen to us daily. They love Pathinya’s preaching and the lady’s portion. Granny Samnieang, a Christian lady of 75 years old got up early in the morning, at 5 o’clock every day, turned on her radio, listened to our radio program, and had her prayer. She said that our radio program is really her friend. She lives with her niece that is not Christian and around her house there are no Christians, there are only Buddhists. There are three Buddhist temples around her house. Everybody around her say their prayers to the Buddha. But our radio program encourages her to stay still in God’s love and warms her heart. She listens to our radio program every day then goes to church happily every Sunday. She really thanks God for that. 

Aunty Porn is a tailor. Every day she gets up early in the morning to listen to our radio program with her husband then they pray together before they go to work. She said that our radio program is really God’s blessing to her family. She is encouraged and has good thoughts from God before she starts her day. Everything that she hears she uses in her life and knows God’s way to live in this world praising Him. 

These are God’s blessing in our listeners’ lives that we have met here in northeast Thailand. I wish that it would be the same for our listeners in Laos too. They are not allowed to write letters about religions or government news or soldier issues, because it would be strictly censored. So we