Serving the Persecuted Church in Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa
* Health update: I’m over my tropical bugs; but doctors advise me to first regain my stamina before returning to Africa. I’ve had a month of ‘archeological excavations’ in my mouth but I’m on the mend thanks to my super dentist. If only there was a TV on the ceiling!
* Prayer Partner Naomi retired to ‘Lookout Mountain Care Home’. She founded Christown Bible Study over 50 years ago. Thank you for your love and prayers over the years.
Thank you caring angel for this time-saving equipment
Thank you Piecekeepers for little girl dresses
Thank you caring angel for this time-saving equipment
Thank you Piecekeepers for little girl dresses
Thank you Piecekeepers for little girl dresses
Thank you special volunteers who added fresh labels. These help our clinics use when giving out meds
Donna thanks for taking on this enormous project so our senior African Christians can now read their Bibles
Thanks Judy for homemade cool neck bands, beads, necklaces, etc
Joe, Rt. Ctr, blue shirt & tie, with ministry leaders
Thank you Dick & Robbing for making blackboards for the children
Thank you Sandy & Team
Next stop -
CONGO!
Enough fortified food to feed 1/2 million children!
Teachers addressing the students
Older students in green and orange uniforms
Younger students during break time,
Angaim Village
Teachers Victor, Daniel, Peter, Daniel E. and Oswaha
Pastor John & Team get stuck en route. Here he's
clearing the road
Widow Sarafina, blind in one eye, supports 6 children
Inside Pastor John's church Sunday morning
Pastor Henry, Mama Josephine & children
John, Neville, Nereah and Abigail in their new school uniforms. Samuel's wasn't ready yet
Walter, wife Sylvia, Clinton and Cindy taken in 2012 before the baby, Angel, was born
The Last Days
General Gordon
Queen Victoria
The drums of Africa
Bush Telegraph Missions
© copyright 2015
Dear Lord,
“Thank You for the strength and knowledge that You gave to our founding fathers. Thank You for giving them wisdom and fortitude to do so with Christian Beliefs.
“Our nation has become one that good countries look up to and bad countries are jealous of, so You put us on the right track as a Christian nation.
“Please Lord, we pray for Your help so that strong Christian Beliefs are brought back into the United States, to our current leaders & to those that follow, and to our entire population as a whole!.
“We love You, need You, want You, trust You and thank You Lord.”
In Jesus Name, Amen [adapted, Desert Christian Archers]
Happy 4th & God Bless America!
* Oh dear! I wish there was room to list them all!
So many life-saving, useful donations.
THANK YOU!
*Friends who donated hundreds of empty prescription bottles (to be recycled); and
* The ‘Angel Pastor’ who GAVE us a laptop, printer & paper to make our work of entering data easier;
* Nationwide Vision, Donna, & Jill for over 150 pairs of reading glasses – even a few for children;
* Judy who sewed a gazillion ‘cool neck bands’, plus a box of pretty beads for crafty Congo ladies;
* Joe who hosted a special lunch for area ministry leaders – PTL for new friends & blessed fellowship;
* Dick & Robbin for dozens of homemade child-size blackboards & chalk;
ORCHIDS TO:
* Sandy’s Sewing Group in MI for their huge box of ‘little girl’s dresses’; undies; and assorted treasures;
USA BITS-N-PIECES
* Katie’s high school graduation was great fun for the whole family. Son John concocted an elaborate story as to why he and Lisa couldn’t make it. Later they appeared: “Surprise Mom!” Tears of joy!
CONTAINER UPDATE
The 1st Container of FOOD is fully funded; due to be shipped in early July. The 2nd Container - Relief Supplies - will follow. It is only 60% funded. We are buying the containers for the people to keep as they have many uses. Once I even slept in a very nice ‘container house’ – quite comfy, too!
SOUTH SUDAN
Letter from Pastor Sunlight, writing from Angaim Village, S. Sudan.
Dear Mammy & Bush Friends,
“… Here is a photo of the teachers you support, Rt to Lf: 1) Victor (black T shirt); 2) Daniel; 3) Peter; 4) Daniel E. (yellow T-Shirt); and 5) Oswaha. The other photos are Zion Primary School. Staff: 1) Victor is Head Teacher; 2) Flentino is Deputy Head Teacher; 3) Peter is Treasurer; 4) Oswaha is teacher; 5) Daniel replaced Taban who joined the police; and 6) Robert replaced Esbon who went to work for the government. Zion Primary School consists of 7 teachers (2 volunteers). Through them education in the community has improved…. Zion School competed with Payam District Schools in this area and placed first during their final exams….
