Jan. 15 thru Feb. 1

Wars and rumors of wars…one of many signs of the end of the age, spoken of by Jesus who said these things must take place before His coming, and are signs of His imminent return.  David Grove just returned to Kampala, Uganda and felt immediately immersed into a society in Africa full of constant turmoil.  Even the ministry has been struggling with its two new poultry projects which have just begun to show some fruitful harvest and discovered that the chicken house were too small according to the number of chicken.  A small error made due to misinformation, but quickly adjusted and now the chicken in Kampala are laying 15 trays a day.  David will be helping Harvest Vision Africa with administration and coordination support as we move forward towards stability and growth of the ministry with one mission in mind: salvation for the lost!

                We have both a tremendous responsibility and task ahead of us to be a light in the darkness in this lost in dying world, but it is a privilege to serve Jesus with our lives, knowing He gave everything for us.  It’s hard to imagine, the King of Kings, choosing to die for His servants when it should be the other way around, but THAT is the King we serve.

 

January 1-15, 2011 news

Be blessed in Christ.  The bible says, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am in,” and, “He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing…”  So we know that in the heart of every born again Christian indwells gratitude towards Christ, even despite our circumstances. 

The Pastors and Coordinators have all been seemingly overwhelmed with some of the circumstances they have been battling this last year.  Pastor Isaac in the DRC has been dealing with the political instability which shuts down any moving around town.  Marcos in Rwanda is just beginning to work with local ministries in Rwanda to establish the ministry to reach out to hard to reach villages.  Pastor Abijah in Kenya is relocated to a new town (Kisumu) with new people.  Pastor Evariste has been dealing with 2 sets of equipment at the same time (really a blessing, but not easy except by the grace of God).  Both Pastor Martin, and Pastor Billy have started poultry sustainability projects.  But we know that in all things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who strengthens us.  Despite all these circumstances we give God the glory that we have had 11 outreaches and 1,294 salvations in 4 of the 5 countries during the month of December.

December 15-31, 2011 News

Praise the King of glory!  We are grateful for all that Jesus has in store for us.  We declare, “You are our light and salvation” The bible says, “no other name can be named that can save men.’’ That means none of our good deeds, Christmas parties, or family game nights can bring eternal life.  Those things bring us times of fellowship, and demonstrates our love for one another (2^nd of greatest commandments). However, only the name of Jesus brings eternal life.  That is why Harvest Visions primary focus is on bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to the lost.  So far we have Kenya’s report for salvations for the month of December and we are excited to group all of the reports together and soon share the overall report for 2011.

Right now we are praying for Billy in Kadama who is struggling with finances: They need rent money for the  church building, radio program outreach (which reaches across isolated regions of Uganda and even parts of Kenya and S. Sudan), hospital ministry, food, and chicken feed until the Chicken begin to produce eggs.  Right now the Kampala poultry project is producing 13 flats of eggs a day and is a sustained project so they are trying their best to assist Kadama.  Also, a couple from the mid-U.S. region is coming January 14th to work with Billy and team to start a mobile bible training program with the intentions of bringing leadership training to the bush; whilst leaders called by God cannot afford to go to traditional bible college.

We are a blessed people, and we know it!  We have learned the secret of both sowing in tears, and reaping with joy.  The secret is that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.  We were encouraged by our 3 week visit by Mamma Linda Henson who rode with David Grove as the driver from Kampala, Uganda to DRCongo, to Bujumbura, Burundi, then back to Kampala. The purpose of the trip was to visit and encourage the coordinators of the ministry and their families as they continue on their conquests to reach the unreached for Christ. We are excited to see our 6 coordinators useing a total of 7 sets of equipment in 5 countries continue to do ‘outreach’ into the jungles, mountains and deserts of Africa and we are praying to expand that number into S.Sudan, Western Uganda, and N. Kenya coming into this next year as God gives His favor of provision.  Mamma Linda and David Grove returned to the U.S. on November 17th and David has been participating in missions in Alert Bay, Canada and helped lead one of the two teams into Mexico the week before Christmas.  Kampala, Kibuli fellowship is still praying for the provision of $24,000 U.S. for the church structure and property.  Both them and many of the other church plants, including a new one in Tororo, and especially the one in Kadama, could use a tent to help with discipleship to the large number of new believers coming in!  Some problems are good problems!   

Finally, marriages: Pastor Richard in Budaka who works side by side with the coordinator there is now happily married as of December 4th to Esther.  And Pastor Abijah,coordinator in Kenya is now married to Judy.  Be blessed in the name of Jesus.  

