From 30 May to 7 June 2024 SOMA International is coordinating “Revive East Africa” mission in Tanzania. The mission is being hosted by the Diocese of Central Tanganyika (DCT) and will follow a provincial training model. At the outset, the Bishop will accompany three carefully selected teachers and trainers from each Diocese to receive teaching on the Holy Spirit. The SOMA international team will include three missioners per diocese.
Topics to be taught will include the role of the Holy Spirit, healing the sick, prophecy and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the spiritual realm, deliverance, forgiveness and holiness. Teaching will then be extended further to diocesan leaders and lay invitees. The teams will consist of experienced missioner, international and diocesan leaders. Training will be in Kiswahili and translators will be used. Following this, diocesan leaders will seek to encourage those in their own dioceses to utilise the gifts of the Spirit.
For those interested in joining the international team, SOMA missions take place upon the request of the diocesan bishop and conform to local policies and procedures. As is the case in all SOMA Missions, participants travel at their own expense, but local hospitality is to be provided. Each missionary can contribute US$200 towards their hosting plus local travel expenses. To register your participation, please contact Rev. Melinda, National Director, at contactsomaau@gmail.com.
From SOMA’s birthing in the late 1970s, prayer has had a vital role in the organisation of missions, the spiritual protection of missioners, and keeping the fruit of the mission growing when it had finished. Would you like to be part of the SOMA Australia newly formed Intercessory Team?
At the recent National Director’s team meeting we were challenged to ensure prayer was given its rightful place in all our activities. We were challenged to raise up intercessors to be trained to become a more effective intercessors, and as well to receive regular updates on what is happening in SOMA around the world, so that they might be better positioned to pray for upcoming SOMA missions. Such an Intercessory Team would make an important contribution to releasing the Holy Spirit’s power and healing throughout the nervous system of His body, the Church. All SOMA National Director’s are currently in the process of organising a SOMA Week of Prayer for January/February next week. Please let Rev. Melinda, at contact@somaau.org know if you are interested in being more involved in prayer for SOMA.
SOMA Worldwide Prayer Requests:
We received news from John Wyndham that Bishop Hamish was promoted to Glory on the evening of 27th November. His daughter was by his side. Bishop Hamish was one of the pioneer leaders in the Anglican Renewal in Australia and was the last surviving bishop of those who attended the first Anglican Conference on Spiritual Renewal at Canterbury before Lambeth in 1978, which ultimately led to the birthing of SOMA. Let us pray for the family of Bishop Hamish.
Rev. Buli, National Director of SOMA South Africa has asked for prayers as many of the clergy in the region are experiencing spiritual attack on their health. Please pray for protection and healing.
Rev. Kyle from SOMA US has requested prayer. Kyle has asked Trinity School of Ministry, an Orthodox seminary in the US to prayerfully consider permitting SOMA to lead a workshop(s) for the seminarians. The faculty will meet soon to make a decision. Kyle asks that God to impress on the faculty the importance of raising up New Testament disciples, embracing the fullness of everything Jesus taught, and that SOMA could come along side the seminary to assist the formation of students.
The September 2023 SOMA Australia Newsletter is out now!
You may either receive this email via email, or a PDF version is available who would prefer to receive a copy that may be printed.
Included here is the opening greeting by new National Director, Reverend Melinda.
She writes,
Greetings to all SOMA Missioners,
Please allow me to start by introducing myself, as many may not know who I am, or where I’m from. My name is Melinda McMahon and I am the Rector of the Anglican parish of Southlakes which is located in the Lake Macquarie district of New South Wales. So, I’m part of the Newcastle Diocese.
For the past four years I’ve been in parish ministry, after ministering as a chaplain and a Scripture teacher for many years, as well as ministering as family worker in Tea Gardens and Bulahdelah.
But, most of all, I am passionate about fulfilling God’s mission in the power of the Spirit. Shortly after returning home from participating in my first SOMA mission to Northern Ireland, I was delighted to be invited to be the new National Director.
I would like to start our newsletters with a devotional, keeping our focus on the great commission which our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ called us to fulfil.
