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Testimonies from Kenya

Salvation or Religion?
It was in September 2011 when I went to Ziwani for a crusade. I had planned three days of Open Air meetings. During those three days I preached about Salvation only through Jesus Christ, emphasizing that many people confuse Salvation and Religion. I said a person can be religious and still not saved. All people are sinners by nature and need Salvation and not Religion. The Bible says, ‘All People Are Lost as Sheep.’ A lost sheep is in danger of being ravaged by wild beasts. That’s why the sheep need to be found and saved. With such simple words, two Moslems, a man and his wife, confessed Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. They told me that they understood the difference between Salvation and Religion during my explanation. They said, we have been religious and most Moslems are, but all needs Salvation. This salvation is only through faith in Jesus Christ. Religion is through anything man can do. ‘I prayed for them in amazement. I didn’t believe my eyes. Their names are Khamisi and Fathuma his wife. They assured me of finding and joining a church near their home. They also gave me their contacts that I can follow-up with them later.
STORY BY DICKSON KADENGE

No Waste With God.
In the month of July 2011, I made a visit to Port Victoria near lake Victoria. Visited six villages, two schools, and conducted thirteen Open Air Meetings. In general 653 people received Jesus Christ, but not even one person was won during my Open Air Meetings. So I was discouraged too much because I did a lot of work and no results. I just entered into prayer committing everything to God including any outcome. Amazing enough, at the very end of my last day to be in that area, at about 6.ooPM an old man of about 99 years old called Ogola came to the place of the meeting. He said, “Pastor, I’m now about 99 years old and yesterday during your preaching I prayed in my heart receiving Jesus Christ as my savior. Its only that I did not come in the front because I cannot walk properly. I have come pastor to confess Him openly.” I was very happy and I prayed for him and thanked God for saving such an old man. Before we broke up at that meeting, two guys of about 26 and 28years also came to us. One said, “pastor, you just pray for me so that God can save me. I have tried many things but still I feel void in my heart. I have heard you in your sermons saying that The Man Jesus can save anyone.” I prayed for him leading him to receive Jesus Christ. Later we found out that the boy was one of the gangsters in that area. The second one also said, “When you asked for anyone who wanted to be saved to pray behind you, I did that though I was in my house. Could you please tell me what’s next Pastor?” I told him, “now you need to confess him openly.” He confessed Jesus openly before us. We thanked the Lord together and leant that with God no waste. We are to preach and leave the results with Him. God can use every means that He will supply us to save at least one soul.
STORY BY JULIUS OKWACH.

Does Jesus Answer All Prayers?
It was in August 2011,when I was at Mtwapa doing Evangelism there. It was during one of my visitation on door to door when I came into contact with Rose Mwanje.I introduced myself to her and asked her if I could talk to her about the great love of Jesus Christ. She responded by telling me that she had been a Christian for a long time and she had been disappointed by God and other pastors. The pastors promised her that God will provide a man to marry her, but all in vain. She is totally despaired since she is now getting 40 years old. I talked to her more about her relationship with God first to be most important thing in her life. After a good time of discussion she confessed to me that her relationship with God was not right. She just joined the family of God-the church but she was not born again. She knelt down and prayed to receive Jesus Christ as her personal Savior. Then I assured her of God answering her prayers. I told her to be faithful to God and learn to wait on God’s timing. God is never late nor too early but always in time. God will answer your prayer at His own time I assured her of that. We prayed together about her marital issue and left the matter with God. I did take her contacts so that I can follow-up with her. On 25th Nov.2011,I received a call from her telling me that God has begun to answer her prayers. “There is man who is about 42 years visited our church and asked me if I can marry him.” I also asked her to commit that man in prayer and seek God’s guidance. She said the man will come again to seal their engagement on 14th December,2011.She said, “Now I believe God can answer all prayers.”
STORY BY ALLEN DZUYA.