 

December  15, 2011
As we draw close to the end of the year we also realize that the imminent return of our Lord Jesus draws closer. He whose hand is on the plow should not look back for many are in the valley of decision.
We thank God for His gracious hand upon us in the month; we have experienced a lot of grace on the mission field. Through our ministry outreaches, two new churches were planted in Uganda. The crusades in Uganda have been so glorious with lots of manifestations of the Holy Spirit. We have experienced the Holy Spirit descending upon the crowds in form of a cloud that resulted in many healings and deliverances. Last month in November, we witnessed 17 outreaches with 1,919 people accepting Jesus in 3 of the 5 countries that we have equipment and coordinators. All the glory and honor is the Lord’s.
We still need to continue praying for the DRCongo. Violence broke out in different parts of the country after the Presidential elections. Many people have lost their lives and properties. Therefore, it has been very hard for our brethren to do outreaches since Goma and the whole of Kivu has been affected by the violence. The election period extends to March when the parliamentarians will be elected.
Harvest Church Fellowship is prayerfully preparing for the sixth church plant early next year in Tororo; a district close to the border of Kenya and Uganda. The Kibuli fellowship still believes God for a property so that we can get out of the school hall. There are a few properties around on sale all going for above $24,000 USD. We have so far raised $5,200 from the believers and continue to believe God and call upon brothers and sisters to join us in this kingdom venture.
May the Lord God continue to strengthen your hands as you focus on eternal things more than the temporal worldly things.
Pastor Martin Ochieng

December  1, 2011
     Blessings and greetings in Jesus!  We are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places!  Which means are living from heaven’s, not earth’s perspective.  The struggle of many people dying, and trying to maintain sustainability projects has been overwhelming this last month or so, but we always give thanks through Christ Jesus who strengthens us, and we also now send our appreciation to all who are praying and supporting this ministry.
     Richard from Kadama church is planning a wedding day this Sunday the 4^th; Martin will be traveling this Saturday to join the Harvest Vision fellowship in Eastern Uganda for the weekend to attend the wedding and give support/encouragement to the Body of Christ there. Linda Henson and Dave Grove left Africa 2 weeks ago, and David will be returning to Uganda the end of January after a short visit to friends and family, in addition to ministry the Lord has in the U.S.  Also, the EGD hospital/clinic in the DRCongo was forced to temporarily close the surgery room until improvements are made both to the structure and equipment.  That was however after they reported 100 successful surgeries major and minor with absolutely no complications or fatalities.  We know that Jesus is faithful, and will continue to make ways where there are no ways. 

Nov 15, 2011 Africa news
            Praise Jesus!  We give thanks for Jesus faithfulness.  Everyone and their sustainability projects are moving forward and doing well, with Martins chicks in Kampala starting to lay some small eggs with which he has about 20 eggs now.  Linda Henson arrived in Kampala October 26 and has come to visit the coordinators in Burundi, DRC, Kenya, and Rwanda.  On Nov 2 she traveled with David Grove as the driver to Goma, DRC and stayed for days with Pastor Isaac and Jose, afterwards they traveled straight to Bujumbura, Burundi to visit with Pastor Evariste and Adel for another 4 days.  Coming back to Kampala with only one mishap where a dump truck poured dirt onto the windshield and breaking it they both reached Kampala safely.  After some days of rest, and having Abijah over at the house the for a day Linda will return with David to Washington and David stay there for 2 months returning to Uganda the end of January.
            The week Linda came was the same week Martin was on a 2 week mission in Zambia along with Pastor Alex from Kibuli Harvest Vision fellowship and Pastor Joseph Ayienga.  However Martin was forced to leave the mission a few days early due to the passing of his mother who had gone home to be with Jesus.  Martin spent a week in the village with family until he returned to Kampala just in time to send Linda and David off for their missions.  Also, Pastor Jonathan Lubega is currently in the hospital suffering from a serious case of Malaria but fortunately he is now recovering well and eating solid foods and liquids.
            The Gospel continues to push on, and as the year comes to a close we can see that the year had many challenges. Even during these difficult times, our faithful co-laborers used the equipment to support 15 outreaches during October and 921 new believers were added to the Kingdom and are now being discipled through the teaching of God’s Word. We thank you and we are greatly encouraged for all your prayers and support and continue ask to keep us in your prayers as we continue on the frontlines of saving souls for Jesus and making disciples.