“Three challenges Zion Primary School faces are 1) lack of trained teachers; 2) classes meet under trees and are interrupted in the rainy season. Our old classroom of grass and mud was destroyed by ants; and 3) lack of teaching materials. We are constructing a new school with 3 classrooms. The Angaim community laid bricks; collected stones; and carried sand from the river….”
Pastor Sunlight
[Note: we fund this building project]
CONGO
Letter from Pastor John.
Dear All Bush Mission and Mama,
“Thanks for … your appreciation for our Report. We look forward to the Container. I will apply for an Exemption Letter from the Government Secretary - so goods enter Congo duty free…. “I am pursuing my Masters Research in Theology…. The main subject is: ‘Spiritual Life After Traumatic Events: The Case of Women Victims of Sexual Violence in Post Conflict Period in North-Kivu Region.’ May God grant me the opportunity to defend this research at the beginning of July…. They need $750 for me to continue research. The Academic Secretary at my university said that this is the condition…. May God provide. “Pray for Pastor Viseke, who went to Leer, South-Sudan, with me. They chased him from his house because of the location fees. He rents a house like me…. May God provide an answer….
“Christians at my new church in Goma greet you in Jesus’ Name. Mama Maya, our main leader, gave us her compound for the church. She went on a trip…. Bandits came and kidnapped her; took her money and car. After a few days she got away … but lost all her things. We thank God she is alive. She had just begun her ministry….
“We are now in 7 days of prayer for the church…. The Christians are more than 178. Tomorrow I have a Conference at Bweremana (50 Km from Goma) in Masisi County. Pray for me.
“Our new church is called, ‘Jesus Christ, The Only Way’ or ‘JOW’ for short. God continues to do great things. In the photo I am praying for a child…. We will begin to build our new church this week…. We will begin small. Mama Maya and I lead the church. The government accepted our vision for the new church…. “For ‘Trauma Healing Ministry’ we are organizing three outreaches: 1) Olivier will hold a Conference at Beni; 2) at Goma we will set up a Conference for Street Children; and 3) a Trauma Healing Conference will be held at Rutshuru and Masisi County. Pray for us…. Thank you….”
Have a nice day in Jesus Christ,
Pastor John
CONGO, GOMA
Letter from Pastor Delphin.
Dear Mama & Bush Mission,
“Greetings in the Name of Jesus. Remember Mama Leontina, age 85, the widow with 12 children (9 dead and 3 living)? She was very sick and couldn’t go anywhere, not even to church…. I am sad to inform you she died last Tuesday. Glory to God we will see her in Heaven.
“I sent the Women At Risk’s latest report…. The photo is of a new widow member and her children…. Her name is Sarafina; her husband died recently. She is blind on one eye because of war and was displaced 6 years ago. She works to feed 6 children: 4 are not in school; 2 are babies.
“We had 53 new members; 26 orphans also attended…. We need more prayer from our brothers in USA so we can help vulnerable women….”
In Him,
Pastor Delphin
[Note: full Report posted on website.]
UGANDA, TORORO
Letter from Pastor John of Peace Church Preschool & Widow’s Project.
Dear Bush Mission,
“Greetings from Ps John and Peace Church. The carpenter finished all the work we gave him to do: beds, table, kitchen chairs, etc. We pick them up today for the new house. The other room’s furniture was already bought and in place. We also hired a caregiver who shall stay with the four widows full time. My wife and I worked out a budget. The total money needed to feed them per month is 350,000 shillings ($108). We are bringing them to the new house on July 4th.”
Pastor John and Regina, Widows Project
[Note: money left over will feed them for two months.]
UGANDA, BUSIA
Letter from Mama Josephine.
Dear Mama & Bush Mission,
“… Thank you for the good work you are doing…. I am going to the hospital in Kampala for my medical check … this month. Pastor Henry is improving and sends warm regards. He thanks you for buying him a motor bike and will write soon. He is riding his motorbike well…. May God bless you….”
Yours in Christ,
Mama Josephine
[Note: Two weeks later Mama wrote the following]
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dear Mama & Bush Mission,
“Thank you for your prayers. I went to Kampala and stayed with Annette, Pastor Henry’s sister. He called Dr. Fred who helped me. They examined and worked on me and I’m improving. They gave me medicine…. I am now home in Busia. I return in September…. My back is improving….