In our parish, during the season of Pentecost, we have been following a devotional which journeys through the book of Acts, teaching us how to minister in the power of the Holy Spirit. I’d like to share the devotional of Day 14, entitled, “The Spirit of Pentecost is the Spirit of Mission”.
When Jesus promised His disciples the power they needed to accomplish the work He had given them. He said, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). There are at least five ways the Spirit empowers us to fulfill God’s mission.
The Spirit Compels Us to Witness | With the baptism in the Holy Spirit comes an inner compulsion to tell others about Jesus and His salvation. When Peter and John were ordered to stop preaching and teaching in Jesus’ name, they replied, “We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20). The Holy Spirit was in them compelling them to talk about their Lord. In the same way, the Spirit compels us to tell others about Jesus.
The Spirit Enables Us to Speak | Once the disciples were filled with the Spirit, they spoke with unexpected ability. The people were astonished that these ordinary men spoke with such authority. We can have that same “great grace” upon our lives if we will be empowered by the Holy Spirit as they were.
The Spirit Equips Us to Defeat Demons | Paul wrote, “The god of this age [Satan] has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:4). Jesus overcame demons in the Spirit’s power, and so must we. This is another reason we must be filled with―and remain full of―the Holy Spirit.
The Spirit Empowers Us to Work Miracles | In Acts, signs and wonders were a key element in advancing the gospel. Following the Spirit’s outpouring at Pentecost, “awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles” (2:43). The same can be true today. If we will be filled with the Spirit and remain committed to God’s mission, the Spirit will work through us to perform miracles to the glory of God.
The Spirit Gives Us Boldness | The Spirit who empowers us for mission is who gives us courage to witness for Christ in the face of danger and threats. We know that Stephen was stoned, James was beheaded, Peter was imprisoned, and Paul was once stoned and left for dead. When we face hostility and threat today, we must be like those first Christians. We must be filled with the Spirit and continue to boldly proclaim the message of salvation.
You and I are called to fulfil Jesus’ mission. So let us ‘Go in love and serve the Lord, in the power of the Spirit’ wherever the Lord has placed us, wherever our missionfield is. Yours in the power of the Spirit, Rev Mel.
If you’d like to subscribe to receive the SOMAAustralia Newsletter, please contact us.
Written by Reverend Melinda McMahon, Rector, Southlakes Anglican
What can I say? The opportunity to serve on team at the Northern Ireland International SOMA Mission was truly inspiring and encouraging.
It is now time to recount some of the highlights:
What is SOMA and how does it contribute to the worldwide Anglican Communion?
SOMA stands for Sharing of Ministries Abroad and was established around 1978. During an Anglican international conference on spiritual renewal in 1978, a prophetic word given in Canterbury Cathedral formed the basis of Sharing of Ministries Abroad.
SOMA was formed to encourage, envision, empower, enable and equip the Anglican church, throughout the entire worldwide Anglican communion. Interestingly, at our orientation day, Bishop David McClay added “evangelising” into the mix. Some years ago, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, called SOMA “the nervous system of the body of Christ as it functions to connect us to the world and break down barriers.” And this is done with a strong emphasis on the power of the Holy Spirit, and through using this Spiritual gifts.
The Mission Orientation day started on 1st June with 59 Anglican team members from a diverse range of nations gathering for praise, worship, Holy Communion and Commissioning. Bishop David McClay commissioned us before embarking on uplifting and encouraging about 30 parishes in Northern Ireland who had indicated their desire for a SOMA team to visit.
Which parishes did you visit?
I was allocated to visit three parishes over the two and a half week period.
Rathfriland – The first parish was Drumgath and Drumgooland at Rathfriland, (https://www.ireland.anglican.org/find-a-church/parish/12410/ drumgath-st-john-rathfriland) a rural parish with two congregations meeting in two separate church buildings. Together with Jen, another female team member from Scotland, I stayed with Allan and Catherine, who opened their home and even lending me some of their daughter’s clothes when my baggage failed to arrive.
