Stuck. Spinning wheels. Treading water. Stalled.

Any of these accurately described Clarence Mafaraikwa’s mission to plant churches in the heart of Zimbabwe—”—but that was soon to change. By God’s grace, with your prayers and gifts, his church grew faster and farther than Clarence dreamed.

Right out of the gate from his formal theological education, he was sent to plant a church in the remote village of Rusape. For purposes only known to God, unfortunately, that church never took root.

The reason for its lack of growth was no mystery. Clarence remembers, “The church could not grow, and I faced many challenges, because I lacked experience in developing the church, to the extent that I didn’t perform to the expected standard. I was transferred.” After Rusape, he found himself called to the dusty, remote, fading, and forgotten village of Empress Mine.

Despite the disappointing results of his earlier efforts, Clarence was determined to see God’s kingdom expand.

Empress Mine’s local church had been devastated by a split, leaving many members hurt, jaded, and lost.

However, when Clarence arrived, he saw this was not like Sodom nor Gomorrah. Here, there were still followers of Jesus, though only a few. Sixteen of them became members of his church. Yet the church saw little, if any, growth for the next three years.

Empress Mine is a particularly difficult village to witness to. It is deeply impoverished, sparsely populated, and thinly sustained by the mine.

In the 1960s and 70s, the mine reliably produced nickel and ore, providing regular work and income. In the 80s, it closed and residents have been struggling ever since.

Hoping to find anything of value, makorokozas (or “artisanal miners”) flock to the village from other parts of Zimbabwe or neighboring countries, bringing drug use and a very real propensity for murderous violence.

Occasionally, when makorokozas find something of value, their relatively high spending attracts children, many of whom leave school for the mine in the hope of having a future.

The mine isn’t the only place where hope is misplaced. Though Zimbabwe is a self-proclaimed Christian nation, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and traditional African religions are all prevalent, the latter being the most common in Empress Mine.

Seeing these challenges and the people affected by them, Clarence still believed that “there is a need to engage people in this community with God’s Word to bring light into the dark.”  He toiled to bring that light.

Despite his best efforts, his church didn’t grow. Not because he didn’t have the deepest desire to see people receive Jesus in their hearts and their minds, but simply because he didn’t know how to effectively reach them.

Finally, God answered his prayer and led him to a fellow church worker. Pastor Mpingiza told him about Bible League’s Church Planter Training. This program, as Clarence heard, transforms local churches in even the most remote villages of Zimbabwe like Empress Mine.

Over the next year, Clarence learned about the thing he was missing from his earlier theological education: engaging with people.

Though his education focused on understanding who Jesus is through the Bible, Church Planter Training focused on people understanding Jesus.

To reach the lost of Empress Mine most effectively, he needed to meet people and build real relationships. To build the church, he needed to invite them into small group Bible studies and not only share the Gospel, but explain it to them. Once a small group was established and participants became believers, Clarence then needed to show them how to reach their neighbors.

This training taught him the process and provided the physical materials needed for small groups: Bibles and Bible study booklets.

These materials are specifically designed to engage people relationally and walk them through the Gospel in small group settings. At the study, group members are given Bibles of their own. Through the study, too, he would have the opportunity to identify the leaders and train them to be evangelists.

This training is vitally important, Clarence says, “because it worked as an avenue and a door of a breakthrough in my ministry, which allowed me to grow, to realize who I am, and to fully preach Christ.” Now, working with Bible League, he says “The biblical materials we lacked as a church are of the past now… Bible League came as a rescue point for my ministry and congregants.” Clarence now had the Bibles to give and the training to effectively reach the lost.

By engaging his community, sometimes as simply as going door-to-door, Clarence had testified to Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and others, telling them that while we were born into an earthly family, we are born again into Christ’s family (John 5:5-6).

He developed relationships with them, invited them to this small group, and shared how Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6).

