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The HIV/AIDS pandemic in Botswana has left thousands of children orphaned. But because of your generous support, a Christ-centered program called Tumelong--which means where faith is-is now ministering to these vulnerable children.
Every day, your gifts are touching hurting, young lives, like that of 6-year-old Thusa Basikere. Young Thusa never met his father, and his mother died in childbirth. His 13-year-old brother dropped out of school to take care of him, but food was always scarce and Thusa knew nothing in life except poverty and hunger.
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As I write you today, I have the great privilege of being in Ethiopia teaching at the Evangelical Theological College of Addis Ababa. Although I sincerely hope my students learn much from my classes, I know I have much to learn from them as well.
As I attended church services here, I was thoroughly impressed by the intensity of their prayer, their unrestrained joy in worship, their fervent response to the Word, and their passion for sharing the gospel. |
When I challenged one congregation with their responsibility for missions, the response was overwhelming. Dozens of people committed themselves to greater involvement in world missions, and one man in particular brought all he had--the equivalent of about $7--to give to missionaries in Sudan.
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I was also amazed by how the church had grown. Before my wife, Marcia, and I left Ethiopia 5 years ago after serving here for 19 years, there were only five Word of Life churches (SIM's partner church in Ethiopia) in the Addis Ababa area. Now there are more than 20 churches and dozens of preaching points--more than a dozen of them planted by one congregation!
The church in Africa is alive and well, but as you will read in this issue of Harvest, the needs of the African people are great. Drought, famine, political unrest, and the AIDS pandemic have left thousands--especially children--in want of the basic necessities of life.
But thanks to your generous support of many of the projects highlighted in last year's gift catalog, SIM is reaching out to hurting people all across Africa, meeting physical needs and sharing the hope of the gospel.
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This month, you'll learn how your gifts are ministering in Nigeria to orphans, street children, and those devastated by the AIDS pandemic. You'll see how God has used your gifts to provide safe water to the people of Burkina Faso. And you'll read the story of Joseph Agana, one of the local missionaries your gifts help support.
But much work remains. We are already working on this year's gift catalog that will highlight new opportunities for you to support SIM and our ministries. Watch for it sometime in October.
The needs are great, but we are confident that through caring friends like you, God will provide.
A spiritual battle is raging for the hearts and lives of people everywhere, and we must stand strong in the fight. We must continue sending faithful servants and resources to the front lines, and we must join the battle ourselves--on our knees in fervent prayer. That's our best strategy for advancing God's Kingdom in Africa and around the world.
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