Our team at Rathfriland was headed up by Rev Henry Blaire, the Team leader for the entire SOMA mission in Northern Ireland. Although currently the minister of Parish of Clogher in Northern Ireland, Henry is hoping to step into leading SOMA fulltime, raising awareness about SOMA throughout the region. Another team member was Joshua from Kenya.
We had many ministry opportunities at Rathfriland and worked closely with Rev Ian Linton and his wife. Ministry ranged from leading a Praise and Worship evening for those who wanted to experience the Spirit of God in a fresh way, breakfast with the teens of the parish, and I was allocated to preach at both services on Sunday. We finished our time with Rathfriland by gathering with all the parishioners for a huge BBQ at the Rectory, complete with a wedding sized markee and jumping castle for the kids.
After Rathfriland, all the team headed to the parish of Kilkeel.
Kilkeel – Kilkeel was a vibrant parish with extensive facilities and a strong heritage of moving in the Spirit. (https://christchurchkilkeel.org) Having been pastored by Bishop David for 15 years, this Anglican community were well taught and welcoming to receive more teaching on moving in the gifts of the Spirit and ministering in the Spirit during their services and outreach events.
The parish is now led by Reverend Canon Alison Calvin, a Spirit-filled woman with extensive pastoral experience.
We arrived on Sunday afternoon and met our new team members: Kevin Roberts who was a newly retired archdeacon from England, and Michelle, the wife of an Anglican minister from Fort Worth, Texas.
Immediately we began to get to know each other and then started planning how we would be involved in the parish’s evening “Encounter” service. This monthly service was designed to welcome people who wanted to experience a fresh encounter of God. Joshua, our team member from Kenya, preached on moving in faith, and Jen from Scotland shared her testimony about struggling with insecurity and striving. Remarkably, although Jen doubted the content of her testimony, she discovered there was a girl present, who hadn’t originally planned to attend the service, who was greatly touched by what she said. Many others were open receive prayer ministry, the anointing with oil, and others received words of knowledge and prophecy during the ministry time.
On Monday evening the team lead a Spiritual Gifts exploration evening, and many were activated to move in new areas not only within the church community but also using these gifts in the marketplace when combined with evangelism.
As the week continued the team was involved in all kinds of ministry including door-to-door evangelism, chatting with people in the town square at a coffee and cake morning, and finished with a “pudding and praise” evening for people from the community to drop in to experience the newly built annex.
One experience that really moved me was when Rev Ally had invited members of the Kilkeel parish to participate in door-to-door evangelism either in the afternoon or in the evening. This meant that three different groups of people were going out, in pairs, to visit their neighbours surrounding the church.
What I found incredibly encouraging was that more than 15 people turned up (some more than once) to embark on this adventure, even though many were extremely nervous about undertaking this new style of evangelism.
It didn’t matter where we went, we were usually accompanied by David, a warden in the church who was also a very powerful evangelist. David took us on a drive up to the mountains overlooking Kilkeel and we prayed over the region.
It was wonderful to discover that Jen and I were to stay with Rev Alison, who preferred being called “Ally”, in the Rectory. This opened the space for lots of chats about church leadership, especially in the realm of moving in the Spirit. The Diocese of Down and Dromore are considerably further along in confidence in moving in the Spirit, demonstrated by the fact that at last year’s Synod there was a public message given in tongues, with Rev Ally providing the interpretation!
As we finished our time at Kilkeel, we farewelled each other as our next parishes involved working with new team members from other nations.
Seagoe – On Friday morning I was driven to my new location, arriving at the parish of Seagoe (www.seagoe.co.uk). We were introduced to the Associate Minister, Stuart Moles and church planting pastor, Jim Fleming. We also met our new SOMA team members: Justin, who although having been raised by Japanese missionaries, was now ministering as worship leader in Kings Church, London.
Also, arriving the same day was Princy, who was the daughter of Archbishop Abraham, a pioneering missionary who founded Hope India Mission (www.hopeindiamission.org) in North India.
