Join Us in Africa through Prayer!

Friends and Family,
As we leave today for South Africa, I’ve been reflecting on two 

Thanks & goodbye to our stateside friends!  

practices of my Malawi brothers and sisters in the Lord. First my African friends have taught me something of the ‘power of a story’.  The Bible is 75% stories so I’ve been learning to internalize these stories in order to tell them to others. Over the past year we have developed a set of over 30 orally reproducible Biblical stories (see https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1WIe-jToI7fechE7-auVrQ). It’s been fun weaving these Biblical stories into the sermons I’ve preached here in the states (See http://www.redeemer-redmond.org/?wpfc_preacher=rev-jay-stoms). But now it’s time to use our stories to start story groups that can grow into a Church for African students attending the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa.

We’re ready to tell the Biblical Story through the Bible’s own stories but we realize that our hopes and dreams are empty pursuits without the second lesson I’ve learned from my Malawian friends. Psalm 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.”

Early in the morning and into the night our students would walk the football pitch (‘soccer field’) and pray out loud. While I now enjoy walking and praying, the real lesson has to do with the ‘power of prayer’. Without prayer we minister in vain and our vision is mere presumption. James 4:2 “You do not have, because you do not ask God.”

Yet, through persistent prayer we can see the will of God being done on the earth more and more like it is in heaven. I want to encourage you to pray regularly for the ministry God has given us in Southern Africa. The more we pray the more we will see God actively working. Jesus taught his disciples to pray that the Father’s name be honoured and that His will be done on the earth as it is in heaven. Then Jesus motivated them by saying, “everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened (Luke 11:10).” We invite you to join us in Africa through regular persistent prayer!

Zikomo kwambiri (thanks very much),
Jay, Laura, Clara (9), Katherine (7) and Lauren (5) Stoms

Other Prayer Requests:
1) That God would provide three (3) new churches to partner with us.  
2) To travel well and arrive in South Africa safely with all our luggage.
3) For the overall health of our family as we transition to South Africa.

Contact: jaystoms@hotmail.com (Befriend Jay and or Laura Stoms on FACEBOOK).
PLEASE SEND ANY GIFTS AND OR MONTHLY SUPPORT TO:
Africa Christian Training Institute (Stoms Family Ministry Fund)
P.O. Box 15621; Panama City FL 32406-5621.

Dear Friends,

American girls!

Fifteen months ago we were asked by friends to pray about joining them at the Christian Conference Center they’re building in Malawi. Shortly after that our friends at St. Paul’s Evangelical Church in South Africa invited us to help them start an International Church for African students attending the University of Stellenbosch. After twelve years at the Bible College in Malawi we knew the Lord was leading us in a new direction. Now we have our Visas and we’re scheduled to leave for South Africa on October 30^th. The Lord has graciously guided and provided for us all along the way. Recently, I received this encouraging email after preaching at a supporting church.

“We have two sons (6 and 4). About a week after you preached at our church, our youngest son was recounting details of a Bible story that we hadn't taught him. He told us "the man in the Hawaiian shirt told that story." We were both encouraged and excited that your story from God’s Word had captured his attention. We are excited to support you in this new effort.”

 



Not long after this I told a Biblical story and facilitated a discussion at a home group. Afterwards I discussed steps to learning stories, and talked about leading people into Biblical truth by asking questions. Here is an excerpt from an email a friend sent me a couple days later.  

 

“I spent about 20 minutes practicing/learning a story using 1 Kings 18:19-39. I then asked my family to sit on the couch and listen while I told the story. My two kids (4 & 6) were able to pay attention to most of the story. We then had my daughter (6) repeat the story, and not to worry about mistakes. My wife and I were amazed at how much she remembered and how well she told it. We also discussed what our kids learned from the story and our daughter was able to tell us several things that showed she understood much in the story. It was a really neat experience. Thanks for sharing this with me; I can't wait to share it with others.”

These and a number of other positive experiences have reinforced the vision the Lord has given us to teach the Biblical Story through the Bible’s own stories in Southern Africa. Please continue to pray for us as we say our goodbyes and prepare to leave for Africa at the end of the month.

Zikomo kwambiri (thanks very much),

Jay, Laura, Clara, Katherine and Lauren Stoms

Other Prayer Requests:
1) Three (3) new churches and two (2) new families or individuals who can give $1 a day.
2) For the emotional and spiritual health of our family as we go through more transitions.
3) To connect with friends and family as we say our ‘goodbyes’ before we leave.

Contact: jaystoms@hotmail.com (Befriend Jay and or Laura Stoms on FACEBOOK).

PLEASE SEND ANY GIFTS AND OR MONTHLY SUPPORT TO:

Africa Christian Training Institute (Stoms Family Ministry Fund)
P.O. Box 15621; Panama City FL 32406-5621.