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If you’re like me, you sometimes get tired of hearing the bad news. Reports of crime, wars, natural disasters, and economic woes always seem to make the headlines, but the good news of people helping people, economic success, and improved lives seldom gets mentioned.
But, as you’ll discover in this issue of Harvest, there is good news to report! On page 1, you’ll read how your generous response to our appeal in May helped SIM prevent a devastating, widespread famine in the Kaffrine area of Senegal.
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Pass It On
Planning for the distribution of your estate at death so that it’s in harmony with God’s plan of stewardship is one of the most important decisions you will make.
To do so, you need to be informed about such things as income and estate taxes, probate, the use of a will versus a revocable living trust, charitable trusts, and many other complex issues of estate planning.
SIM has a program in place that will help you with your estate planning needs. For more information about this program, please contact Mike Dey by e-mail at mike.dey@sim.org or by phone at (800) 521-6449. |
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Thanks to an exceptional outpouring of support, the famine never materialized.
Last spring, the people of Kaffrine in Senegal watched helplessly as their crops withered and died in the fields. Without irrigation, they depended entirely upon the rains to water their crops, and this year, the rains failed them. The rains started late and ended early leaving no time for the crops to mature before the dry season began.
Bread of Life
Food, given in Jesus’ name, has opened the door for sharing the gospel and reaping a spiritual harvest among the Muslim people
of Kaffrine. |
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In addition, as subsistence farmers, the people had nothing in reserve. Without a spring harvest, there simply would be no food for the dry season and no seed for the next crop. The prospect of a devastating, widespread famine loomed on the horizon.
But thanks to an exceptional outpouring of support from people like you, the famine never materialized. Because people responded promptly and generously to our appeal for help in May, SIM was able to rush enough bags of rice and millet into the region to provide food for some 4,500 people who were not being reached by any other relief agency.
With each distribution, we told the people about God’s love for them and how Christians in America had heard about their difficulties and had sent money to buy food. The people were very grateful for the food and were astounded that Christians had sent it. |
As Muslims, they believed Christians were bad people. This food, given in Jesus’ name, conflicted with that belief. Therefore, when we offered booklets about Jesus and His teachings, the people eagerly accepted them and began reading. They even asked for additional copies so more people could learn about Jesus.
Throughout this relief effort, our prayer has been to reach these people with the saving message of the gospel, and we praise God that our efforts are already bearing fruit.
Local Christians are receiving greater respect, and they are becoming bolder in sharing their faith. One believer even spoke to the local Muslim leader who had questions about Jesus after he read one of our booklets. Another Christian said that while no one greeted him before, following the distribution, he is greeted almost as a hero!
We know God is at work in these villages, but we need to keep praying for the people of Kaffrine. Pray for a good rainy season and good crops. Pray for boldness for believers in the villages—that they would turn the greater respect they are receiving into opportunities to share the gospel. And pray that God would open the hearts of the people to the gospel so that many would come to faith in Christ. Pray that God would grant an eternal harvest in Kaffrine!
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For more information, pictures, and even a compelling video clip about the Kaffrine famine, SIM’s relief efforts, and how your support of this project is helping people and transforming lives, visit our Kaffrine Famine blog. |
Project Number – 95298
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