Around the world: Four cities, 93 baptisms
SATHUPALI, India — Minister Chorlian K. Samson reported 93 baptisms recently as a result of Bible classes he and other church members taught in cities across southern India, including Sathupali, Narsaraopet, Akividu and Hyderabad.
Most of the converts were ministers for other religious groups, said Samson, a minister for the Sathupali church and instructor for a church-run Bible school.
Bill Beasley, minister for the Lincoln church in Lincolnton, N.C., assisted in the effort. One minister traveled about 19 miles by bicycle to attend the classes.
Indian church members plan follow-up studies with the new converts, Samson said.
BOLIVIA
LA PAZ — Ministers Rufino and Juan Lopez presented a 10-lesson series titled “Que Dice Biblia” (“What Does the Bible Say?”) on a La Paz radio station recently. The ministers work with West Monroe, La.-based World Radio Gospel Broadcasts.
The ministers reported receiving many phone calls in response to the series — including a few from the radio station’s broadcast operator. “He has followed the studies for many years and has paid much attention,” Rufino Lopez said. “We hope that he’ll be baptized soon.”
BRAZIL
CURITIBA — Joaquim da Silva, Cicero and Nilza Balbino and Luis Bernardo completed their studies at the Bible Institute in Curitiba recently, missionary Alan Nalley said.
Da Silva and his wife, Elza, plan to move to the interior of southern Brazil and plant a church. The Balbinos and their two teenage sons plan to plant a congregation in Sitio Cercado. Bernardo will return to his home in Campinas to work with the church there.
The three states in southern Brazil have a population of 27 million and few Churches of Christ, Nalley said. Planting churches throughout the region “is a huge vision for the 300-member church in Curitiba,” he said.
INDIA
NALGONDA — David Watts Jr. visited churches in this southern Indian city to “preach to their preachers,” he told the Longview News-Journal in Texas.
Watts, minister for the Reel Road church in Longview, also visited the city of Jadcherla during his third mission trip to India.
“I think that Indian preachers are going to be the best preachers for the Indian people most of the time,” Watts said. “If I can strengthen them, then they can strengthen others.”
MADAGASCAR
ANTANANARIVO — Recent heavy rains and mudslides caused part of the Ambohijatovo church’s front yard to collapse downhill, church member Voahangy Rakotovaovahy said.
“We were advised to evacuate the place immediately as the whole building might also collapse,” she said.
No church members were injured.
Rakotovaovahy asked for prayers for those who lost their homes in the recent mudslides — and that the church would find a new meeting place.
MAURITANIA
NOUAKCHOTT — Members of a small congregation in this predominantly Muslim, north African nation use their knowledge of drip irrigation to introduce people to Christ. The members learned the farming technique at a workshop conducted by Nashville, Tenn.-based Healing Hands International.
A Mauritanian minister, whose name is withheld for security reasons, told Healing Hands that his countrymen “have discovered that this method is faster and economical in water usage.”
A Mauritanian who learned drip irrigation from church members was baptized recently, the minister said.
PARAGUAY
ASUNCION — Victor Gonzalez, Fernando Fernandez and Maury Yegros, members of the Sacramento church, completed a six-week course covering topics including song leading, serving communion, leading prayer and reading Scripture.
“The main focus of the class was to prepare young Christian men to conduct worship services without the help of North American missionaries,” said Enoch Rinks, a member of the Paraguay Mission team.
This year marks the end of the team’s five-year commitment in Asuncion. Some team members plan to return to the United States.
UKRAINE
RIVNE — Ukrainian ministers and church members from the Richmond, Va., area didn’t let freezing rain keep them from distributing 3,000 invitations to a gospel meeting in Rivne recently, missionary Rick Pinczuk said.
The group conducted the meetings and spoke at a shelter for abandoned children in this western Ukrainian town, where Pinczuk’s parents were raised.
Tommy South, minister for the Glen Allen, Va., church, spoke to more than 80 students at a Rivne university about historical records that confirm the existence of Christ.
ZIMBABWE
BULAWAYO — In the past five years, Healing Hands International has helped fund the drilling of more than 200 water wells, mostly in Ethiopia.
The Nashville, Tenn.-based ministry expanded its program recently, funding the drilling of five wells in Zimbabwe.
