SOWERS INTERNATIONAL

Explosive growth in the church in Africa brings a demand for input from our most experienced Sowers. It is wanted by those in existing rapidly growing locations. Additionally, churches in new countries are calling SOWERS to come and train them.

Today SOWERS Regional Director for Central Africa leaves for 4 months in Africa. Will you join us in prayer for God's anointing on them, their ministry, and the growing work in Africa? During these four months they will be ministering in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Malawi, Uganda and Kenya.

Would you pray that the Lord will give them insight and wisdom, health, strength and stamina equal to the task? Would you pray that the many complex travel and other arrangements will work out? Would you pray that the Lord will cause their ministry to bring much glory to His name?

Update

Good news from Emmanuel this afternoon.  He went to the hospital in Kasama where he lives for a check up on Friday.  He texted us to say: "I went to the hospital in Kasama yesterday and have started some physiotheraphy. Two days a week for four weeks.  Thanks for your prayers, encouragment and support".

We are encouraged because:

1. He is getting better
2. He did not have to travel the 820kms to Lusaka for the checkup.
3. He can have physiotheraphy in Kasama.  This is a new service.

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Update

Emmanuel was taken to the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka for x-rays and then returned to the Italian Orthopedic hospital on Friday so the results could be read. He was in a lot of pain when I visited him. The doctors found he has a spinal dislocation and recommended that he remains in bed without any movement for three weeks. If the pain doesn't go, then he will have to have surgery. He is staying with a friend in Lusaka and is very thankful for your prayers. He is asking for your continuing prayer.

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Please would you pray for Emmanuel, a Zambian Level 4 Sower?  He is a great guy with a young family. He is currently in Lusaka, 820km from Kasama where he lives with his family. He came to the Lord through a SOWERS open air meeting about 1987, attended a Bible College for three years and has been a valuable assistant to John in the Northern Province.  He has been working with the Zambian Bible Society for the last five years. In an e-mail received today from John, he wrote,

"Dear Selwyn & Christine
Emmanuel was called by Bible Society to tell him that the Program will not continue, but on his way to Lusaka he felt sick. He met the staff and he was rushed to the hospital.  In the spinal cord down from the neck to the waist is where there is at one part before the joint of the two legs, it is like the nerves got even swollen and it brought a severe pain. So it needs special medication, another thing he had high BP and they have also said they have found the heart problem.

Yesterday he was in bad pain and he was crying.  His wife called the family so one of his older brothers has travelled to Lusaka. This is what we know here but still he is on observation and medication.
John"

Thanks for your help.

Big decisions lie ahead regarding Chile. Years ago a Chilean named Eliseo was trained in the SOWERS' Program and used it for a period before taking on different missionary work. That has now ended and this gifted man is available to take up ministry with SOWERS, initially part time. Please pray with us for wisdom as we seek God's direction.

Regional Directors Selwyn & Christine have been travelling through the region encouraging and training National Boards and individual Sowers. In sometimes trying conditions this amazing couple are doing a huge job in building an effective work in the region. Pray for health and strength, for insight and wisdom, for strength and safety.

Update - Thank you for your prayers. Selwyn & Christine have completed this round of travel and are now home in Australia. Please contine to pray for them as they report back to their Board and supporting churches, groups and individuals. Pray that more prayer and financial support will result as they speak of the work of SOWERS in Central Africa.

Sadly, Sowers in several countries were struggling for sufficient funds to feed their families even before the recent worldwide surge in food prices. Now they are worse off than before. Please pray with us for partners who can meet part or all the support needs of these dedicated Sowers. If you are talking to such a person, perhaps you could point them to the S O S on our Projects page.

A country in turmoil - millions have fled to neighbouring countries; a third of the population is dependent on food aid. How would you manage in such a situation? Pray for peace, for stable government working for all citizens, for safety and enough essentials for all. Please pray also for Sowers working in this troubled land and for wisdom for the National Board as it seeks to guide the work.

Update - there is plenty of food in the shops but it can only be bought with unattainable foreign currency. So most people, including our Sowers, still cannot afford it.

Prayer answered and costs met. Praise God and thank you!

The wife of a keen Sower, Thandiwe's doctor thinks she might have cancer and needs a smear test and chest x-rays for USD250 .Along with so many in Zimbabwe they are destitute and cannot afford that or the USD80 needed for medication.

Latest - Tests came back clear. All issues resolved. Clean bill of health.