Oct 31, 2011 Africa News
            While Martin was in Zambia with Alex and Joseph supporting their 21 day crusade and outreach, David visited the islands in Lake Victoria with another Christian leader to pray about a strategy to reach these people with the gospel, strengthen existing church families and plant new ones to accommodate the harvest of souls in these communities. Prior to Linda arriving from the USA, Martin received news that his precious mother in Kenya had passed away. She is a wonderful Christian and we know that she has gone to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and join with Him in intercession for the Church as we finish the work of the harvest. Linda arrived on Oct 17^th with a new sound system to replace one of the older ones in Burundi, a new projector for the over-all ministry, a new keyboard for the Kibuli fellowship in Kampala, Uganda, medicine for the outreaches in E. Uganda and the DRCongo and other ministry supplies. Obviously, Martin and his family spent some time in Kenya, to mourn the loss of his mother and to celebrate her life. David and Linda left on their road trip to the DRCongo and Burundi to visit the coordinators and their families. Although there continues to be political unrest in the DRCongo, they are being a source of encouragement to the Christian leadership in this area of Central Africa. The two sustainability poultry projects that began with the construction of the buildings and the introduction of chicks are almost ready to begin the production of eggs which will provide a significant source of income that will help sustain the over-all ministry. We believe that helping with these projects brings a measure of peace to our coordinators and their families, but also provide a more stable source of income for the needs of the over-all ministry. Martin will purchase soapstone in Kenya while David and Linda are traveling and that will go together with other crafts that they have been purchasing in Uganda to support the International Hand-crafted Art Works Ministry in the USA which help provide donations to support the over-all ministry.

October 15, 2011
Praise Jesus!  We give thanks for Jesus faithfulness. In the month of September, 1,358 souls came to the Lord in the ministry in Central Africa.  Everyone and their sustainability projects are moving forward and doing well.  Pastor Billy in Eastern Uganda is working with an evangelical hospital that not only provides medicine to the needs but always prays for every patient before ministering ‘professionally’, and they are currently struggling with a large registration fee.  Otherwise everything is pushing forward with them.  Martin is in Zambia, doing well and will return around October 17 when we will get the full report.  David has one last mission to the islands of Lake Victoria October 17 – October 21 before Linda Henson comes to pay us a visit on October 24.  Thank you all for the prayers!
 

Africa news October 1, 2011
Reporting in!  In the evening Gary and Jennifer from Massachusetts will be traveling back home after some time of ministry and adventure in the greater Uganda area. After Jen had finished her time of ministry and spent a week or so showing Gary some of her ministry connections here in Uganda, they had a wonderful time preaching to the hippos and giraffes during their final week stay, and we were mutually encouraged by our time of fellowship with them.  Other than that have been struggling with our 2 new poultry projects in Uganda, one in central the other in Eastern Uganda.  We have had to learn some things the hard way (like debeaking a thousand chicken, just a little bloody…), however we have also learned a lot from experienced farmers, and despite the high cost of start up ($9,000), we still have been greatly encouraged by others in the same market who have been experiencing sustainability with worthwhile profits for running their own ministries so it’s definitely worth the initial kick in the pants.  All of which will help stabilize income for harvest vision Africa to push us in the area of our main focus i.e. reaching the lost for Jesus!  Blessings, and thank you for all encouragements and keeping up to date with what is going on here!
In Love and Service, David Grove
Although we won’t have all the testimonies of all the outreaches held during September, we did receive a report of two outreaches in Kenya that 3,800 people attended and where 258 people accepted Jesus and started their new journey into eternity with the help of their fellow believers.

Sept 15, 2011
Here in Africa we are pressing on with the Gospel and have enjoyed the work of God. We have testimonies from 17 outreaches in four of the five countries that we have coordinators with 2,665 salvations. David had a ‘spiritual mapping’ mission in northern Uganda which was to spy out the land to work on connections for Harvest Vision to work with leadership in that area to help spread the gospel there. He had an awesome time, and a good report on finding many trustworthy servants of Christ in many surrounding districts of Gulu after his 2 week mission so we look forward starting that a.s.a.p. Other than that the poultry project is moving forward, only that we have been surprised on the costs of feeding and are praying for provision to keep the project going. Other than that Pastor Evariste came to Kampala to pick up the new fender passport and he brought it back to Bujumbura, Burundi where they are sending out 2 sets of equipment every week saving thousands of souls for Jesus!! Bless you guys!   David Grove

 

