This is the chariot that will be based out of Uganda and strike into Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Congo and South Sudan. Our team will be flying into Uganda in July to draw up plans and visit key leaders in the region. Exciting, exciting developments.
NIGERIA
This is the new left hand drive Chariot that has been purchased in Nigeria for Nigeria. Please pray as this truck is converted into a Gospel Chariot. We are hoping to have this truck up and running by year end.
Our Nigerian leaders (pictured above) overseeing this chariot will be Abiodun Owolabi, Peter Egure and Godwin Isaac. They are busy working with the truck bodybuilders who are customising the truck into a chariot.
KENYA
The big Kenyan Chariot has done very well. I've just returned from Kenya and it was amazing. We use World Bible School as a tool and as I travelled it seems as if every leader I met was a WBS convert. Lukas Oguta, who works with the big chariot, is a WBS convert as well. He tells me a story that, when he started follow up work for World Bible School, they bought him a bicycle and then eventually a motorbike and now he drives a Big Gospel Chariot! Wow, was that God or was that God?! Haha! God got me to build a chariot for Kenya because He had someone He was working on who would be ready and needing a bigger vehicle. I love it! Or am I reading too much into it? Below are some of the things that happened these past two months.
On June 9 Tom Opondo and I hit the road running. We first visited the Great Commission School - this school has extension schools scattered throughout the country and neighbouring countries and we are so blessed to have them work with us in spreading the wonderful name of Jesus.
We also visited a congregation that helps educate little children who can't afford to pay school fees. So cute. We are thankful for Great Commission and all involved.
After our visit to the Great Commission School we headed to the other side of Nairobi. It's "little Somalia". Very Muslim and the Somalians call it Mogadishu. It's actually Eastleigh and there is a very impressive Church of Christ mission there called Institute of Practical Christian Ministry. This Ministry has been headed up by the Hacketts for many years. We were well received, showed around and given lunch by sister Charlotte Hackett. We are once again so blessed to have these schools and colleges work with us in reaching the lost for Jesus. You can also see thousands and thousands of WBS bible lessons printed by World Bible School and just waiting to go out.
We then headed East towards the tea plantations and got stuck in the mud, we eventually made it to our meeting with leaders at the Siomo Church of Christ. It was fantastic. We spoke on leadership and thanked them for using the Gospel Chariot and encouraged them to continue the good work they are doing. These brethren have planted a number of new congregations in the area. It's really exciting. Have a look at all their little children they are teaching. There are more than 200 of them. It's exciting, these brethren have a school on their church property, once again for little ones who can't afford schooling otherwise. What an amazing way to let the community see Jesus.
They then fed us and gave us a gift - it was a packet of their local tea that they grow in the area. It's a beautiful area that gets rain all year round. In the photos above you can see our Kenya Gospel Chariot driver/evangelist standing with me in front of the big chariot and his name is Lucas Oguta. He is an amazing man and loved by so many as he helps Kenyans spread the wonderful name of Jesus. What a day.
Lucas and the Kenya chariot also worked the Bomet region. It was wonderful to visit with these brethren and witness God doing amazing things through them all. We had a leadership session and many souls were added to the Kingdom through a combined chariot outreach. This chariot then headed to the sugarcane plantation areas where we will work with our brethren there spreading the wonderful name of Jesus.
On June 9th I slept over in Kisumu and met with Julius Ojunga who is one of our GCM coordinators and also a major World Bible School leader in this area. Julius is doing a great job. He planned a World Bible School graduation and Tom Opondo and myself were the guest speakers. Wow, have a look at how many graduated!
As you know, we have all the Gospel Chariots and you will see we advertise World Bible School on the trucks and many people ask or think we work for World Bible School. No, we don't. We just believe in it and use it to reach many, many lost souls. We have used the World Bible School programme for 25 years and God has brought thousands to repentance through it.
World Bible School is a ministry that teaches people through the post or internet and we get all the contacts and we follow up on them and help from there. Amazing ministry. We then help them study further through Nations University or other Bible Colleges. The main idea though: Seek and save the lost and link people up to Jesus because there is life therein.
