Back to Africa...for a Visit!

 

Seemingly God is answering a rather long-term prayer request and is opening the way for Laura and Ruth to return to East Africa next month (November)! Plans are to visit three African nations--Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Uganda--meeting Beth Baleke, our Ugandan co-worker and friend, in Ethiopia and traveling with her the entire month. Your prayer support during this time is much appreciated.  (See Prayer Zone for some specific requests.) Ministry plans are still coming together, but here's the schedule as we know it at the present time:

Nov. 2 - Depart from Moncton at 5:10 AM, to Toronto, to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, arriving Nov. 3; staying at the SIM Guesthouse.

Nov. 5 - Puppet Workshop for Sunday School teachers in Addis Ababa, working with Scripture Union Ethiopia National Director, Solomon

Nov. 6-7 - Values Training for staff members of Scripture Union Ethiopia, maybe introducing the Purity module

Nov. 9 - Fly from Addis Ababa to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Nov. 10 - Values Training for staff member of Scripture Union Tanzania, maybe focused on Self-Control, working with Scripture Union National Director, Stellah

Nov. 13 - Fly to Arusha, Tanzania; conduct a Puppet Workshop for volunteers

Nov. 14 - Values Training at USSF University, Arusha, TZ

Nov. 15 - Values Training at Makumira University, Arusha, TZ

Nov.. 16 - Fly back to Dar es Salaam

Nov, 18 - Fly from Dar Es Salaam (via Addis Ababa) to Entebbe, Uganda; overnight at the AIM Guest House, Matoke Inn

Nov. 19-21 - Visits in the Kampala and Jinja areas of Uganda, including Scripture Union Uganda and the VOICE Africa team

Nov. 21-22 - Values Training for Volunteers at the Calvary Church Compound, Jinja, Uganda

Nov. 23-30 - Perhaps worship at our former church, Kampala Baptist Church; visiting old and new friends and ministries in Kampala and Jinja areas

Nov. 30-Dec. 1 - Fly from Entebbe, Uganda, to Rome, to Toronto (12 hour layover), to Moncton, NB, arriving Dec. 1, 11:48 PM

Dec. 2-10ish - Recover from jet lag, catch up with Mom Bonney and others, hopefully update this blog with a report and some pictures. Somewhere around Dec. 10, Ruth will return to New Hampshire, spending at least one night with one or more sisters in Maine.  

The End of an Era

 Before focusing on "the end of an era," celebrate with us over a huge answer to prayer. Both of the East African projects we shared previously have been abundantly funded through donations. Praise Him!  

• Tanzania: Swahili Self-Control module, to be printed on all 3 levels – the goal was $20,000 USD...and God has pushed that over the top! 

• Ethiopia: Amharic translation and printing of the Purity module on the Secondary level – the goal was $5,000 USD...and yes, more than that has been given! 

AND we know that at least one gift has not yet arrived. This week, a VBS in Maine is collecting money to go toward the Ethiopia project. Ruth plans to join their VBS this Friday, during which they will reveal how much they have raised which will then be submitted to SEND.

We’re excited, and even more so are Scripture Union Tanzania and Scripture Union Ethiopia. SEND readily agreed that any excess can be put toward conducting trainings to equip churches and Christian groups to use these modules once they are available.

THANK YOU to each one who gave toward these projects and prayed with us. As we praise our faithful God, please ask God that both of these projects will be used to reach more children and youth with God’s standard of Self-Control and Purity and introduce them to our Savior and Lord.

We've so enjoyed sharing such victories and answers to prayer via this blog which initially was updated weekly. Then following retirement, it went to monthly and more recently to bi-monthly. We did some research and found that the first "Lion Sighting" blog was published in August, 2013, and this is the 278th blog! However, as Proverbs reminds us, there is a time for everything. And we feel this is the time to conclude our regular bi-monthly blog...the end of an era. 

THANK YOU, dear friends, for joining us on the journey of cross-cultural ministry first in the Philippines and then East Africa. God has answered your prayers and blessed us tremendously through your interest, kindness, and support. Praise God with us for His faithfulness! It's been 43 years since God called us to work together as co-workers. We can never thank God enough for the many prayer and financial supporters, friends, that He has given to us. You have been such an encouragement and blessing. To God be the glory!