Princy and I were welcomed into the home of Beth and Jim, who were wardens of the parish in Seagoe, who lived a convenient 5 minutes from the church.
As the Rector, Rev. Canon Terence Cadden had a wedding to attend on the day of our arrival, we spent the afternoon with Jim, the pioneering church planter who had bought a townhouse on ‘G Street’ in Killicamaine, a low socio-economic area of Seagoe. We spent the afternoon with Jim, talking about how we could assist him, and went to pray with Anna, a drug addict who attended his newly formed Community Church.
The next day our first gathering was to meet with Rev. Terence and his wife Alison, and other members of the Seagoe parish who were interested in mission. This meeting was an important occasion and we gathered to pray in the church for these church leaders later that afternoon.
Being so close to Sunday, I was scheduled to preach at both services in Seagoe, the traditional Holy Communion service and the more contemporary family service. Being a gifted prophetic worship leader, Justin lead worship and praise in both services, which paved the way for prayer ministry to occur in both services.
On Sunday afternoon we meet with the rest of the church family for a picnic. It was here that we were joined by Bishop Praises from Nigeria.
In the afternoon the team attended the evening service held at St Patrick’s Hall, while I went to lead the Bible Study in the Community Church plant which met in another hall in a different location.
As our time drew to a close, we said our farewells, some moving onto new locations, while others, including myself, headed home.
And then the long-haul journey home began! What began as a 23-hour trip home from Belfast to Sydney – turned into a four day journey due to a rain storm blowing across Heathrow, grounding every plane for an hour. Finally, on Thursday, 15th June I arrived home – unfortunately my plane had left my bag back in Singapore, and it took four days to get to my home on Monday, 19th.
Reflections on how the SOMA Mission will impact my ministry at Southlakes
The mission was indeed a whirlwind of activities, events and ministry opportunities. Nevertheless, it was an inspiring and uplifting time. The opportunity to hear and experience how the Spirit of God is moving throughout the worldwide Anglican communion was both refreshing and energising. Also receiving and sharing the ministries from Anglicans in different parts of the world gave me opportunity to see how diverse Anglicanism is, and how open the worldwide Anglican co
Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen Ephesians 3:20-21
Well folks it’s time to make some announcements!
As National Director, for the past seven years, I have witnessed God’s power at work both within me and that of SOMA’s ministry, and He has indeed accomplished abundantly far more than I could have ever imagined. For that, I give God my absolute praise and all glory to Him.
I stepped into this position as a rookie, being encouraged by both Rev Colin Walters and Bishop Ian Lambert to give it a go. To them I say thank you! Thank you for allowing me to privilege to see God work so tangibly within me and through the many hundreds of people I’ve met along the way. As this scripture from Ephesians says, I reiterate, I could honestly never have imagined the partnership with God that I have grown into, the gifts He has graced me with, the many memories and experiences had, the most amazing people I have met, and the leadership skills and authority of Jesus I now find myself stand in, to be used only to bear witness to, and for His glory.
But now it is time for me to move on, to pass on the baton and handover this ministry to a new National Director for SOMA Australia. I’m so pleased to announce the new appointment of Rev Melinda McMahon as National Director. Please be praying for Melinda as she transitions into this new role and pray for me as I step into the new season God is calling me into. May Melinda and the ministry of SOMA Australia continue to be blown away by God’s hand at work in and through them, may the Holy Spirit continue to strengthen and equip His mission workers, and may the great commission, to make Jesus known across the nations continue to unfold.
Further to this announcement, I can also share with you that through our recent AGM we have some committee members stepping down, and new committee members stepping up. For those stepping down; Rev Colin Walters, Marco Vervoorst, Rev Jon Taylor, and for those staying on; Bishop Ian Lambert (Chair), Stephen Borserio (Treasurer) and Rev John Davies (Ordinary member) we give you thanks for all that you have done in serving God through your work and ministry in SOMA Australia. And now we welcome our new committee members, Susan Liersch (Secretary), Graeme Liersch (Ordinary member) and Kimberlee Hodges (Ordinary member). God’s blessings on you all as you serve in these roles.