On June 10 I spent the night in the town of Oyuguis and drove 30 minutes into the village to attend the village church called Ombek Church of Christ. We met with leaders under the trees and discussed the growth of God's Kingdom in the area and how the gospel chariot has helped reach people deep into the villages. I then encouraged the members and Tom and I left for a long journey back to Nairobi, but stopped off in Tom's home village where he is from. You can see a Christian school for the community similar to what we have seen. It is wonderful to see how brethren work in the big cities, but never forget their village and people.
Tom and I then left for a 6 hour drive to Nairobi. I had breakfast with the Opondo family before returning to South Africa. I have left Kenya a better man in Christ and so thankful for what I have seen and what God is doing through the Gospel Chariot in East Africa. There are plans for a second Big Gospel Chariot that will be working out of East Africa in the next year. Exciting, exciting developments. Thank you brother Tom Opondo and all those who welcomed me.
Amen - our bibles, purchased and printed in China, arrived in Kenya in late June and we got a surprise bill of $20,000.00 due to the import taxes and having to purchase a container to store them in. To God be the Glory. Thank You Lord.
GHANA
The chariot worked in the Eastern region and impacted both church members and the rural community at large. Evans reports that some churches have been struggling with "backsliders" and low membership but with the chariot's help they have had some members returning to the church and some new members added. The chariot workers had the opportunity to study with Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, African Christian Church and others. One of the African Christian Church leaders commented: "The church of Christ truly preaches the message of Christ".
The chariot team also helped out at the funeral of one of the brethren (by lending them the public address system) and they reported that the community were amazed by the unity displayed by the local congregations. As a result many gave themselves to Christ after the funeral. The work in this area was blessed with 32 baptisms and 91 students were enrolled to WBS.
ZIMBABWE
Machona Monyamane, who works out of Pretoria with Dimpo Motimele, has been one busy missionary. Machona went up to Zimbabwe on invitation and taught day after day at the Nhowe Mission Gospel Week encouraging high school students. 65 souls were baptised into Christ.
Machona then headed to Namibia to meet up with us where he helped with our Namibian lectureship and from there off to Pretoria and then on to Durban and then back to Bronkhorstspruit with some US campaigners. Amen, keeping it simple and working the community. God bless Machona. We then met up with them in Venda on June 15.
We also heard from our Zimbabwean team of Auswich and Chris. They worked in Iron Duke, Birchenough Bridge, Chetsanga church of Christ at Murewa and with the Machongwe church of Christ in Mashonaland.
IRON BARK: Back in Iron Duke after a previous visit, they spent time door knocking and teaching in an area of the village they had not visited before. They also had some studies at the homes of the existing church members as well as spending time in the evenings teaching the men how to lead worship services. Two people were baptised during their visit to Iron Bark.
BIRCHENOUGH BRIDGE: Manicaland Province always hosts an annual Gospel Meeting and this year it was a Birchenough Bridge. The GCM team helped to advertise the gospel meeting around the area by handing out pamphlets, talking to people and visiting public businesses to invite the locals. The also went out to follow up with and encourage the local brethren to uplift them ahead of the Gospel Meeting. Four families were restored and two souls were saved. The GCM team also had the opportunity to preach to the Police Force at their Police Camp. They report that the Gospel Meeting had an unusually large turn out and they believe it was a direct result of the preparation and work beforehand.
MUREWA: The local preacher asked the Chariot team to come and help his evangelism efforts. It is a house church of 35 - 40 members. They pitched the tent and used the PA system to draw people to the assembly point. They had the opportunity to teach twice and 8 people were baptised. The village headman was also in attendance and commended the church for their good work in the community.
MASHONALAND: The Machongwe church of Christ in Mashonaland invited the GCM team to come help them. They have been worshipping together since 2002 and have 20 members - yet have a big church building which could accomodate up to 250 people. The team did door knocking, visited with church members, had 23 bible studies with unchurched people and also taught every night for five consecutive evenings. Six souls were added to the church and four were restored.