For the Christians in his community, “They thought I was directing them toward another church. A great deal of resistance existed. Eventually, they began to cooperate once they saw it was all about Christ.” For all who persevered through studying the Gospel, they also received a Bible of their own to hold, read, and share.

It wasn’t long before his church started growing. His initial small group grew as they invited their friends and family.

In fact, the Holy Spirit was bringing so many people to the church, Clarence needed to begin training other leaders to facilitate more small groups. Once identified, Clarence invited them to attend Bible League’s small group Bible study training. Like the loaves and fish, God eventually took the one group and turned it into six—more than Pastor Clarence could have ever dreamed of.

His dreams grew bigger.  He wanted to reach the surrounding areas, and God blessed him. “I planted churches in Ngondoma, Bhamala, Samabwa, Mangwarangwara, and Totororo. Additionally, a small group is still growing into a new church in an area called St. Peter’s… The Church Planter Training brought growth into the church and expansion into other areas, which I never thought was possible in a brief period.” All these churches, because of the partnership with Bible League, have Bibles, Bible study materials, and trained leaders to sustain and continue growth.

Today, when Clarence looks back on how God has blessed the ministry in Empress Mine and beyond, he says the programs have “proven impactful and valuable for the church’s growth, a church that I did not know how and when we would grow spiritually and in numbers. Bible League’s training is a comprehensive approach to developing the church spiritually and morally and meeting the social needs of this community.”

From stuck to moving, spinning wheels to traction, treading water to progressing, stalled to advancing.

This is Clarence’s ministry now, by God’s grace and love for His people. Just in time, God led Clarence to Bible League and provided Bibles and Bible studies.

The kingdom expanded and grew. God brought the light of the Gospel not just to Empress Mine, but to multiple other villages. “I am so grateful,” says Clarence, “to you for being part of my ministry, family, and life. It brought about a great deal of change in my life. Through Bible League, we now provide people with Bible access.”

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”
Galatians 6:9

He said, “Hurry! Go into the streets and alleys of the town. Bring me the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame… The master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and the country roads. Tell the people there to come. I want my house to be full!’”  Luke 14:21,23 ERV

• The table is set.
• The food is hot.
• The time has come.
• All that’s needed are the guests.

The Master wants His servants to extend the invitation to fill His tables.

Across the world, God’s servants, working through Bible League and generous donors like you, invited some 2.8 million people last year to the Lord’s banquet. For context, that’s about the population of Chicago.

In Burundi, a small country in East Africa, the Master’s servants have brought a staggering number of guests to the Father’s feast!

• Since 2022, the ministry has grown 30%, serving 28,000 people last year.
• Bible League has reached more than 22,000 each year in that country, that’s an average of 70 people per day over those three years.

Genard, provides a great example of a Master’s servant, using the Bibles and training you provided.

Genard is a vibrant young man with clear eyes, straight white teeth, smooth skin, and thick black hair. When he speaks, the red-bricked and tin-roofed huts echo his perfectly rhythmic, pure, and full voice. As with many men in their 20s, he chooses active words like: “help,” “thank,” “pray,” “study,” “apply,” and “live.” Neither Burundi’s steep mountains, thick foliage, nor sweltering heat are enough to hinder his purposeful strides across the dry, rust-colored streets. It’s not hard to imagine that when Genard speaks the Gospel, the listener is eased, relaxed, and inspired to move.

Much like Moses when God called him, Genard was originally reluctant. “I didn’t want to do ministry because I had little knowledge about ministry,” he says.

What Genard did have was the voice required to proclaim a message and a heart for the Gospel. A lack of knowledge is far easier to address than an unwilling heart. Genard, a lifelong Christian, already believed “that Jesus’ blood has forgiven us.” The more he prayed, the more he felt prompted to learn how to share the Gospel. There are few places easily accessible to learn, but by God’s grace, there were Bible League-trained teachers available to teach and walk with Genard.

