Newsletter – September 2023 – Poured Out For the Nations

Dear Poured Out Disciples of Christ Jesus,

When the Apostle Paul returned from a great mission journey he reported to those who had prayed and supported his Kingdom work. Similarly, I have a lovely report from our very blessed and fruitful Rwanda/DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) mission outreach.

“Now when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed. Now when they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.” Acts 14:25-27

In Rwanda I was greeted at the airport by our Watch Therefore Ministries team comprised of Pastor Herman Gatware, my translator Eric, and later met Caleb who is also part of the team. We celebrated their prayerful and diligent preparations for the four days of outdoor events that were about to take place. And, we gave thanks and rejoiced that the Lord had brought me safely to Rwanda.

Our Savior told us to go into the highways and hedges to bring them in:

“Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” Luke 14:23

I preached four days of outdoor events in two small villages. Churches in the area worked together preparing the villages with different forms of advertising that I would be there preaching. They had church choirs, special singing guests, local government officials, and more—it was a King Jesus celebration!

The turnout was a great blessing and in some of my preaching messages—when I gave an invitation to come and receive Jesus as Lord as many as 150-200 came forward to call upon the name of the Lord! I was so overwhelmed with thanks and excitement for our Heavenly Father’s grace and mercy! The Holy Spirit was truly moving in our midst.

The final preaching was in a small room with about 40 precious young people who Pastor Herman had pulled from the streets into a special program he has to deliver them from a life of many troubles. Four of them prayed to receive Jesus as Lord—one being a young Muslim girl in full Muslim dress. She was smiling ear to ear with the joy of her new found salvation in our Lord Jesus!

Donated funds were used to buy 248 Bibles to distribute and some of the new disciples were thankful and blessed to have in their hands the word of the living God. In all, we counted 531 that prayed to receive Christ in Rwanda—now off to DRC.

Bukavu, DRC is just across the border from Rwanda. I had not been there in many years and was thankful to return to Eastern DRC. Our work in DRC was in two churches and was a little different in that it was more discipleship—yet I still preached the gospel and precious souls did pray to be saved. The leadership in these churches is so very special and we have plans for ongoing work together.

These two churches are full of precious souls who fervently worship our Heavenly Father, His only begotten Son Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit. What joy we experienced together! And, this joy sits on the backdrop of a troubled place mired by poverty and many threats including outbreaks of violence. These Christ followers prayed heaven down in weekly prayer and mid-day worship meetings with close to 1,000 disciples of our Lord Jesus in attendance!

They gladly embraced the Watch Therefore message and so many committed to watch and be ready for the imminent Rapture as our Savior takes us home to Himself! In one Sunday morning church meeting 71 lost sinners found grace in the eyes of the Lord as they received Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior!

In all, we saw about 621 precious souls pray to repent and believe upon the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ! How many more received the Lord that we did not see? Only, heaven knows and that is the best part. The fruit of this trip can only be measured by eternity and you who participated are part of that fruit just as much as me!

Discipleship training for the new believers has already begun as we follow the command of our Savior in Matthew 28:18-20 to make disciples. A special thanks once again to Team Jesus Christ who prayed and gave for me to go (praying, giving, going). You can support this ongoing work even now as we support monthly our Watch Therefore team in Africa.

Most of all—may our Savior Jesus be praised!!!