New Vigor in Kenya for Missionary Outreach

"Your booklets have helped so much in this ministry,” wrote a worker in Kenya. “As we go out every day to the Kenyan people and preach salvation, these booklets help us reach people who aren’t ready to commit their lives to Christ and people who have just committed their lives to Christ, showing them exactly what it means to be saved. They truly have changed thousands of people in Kenya.”
Situated on Africa’s eastern coast, Kenya was an early focal point for the pioneer missionaries of the 1800’s and is now considered one of the most extensively evangelized countries in Africa. The legacy of these early missionaries and those who followed is that Kenya is a base for Christian outreach in Africa, with 36 percent of the population registered as evangelicals. Kenyan believers are also carrying on the tradition of evangelism, reaching into surrounding countries.

Henry Mulandi, of African Christian Mission International (ACMI), serves as WMP’s national coordinator for Kenya and has been a faithful distributor for many years. In a visit to WMP last year, Brother Mulandi spoke of the great value he places on the WMP material he receives because of the loving sacrifice and donations given to the Lord which make it possible to print and distribute it free of charge. He spoke of receiving a new vigor and encouragement for the work as he realized just what it takes to send his supply of Scripture booklets. Henry reported that 25 percent of the booklets in the 40-foot container they received the previous year was distributed to various parts of Kenya within a month. “The WMP Scripture booklets have been a great tool in presenting the gospel and availing the Word of God to all sorts of people in a simple way.”

A new shipment of 4,200 boxes of booklets in twelve languages is being prepared for Kenya. With the requests came the note: “Thanks a lot! Many are getting saved by reading the booklets and lives are being transformed daily.”
   Francis wrote from Nairobi, “I am very happy to let you know that I borrowed one of your booklets, called The Way to God, from my friend. . . . Reading the booklet was a blessing, [teaching me] spiritual development and my need to be saved. Since then, my life is changed. I stopped being the way I was, and now I am a new creature, a new person, in Jesus our Lord. Please, send me more and more Scripture booklets. I am ready and well prepared to listen, share, fellowship, and evangelize nonbelievers in my community and entire remote areas.”
   This wonderful testimony from a new believer in Nairobi demonstrates the missionary vision of the Church in Kenya. Brother Mulandi’s focus continues to be on training Kenyan believers to go with the gospel. Another person, formerly a director of discipleship training, moved to the Democratic Republic of Congo to start a church in a land devastated by war. “He is defying all odds as he enthusiastically and passionately reaches out. He has taken a great step of faith.”
   ACMI is also reaching into southern Sudan to support the Christians there, including teaching and training leaders who can help rebuild and re-energize Sudanese believers, who

have suffered so much. In each of these outreaches, Kenyan believers are taking WMP Scripture booklets—to leave a message that will remain long after the missionary is gone.
   WMP also works with Every Home for Christ in Kenya, focusing mainly in the areas of the Maasai. Hunger for the Word of God remains strong in Kenya, and many areas are yet unreached. Through the vision of Kenyan believers, God’s Word and love will reap a harvest of precious souls.
   [A contribution of $100 will enable 2,500 people in Kenya to read of God’s saving love; a $25 gift will reach 625 people with the gospel.]

   Christians in Pakistan suffer daily intolerance, attacks, loss of homes and families. When confronted by anger and suspicion, they are responding in true Christian love. Orphans and widows are helped; meager resources are shared with those in need. WMP is blessed to provide Scripture booklets in Urdu for many who are faithfully sharing Christ in so many ways in Pakistan.
    Evangelist M. uses WMP Scripture booklets in church planting and outreach: “We have a heart to plant new churches in rural and backward areas. The basic purpose is to revive, establish, and plant churches. We have planted five and are praying to plant more in 2006.”
   Upon receiving word of a new supply of booklets he wrote, “Thank you so much for your love, fellowship, and encouragement. We are thankful to our Lord and faithful friends who have a burden to share the Good News here. Our wish is that we can use this material throughout Pakistan to bring many souls to Him. . . . Thank you so much for providing the booklets. These are so good and we use them in our distribution campaigns.”
   When parts of Pakistan were destroyed by earthquake, Brother M. worked to gather assistance and resources to help meet the needs of those left

injured, suffering, and homeless. “Praise God that He provided this opportunity to sow the seed of the gospel among earthquake victims. Otherwise, these are restricted areas. You cannot preach the gospel or openly evangelize there. We have been praying for these areas for the past 15 years. Praise God that we never lost hope in Christ to reach the unreached.”
Another Pakistani believer was introduced to WMP by a friend in the USA. Naomi S. and those associated with her are earnestly seeking ways to reach people with the gospel. Through