Aug 15, 2011 Africa
     Praise Jesus!  These months have been very impactful in bringing forth the Kingdom of God into the nations.  We have received testimonies of 15 outreaches in July  in 4 of the 5 countries we serve in Central Africa and were blessed to hear of 1,655 people that accepted Jesus. Even Pastor Evariste and team are beginning to move into Tanzania, and in Uganda the northern part is being explored.  Yes, it seems everyday this world is becoming a darker place, but for those who follow “the Way” we shine brighter and brighter in such circumstances.
     So, in Kampala the radio show has continued on by the grace of God and is bearing much fruit with not only people giving their lives to Jesus, but many witchdoctors being delivered.  Also, the harvest churches are pushing and they even held a crusade there in Sironko.  Even the poultry projects are continuing.  Pastor Billy in eastern has 625 chicks that are now 1 week old, and in Kampala there are about 1,000 two- month old chicks eating too much!  So we need prayers for provision there but soon enough the projects will be self maintained and even fruitful.  It’s a trial, but for the kingdom so we push on knowing Jesus makes a way.
    Dina Wilkins has returned from Uganda back to the US safely, and everyone here enjoyed her presence.  She went to Mukono to visit Jonathan Lubega for a few days and enjoyed playing with lots of kids.  She was also joined the Sironko mission and blended in the host families cooking and cleaning.  Then she went with a small team to Kitgum for a conference and to map the area to see any other possible mission opportunities for harvest.  After that and packing soapstone, she joined her family safely back home.
     Jennifer Warner came to Uganda the same day as Dina, and she has been working with harvest vision sense.  In Kampala she has done house to house ministry, jail ministry, hospital ministry.  She also went with the team to Sironko in July, and is now expecting her husband Gary to come the 12^th of September for 3 weeks as they explore ministry here in Kampala.
    Other than that all the coordinators are doing well and preaching the gospel as usual according to the outreach schedule.  We are hungering for the further administration of the gospel especially as we discover and pursue more and more effective ways to disciple the nations through church planting and short term bible teaching courses.  Thank everyone for the prayers and support.

 July 16 – August 5, 2011 (Africa)
    Please keep Pastor Martin's mother, Alice, who lives in Kenya, lifted up in prayer. She has been ill and they haven't been able to diagnose the problem.
    Dina has visited Pastor Jonathan Lubega and his family in Mukono where they care for their 5 children and 35 orphan children, while maintaining a school for over 300 children in their community. The school has just finished completion of a toilet needed to keep the school open, but are in need of benches, beds and repairs or new buildings. Dina also visited the farming project that Jonathan over-sees to help provide support for the over-all ministry. Dina also went on a evangelistic outreach with friends from the Harvest Vision Kibuli fellowship in Kampala to eastern Uganda. They visited and ministered in Sironko and then Dina traveled to visit with our eastern Uganda coordinator, Pastor Billy. Billy, his wife, Teddy, and their daughter, Blessing, have just moved into their new home and are working to start a poultry project to sustain their personal needs and the ministry. Dina also visited their church fellowships and the new Hope medical clinic that was just recently started. Please check out the blogs on the website for photos and details of Dina’s trip to Mukono and eastern Uganda. David, Dina and Nelson are in northern Uganda to do ministry and hopefully confirm our setting up a coordinator with equipment to serve that area. Dina will be returning to Washington on August 11th and bringing soapstone and beadwork items to support the art works ministry.
    The price of everything is going up quickly which puts a burden on our two poultry projects because of the price of feed. We will be doing what we can to financially support these projects and in a few months they will become self-sustaining because the eggs will be available for sale.
    Martin brought the medical equipment and supplies to the DRCongo and was able to join others in ministry to the Wambuti pygmy tribe on Idjwe Island. We are praying for continued support for the DRCongo hospital and the purchase of property and start of a school on Idjwe for the Wambuti.
    Our friend, Jennifer, is helping our sister, Susan and others, in micro-finance projects, Comfort Africa reaching out to vulnerable children, raising money for property for the Kampala Kibuli fellowship and doing prison ministry.
    Martin, Alex and Joseph will be traveling to minister during a 21 outreach in Zambia in October. Linda will be in Africa from mid Oct to mid Nov and will be bringing a replacement sound system to maintain the outreach ministry in Burundi. She will also visit the coordinators and their wives in Burundi and the DRCongo. David will be returning with Linda in mid Nov and staying in Washington until Jan 30th. He will also visit some other locations and be in Mexico in December.