It certainly is a new season and exciting times for SOMA Australia, so I encourage you all to please keep supporting, encouraging, and praying for this ministry. Photos and bios of our new National Director and Committee members will circulate along with news and reports from SOMA’s recent mission to Ireland soon.
But for now, I conclude, once again saying thank you for sharing with me the most wonderful and enriching time of ministry as the National Director of SOMA Australia, serving in God’s mission to the world. Shalom from me as I say ‘yes’ to God’s next adventure ahead.
The blessing of almighty God, Father, Son & Holy Spirit be among you.
With only four weeks to go, our preparations for mission to Rwanda (17th – 29th April) are full steam ahead. The SOMA International Board will be meeting in Kigali Rwanda for the first time, in person, since our 40th Anniversary held here in Melbourne in 2019. So much has taken place since this time, including the global pandemic, which saw international travel shut down, as well as the change over of our Boarh Chairperson (ABp Justin Badi- Sudan) and three new National Directors (UK, USA & SA). It will therefore be a wonderful opportunity to meet, share, pray and discern God’s vision moving forward for SOMA International.
After our International Board meeting, each country, UK, Ireland, Southern Africa, USA, New Zealand and Australia will be joining together to participate in a mission invitation to the Diocese of Shyogwe. This Diocese is approximately 1.5 hours south west of Kigali and our focus at this stage will be Training of around 50 Pastors, around 100 catechists (local church leaders), and around 100 Preachers and Intercessors.
The topic of the training will be the Gifts of the Holy Spirit for the better understanding how they work: Tongues, Prophecy, Vision and Dreaming, Faith, Discernment, Knowledge and Wisdom, Healing, Leadership, Evangelism, and the likes.
SOMA Australia will be taking a team as part of this mission, so I’d love to introduce you to them as they share a short piece of their expectations before we go.
Rwanda. On mission? Really? I didn’t have to think or pray very long before saying yes, yes please! For me, Rwanda epitomizes hope. Resurrection. The reality that change is possible. The opportunity to be with a team, sharing the love of Jesus, learning from each other, fills me with anticipation. My hope is that the spirit of God goes ahead, fills us, fills me, enables me to become more open to what Jesus wants me to do; and I hope, and have the the greatest expectation, of learning to go deeper with God from our Rwandan brothers and sisters…then bring that hope home to share.
Jan H
“I am looking forward to returning to Rwanda with SOMA, as I was a member the SOMA Team that was there in 1996. This was a large Team, invited by the shattered remnants of the Anglican Church, to help them cope with the horrors of the Genocide, and to begin to rebuild. This was a traumatic Mission, but ended with a prophecy that God was birthing a new church. Although Rwanda, and the Anglican Church there have seen mighty growth since then, there is still a need for God’s people there to learn more of what it means to “Live in the Spirit,” and rise above the evil spirits that still operate there. Our Team this year is small, but our God is great, and we look for great miracles!”
John D
When I found out that I had the opportunity to go to Rwanda, I couldn’t believe it. Going to Rwanda at such a young age, I think, will be an amazing experience. I hope it will give me a better understanding of how fortunate I really am and teach me not to take things for granted. I’m excited to see how God works in the church and communities through a different culture, and I’m also looking forward to what I can learn and takeaway from all of this. I’m not sure what God will do in me, but I am eager to see how he will grow me in my faith. I can’t wait to learn many new things and have new experiences.
Tilly A
As National Director of SOMA Australia, I am really looking forward to this mission. Firstly, I’ve never travelled to Africa, so what a privillege and blessing that will be. Secondly, as mentioned in the intro, meeting with the other National Directors in person for the International Board after so many years of online meetings, will be fabulous. Thirdly, I love the team I’ll be travelling with, especially the gift of travelling with my daughter Tilly. As with all missions I am sent on, my heart will be open to see what God has in store, both in us and through us. May all we do bring Him Glory.