Minister Hailey Mlangeni requested the wells to help churches in the Bulawayo area and to provide opportunities for evangelism.
Most of the converts were ministers for other religious groups, said Samson, a minister for the Sathupali church and instructor for a church-run Bible school.
Bill Beasley, minister for the Lincoln church in Lincolnton, N.C., assisted in the effort. One minister traveled about 19 miles by bicycle to attend the classes.
Indian church members plan follow-up studies with the new converts, Samson said.
BOLIVIA
LA PAZ — Ministers Rufino and Juan Lopez presented a 10-lesson series titled “Que Dice Biblia” (“What Does the Bible Say?”) on a La Paz radio station recently. The ministers work with West Monroe, La.-based World Radio Gospel Broadcasts.
The ministers reported receiving many phone calls in response to the series — including a few from the radio station’s broadcast operator. “He has followed the studies for many years and has paid much attention,” Rufino Lopez said. “We hope that he’ll be baptized soon.”
BRAZIL
CURITIBA — Joaquim da Silva, Cicero and Nilza Balbino and Luis Bernardo completed their studies at the Bible Institute in Curitiba recently, missionary Alan Nalley said.
Da Silva and his wife, Elza, plan to move to the interior of southern Brazil and plant a church. The Balbinos and their two teenage sons plan to plant a congregation in Sitio Cercado. Bernardo will return to his home in Campinas to work with the church there.
The three states in southern Brazil have a population of 27 million and few Churches of Christ, Nalley said. Planting churches throughout the region “is a huge vision for the 300-member church in Curitiba,” he said.
INDIA
NALGONDA — David Watts Jr. visited churches in this southern Indian city to “preach to their preachers,” he told the Longview News-Journal in Texas.
Watts, minister for the Reel Road church in Longview, also visited the city of Jadcherla during his third mission trip to India.
“I think that Indian preachers are going to be the best preachers for the Indian people most of the time,” Watts said. “If I can strengthen them, then they can strengthen others.”
MADAGASCAR
ANTANANARIVO — Recent heavy rains and mudslides caused part of the Ambohijatovo church’s front yard to collapse downhill, church member Voahangy Rakotovaovahy said.
“We were advised to evacuate the place immediately as the whole building might also collapse,” she said.
No church members were injured.
Rakotovaovahy asked for prayers for those who lost their homes in the recent mudslides — and that the church would find a new meeting place.
MAURITANIA
NOUAKCHOTT — Members of a small congregation in this predominantly Muslim, north African nation use their knowledge of drip irrigation to introduce people to Christ. The members learned the farming technique at a workshop conducted by Nashville, Tenn.-based Healing Hands International.
A Mauritanian minister, whose name is withheld for security reasons, told Healing Hands that his countrymen “have discovered that this method is faster and economical in water usage.”
A Mauritanian who learned drip irrigation from church members was baptized recently, the minister said.
PARAGUAY
ASUNCION — Victor Gonzalez, Fernando Fernandez and Maury Yegros, members of the Sacramento church, completed a six-week course covering topics including song leading, serving communion, leading prayer and reading Scripture.
“The main focus of the class was to prepare young Christian men to conduct worship services without the help of North American missionaries,” said Enoch Rinks, a member of the Paraguay Mission team.
This year marks the end of the team’s five-year commitment in Asuncion. Some team members plan to return to the United States.
UKRAINE
RIVNE — Ukrainian ministers and church members from the Richmond, Va., area didn’t let freezing rain keep them from distributing 3,000 invitations to a gospel meeting in Rivne recently, missionary Rick Pinczuk said.
The group conducted the meetings and spoke at a shelter for abandoned children in this western Ukrainian town, where Pinczuk’s parents were raised.
Tommy South, minister for the Glen Allen, Va., church, spoke to more than 80 students at a Rivne university about historical records that confirm the existence of Christ.
ZIMBABWE
BULAWAYO — In the past five years, Healing Hands International has helped fund the drilling of more than 200 water wells, mostly in Ethiopia.
The Nashville, Tenn.-based ministry expanded its program recently, funding the drilling of five wells in Zimbabwe.
Minister Hailey Mlangeni requested the wells to help churches in the Bulawayo area and to provide opportunities for evangelism.
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