July 18, 2011
    During the 15 outreaches and seminars that were held in Uganda, Kenya, Burundi and Rwanda in June, 1,035 people were born again and accepted Jesus  and started their new life in Christ.
     We Praise Jesus, and thank Him for our lives. It is all too easy to say, and too easy to forget.  Jesus warned of His Word being 'choked by the worries and cares of this life’ which can be anything from daily needs being met, even making it in home in time to catch our favorite TV show, to Martyrdom.  The question is can we follow His words, ‘He who obeys my words/commandments, abides in me…without which no one has any part with ME’ and ‘ This is my command, that you love one another’ quickly followed by ‘ this is love, to lay down ones life for his friend.’  Jesus didn’t leave us hanging or without hope, but demonstrated this love for us.  Would we do the same if persecution arose?  Or could we simply lay down such simple things like our TV once a week to pray?  Or will we be choked?
     Things here are moving forward as ‘business as usual’  Both Dina Wilkins (over-all communications) and Jennifer from Massachusetts arrived in Entebbe airport on July 12 (although at separate times in the day).  Dina has been enjoying fellowship with Jonathan Lubega in Mukono and the family there for a few days, and Jennifer is helping the Harvest Kibuli fellowship prepare for the fundraising Concert July 17.  Jennifer came to Uganda once before, and we are doing are best to host her as the Lord directs her paths, and she is very helpful with whatever comes her way

July 8, 2011 Africa News
Dina is preparing to leave on July 10^thand will be taking medical supplies and medicine for the hospitals in the DRCongo and eastern Uganda, a sound system for Burundi, tools for David, office & ministry supplies and flash cards that will be used for teaching children and adults. Please pray for her safe travel as well as Jennifer Warner, who is also arriving on the same day. Jennifer is from Connecticut and will be working with the ministry out of Uganda. Many people are being blessed with phone calls from Martin and David from Africa and we are thankful for the communications network that is making this available at a very small price. When Dina returns on August 10^th, she will be bringing soapstone and beadwork which will help with the new Harvest Center and the home parties for the International Hand-crafted Art Works ministry
The work in Kampala is going well and the Harvest Vision Kibuli fellowship is sending out people locally and to other areas in Uganda to evangelize, strengthen existing churches and help start new church families. The church family is striving to save enough money to make at least a down payment on a property so they will no longer have to rent from the school and not be limited by the school hours and programs. We are thankful and blessed that the school has allowed us to use their facility during the start up of the new church family. The poultry project has been started and the chicks are getting bigger and healthier. This will provide a lot of stability to the ministry, especially because of the hard economic times in Central Africa. Martin and the team are building a working relationship with a Christian brother in northern Uganda who may be a coordinator for that community. We would then provide sound and video equipment to the church families in that area that the coordinator would over-see. Likewise, Billy is still working at the successful start of the poultry project in eastern Uganda which is very difficult because of the raising prices of all commodities mostly affected by the high costs of fuel and transportation. The radio broadcast in this area is stimulating a revival in the area and Billy is prayerfully considering the start of a Harvest Vision church plant in that town. Also, the medical outreach is just now becoming a reality. Dina will be working with Billy, Martin and David to determine what kind of help is needed for the medical outreach.
Our Kenya coordinator was recently married and besides the outreaches he is coordinating, he is also working with a ministry to provide pastoral over-sight in Kisumu. Marcos, our Rwanda coordinator, is working with contacts from the Africa Faith Missions bible college in Kigali to organize evangelistic outreaches into the outlying areas. Dina will also be taking medicine and medical supplies, including a blood centrifuge and glucose meter, to the hospital working out of the EGD church facility in Goma, DRCongo. The first of two replacement sound systems for Burundi is being taken by Dina to Africa. Evariste and his team have been very active in working with the local schools and plan to maintain that focus even during the two months the schools are not in session. Four of the eight outreaches in June were students gathering at stadiums and 365 of the 805 people coming to salvation in that month were students.
Our tentative forward plans include: Pastor Martin will be visiting in Zambia during September; Linda Henson will travel and minister in Uganda, Burundi, DRCongo and Kenya in October and return with David Grove on November 18^th; David will be visiting family and sharing about the ministry in Washington and possibly other parts of the USA until the end of January; and Pastor Martin will visit and minister in the USA and Mexico in 2012.  

