December 2023-February 2024
| Could you take a few moments to pray right now? |  |
| Australia | Nepal |
| CAR | New Zealand |
| DR Congo | Tanzania |
| Ghana | Uganda |
| India | USA |
| Kenya | Zambia |
| Malawi | Zimbabwe |
| Mozambique |
Murray writes ...
Dear friends,
Suddenly we are in December and another year nears its end. It gives us cause to thank God for his goodness, faithfulness, protection, and provision.
Thank you for standing with us in prayer. Another mission partner shared the following quote from Oswald Chambers in his newsletter recently and it is good to be reminded. “Prayer does not fit us for greater works; prayer is the greater work.”
Put simply, any success that SOWERS has is because of those who pray, standing in the gap between heaven and hell, interceding for those who carry the Good News of Jesus to others and for those who hear and receive this life-giving message. “The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results”. James 5:16
Let me take this opportunity to wish you every blessing as you celebrate Christmas with loved ones remembering the birth of our Saviour.
Together, for the sake of His Kingdom,
Murray
Australia
Praise:
- For the prayer morning held last month.
- For all the churches, groups and individuals who faithfully pray for and support the work.
- For a new member, John, an enthusiastic supporter of SOWERS, who has just joined the Board.
- For Geoff, who has been a faithful and wise member of the Board and leaves us after the AGM.
Pray:
- For establishment and growth of newly planted churches.
- For Geoff as he relocates to Queensland and for John as he takes up his position on the Board.
- For the ongoing benefits of Godfrey`s visit to the North of Zambia and Emmanuel`s visit to Uganda.
- For the provision and protection of all the Sowers.
- For a greater increase in the spread of the SOWERS Programme in the New Year.
Central African Republic
Praise:
- For the official recognition of the ministry of SOWERS International by the Government of CAR.
- For Level 1 and 2 SOWERS training in Bangui. We rejoice in the fact that the Lord has allowed many to be won to Christ and that SOWERS International has also started in Kagabandolo.
Pray:
- For the Sowers of Bangui who have a schedule of SOWERS training activities.
- For provision for the Sowers of CAR to become self-sufficient from the beginning of 2024.
DR Congo
Praise
- For the inauguration and encouragement visit of the new Kasenga Regional Co-ordination Committee.
- For the time spent in Livingstone, Zimbabwe for refresher training and sharing.
- For Level 1 and 2 SOWERS training in Ituri province, DRC. We rejoice in the fact that the Lord has allowed many to be won to Christ and that SOWERS International has also started in Ituri.
Prayer
- For the Sowers of Kasenga who have a schedule of SOWERS training activities.
- For the many open-air meetings that are also planned in these areas, including Arwarara.
- For the visit to Côte d’Ivoire to revive the activities of SOWERS in that country scheduled for mid February.
- For the health of EK, a SOWERS Regional Advisor, who had a traffic accident during his mission in Ariwara in DRC. One of his ribs was fractured.
Ghana
Praise:
- For His faithfulness towards Samuel’s wife Margaret whose health is improving, and family members of the staff.
- For His provision for our families despite the recent economic difficulties in the country.
- For the successful visitation by Nana to five teams and that he was able to have open air meetings with them.
Pray:
- From 26th December 2023 to 1st January 2024 Samuel will be having an outreach to an island in the Eastern Region.
- For preparations for Seminars next March in four different Zones with the West-Brong Presbytery. Pray that there will be no postponement.
- For the visit of Nana to the 5 remaining Churches in the Dansoman Circuit of the Methodist Church.
- For next year’s elections. That there will be peace.
India
Praise
- For opening the way for Sowers to do relief work and share the Gospel at many refugee camps in Manipur. We have been able to reach many people with the Gospel.
- That in this time of persecution God has brought oneness among believers.
- For keeping Sowers safe in the face of ongoing violence.
Prayer
- That the ongoing violence between Kukis and Meiteis in Manipur will be over very soon.
- For Surjo visiting South India to introduce the SOWERS Programme to those he meets.
- For the needs of people in relief camps during winter.
Kenya
Praise:
- For the past seminars and people coming to the Lord during open-air meetings.
- For successful follow-up and visits to churches in Kenya and Uganda.
- For discipleship classes for new Christians.
Pray:
- For the coming seminars in December to February
- For Emmanuels upcoming visit to Tanzania in December.
- For the Kenya National Board as they look for new two board members.
Malawi
Praise:
- For protection and provision for Sowers and their families.
- For four L2 seminars in the central region of Malawi.
- For the L3 seminar held in the Eastern Region of Malawi.
- For 38 open-air meetings held in Malawi during the past 3 months where people responded to the gospel.
Pray:
- For the Senior Sowers and their families as they go through economic hardship because of the devaluation of Malawi’s currency and high inflation rates. (This affects the Senior Sowers operations, seminars, open-air meetings and the entire business of the gospel initiative. In such situations people become desperate and are kept very busy looking for options to survive.)