Genard enrolled in Bible League’s discipleship and evangelism training. This training helps new leaders see, connect, and develop relationships with others around them. The leaders then invite these new friends to participate in a Bible study. These trainings equip new leaders like Genard with the Bibles and Bible study materials needed for evangelism. There is no cost to participate—donations/gifts from people like you provide everything needed for these trainings.

Genard saw an opportunity in Burundi’s public schools to actively encourage teaching the Gospel. Wasting no time, Genard began teaching in several local schools. One of the school’s students is Vadeste, a reserved 15-year-old with the frame of a much younger boy (Burundi’s recent civil war caused poverty and malnutrition throughout the region). Genard shared God’s famous invitation, “For God so loved the world, that he sent his only son…” Vadeste accepted those words and testified, “Because Jesus died for me, I decided to obey Him.”

How? By taking Proverbs 14:12 to heart: “There is a way that people think is right, but it leads only to death” (ERV).

This verse, he says, helps him understand to “not follow deceivers.” Of his personal character, he says, “I could lie and insult others, but now I no longer lie or insult.” God touched the heart of another teen in the same school, 15-year-old Irankunda. After hearing the Gospel, she can now recite its essence. She says, “God paid the price for our sins because Jesus died on the cross.” She adds, “We are created in God’s image, I no longer cheat on exams.” She wants others to know of the Gospel, too. She advises her friends “to read the Bible and know God’s will.” These Bibles come because of your prayers and gifts.

The more time Genard spent watching teenagers like Vadeste and Irankunda grow in their faith, the more he came to realize there was much more work to be done—more than he could do by himself.

He asked himself: “What about their parents? What about those who don’t have children in school?”

He was already spread too thin. He needed help. Back to Bible League for further training.

This time, his training was on training others to build those relationships. He says, “I wanted to be a trainer because there was a need to know God in churches as well as the schools.”

With the help of those he has trained, Genard believes he has been able to reach over 10,000 people in the past two years with the Word of God. According to young Genard, “Almost 100 leaders in different local churches” are using Bible League’s Bible studies to share the Gospel. He knows, too, that there’s more work to be done. With a vast majority of people living under the poverty line (less than $1.90/day), hundreds of thousands can’t afford Bibles, and even more need Jesus in their hearts.

Genard is one of the thousands of volunteers around the world who carry out Bible League’s ministry. Each one gives sacrificially of their time and limited resources to see the Gospel brought to the nations.

God’s servants come in all sizes and areas of the world.

In Bangladesh, Bimal and other volunteers are on their way to reaching 100,000 a year, read here.

Together, volunteers in Burundi, Bangladesh, and Chile served over 192,000 people last year.

Genard speaks for all of us at Bible League: “May God bless you and multiply blessings on you.” With you, God’s kingdom comes!

Thanks to you, a young woman’s life is filled with hope

You would never know it by her quiet, gentle demeanor, but Abigail’s life was haunted by darkness for many years. This 20-year-old woman suffered torment from Jinns—evil spirits in Islam—believed to have been passed to her by her grandfather.

These demons strangled her, left her in despair, and pushed her to the brink of taking her own life. Her family sold land and sought help from witch doctors and Islamic Sheikhs, but nothing worked. “My biggest desire was to be free from the spirits that tortured me. My life before turning to Christ was so hopeless,” Abigail recalls.

A new hunger

A couple of years ago, Abigail visited a friend in Sirari—a town in northern Tanzania near the border of Kenya. The friend invited her to a Bible League Bible study. There, she found the freedom she craved. As the group prayed for her, everything changed. “I felt something leave my body. Suddenly, I felt light and free,” she says. Abigail gave her life to Christ that day.

Her hunger for freedom became a hunger for God’s Word. This became an anchor for her new life in Jesus. The Bible study lessons fueled her faith. Abigail gushes, “I really enjoyed being part of the Bible study group as it was the source of my complete physical and spiritual transformation. The Word of God released me from the bondage of fear, sin, and evil spirits. It transformed me from a hopeless life to a hopeful situation.”