How A Rastafarian Gets His Salvation.
It was on last August 2011, we were having an Open Air Meeting at Watamu in Katikati Baptist church area. At that meeting one raster came out to confess Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. A Rastafarian is any man with long and shabby hair. At the coast in Kenya this is the term they are known for. It’s a kind of religion to them. Now the problem was with his long hair. Many of my church members wondered if he would be allowed in church with such hair. People real fear such people with that kind of hair because most of them are druggists or take all kinds of drugs. So I took him a side and asked him if he could shave or make up his head well when he will be coming to church on Sunday. He agreed and promised to shave his hair. On 28th August 2011, that was his first Sunday when he came to church. Many were amazed and confused thinking that he was not the man. He is now a member of the Katikati Baptist Church. He promised to win others of his former class to Christ in the coming days. At Watamu there are so many Rastafarian and are one of the hardest groups of people to reach with the Gospel. Many claim to be religious and that’s all. This man is 38 years old and is called Mazima.
STORY BY ZIYA ALFRED.

How an African Indigenous Church Leader was Saved.
It was on Wednesday September,2011 at Nandika village, I met a man of about 35 years old. He is called Ofwela. He had heard us preaching the other days and so he wanted to face us personal so as to hear much of this Jesus Christ we preach. He asked, “Who is that Jesus you people preach?. According to our religion we only believe Elijah Masinde to be the prophet of God and his church is called Misambwa. Our god lives on Mt.Elgon thus we are to visit our father there every year to receive his much blessings.”. We took good time to tell him about Jesus and God the creator of heavens and earth and everything that is in them. How and why God sent His begotten son and why all people needs salvation through faith in His son Jesus Christ. We told him that there is no salvation in any one else apart from God’s son. So Elijah Masinde and all other prophets were just men like us and needs a savior too. This man understood and prayed to receive Jesus Christ and even promised to invite us to his congregation and teach them that truth and those who will accept Jesus Christ he will ask them to start a new Godly church. He will arrange a week to invite us to his group. We always pray for that time to come.
STORY BY MOSES OSIMIYU

Pastor Charles Changala of Malawi

God's wonderful working power has been manifested at Kabango Village during an open air meeting we had there .The conversion of a Moslem chief, who then convinced others to accept Jesus Christ as Lord, created a historical land mark in this area.

It all started on June 28. In fact, my evangelism team organized an open-air meeting in this area of Kabango. So, as usual, we first contacted the chief of the area in order to get permission for our meetings to happen. We scheduled them to happen on July 2 and 3.

We thank God that this Moslem chief wanted to know more about our ministries so I thought that was my opportunity to witness to him, his wife and the other three men who were present with him. Indeed, God is at work in this area because, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, at the end of my sharing all were convicted and accepted Jesus as Lord. The chief's conversion led to the subsequent conversion of his seven family members and another eleven people whom we met on our follow-up program. This happened before the actual open-air meeting.

Another inspiring development occurred - the chief encouraged and mobilized his community to attend our meetings and that led to another 34 Moslems who declared their Christianity through their faith in Christ. At the end of the meeting I was encouraged and I gave out two Bibles and other literatures. Indeed, this was a blessing and a wonderful work from God through us. We thank God that the chief and most of the new converts have been baptized.

It's our hope and prayer that you will partner with us in prayers that these new converts continue to hold fast to the truth as we are equipping them on how they can also witness to the Moslems in their community.

Pastor Elias Kashambagani of Tanzania

Greetings with joy in Jesus Christ who gave this gift to us…

I came home on Tuesday afternoon very tired but with joy. Yesterday I did rest and today I had to read my mails {many}.

I have the joy because of what God is doing in people’s life. The Holy Spirit moves like the wind moving tree branches.

We had a good Muleba Baptist Association Seminar where 55 leaders attended. I taught about the gifts of the Holy Spirit and Rev. Augustin Kikata who is the Association Chairman taught about Stewardship. Our Nshamba Baptist Church Choir did sing and the people said that they are singing like Angels. The Holy Spirit did fall on leaders who repented of stealing God’s tithe and not using their gifts.

For four days, every day we had heavy rains but still we conducted open-air meetings. I did preach three times and Stephen did preach once. Sixty-three people got saved. This is why I have the joy. Nine of us from Reaching Souls are among those who attended. The number of salvations were divided among 9 missionaries and will be seen in May report.