July 1
Dear Beloved,   The last 2 weeks have been eventful as we prepare for our visitors in July from the U.S. to Uganda including Dina Wilkins who spent some time here with Harvest Vision Africa in 2009.  She will be here from July 12 to August 10 where she will spend a few days with Jonathan Lubega in Mukono, some time with us as we have a mission with those guys in Eastern Uganda in their new home and new poultry project, and also do some administrative work here in Kampala which is her area of expertise.  David Grove went with Pastor Martin to Kenya to visit Pastor Abijah the coordinator in Kenya with his family and to buy some soapstone for Dina to take back to the U.S.  We are excited about the good report from Abijah in Kenya as he has been praying about God’s connections in his new place in Kisumu after spending so much time involved with ministry focused in Busia.  Pastor Abijah just married a lovely wife named Judy, and we enjoyed getting to know her a little bit.  God has opened a new door for Abijah and Judy to pastor a local church that has had no Pastor and the church is very excited to have them push them forwards as they advance towards the Kingdom of God.  Overall all, it was a very encouraging trip, and now we are focusing over the next 2 weeks to establish the poultry projects in Uganda.  In Eastern Uganda they will have their chicks by July 18, and in Kampala the chicks are already 1 week old. 

June 15, 2011 Africa News
Praise God Beloved!  Salvations and the work of God continue as we press on towards the upward call. In the month of May 1,642 were saved in Central Africa through the crusades and outreaches. We praise Him as many more salvations and developments of ministry progress forward.  We are also thankful for God’s grace and unity bringing us together to accomplish these things, including the newly constructed house for Pastor Billy and his family in Eastern Uganda which they have now moved into although a bit unfinished.  However, now we can look forward to starting a poultry project there as a sustainability project to support overall Harvest Vision Ministry Africa.  By God’s provision we hope to start that project in July.  Pastor Billy himself is coming to Kampala (central Uganda) to preach in the Harvest Church fellowship here Sunday, June 12.  Pastor Martin has also begun preparing his property for poultry and will most likely be ready to purchase some chicks in July.  David Grove was in Mukono June 6-9 helping Jonathan Lubega build desks at the school for vulnerable children after the timber Jonathan had cut from his tree had dried.  David was very touched to see the children sitting in mud while studying in class.  Otherwise, the new equipment purchased from China has been going on missions for over a month now and seems to be doing very well.  In Rwanda the coordinator there has been dealing with family business in Kenya, and has hindered the outreach process lately a bit, but that hasn’t stopped outreach and Marcos looks forward for more opportunities as he has now had some time in Rwanda.  In Kenya Pastor Abijah has been holding pastors conferences and thus been able to further connect the Body of Christ there as he is moving forward with establishing the ministry there.  Also, in the DRC Pastor Isaac has received his equipment from China which came on a separate container than the Kampala, Uganda container and thus has brought the generator for the EGD Hospital and is in operation there praise God!

  June 1, 2011
  So here is news of life here in Africa Harvest Vision Ministries.  We plan to have a small update on the 1st of the month from now on, and then share the testimonies/ outreach schedule on the 15^thof every month to allow all the countries (Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, DRCongo and Uganda) to finish and send a proper report.
   Pastor Billy’s home is under construction on harvest vision land in Budaka, Eastern Uganda.  Within 2 weeks he hopes to move in and finally have the security of moving on missions with a peace of mind that his family will be safe there with no chance of being booted out for any reason.  This will also give us the opportunity for starting up a poultry sustainability project there.  Pastor Martin is also about to finish building a fence on his property in Kampala which will allow him also to start a project there that will allow the family have something to depend on other than his wife’s work at the parliament and eventually free her from it and be more involved with ministry.  Pastor Johnathan Lubega in Mukono has nearly finished drying the wood planks he cut from a tree for the use of building desks for the Canaan Foundation School.  Then David Grove plans to meet him next week and help use those planks and also teach some students to build desks for the school.
 

May 13, 2011
Greetings Beloved in Christ!  We are excited that 1,184 people were saved during the outreaches in April. Here in Africa we are pressing on towards the upward call in Christ Jesus.  Paul encourages us to compete as if we were athletes in a race competing for a prize, and to aim to win the prize.  However, all over the world we see wars, protests, natural disasters, and many other hardships coming against the Body of Christ and here in Africa is no exception to any of those hardships.  Because of high fuel prices and the combination of a severe drought food prices have dramatically increased even as we remain to be politically unstable.  On top of that people within the ministry have been suffering from various sicknesses even while we continue to hear reports of someone attending a burial service almost every other day.  All that being said we cannot be those who shrink back, but those who press on in faith knowing there is no place in heaven for those who faint along the way.  It’s not going to be easy, but we overwhelmingly conquer through Christ Jesus our Victor!
        We strongly feel especially because of recent economic set backs it’s time to move forward with some strong sustainability projects large enough to support the whole ministry.  So currently we are believing in God for everything to come together on the property in Budaka which we have already begun to start to build on.  Once a home is built there, then we can start a poultry project that after 4 months will start to yield income.  We have also help to raise some support for widowed Pr. Margeret from Nansanga church to do some repairs on some building so that she can start her own project and support herself and the church there.  Lastly, Jonathan Lubega has received support to finish his home, the toilet at the school, and funds to cut boards out of a tree so that we can build some desks for the school.  Some of these encouragements might be small, but are significant to the Body here.  Be blessed!