Choosing Jesus

After finishing her booklet, she received her first Bible. This is only possible because of friends like you. She beams, “I was so happy one day when our class leader gave me a Bible. I read my Bible every day. Your loving care has renewed my life by the grace of Jesus. There aren’t enough words to value your gift to me.”

At first, she struggled to tell people about her new faith. She notes, “However, since going through the Bible studies, I feel more confident and well-equipped with the right knowledge of the Gospel.” Even when her family struggled with her conversion from Islam, she stood strong in her new faith. Boldly, she declares, “I chose to put Jesus above all.”

Sharing her story

Today, as she looks around her community, Abigail sees the same hunger for the hope of the Gospel in the faces of others. Through Bible League’s ministry in Tanzania, 13,000 more people were reached with God’s Word in 2024 compared to the previous year. The hunger for the Gospel continues to grow.

Thanks to the Bibles and the training you provide, people like Abigail are finding the healing and freedom they so desperately craved. And they are spreading the Good News to others. Abigail explains, “Now, whenever people ask me about my old condition, I use the same opportunity to tell them about Jesus Christ who delivered me, saved me, and healed me completely.”

God desires for all people to repent and be saved.
His mission is to use every opportunity, every channel, and every willing person to reconcile humanity to Himself. The Bible illustrates this in the life of Joseph. God used Joseph’s intended harm to display His power and draw his brothers to truth.

What Joseph’s brothers meant for evil, God used for good. He used Joseph’s suffering to bring forth His ultimate purpose and plan (Genesis 37; 38-50 ERV).

Joseph went from being his father’s favorite to his brothers’ foe.
He began in a pit, went to the palace, and was sent to prison for attempted rape.
He lost the comfort of a loving home and father, peace of mind, and credibility.
He had to rub shoulders with common criminals.

 But God was at work between the ups, downs, and uncertainties. And shaping His grand purpose.
Joseph left prison with God’s guidance, returned to the palace, and eventually reunited with his brothers. It all turned out for Joseph’s good and God’s glory.

God’s Hand

Like Joseph, Joao’s story is one orchestrated by God. He went from living a comfortable family life with an excellent job to being charged with theft and sent to prison. Joao lost everything: his family, career, and credibility. He also battled deadly HIV while incarcerated. But like Joseph, God wasn’t done; He was just beginning.

What might have crushed Joao brought him a deep sense of purpose and transformation. Joao unearthed profound resilience and a great conviction to change himself and others. Joao grew up in a Christian home but became rebellious and stopped attending church. Alcoholism and smoking bound him.

Ironically, he married a God-fearing wife and allowed his family to attend church.
“I was happy with it,” he says. He had everything he wanted: a good family, a decent job at a television company, and experience in teaching Portuguese. “I used to think that the devil took care of me. But I found out it was God who took care of me.”

In prison, Joao encountered Bible League and loved reading the Scriptures.
There was no entertainment to distract him, only sleeping, eating, and playing soccer.

After four months, Pastor Jaime Guite, Bible League Mozambique’s National Director, spoke to Joao about introducing the ministry’s Bible study program in his prison. Days later, the program commenced.

The prison didn’t allow inmates to own Bibles, but Joao was an exception. The prison leaders trusted him and allowed him to receive a Bible from Pastor Jaime.

He worked for eight months with Bible League, which aided his change.
After graduating from the program, he trained as a Bible study facilitator, an easy feat with his teaching background.

The Bible study booklet inspired him to change.
“I saw there was a need for transformation. That helped me to be born again and become who I am today.”
Christ’s redemptive love for Joao is prominent. When asked who Jesus is to him, he exhales with profundity and responds in a rumbling voice:

“Jesus is my Savior; He saved my life. Salvation is saving not just the body but the soul. Jesus is the one who lifts me. So, for me, Jesus is my redeemer. When I speak about Jesus to people, they must see Jesus in me.”

He draws inspiration from 2 Corinthians 5:17, “When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new!”

