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Women on Mission August 2017

Hundreds Come to Faith through Seed Distribution in Madagascar

        In southern Madagascar, severe drought and famine are ongoing problems for the Mahafaly people.  They’re often forced to eat crops they had saved as seed for the next planting season, which means the following year they will be unable to harvest enough food.  Then the cycle starts again.

IMB missionary Grant Waller met with key Mahafaly church leaders to discuss the overwhelming needs.  Though faced with immediate hunger, the leaders sought a longer-term solution.  “Don’t give us food,” they said.  “If you can, give us seeds.”

Grant received funds from Baptist Global Response to purchase 165 tons of peanuts, black-eyed peas, and corn.  The seeds were disturbed to 41,000 people in 55 villages.

In each location, villagers gathered under a shade tree, and each man, woman, and child received six cups of corn, four cups of peas, and four cups of peanuts.  The Mahafaly church leaders told the people that they trust God for a plentiful harvest.

During the distribution, 17,000 people heard a clear gospel presentation based on the parable of the four soils (Mark 4:1-34).  There are now 700 new believers and 33 new Bible study groups.  Mahafaly leaders also have been invited to share the gospel in 17 more villages.

“Now that the people have seed to plant, please pray God would send rain to the dry, parched land,” said Grant’s wife, Jodie.  “Pray for a bountiful harvest, not only in their fields but also among their hearts.”

We will receive the World Hunger banks back at the church on Sunday, August 20th.  These funds will be used by Baptist Global Response to feed hungry people at home and around the world.

Women on Mission will meet Monday, August 14th at 6pm at the church.  All our ladies are invited to join us for study, prayer, and fellowship.

Women On Mission July 2017

A FOCUS ON COOPERATIVE PROGRAM
 Accomplishing More Together. 

English Baptist William Carey answered the call to carry the gospel to India in the late 1700s.  He recognized that to be effective in his efforts, he needed partnership and cooperation.  He challenged churches to “hold the ropes” by committing to pray for and give to missions efforts.

In 1845, the Southern Baptist Convention was formed and continued in the spirit of fulfilling the Great Commission.  The initial approach was a societal method of giving.  Missionaries had to raise their own financial support and devote significant time to cultivating churches and individuals for that support.  As missions efforts grew rapidly, so did the competition for funding.  God led Southern Baptist in 1925 to launch a unified channel of giving called the Cooperative Program.  It is a lifeline of support that begins with individual believers in each Southern Baptist congregation.  As believers respond in obedience to give to the Lord in the local church, churches, in turn, allocate a percentage of undesignated gifts through the Cooperative Program for state, national, and international missions.

The simple principle that more can be accomplished together than alone is the genius of the Cooperative Program.  For almost 90 years, Southern Baptist have supported thousands of missionaries, planted multitudes of churches, and witnesses countless lives profess Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Can one local church support more than 6,000 missionaries as well as six seminaries and    engage more than 3,000 unreached people groups around the world?  By giving through the Cooperative Program, yes, it can.

Please continue to feed your World Hunger bank.  These will be returned Sunday, August 20th.  Women on Mission will meet at the church on Monday, July 10 at 6:00pm.  All our    ladies are invited to join us.