Besides this blog, we have also concluded the Bi-monthly Concerts of Prayer. But, we are more convinced than ever of our need of prayer. A local church will be piloting a face-to-face Missions Prayer Focus, probably starting in September. We anticipate keeping in touch with workers on the field including East Africa. If you are interested in joining this prayer initiative, please be in touch with Laura (lbonney2@gmail.com).

(Having said that this is our final bi-monthly blog, we may still use this avenue occasionally for special happenings...like if God opens the door for us to return for a visit to East Africa later this year. We hope you don’t mind.)

Three Thrilling Clips from recent communications regarding VOICE Philippines

 (The first two clips are from VOICE Philippines.)

1. “Amazingly, when a former Cebu VIC [Values Instruction Class] student of more than 10 years ago died, our Cebu champions - who were the student’s former teachers - were allowed by the parents (even from another religion) to hold a necrological service for him. The Gospel was shared and many received the Lord. Truly, trust relationships built open doors for Gospel proclamation.”

2. “We are pleasantly surprised that Life Gospel Church-Payatas is blessed with dozens of young people attending and participating in worship services even in less than two years of teaching VIC, visiting and following students up, and inviting them to youth fellowships.”
   
   (This third clip is from Jake Leyenaar, former SEND Philippine missionary who also served as the previous VOICE Philippines Director, now semi-retired in Canada. He has kept in touch with a large church in southern Metro Manila where godly values have been taught for many years.)

3. “More or less routinely they [the Metro Manila church] have a jam-packed 2-page Sunday bulletin, plus a 3^rd page giving an update on their outreach which is anchored by the VOICE values curriculum. I was nearly blown away the other day when I read that they currently have ministry in 22 public schools, sharing God’s word with over 16 thousand students weekly...Plus they’re active in follow-up with the students’ families. Let’s praise God!”

Two Numbers to Think About

 

The First Number

4148 
in 2024!

According to VOICE Philippines records, coming from the churches’ reports sent to them, during this past calendar year, 4,148 students put their trust in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior as a direct result of being taught Biblical Values in their school classroom. Praise God for such abundant fruit and pray for wisdom and perseverance in following up each profession.

In case, that number makes you uneasy...

• Stating a number of professions does not necessarily mean that each one was genuine and life-changing—only God knows that. But it does indicate a good direction and for some, true faith.
  
  

• In keeping with VOICE’s commitment to avoid “proselytism,” most of these professions of faith have been made outside the school during followup activities for the values students planned by the sponsoring church, usually held in the church. In such case, on-going followup and discipleship is very doable. Pray with us that more churches will go the 2^nd mile to hold followup activities.

And the Second Number

2

Financial Projects

Between now and the end of June, 2025, we would like to see God bring in the final amounts needed for both of these projects:

 

1. Printing of the Self-Control module in Swahili for Tanzania on all three age levels. Many have given sacrificially toward this but when the totals are calculated, we are still $4,000 USD short of the print cost of getting Self-Control printed in Tanzania. 

2. Translation and printing of the Purity Module in the Amharic language (Ethiopia) on the Secondary level only. At this time, we are also $4,000 USD short of what Scripture Union Ethiopia tells us is needed. A New Hampshire Ladies’ Group gave an initial $1,000 toward this project.

PRAY:

Would you please bring these two projects before the Lord as we trust Him together for His promise of Matthew 18:19:

“Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.”

Please share with any prayer groups that you are a part of.

GIVE

If you sense God’s nudge to give toward either of these two projects, please be sure to designate your desired project:

VOICE Africa, Tanzania/Swahili or
VOICE Africa, Ethiopia/Amharic

Both Canadians and USA can give on line – SEND.Org/give
You will not find either of these projects available in the drop-down boxes (they are too small), but you can give “where most needed” and then in the box at the bottom of that window, please type in one of the two designations listed above. If you have trouble, email Ruth (ruthlhaynes@gmail.com) or
Laura (lbonney2@gmail.com)

Or you can mail a cheque, again be sure to add one of the two designation statements above

SEND Canada
1-22423 Jefferies Rd., RR
Komoka, CA N0L 1R0

Or

SEND International
Box 513
Farmington, MI 48332

Both of these projects are only open until the end of June, as per plan.

Thanking you in advance