On Monday May 15, I did plan to baptize those who gave their lives to Christ and I did. Eight were baptized. Before the baptism we had a worship service at Katembe Baptist Church. The Pastor is Edison Mwobahi who is one of our Reaching Souls missionaries. About 100 attended and 17 surrendered their lives to Christ. Edison has a good growing Church with a good choir. I wish you could see them. The building is small. Now they have started building a big and new one. They have built up to window level. They are collecting money and plan to make more bricks after the rains. They are working hard, pray for them.

That area of Kimwani where our two missionaries are working (Edison Mwobahi and Fabian Kalemile) is a remote area and lakeshore. There are many fishermen. I will plan with them, maybe in the last week of August or the first week of September, to have [outdoor meetings] there. That will be a good time because it will not be raining as it is now.

That is my joy...God Bless you in Christ

Philippians 4: 4 - 7

Pastor Boniphace Mponeja of Tanzania

Dear God’s servants,

Glory to God that the Lamadi LOAM was very successful – 2, 019 people received [Christ] during the project. These people were reached through missionary home visitation, open-air meetings and the Jesus film. The church was formed on Sunday, April 21st, with 18 adults and 23 children - praise the Lord! We left there a pastor to lead that new church…

Thanks…

Pastor Richard Mulupa Phiri of Malawi

Yusef Mahomed…he is a Moslem, he is married with 7 children, 2 boys and 5 girls. He stays at Nyenga village and is 53 years of age.

I held a revival meeting at this village of Nyenga, and it was the middle of July at 3:30 in the afternoon. I preached a message from the book of Genesis 3:1-13 and I referenced 1 John 1:9. There were 113 people who responded to the Lord, and Yusef Mahomed was one of them. He gave his life to the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior.

He joined Malabu Baptist Church and he went to Sunday school. After that he was baptized. Soon after, he began to share his testimony to lost people. As I write this letter, Yusef, his wife, and their 7 children are worshipping the Lord together.

Here in Malawi it is not easy to convert a Moslem to be a Christian. I know it is God’s power who did this.

I am still looking forward to give testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Moslems that they should receive Jesus as their personal Savior.

Pastor Elias Msumai of Tanzania

I.A.M. National Missionary

I do thank God for this ministry since I have been supported, spiritually and physically. This ministry has encouraged me so much. It is different from the beginning when I was serving without any assistance.

I worked voluntarily. Then my life was filled with spiritual and physical needs. Although I witnessed, I did not feel joy and peace because I saw my family in troubles for food, clothes, etc. I tried to be patient, but always I was in anxiety.

Reaching Souls has raised my ministry twice. Many people have been reached by the Gospel through me because I now have the instruments to express my vision and work with the bicycle, portable speaker, tracts, etc. Also, my family life is now looking good because of the financial sponsorship of Reaching Souls. My community respects me as a servant of Almighty God. My ministry has grown and become known in a large area. Now I can help people living further away from my former area.

Reaching Souls made me grow in serving God through the seminars I attended and the ministers I came to know through them. I learned many things which I didn’t know before. My life is now full of knowledge and experience.

Of service, finally I should conclude that Reaching Souls is the power raised by god so to fulfill Jesus’ commission in Matthew 28:19-20. Praise be given to the Lord and to all who have this vision. Particular thanks should also go to those contributing their property to enable us in the tasks of our Jesus. I do pray for them so that God will continue to increase their income. Let this ministry go ahead and help many enter in God’s Kingdom.

Pastor Fred Taabu of Uganda

Stephen is a young man who used to be a thief. He came to Christ and was changed. When we went for crusades sponsored by Reaching Souls, we met Stephen. He searched our bags looking for something to steal. He didn't take anything, but the people caught him and left the decision to us. I talked to Stephen about his situation and how Christ came to save him and forgive his sins.

Stephen didn't receive Christ at the very moment, but then at the crusade he came while I was preaching and he committed his life to Christ. Today he is an active church member in the new church at Kamigo. He is a smart boy who likes to witness and to sing for the Lord. One of the songs he likes to sing is his own composition in which he thanks God for saving him from being a thief.