The Need

Joao shares the vast need in prison and his community: “The poverty that we face in and after prison is dire. The prisons are full of sick people who lack access to good healthcare, and there’s only one meal a day in prison. Thus, young people engage in desperate schemes to survive. It’s critical to share the Gospel constantly in prison.”

His community needs study materials and seeks local-language Bibles. They appreciate Bible League for providing training and a free Bible after completing the Bible study program. Other organizations do similar work at a cost that doesn’t favor the people.

“Keep helping us with the booklets and the Bibles. We are no longer the same because of their provision. I desire to see my church (the congregants) involved and living as a church of Christ. That will make me so proud of our teachings,” says Joao.

Coming to prison led Joao to a loving Father who accepted him despite his sins. God began working in him and through him. “Now that I am a Christian, I understand, but before, I didn’t. They sent me to prison, but God wanted me there to evangelize. God used my gift to share His Word,” he explains.

God’s Purpose

One night, Joao heard a voice in his cell saying, “Start doing the work today.” The next day, he moved to the central prison. There, he started doing God’s work. When he arrived, he no longer wanted to continue smoking and became a prayer warrior and teacher. He believes that his call that day was from God, who prepared him for the work.

At the central prison, inmates treated him like the boss. The prison director chose him to teach Portuguese studies in grades 9 and 10.  He was busy from morning to 10 pm. He was assigned a room and an inmate to cater to him—and afforded time to study Bible League materials and prepare lessons.
Guards even gave him medicine for his HIV. “I share my testimony because I have the disease, but I am still alive. Other inmates died in prison.”

Joao mused about the favor upon his life. He thought ‘doing the work’ meant teaching Portuguese but realized it was imparting God’s Word. “God calls us not because of our abilities; the Holy Spirit is our teacher,” he affirms.

Everywhere Joao goes, he radiates God’s light despite spending two weeks in the hospital from a blood clot in his leg. While there, he prayed for the sick and most were healed, including himself.

Today, he visits the hospital, and nurses ask him to pray with them. They believe in his God and his prayers.

God’s Goodness

After four years in prison, Joao was proven innocent and freed. The items he was accused of stealing were recovered at the port. Joao was a changed man; he realized that his imprisonment was to draw him back to God.

He notes, “Many people go to prison as bad people but become worse after learning unhealthy habits. But I left everything in prison: cigars, drinking, and philandering. I believe God baptized me.”

Thankfully, his family welcomed him home. One thing he did right was to improve his understanding of Jesus. He enrolled in Bible school, and his church ordained him as a pastor.
He also trained in the Bible League’s Church Planter Training program. He continued facilitating Bible studies for the inmates.

“I never stopped being a Bible study facilitator because I believe God’s Word is powerful. People who have never had the opportunity to read and study God’s Word still need salvation. Thus, I am thankful to the Bible League and all the programs they provide, for they positively impact lives.”

He launched Bible League’s Bible study program for 300 people in Zion Church. Later, he taught his community, where he now has a church. All that took place because of Bible League’s work in prison. He also started Bible studies at home and later at the church. As people delved into God’s Word, many turned their backs on their former religions. The Holy Spirit began to transform their lives.

Joao affirms that Bible League material has been so valuable in his life. He gushes, “Thank you for providing us with Bible study materials. I use them to teach about the transformation of minds. I like that the Bible League material is straightforward, incorporating the Bible, and it helps to bring about greater changes.”

He has trained pastors and prison officers to prepare the inmates.

Those who heard the Gospel have been converted.

Three of his friends saw his transformation and changed. Similarly, many of the inmates he ministered to in the central prison were freed. His prayer is for the prison administrators to be more open to the Gospel.

Though out of prison, Joao grapples with post-prison effects, trying to assimilate back into society.
He struggles how to balance serving God with being available for his family. “Sometimes, I don’t attend family events because I do God’s work. I leave for work early in the morning and attend Bible studies late at night. My children and grandchildren hardly see me.”