Sunday schools for children, WMP salvation coloring books in English will reach children and their families. Through evangelistic outreach, WMP booklets in Urdu are revealing God’s Word to many who have never known His love. “We are going to feed the Gypsy people. There are almost 200 who are Muslim, but in addition to food, we want to share with them the Word of God. Please pray that through [practical assistance], people will listen to the Word of God and [their lives will be changed].” These believers also responded by sharing blankets, food, medicine, and love with many earthquake victims.
Persecution may not abate in Pakistan, but God’s children are showing the truth that God’s love transcends circumstances and that it truly changes hearts and lives.
[A gift of $50 provides Scripture booklets for 1,250 Pakistanis; a $200 investment would provide 5,000 booklets filled with God’s Word.]

Rose Goodman finished her race on February 24 after a short hospitalization during which she blessed many by encouraging words and quoting Scripture after Scripture.

   She and Watson (who died four years ago) co-founded World Missionary Press in 1961, when they returned from 16 years of missionary service in South Africa.
   The story of how God led them together, to Africa, and to begin WMP and how God grew the work is written in Footprints of Faith, a 64-page booklet which includes 16 pages of photos. It is available free on request.
   Rose Amelia Stair was born near Plymouth, Indiana, to godly farmer parents. Every morning before the six children scurried off to school, their father, Harry C. Stair, would gather them together for Scripture reading and prayer. And Rose never forgot the times when the family gathered around the piano to sing hymns and songs while her mother, Lillie, played.
   When Rose was 14 years old, the family was driving home from church when their car skidded on gravel and overturned. She cried out her first really earnest prayer, “Oh, God, save me!” and promised to seek Him with all her heart. All eight in the car survived without injury, and within two weeks Rose yielded her life fully to God. Peace filled her heart, and right there she felt God’s call to be a missionary in Africa. For her, AFRICA meant “As For Rosie, I Consecrate All.”
   At Marion College (now Indiana Wesleyan University),
God provided for every need through timely gifts and by cleaning faculty homes. Not to be deterred from Africa, Rose did not date. But God intervened! When told about a student who witnessed to hitchhikers on the highway and asked if that was far out, she said, “Oh, no! I’d like to meet someone like that!” His name was Watson Goodman. At times she would sing for his jail ministry. Both graduated with degrees in theology and were chosen to be listed in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities.
   Rose has an amazing legacy because she trusted and obeyed and was happy in Jesus. In Africa she was principal of a training school for young black women (the last letter read in this life was from one of them), helped establish a Bible school (still operating), reached more than 2,000 children and youth weekly in five townships, and published “Joy” magazine for children (precursor for the “Joy” series of Bible studies published by WMP).
   At WMP she served as treasurer for 16 years (before daughter Vicky relieved her) and wrote eight titles, born out of her burden to reach lost boys and girls of the world. Most titles number in the millions of copies published.

In 1991 WMP president Jay Benson returned from India burdened for the millions of children. He asked his mother-in-law to write a small booklet especially for children. Rose was overjoyed and wrote all 48 pages on her knees. This past year alone 16,785,800 were printed for 4¢ each—now WMP’s most-requested booklet, as it appeals to adults as well. It has been printed in 101 languages.

   Rose was a prayer warrior, a student of God’s Word, an active witness. She had learned to be content and to praise God in everything. She was also a beloved wife, mother of four, grandmother of three, and great-grandmother of three (Noah Daniel was born February 14).
   March 1 was a day of celebration and praise as Rose’s “tent” was laid to rest—the anniversary of significant life events, including the joyful announcement 63 years earlier of their engagement to marry and serve God in missions. E-mails from around the globe join us in expressing both joy and sorrow on the passing of “Mama Rose” to Glory.
   [The service, including clips of Rose speaking, will be available on video/DVD/cassette tape. Gifts to WMP in Rose’s memory will be used to print more of her books.]