Before he knew Christ, nobody could welcome him into his home, but after that he is so friendly and all people like him. Local leaders requested me to come back and preach in the village and neighborhood. They said if we preached many other bad people would be saved and there will be peace in the area.

I thank God for Reaching Souls for supporting me and others so we can reach out to others and make an impact on their lives.

Pastor Peter Ngaugula of Zambia

This is a story about a man named Stephen Lungu. He was a captain in the Zambian Army who called himself Captain Solo.

Captain Solo and others were arrested for trying to overthrow the government of Zambia illegally. He was put in prison for execution. I go to preach at this prison every week. At first he refused to attend the church services with other prisoners. He was very stubborn and rude to us.

But as we kept going to prison, he could overhear the Gospel messages. The Lord started to deal with him and he started sitting closer and close to our church service place. One day I noticed he had come to our meeting. When the altar-call was made he was one of those who came to confess his sins and accept Jesus as his Savior.

Although the high court found them guilty and sentenced them to death, Captain Solo is no longer afraid. He says even if I die today, God has forgiven me and I am going to heaven.

Please pray for him. He is still in prison.

Note: Stephen Lungu's death sentence has since been commuted to 20 years of hard labor by Zambian President Mwanawasa.

Pastor Funwell Tembo of Zambia

I wish to let you know that spiritual blindness is real and many lives have been attacked by the same spirit.

With respect to you I would like to show you a man who has been reading the Bible for ages. Brethren, it does not matter whether a person goes to church regularly. All we need to know is that spiritual blindness is real.

I met a certain man who was in his mid-seventies of age. And these people regardless of age are still surviving. It was during evangelism when I happened to know him. He was a Jehovah's Witness. When I approached him this man allowed me to share the blessings of God to him and he even accepted some tracts to read.

The most interesting part is that this man could not believe in the Trinity or in the power of healing. Thank God for He said that "my word is sharper than any double edged sword. It penetrates and separates the spirit and soul" (Hebrews 4:17).

I am a happy man because this man who happened to be a Jehovah's Witness believed in God and in ALL aspects of the Bible. This man was in pain, but he is believed God that He is our healer today. (His problem is stomach pain)

He needs our prayers always. His name is Gilbert Mutelo.

There are many people out there who need to know Christ Jesus more than ever before.

Pastor John Wandera of Uganda

Praise the Lord very much. I'm very happy with the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ for the miracles he has done in the Busia District. God has used me very much and I won 957 soul winners to Christ Jesus. Mainly I visited schools both primary (elementary) and secondary (high school). I praise the Lord very much to touch upon our people to change their lives from darkness to the light.

In a village called Bunyio in Namalemba sub-country we visited one of the homes whose owner was Assistant District Education Officer and Sports Officer. We met this man and he could not talk or walk and his wife told us the sickness has put him down for over one and a half years. We preached to them about the hope and love of God through Jesus and these people listened and at the end of our preaching they told us how they have gone to witch doctors and have tried all and everything but no change. So they believe in Jesus to be their personal savior and they request us to burn everything in their home which is under witchcraft after discovering the truth is only the Son of God - Jesus. So the whole village wondered how Jesus can change people and after one week he is experiencing change in his life and the whole family was being tormented but now they are well. No demons are disturbing them anymore. I thank God for saving that home and continue to pray for that man to walk and he talk. He is already serving Jesus. He is called Kawanguzi.

Pastor Daka Davis of Malawi

Mfuwe is a tourist area. It has lots of animals and is in a valley area. It receives average rain falls. The people in Mfuwe are finding it very difficult to plaint maize as our staple food due to the animals eating it. But in some other areas they plant maize. I was privileged to to go and conduct a crusade at Masumba in Mfuwe. While in Mfuwe I discovered that in eleven villages people were not going to their fields because of heavy rains and some of the villages left their houses because of water and were sleeping in church buildings. Of course this means that these people will not have food this year.

I had a chance of preaching the message of hope to these people. God used me mightily in that these people had no hope. They were hopeless. Thank God that the people understood and I have been invited to go and open a church after the rains around these villages.

We need to be open all the time to be used by God. God gives us an opportunity to share the Word of God. 233 people gave their lives to the Lord.