April 2011 mid-month Report (David Grove)
            The china equipment finally arrived!  Praise God!  As Pastor Martin had gone to China Early this year to purchase sound equipment for the church and missions he also spied out the land for other markets that could be used for sustainability alongside of sound equipment to help not only sustain the ministry here but provide opportunities for the native Ugandans to be part of the ministry and earn income.  The result of the shipment is that we have replaced not only the church equipment which frees up equipment to give to Pastor Billy in Eastern Uganda for his church which thus provides him with two sets of equipment, one for church and one for missions so that the two no longer conflict with one another.  Also, now the overused and outdated equipment in Kampala is completely replaced and will become more reliable for the workers on the field operating the equipment on crusades.  We are very enthusiastic, and it seems we may have saved more than half the cost of finding all the equipment from the U.S., and also half the effort of coordinating and shipping it all.  The future looks good.
            Also new is Pastor Billy has shifted homes after finding something a bit cheaper while he waits to build on the new property which will provide a rent free environment thus releasing funds for ministry, but also provide property and opportunity for sustainability as the ministry their, and in all of Africa expands to reach the unreached throughout.  The Coordinators in Burundi, Rwanda, and the DRC are all well and are looking forward to the opportunity in the near future to assemble together to discuss the ministry overall and some of the visions for the Kingdom ministry the Lord has been giving each of us on an apostolic level.  Thank you for keeping up with us!

March 2011 Africa
Greetings to all the saints in Christ Jesus.  We give thanks to God for keeping us, and sustaining us through every trial and leading us away from every temptation and for the 1,135 souls that were brought into the kingdom through the outreaches in March.  With the world in uproar between earthquakes in Japan, and wars/ rumors of wars in Africa, and revolutions in the Middle East we must wonder what is taking place in the spiritual realms.  Even here at Home, the Doctor from Nansanga church has went to be with the Lord, and many have suffered from sickness. However,  we press on as all this points to Jesus coming back soon and He told us not to be troubled as all these things would take place.  He also said, “before I come every nation will be reached”, so it’s our deepest desire to reach the unreached thus fulfilling the Great Commission.
In Kenya Pastor Abijah is now using the second motorbike for sustainability and the Jamii school is digging a new toilet because as they went to pump the old one it was discovered it was ruined beyond disrepair and pumping.  Despite the difficulties of the move for Abijah to Kisumu God continues to open the doors to the gospel, and we continue to pray that from this city center that doors will open to the unreached villages there,  even into Tanzania.  The ministry in Uganda is pressing on as we eagerly await the delivery from China with containing newly purchased sound equipment and hope along with the delivery to learn all other opportunities from China available to us including the possibility of starting some sustainability projects for the ministry overall.  One project aside from sound equipment is a suit project that would benefit not only the ministry but employ many down the line.  Like Kenya, Rwanda is also pressing on as God opens more doors for the gospel there as we continue to pray for unity amongst the believers there despite all obstacles of the gospel including those caused by corporate control and ambitions.  Pastor Evariste from Burundi recently visited us in Kampala, Uganda and shared with us the continued success of both sets of sound equipment and shared with us the strategy that allows for such great success of the gospel there, only that one set is due for replacement.  Finally, After a visit from George Henson, Dave Grove, and Pastor Billy to the DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo) we learned of their status there as Pastor Augistine continues in his devotion to spreading the gospel there despite the many dangers due to so many world powers and rebel forces hidden in the jungle continually struggling for control over the abundant resources.
 