“Bible League is doing an excellent job. You’re always welcome in Mozambique because of your excellent work,” he ends.

Pastor Joao’s redemption story is remarkable.

He lives with daily hope, serving the God who saved him.

He desires to write a book about his prison experience and impart the hope of the Gospel to the world.

It is true that you planned to do something bad to me. But really, God was planning good things. God’s plan was to use me to save the lives of many people. And that is what happened. Genesis 50:20 ERV

Those in Zion who mourn. I will take away the ashes on their heads, and I will give them a crown. I will take away their sadness, and I will give them the oil of happiness. I will take away their sorrow, and I will give them celebration clothes. He sent me to name them ‘Good Trees’ and ‘The LORD’s Wonderful Plant.’ Isaiah 61:3 ERV

Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not death, life, angels, or ruling spirits. I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us, or nothing below us—nothing in the whole created world—will ever be able to separate us from the love God has shown us in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 ERV

“That is why we never give up. Our physical body is becoming older and weaker, but our spirit inside us is made new every day.”2 Corinthians 4:16 ERV

Can you remember the day you received your first Bible?

I want to invite you to attend a Bible study graduation ceremony.

I want you to experience the immense joy and gratitude these graduates experienced when they finally received the Bible they’d been expecting so eagerly.

Join me on my visit to Kemange, a village in Tanzania’s northern Mara Region.

Joyful Worship

It was on a Friday afternoon in October. Pastor John Mwita, Bible League’s ministry leader in Mara, drove me across bumpy, unpaved roads to Kemange.
As we approached the sanctuary, the sound of joyful worship reached our ears.

Inside the sizable, concrete, tin-roofed sanctuary, I found a colorful crowd swaying in the pews to the happy sounds of an African-style worship song. A young man dressed in black sang the Lord’s praise, and the congregants responded in beautiful harmony., clapping their hands to the rhythm.

Their excitement was so contagious that I soon found my rigid Dutch limbs moving along.

Under-resourced

On the way to Kemange, we had crossed a small river. Pastor Mwita had pointed out that water is so scarce that the villagers bathe and wash their clothes in the same stream they drink from.

Can you imagine that?

Lacking essential commodities like fresh water and still rejoicing in the Lord?

Jesus says, “But anyone who drinks the water I give will never be thirsty again” (John 4:14). Kemange’s Bible study graduates gave me a new understanding of that verse.

That day, Kemange’s congregants gathered to celebrate their completion of the Project Philip Bible study program. Based on the story of the apostle Philip in Acts 8, Bible League trains “Philips” to help their relatives, friends, and neighbors study God’s Word for the first time. At the end of the course, the participants graduate and receive a Bible.

The expectation of having their own copy of God’s Word was the reason for that day’s excitement.

Following Jesus’ Words

The local pastor, Stephen Kijanga, was a stern-faced, mellow-voiced, yet passionate man in a dark brown suit. The only time I heard him shouting was when he opened the ceremony with a loud “Praise the Lord!” All the congregants responded, “Amen!”

In an introductory speech, Pastor Kijanga talked about the significance of following Jesus’ words. He quoted John 8:31-32, where Jesus says, “If you continue to accept and obey my teaching, you are really my followers. You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

Pastor Kijanga held up the two Bible study booklets his congregation had gone through and explained:

“These contain good teachings for the local church. They have instructions and guidance to help believers grow in Christ. However, the Project Philip Bible study program also benefits the world outside the church! It helps those who don’t know about the Bible to discover the Word of God and to learn about Jesus Christ. The program even gives them the Bible for free!”

The Word of God is Scarce

Pastor Kijanga took the time to point out how the Bible study program impacted his church.

“First of all,” he said, “the program has encouraged the believers to engage in the Word of God, which is very scarce in this modern world. Bible League made us love studying the Bible and continue learning from it. I’m speaking from experience because I was one of those Philips.”