- For seven L2 Seminars for the forthcoming quarter.
- For four L3 Seminars in the first quarter of 2024.
- For four men being prepared for Level 4 training who are expected to complete their training in March next year.
- For the revival of the Sowers Programme in the north of Malawi and that someone will be raised up to spearhead the programme in the area.
Mozambique
Praise:
- For Level 1, 2, and 3 Seminars that were held in several different places, mainly in Niassa Province and Zambezia.
- For all outdoor meetings held in various markets in Zambezia Province, Niassa, Nampula and Tete.
- For visits from new churches that have been planted through SOWERS’ ministry.
- For Regional Supervisor Pastor K’s visit to Mozambique where he visited three provinces, namely Zambezia, Niassa and Nampula.
- For visits to new converts during the last three months.
- For meetings that were held in Molumbo and Muguliua to show how the SOWERS Programme works.
Pray:
- For protection for the families of Sowers.
- That the planned Level 1, 2, 3 and 4 seminars will be held.
- For fruitful and effective meetings of the National Council and Provincial Commissions.
- For the completion of the Zambezia Welding and National House Construction Projects.
- For the advancement of the Ministry of Nampula, Tete, Zambezia and Niassa.
- For visits to new converts and churches planted through the ministry of SOWERS.
- For the election of the new National Council.
Nepal
Praise
- For the opportunities to evangelise individuals and plant churches in a hostile environment.
- That people from other religious groups are accepting Christ and God’s Kingdom is advancing.
- For God’s grace toward Navin’s family which enabled his wife to have a successful operation.
Prayer
- That churches may be open to evangelism training.
- That all Sowers will be ready to go out to sow God’s Word whenever opportunities arise.
New Zealand
Praise:
- For good health for Murray and Christine.
- For time we will spend as a family with all our children during December and January.
- For the many reports telling of teams going out to sow, transformed lives and new churches planted.
Pray:
- For a genuine sense of “unity” for David, Carol, Judy and myself as we work remotely throughout the year.
- For passionate people willing to serve on the NZ Board.
- For funds to allow our President to travel so he can encourage and inspire board members and Sowers alike.
- Courage and wisdom for the three Regional Advisors who carry heavy responsibilities and oversee large regions.
Tanzania
Praise:
- For provision to register SOWERS International Tanzania.
Pray:
- For a smooth registration process.
- For Level 3 Seminars coming up in December.
- For a committed interim National Board committee.
- For active training of Sowers.
Uganda
Praise:
- For the past seminars and people coming to the Lord during open-air meetings.
- For successful follow-up and visits to churches.
- For discipleship classes for new Christians.
Pray:
- For the coming seminars
- For development of national financial support
USA
Praise:
- For the work being done by SOWERS International and the committed teams of Sowers in various countries.
Pray:
- For a successful presentation about SOWERS International to a very large church — that they will accept SOWERS as one of the ministries they support.
- That the discussion with a potential Board member, suggested by Murray, goes well as we are still looking for another member to join our board.
Zambia
Praise:
- For Donors and all who intercede in prayer for SOWERS field workers in Eastern Province.
- For a successful Level 1 seminar in Lufwanyama District, Copperbelt Province, where 3 churches came together, namely, Baptist Fellowship, Evangelical and Pentecostal Holiness. 100 people were trained.
- For 2 churches planted in Lufwanyama District.
- For successful Level 4 training during which Henry K. received his Level 4 certificate.
- For the good health of Sowers’ families and for the successful programmes in Luapula Province.
- For successful open-air meetings in Kamanachili village and Chinsali District in Muchinga. 25 people gave their lives to Jesus Christ.
- For the success of the SOWERS Level 1 seminar at Kapumbu village. 30 people received training.
Pray:
- For God’s guidance as Sowers in Luapula plan for next year’s work and for the meetings in December.
- For Kambilombilo churches in Copperbelt Province to be trained in February and April next year.
- For Level 3 and Level 4 training next year.
- For safety as Sowers make trips to visit old and new teams.
- For God’s grace to work hard and increase the number of teams in Eastern Provence.
- For God to give wisdom and protection to Sowers Field workers so that they can work without fear.
- That God grants good health to Sowers workers.
- For the peace of the country.
- For the success of planned training seminars at all Levels.
Zimbabwe
Praise
- For a church that we planted in Murewa, Mashonaland East in October.
- For a SOWERS Level 2 contact in Victoria Falls.
Pray
- For a Level 1 Seminar in Masvingo Province 13/01/2024 .
- For a Level 3 Seminar in Epworth, Harare early February.
- For a Level 1 Seminar in Matabeleland North in Beit Bridge starting 23/02/2024
- For a SOWERS Promotion in Marondera East 09/03/2024.
- For a L1 Seminar in Manicaland Province 15/03/2024.
Targets for Prayer have been edited by Judy C. and published by SOWERS INTERNATIONAL, P O Box 897, Tauranga 3144, New Zealand. Telephone +64 21 161 8545. Email: office@sowersinternational.org