VENDA
On June 18 we had a wonderful day of worship and preaching in different congregations as we split up. You can see our visitors from the US - from left you can see David Brookman, Ken Graves, Ron Smith, Rob Moore, Don Noles, Mike Nocodemus and also our own Machona Monyamane.
It was wonderful worshipping with our brethren and partners in missions. It's this Tshidimbini Church that helps us cross over into Zimbabwe and Mozambique, but also oversees our short term school in partnership with the Park Plaza Church of Christ in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This is a program where we see Africans reaching Africa for Jesus. It was wonderful to have our brethren from Harding University, namely Ron, Ken, Mike and Robbie, who had just completed a week of teaching Mathematics and Science at the local school in Bronkhorstspruit, where Machona Monyamane lives, and reaching a community. Thank you brethren for coming our way and pouring your life into the lives of others.
While in Venda we also had the opportunity to distribute bibles to some of the schools and presented the children and staff with their own bibles.
The last weekend of June/first weekend of July the GCM team helped out at an outreach programme in Tshifudi which was organised by the churches of Christ in Venda. You don't get much better than this when teams unite and brethren work together. You can see the Venda Mini Chariot working together with the Big South Africa Gospel Chariot, but also the short term students helping in more ways than one. 27 souls were baptised during this outreach programme. Bongani says it's been cold, due to Winter setting in, but despite the cold weather, many have come out to hear the Word of God.
TOGO
Willie reports that the Gospel Chariot Team heads out into the community early every morning. They distribute tracts and WBS correspondence courses. They speak to the High School students as they are on their way to school at 7 AM - the Togo teams goal is to get their tracts and lessons into the hands of all High Schoolers around Kpalime before year end.
The team also visited Gbalave, a small community 7 kilometres from Kpalime. The team is working on a church planting in this area and they are preparing the way by holding early morning Bible devotions over the PA system coupled with tract distribution and one on one bible studies. This yielded one baptism and resulted in a group bible study at the home of the new convert.
Kpalime has had eight baptisms during May and June. Willie tells us they have had to suspend all their open air preaching as the rainy season has arrived. They will be spending time visiting with existing congregations to encourage and strengthen them.
BENIN
George reports that the chariot has been working in Abomey, Zinvie (Dokomey), Tanguieta, Nanagade Village, Kpetissohoun Village and Nagbene Village.
The team spent three nights teaching in Dokomey and had many young people come to the meetings. They handed bibles out to those who came.
The chariot was in need of some new tyres and a new projector so these were replaced at the end of May before the team headed out to Tanguieta in the North.
Four new congregations were planted in Tanguieta during January and February so the team went back in June to encourage the new congregations. They hosted some open air meetings and this resulted in 10 baptisms. Jonas then visited them again a week later and reported another 4 baptisms.
The visit to Nanagade Village came about because the villagers noticed that Jonas had been travelling through there frequently and they wanted to know why. When he explained to them that he goes to preach in the next few villages they started asking about the church and wanted a church in their village too. Two people were baptised during Jonas' visit there and they have plans to go back and work the area some more. They did have an appointment to go out and baptise just over 40 people, but the bus unfortunately got stuck in the mud and it took them four hours to get out. By the time they arrived to baptise the people, only two were still waiting there.
The church in Kpetissohoun Village is doing well and they are building a meeting place. The team went there to encourage the new congregation and they taught and baptised 10 new converts. Below shows Jonas (far left) standing with those baptised at Kpetissohou.
The visit to the vibrant church in Nagbene Village was very fruitful. George reports there were 17 baptisms. He also reports that they are busy building a meeting place as well.
LIBERIA
At the end of May Isaac sent the following report. What a servant of the Lord. We have to upgrade this man's mini gospel chariot to a Big Gospel Chariot next year so he can extend God's territory to the 4 countries around him. Please pray for this.