“Secondly,” Pastor Kijanga continued, “Project Philip has brought unity to our church. Students come together in their groups, encourage and help each other to grow in faith in Christ, and unite while learning from the Word of God.”

Thirdly, the pastor praised Bible League for its sound biblical teaching. “We live in a world full of fallacies and wrong doctrines,” he said. “But with the Project Philip teachings, using the Swahili Easy-to-Read Bible translation, people now understand the message of God’s Word.”

Intensity

Before partnering with Bible League, the church in Kemange had several issues.

“We were very low in the knowledge of the Word of God,” Pastor Kijanga admitted. “It doesn’t mean that we didn’t know anything about it, but we lacked that intense way of loving the Word of God. Our morality was very low.

“However, since we started engaging in the Word of God through Project Philip, we have seen people becoming punctual and trying to be on time in church sessions.

“They didn’t want to miss the good teaching! As a result, we’ve seen the church growing day by day.”

“I want to end my speech by thanking those who brought this program here,” Pastor Kijanga concluded, referring to you, generous supporters of Bible League’s ministry. “May your work not end here, but take this project to other churches, too! I thank you.

“May God bless you abundantly.”

Plastic Chairs

The crowd responded with a round of applause.

From my position in front of the congregation, I had a great view of the attendees.

I noticed how beautiful the women looked in their traditional, colorful attire and the men and children in their best pants and shirts.

The church furniture consisted of plastic chairs in various colors, with the Swahili phrase Mungu ni Mwema (God is good) imprinted on the backrest. For Pastor John Mwita and me, though, there were fancy, big chairs in the front.

I’m sure it was an honorable place, but the imitation leather cushions made my already sweaty back even more sticky.

Yet, I enjoyed the event too much to bother.

Singing and Dancing

Pastor Kijanga ushered various singing and dancing groups to the floor to add luster to the celebration.

Many attendees were from the local Kuria tribe, and Pastor Kijanga announced they would now have a special Kuria song.

The music sounded somewhat monotonous and repetitive to me.

Still, the instantly enthused Kuria people came dancing to the front, formed some sort of messy mob, and started shaking their heads fiercely, up and down, up and down, while facing each other. It was a comical yet contagious sight!

AMEN!!!

Pastor Kijanga then handed the microphone to Stephen Mirumbe, one of Bible League Mara’s team members. As the area’s ministry coordinator, he was the one who introduced Project Philip in Kemange.

“Bwana Yesu asifiwe (Praise the Lord Jesus!)!” he greeted the congregation.

They answered with a loud “Amen!”

It wasn’t loud enough for Pastor Mirumbe, so he once again shouted, “Church, praise the Lord Jesus!” The “AMEN!!!” that followed was almost deafening.

“Based on the records in our office, we expect to graduate 112 Philips today,” Pastor Mirumbe declared.
“They attended the Bible study course to the end and will now be awarded a certificate and a whole Bible!” Cheers of expectation erupted from the audience.

“Let me tell you one thing, though,” the Bible League coordinator said. “Even though you are finished with these books and have graduated, don’t let it be the end of your learning. Don’t dismiss your groups, but stay together to learn more from the Word of God. If you keep your groups together for learning, praying, and evangelism, you’ll see the church grow! God bless you!”

Cultivating the Land

An African festive ceremony isn’t complete without all guests speaking a word or two.

After Pastor Mirumbe, it was time for our Regional Director, John Mwita. He started by appreciating the role of Bible League International.

“I don’t have much to say today,” he said after greeting the congregation. “Let’s read from Romans 10:15, ‘And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’”

Pastor Mwita closed his Bible and lifted it. “You receive your Bibles today through the ministry of Bible League International,” he went on.
“These are people from far away who care to send you God’s Word.

“You can compare it with a farmer who doesn’t have enough workforce to cultivate his land. You see, the farm is the Tanzanian Church, and Bible League comes to help us cultivate that farm.”

Do you see how much your support of spreading God’s Word is valued?

Even in that far-away church in Kemange, your efforts didn’t go unnoticed.