“Attached are copies of my Medical Report and Receipts from the hospital. I was given medicine. Some I can buy in Busia…. I used the money for transport, medicine and exams. I paid Sylvia our helper at home for May and June. When I left for Kampala I stocked up on food for the children at home. I traveled safely and the children at home stayed well. I … will … visit Pastor Henry to find out about his health…. God bless you….”
Yours in Christ,
Mama Josephine & Family
KENYA, BUSIA
Letter from Pastor Patrick who cares for 5 orphans.
Dear Bush Mission Brothers & Sisters,
“Thank you for June support…. Be blessed for this wonderful work of God…. It is now rainy season therefore in Busia there is a lot of malaria and typhoid. Hospitals … are full; even one bed has two people. Therefore it is not our water only causing sickness. We see even those who buy water at shops have the same problem. We boil water at my house. John is getting better, but … does not have strength. We pray God to heal him quickly so he can go back to school…. Four children were given new school uniforms [see photo]; the 5th one was too small…. We took it back … they will sew again.”
Blessings,
Pastor Patrick
KENYA, RUIRU
Letter from Pastor Walter whose church is 35 miles from Nairobi.
Dear Mom & Bush Mission,
“The church has been … praying for leaders and …also myself since I have been sick…. I had been coughing a lot. I went from one hospital to another until … last month I went to Kenyatta National … where they found TB…. I am now under medication for 6 months. I also have a tooth problem…. I visited a dentist who … said to … remove it. ($233) for surgery. Since I can’t raise the amount, I am asking to Bush Telegraph … to … help….
“I located my wife Sylvia who ran away two years ago with our 3 children. She is in Kisumu, Kenya…. Her friend called and told me…. When … I recover I will go get the kids. I was told she left Clinton, my eldest, in Uganda…; Cindy and Angel are sick and Cindy never goes to school. It makes me feel so bad when my children suffer…. May God bless you as I wait to hear your advice….”
Your son, Pastor Walter
[Note: the letter below followed a few days later]
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dear Mom & Bush Mission.
“Thank you for your quick reply…. I … went to a government dentist which is cheaper than a private one…. He told me they have to x-ray and scan…. Unfortunately I used all my month last month for TB tests and my hospital stay - 14,000 shillings ($142)…. The x-ray will cost 4,500 ($46) and a scan 9,300 ($94). The surgery is 10,000 shillings ($102). The normal cost of removing a tooth is 400 shillings ($4) but mine has a problem that is why the cost is high. God bless you….
[Note: we sent money; Pastor Walter is now feeling much better.]
Your son, Pastor Walter
Prayer ~N~ Praise
Report
It’s the 4th of July – the time for picnics, ballgames, fireworks – and, of course, don’t forget the watermelon! So what if Grandpa’s ‘overdone’ burgers look like hockey pucks! Imagine! It’s the thought that counts, right? Our country is 239 years young! So fly your flag – the symbol of freedom - of religion, of speech, of ice cream (really?) – in the world today. My history buff sons love nothing better than to study the history of our great country – and how it came to be. Speaking of history, do you know how Bush Telegraph’s name came to be? I’m so glad you asked.
Over 1,000 years ago, before radio or TV, natives in Africa spoke to each other over long distances by using ‘talking drums’. Every village had men who were trained to play the drum so well that messages could be sent by the sound that the drums made.
The large drums’ sound could travel 20 miles or more. As soon as the drums began in one village, the drummer in the next village would take up the message. So from village to village the word would go until the whole countryside had heard the great ‘talking drums’ of Africa.
When Queen Victoria died, natives living hundreds of miles from railways and telegraph lines immediately began talking of the death of the “Great White Queen.” When the city of Khartoum, Sudan, fell and General Gordon was killed, natives in Sierra Leone, thousands of miles away, were talking of it the same day!
The drums of Africa still talk today. We call them ‘God’s drums’. They are talking very loudly, bringing ‘Good News’, not of things that happened, but of things that are going to happen. They’re saying to us, “Wake up! Wake up! Watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is!”
Jesus said in Luke 21:25-26, that in the last days everything would ‘talk’ to us – the sun, the moon, the stars, the sea, the people, the heavens, and the earth. ‘Talking drums’ thundering out their warning of His coming! Bush Telegraph hears them, and their warning message. That’s what God called us to do. God Bless YOU; and God Bless America!
July 2015