"We went out as sowers and conducted two gospel campaigns in two communities outside Monrovia - to be specific, at Morris' farm and Lower Johnsonville - in the month of May and the good Lord blessed the efforts with 11 baptisms, 7 and 4 respectively. The team was led by Brother Alfred Bryan and other ministers, Gospel Chariot Missions and WBS and was totally involved with logistical, financial as well as material support (tracts). The Johnsonville campaign on night two was interrupted by heavy rain yet we give God the glory for the sunshine in the day hours that allowed for the four souls to be baptised and added unto the church. We blessed the new congregation with three bundles of zinc (roofing sheets) as the rain has been posing serious problems for them during worship services and church meeting days.
We are now in the raining season and this will be slowing down our campaigns and outreach but the good news is our radio program does not bow down to the rain or the sun."
NAMIBIA
Through the power of God we planted out first congregation in Namibia in 2002 in the capital city of Windhoek. Since then we have been blessed to plant a number of other congregations as well. It has been a hard slog of pioneering work due to the difficulty of foreigners getting work visas. We have reached Namibia from afar, having campaigns into the country, and now we have a mission base in Tsumeb with facilities and all. This is where we have a mini chariot and a short term bible school based out of. Below you can see a whole variety of activities and a campaign with visitors from America. We need to thank Dimpo Motimele and Mike Knappier who are our key campaigning missionaries to Namibia and then, thanks also, to the Fredericksburg Church of Christ and Benton Church of Christ who have helped us over many years.
Mike teaching in a rural community under a tree. Just doing church in their space.
Mike teaching at the Gospel Chariot short term school in Tsumeb.
Mike teaching at our long weekend lectureship in Tsumeb.
Before the lectureship Zonge Xoshe returned home to Pretoria at the end of April after his turn teaching at the school and Lazarus Munetsi finished up teaching at the end of May. Lazarus reported 14 baptisms and let us know that things went very well in Tsumeb. They traveled out with the mini chariot and got the communities excited about the approaching campaign and lectures.
Lazarus teaching a group under a tree and baptising a number of them. Amen, God's word is powerful.
Talk about teamwork - from Mike Knappier, Dimpo Motimele, Zonge Xoshe, Lazarus Munetsi and our local Namibian brethren. Not even myself in the picture. Now that's exciting! Please pray for Namibia and all involved.
On May 25 a team of campaigners, from Fredericksburg, TX, joined us in Tsumeb for a campaign and the Tsumeb Lectureship. Thank you Fredericksburg.
Mike, Dimpo and Laurence having a lighter moment about Kingdom work.
Above and below some of the evening gospel preaching that took place during the gospel meeting and lectureship.
And faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God. Above you can see Lazarus teaching and below you can see Bob helping to get the portable baptistery ready for some souls to be baptised.
Christy and daughter, Courtney Lefan, from Fredericksburg teaching the little ones. Amen, how wonderful is that. Diane Knappier also worked with the little ones for over a month. Thank you all.
Zonge Xoshe teaching and myself encouraging the brethren.
Mike Knappier teaching the men's class.
Tommy Lefan and myself have a lighter moment with our mini chariot evangelist Laurence. God Bless Laurence and family.
Above shows the entrance to the Tsumeb facility where we have a congregation that meets and a short term bible school. We need to thank the Hillsboro Church of Christ in Nashville who donated this building to Gospel Chariot Missions for us to continue with what they started some years back.
Above shows Machona and Lazarus at the graduation of the students and below shows Zonge teaching. We, as a ministry, use Nations University curriculum and the wonderful thing is when our short term students go home they can continue studying online and ultimately get a degree in Bible. That is what this young man below is doing - Zonge went through our short term school and now is a teacher and youth minister who is on fire for the Lord. Go Zonge!
Above shows some of my inner circle when it comes to Gospel Chariot Missions. Machona Monyamane, Lazarus Munetsi, Dimpo Motimele, Zonge Xoshe and not there is Bongani Mabena and not forgetting good friend, brother and mentor, Mike Knappier.
The guys flying home after work, work and work, no - fun, fun and fun! Haha!
ZAMBIA
After their fruitful meeting in Limulunga, where 13 souls were baptised, Lyman and Robert then travelled on to Livingstone. They report that the brethren are zealous to reach out and let people know about Jesus.