Liz R
Financial & Prayer Support for this mission
If you would like to financially support this mission, you can donate directly to SOMA Australia via the bank details below:
Account Name: Sharing of Ministries Abroad
BSB: 032 681 Account No: 286361
Please reference your transaction with: RwandaTeam
We would appreciate your prayers in the following areas:
Preparation for mission
Safety in travel
Good Health
SOMA International Board Meeting (21st & 22nd April)
Mission to Shyogwe Diocese (23rd – 27th April)
Each team member
Participants in mission
We give thanks for your ongoing support. If you would like to get in contact with us regarding further details on this mission, or send an encouragements to our team, please email us at contact@somaau.org
SOMA International is facilitating it’s largest mission call yet, bringing all teams from across the globe together, at the invitation of Bishop David Mclay of Down & Dromore Diocese Ireland.
Take a look at Bishop David’s invitation…
We at SOMA Australia would like to extend this invitation to you! If you would like to be a part of this mission, please make contact with us, as you’ll need our recommendation to participate, and we can give you further details. Email contact@somaau.org.au
We would love to have a great representation from Australia as part of this.
Dates of mission: 2nd to 16th June 2023. That’s right THIS YEAR!!! so get in fast to get the process going, to fulfil God’s call!
In the lead up to going to Nepal it became apparent to me that the upcoming mission was going to be something special for I noticed many spiritual attacks in the few weeks before leaving, culminating in Graeme getting COVID 5 days before we left. Therefore I had high expectations and yet having never been on a SOMA trip I was not able to really define those expectations. Irrespective I was not disappointed for God had much in store for us as we took on this adventure.
Like any new adventure several challenges arose before me. Firstly, I am a person who likes to be organised, engaging in much planning in any of the tasks I undertake. This level of planning was impossible for we had little information other than we would be talking at a women’s conference and visiting several places. When we met with the organisers of the conference on the first day in Nepal, we came away none the wiser which was somewhat unsettling. As a team, seeking the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we were able to develop a rough plan which for the most part came to fruition and not unexpectedly seemed to hit the spot with the women.
I was very conscious that we were entering another culture and that we would be relying on the use of interpreters. I was expecting very little English during our visit but on arrival was surprised to find a lot of English signs in the city. Many of the younger women had at least some understanding of spoken English for I was to learn that English is taught in most schools. When we visited the school run by the Nazarene church I was surprised when the primary aged children initiated a conversation with me in English. Their teacher actually confessed to me that her English was better than her Nepalese. On one level working with an interpreter wasn’t that difficult. The most challenging part for me was bringing my language down to a simple level. In my first talk on Hannah from 1 Samuel I struggled with this aspect and felt very disappointed with my performance and was ready to quit there and then! Thankfully the Holy Spirit through the challenges of our fearless leader, Liz, did not allow me stay in that space of self-pity for He had work for me to do. I was reminded to trust in Jesus and not myself and so I recovered and before I knew it, I found myself surrounded by eager women seeking prayer.
Wow! It was amazing! Here were women with very open hearts, hungry to be touched by the Lord. It was a new experience for me. In Australia my experience has more often been to be knocked back by Christians within the churches I’ve worked in when I have offered to pray for them. I have found non-Christian Australians to be more open to prayer. It was such an honour to be encircled by Nepalese women who were not only open but also expectant that my prayers would be answered. The reality of the Lord’s words to Paul ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness’ (2 Corinthians 12:9) became my reality as I ministered to these women. I felt a huge responsibility being the intercessor for these women especially around prayers for healing. One mother brought her son for healing prayer for a blood disease. I have never really considered myself as having the gift of healing and I felt a little overwhelmed that this mother was asking me to pray for him. Again I had to battle with my own self-doubt. I had to grow in my trust of Jesus, to remind myself that I was His vessel, and it was Jesus that was responsible for the healing and that healing would take place if it was His will. Many women came forward on both days seeking healing, spiritual growth and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. One young woman asked to receive Jesus into her life. Hallelujah!!1
One of the things I noted was how these women saw their situations through spiritual eyes, for example, several asked for prayer because they were struggling with distraction, so they asked for deliverance from distracting spirits. One woman, who has stayed on my heart, asked for prayer because her husband was into evil spirits. I remember thinking what a hard space that dear sister was in and how she needed our prayers for courage and protection. Another, woman held up a bottle of water and asked me to pray for her son. She believed that if I prayed over the water and he drank it he would be blessed At first I was unsure about praying over the bottle thinking I don’t want to reinforce potential magical thinking however the Holy Spirit brought to mind the following from the book of Acts 19:12 ‘so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.’ So again I was challenged to step out in faith and believe that Jesus could act through my prayer and meet whatever need this lady’s son had.