Do you feel the direct connection with these graduates as you are reading this?

Pastor Mwita wasn’t finished yet. “Through these brothers and sisters from Bible League, we are more powerful now,” he stated. “We see the church growing because they empowered us to spread the Gospel.”

Certificates and Bibles

More music followed, increasing the excitement and building up to the great moment when all 112 participants would receive their certificates and Bibles.“These certificates may seem simple,” Pastor Mwita told the crowd, “but you have completed something important, which you can add to your CV!” An outburst of cheering and ululation came from the congregants.

Pastor John Mwita then asked me to hand them their Bibles and certificates.

I happily accepted the invitation. Suddenly, the atmosphere changed from exuberance to solemnity.

To many graduates, this would probably be the only diploma they’d ever receive. A unique experience, indeed!

Pastor Kijanga called the names of the graduates one by one.

As they stepped forward, eager to receive their Bibles, I looked them in the eyes and saw a deep gratitude in them.

Some smiled, some softly cried, and others bowed their heads as I handed them their awards.

I realized I wasn’t just congratulating them; I was blessing them and sending them off as disciples and witnesses of Christ, their living Savior!

A Growing Church

When all the graduates had received their Bibles and certificates, the celebration ended with a passionate prayer and a final praise song.

Then, we enjoyed a time of fellowship.

Pastor Kijanga gave me a tour of the church grounds and showed me a pile of bricks at the side of the church hall.

“Through the Bible study program, our church is growing,” he explained, beaming with gratitude. “We have started many cell groups and won a lot of souls. Now, we even plan to extend the church building. All of that is because of the Bible League ministry.

“People have more desire to engage in the Word of God, and we still see more people coming.”

“That’s why, on behalf of the church, I thank God for Bible League.

“May this ministry prosper and progress.

“Please extend our greetings to the global Bible League family!”

And that…

dear reader, is what I’m doing now.

Receive the warmest regards from Pastor Kijanga and his church in Kemange, and know that your labor in God’s kingdom is not in vain!

Faneli, pictured above, center

Watering Seeds

Faneli desired to open a church, seeing how traditional beliefs hindered locals from knowing God. However, she didn’t know how to plant a church or where to start. She discovered Bible League’s Church Planter Training from a local pastor. She yearned to learn how to approach people, their cultures, and traditions. “The lessons helped me plant a church and are still helping me today.” She became the first church planter in her village since Zambia’s independence in 1964.

She also started praying with neighbors at her house. Faneli began her church with five members. Currently, she has 30. The numbers started growing in 2022, and her husband, a pastor too, began building a permanent structure to accommodate the growing congregation. They now hold prayer meetings from there.

Equally, God’s Word has impacted Faneli’s spiritual walk. Paul’s words in Romans 8:28 tremendously encourage Faneli. She knows that since she loves God, even if she encounters difficult situations, He will help her overcome them.

“We know that in everything, God works for the good of those who love him. These are the people God chose because that was his plan.” Romans 8:28 ERV

Resourcing Communities

Bible League has equipped Faneli with the skills to plant and lead a church, which she says has helped many people come out of darkness and get to know God. Learning about church planting has taught Faneli the unique features of church members and how to relate to them.

She has also learned to interpret God’s Word for her congregation. Bible League has easy-to-understand Bibles and Bible studies, enabling a congregation grappling with illiteracy levels to understand God’s Word. Bible League’s booklets have helped Faneli grow the church as she uses them for evangelism. More people in her community also look forward to Bible League’s next Church Planter Training.

“Thanks to Bible League for the Reaching Towards the Goal booklets and Bibles you provided us. These materials are helping us in evangelism, and we are winning souls every day,” she says.

With your support, you’re reaching souls daily through evangelism and providing biblical materials.

Faneli urges Bible League to continue providing training to enhance God’s kingdom: “Continue with the excellent work and train more church planters worldwide. We also request more materials as the number of people willing to serve the Lord keeps increasing.”