Chariot 2 continued its travels through Zambia. They held meetings in the Southern and Western Provinces and were encouraged by the way the Churches of Christ have worked together to reach so many and baptise so many. From here they headed on to the Northern Province and then through Malawi.
At the end of May the Chariot had moved on to Kalomo and despite Winter setting in, the team had great turn outs at their meetings.
Brother Justine Siandunda, who preaches there in Zambia, heard about out Namibian lectureship taking place and traveled all the way to Tsumeb to be with us and meet his Namibian brethren. Wow, what a leader wanting to know more about missions and neighbouring brethren.
By mid-June Lyman and Robert were progressing nicely through Zambia. They worked in Chimunsi, Jasi, Kaphika and Mwanika and these photos below show them at Sinda Central. You can see brother Christopher Banda preaching. How wonderful the chariots work in the rural areas.
MALAWI
In late June Robert Hara finally got to rest and go home to his family. Lyman Mpharo is continuing with gospel meetings, but now in their home country - Malawi. They will rotate and both get to be with their families. Lyman reported that the first tent meeting back in Malawi was at Luwerezi in Mzimba District from June 23 - 26 and it resulted in one restoration and 1 baptism.
Please pray for Lyman as he continues having gospel meetings in Malawi.
SOUTH AFRICA
CHARIOT ONE
In early May Bongani spent time in the Limpopo region with Chariot One. He reported that one soul was baptised into Christ and that the young congregation in Limpopo is growing and that they are about to build a building for worship. Please pray for our brethren and their vision to grow the church.
Bongani and his team on the chariot then moved on to Burgersfort where they went about encouraging high school students, communities and the local brethren. Winter began to set in which always makes it harder for our teams as they conduct open air teaching, but they did not let the cold weather stop them and many chose to be baptised.
In mid June Bongani and Chariot One were still in Limpopo and it was cold! See the blanket during the night preaching. God is Good.
See the school children being encouraged spiritually as well.
DURBAN
It was so good to visit with our guys in the Inner City of Durban on June 1. They are (left to right) France Molefi, Paulus Sotetsi and Leslie Khumalo. Paulus and Leslie are the World Bible School evangelists and France the lecturer at the full time Bible School. Great work with some big changes coming year end. Please pray for us all as we navigate into the future. Brian Lister, who preaches at the Queen Mary Church and also a board member of our GCM work, is our long time partner in all this Durban mission work. "Team Work is Dream Work". Thank you Lord and thank you to all the brethren who make this happen.
WESTERN CAPE
As I arrived in Kenya on my multi-country mission trip, I got word about the fires that swept through Knysna and Plettenberg Bay. I could not believe what I was hearing. Plettenberg Bay is my home town when in South Africa. The fires were devastating.
I then started getting e-mails from brethren in Cape Town and Empangeni wanting to help. I linked them up to Lazarus Munetsi, our Gospel Chariot Missions leader in the area, and he took control and received R35,000.00 and got to work and distributed to the needy. Those most affected in the church of Christ were our Malawian brethren staying in shacks in Knysna. Lazarus rushed and assisted them and will continue. Thank you Lazarus and thank you to our Cape Town and Empangeni brethren who helped. Please pray for all affected in this devastation.
Lazarus reports that we were able to help 13 families from the church and one other woman, who is not a church member, but who they saw needed help so they provided what they could for her. He said it was so good to see that "the church cares for its members, even those they have not met". As a result of the generous contribution from the churches in Cape Town and Empangeni they were able to provide much needed kitchen utensils, food, mattresses and clothing for the brethren in Knysna.
PRETORIA
Machona helped with our Namibian lectureship and from there went off to Pretoria and on to Durban and then back to Bronkhorstspruit with some US campaigners from Harding University who taught Mathematics and Science at the local high school. Amen, keeping it simple and working the community. God bless Machona. Let's all pray for this effort. We then met up with them in Venda on June 15. Below shows Robby Moore and Ron Smith helping the school students at Althea School.