At first, I was worried that the women would not be able to understand my English spoken prayers however Liz told me just pray and so I did. On both days a minute or two into praying Jesus sent me one of the interpreters and it was such a privilege to pray together with them and it forged a great relationship with them especially the young girl who interpreted for me when I delivered my talk. It has been wonderful to keep in touch with them both. Toward the end of the ministry time on the second day when we thought we were done some women requested that Graeme pray for a woman at the back of the room that was clearly manifesting something that was not of God. I joined him and as we prayed this woman went from being physically contorted and stressed to being relaxed and at peace. God is good and He only has good for His people, and it was so uplifting to be part of His life-giving work.
I was also greatly uplifted by the joy the women had which was tangible in the way they worshipped. Worship was led by a team of young women and a few young men. Their exuberance in singing to the Lord was contagious. I really wanted to bundle them all up and bring them home to lead worship in our church. We were also blessed on both days with traditional Nepalese dancing which was delightful. It was also lovely to see several children at the conference who had come with their mothers. We hardly heard a peep out of them, and I was greatly impressed that they could sit through two days of talks without a fuss. It was lovely when mothers brought their children to be blessed during the ministry time.
Several young women reported that they had come out of Hindu families that had rejected them when they had become Christians. One young woman shared her story more fully. It was a heart wrenching story of difficult beginnings and of being stabbed at the age of 15. It was through nuns placing a bible on her wounds and praying for healing that brought her into the Kingdom of God. Despite having such a difficult beginning Jesus has done amazing things in her life. She has become an actress, has looked after orphan children and breeds dogs so that she can assist the poor who live around her. I offered myself and Graeme to become her family and she readily accepted. So now we are her adopted Aama (mum) and Buwa (dad). On our free day she invited us out to her farm where we were able to meet her husband and her adopted daughter. She and her husband were having marital difficulties and we were able to counsel them and pray for them. I really felt God working through us to help this couple. My prayer is that God will heal the rift in their relationship. I was overwhelmed when she and her daughter travelled one and a half hours by taxi (which would have been very expensive) to come to the airport to see us off. Such a sacrificial thing to do.
Visiting the school and bible college that Reverend Rinzi’s church has set up was very interesting. The bible college has 19 students some of which are still completing high school. The facilities at both the school and college were basic but the enthusiasm of the students certainly made up for this. On our final day we were invited by Reverend Rinzi to attend the Nazarene Church. This involved attending two services in Nepalese. Graeme and Liz were asked to preach. It was wonderful to be part of a church service that encompassed all age groups with young people predominant. We met the other ministers at the church. At the site was Reverend Rinzi’s home and accommodation for the orphaned children he and his wife had taken in. Over the years they have reared 70 orphans, many of whom are now adults, have faith in Christ and are active in the church.
If there were any doubts that it was God’s will for us to participate in this mission, they had completely evaporated by the end of our time in Nepal. It has been a life changing experience. Praise be to God!
As we prepare to send off our first mission team in three years, please join us for an online commissioning service, 7.30pm 9th November, 2022, via ZOOM.
Please email contact@somaau.org.au to gain access to the zoom link.
If you are unable to make the online service, be sure to be praying for our SOMA team as they travel between 10th – 20th November.
We are pleased to announce the establishment of an online prayer space once a month, to be the backbone of all of our ministries (especially now that we have our first mission booked in for November.)
Please mark your diaries and join us online through the below zoom link, at 7.00pm, on the 3rd Wednesday of the Month, beginning Wednesday 19th October, 2022.