March 12, 2011 Africa
The Crusades, Seminars, Outreaches and sacrifices for the gospel continue, and the kingdom of God is expanded wider and wider as we take back the land for Christ.  We are already walking in victory through Christ, and yet there seems to be a certain feeling of familiarity that comes with ‘writing another report.’  What feels like ‘more of the same’ to us is causing angels in heaven to rejoice!  As even the daily hardships and sacrifices of spreading the gospel on ‘the dark continent’ can become routine, we have learned a secret.  That is how to be content in every situation, whether lacking or in abundance through Christ who strengthens us, and therefore we never be cease to be amazed by what God does with what we give Him as “living and Holy sacrifices unto Him” God is not concerned with what we have, but only what we give Him, and to let Him work His miracles from our planted mustard seeds.
That being said, we are thankful for everyone’s continued prayers and support and encouraged by your remembrance of us as we continually think of you in our prayers. It’s through our family in Christ that the work here continues.  Johnathan Lubega has nearly completed the necessary toilet for the school (pictures on website). Pastor Billy continues with the radio program and is expanding the effectiveness of that program, while also establishing the new church in Sirlonko which will have a team from Kampala for a crusade in April.  Pastor Abijah in Kenya is firmly planted in his new place in Kisumu, and establishes the new work there.  Pastor Evariste in Burundi continues to push crusades every weekend with 2 sets of equipment at 2 different locations faithfully and effectively.  The new work in Rwanda is being more established each month, and The DRC continues to push into the jungle to reach the lost.  In Kampala Pastor Martin continues in the work of training leaders in the church now one year old and fast growing while believing for land as now even 2 services is not sufficient space because of many newcomers/born agains coming into fellowship; while at the same time the weekly crusades, without ceasing continue to push from Kampala into the bush of Uganda.  It may all sound familiar and ordinary, but isn’t that what Jesus calls us to do?  That is make the extraordinary become ordinary?  Not for boasting in the name of the ministry, but for the sake of the workers and supporters that is exactly what God has done through Harvest Vision Ministries.  Thank you all, and keep up the good work!

February 2011 Midmonth update
           So here is an update on some exciting things God has been doing through Africa.  Martin (director of Harvest Vision Ministries Africa)  is still in China, and was planning on doing some ministry in Korea while he was there, but that was canceled so he will try to come home with Pastor Isaac (DRC coordinator) sometime this week if they can plan a booking.  So David Grove is writing this to let you know that and that he has just come back from the mission in Eastern Uganda (where nearly 100 souls were saved!) and visiting the coordinator, Pastor Billy, of Eastern Uganda.  While visiting on Saturday night we went to the radio station for the program of 8 to 9 p.m. mentioned in the last Africa news, and we both enjoyed some time of sharing the gospel to thousands or millions in cities and villages through out Eastern Uganda!!  The next day we encouraged the new church plant of 3 months in Kadama which is growing very fast with new believers, then we went and checked out his new property miraculously provided for by God.  It is a good property, and we believe that God can do another miracle and provide a home for his family while Billy is out on the missions.  The sacrifices made here like that of Billy’s family for the gospel leave them constantly fighting for rent money, so a house is something that can give both Billy some peace of mind while on the mission field, but also provide the Holy Spirit with more opportunity for ministry.
            So sharing on the radio is a lot of fun, and really exciting to think about especially for all those in the villages with no power or water, but only a simple radio for communication to the outside world.  More than internet or any other method, the radio is very effective here and we are all excited for this new door opened!  That being said, remember to pray for Uganda, as election week is here, and this Friday the whole country will be voting for members of parliament and who will be president.  It’s not likely any big changes will occur, and security is very tight during this election term, but we all know that “our weapons of warfare are mighty for battle!!” So let us be united in prayer!

Jan 18 – Feb 7, 2011 Africa news
Beatrice (Mama Peace) Pastor Martin’s wife saw Martin off to the airport for China Feb 7, and then he will be returning with Pr. Isaac from the DRC on February 22 with a focus on establishing business relationships that will coordinate purchasing sound equipment used every week for outreaches here in East Africa.  Martin will also visit some ministry relationships for God’s work in Asia for some encouragement of the Body there.  Pr. Isaac had a follow up surgery in China, and it seems to be helping him more.  David Grove will also leave the ‘office’ February 9 to go on a mission with Michael Collins and others from Kibuli fellowhip in Kampala to a village in Eastern Uganda.  Because of it’s proximity to Pr. Billy in Eastern Uganda David will also visit him for a few days to check on ministry, property, and business there to encourage his family, and possibly also help with a three day outreach while there also, then plan to return to the ‘office’ in Kampala February 17.  David finished with helping construction of the New Royal Hope and anyone can find pictures on the Harvest Vision website.  So now he will focus in February on some mission, and in the beginning of March finish up the new Harvest Vision Ministries Africa website with Dina and David Idoru.  Then we will be preparing for George Henson to come March 15.
            Also, since many sustainability projects were started at the beginning of the year, many have already begun to show first fruits.  In Burundi, Pastor Evariste has started the motorbike business which brings in small income for the family everyday while he is out on missions.  In Mukono, we harvested our first crop of beans, and are ready to begin for planting and preparing for next season.  We also sent another $70 to cover unseen costs for the new toilet for the Cannan foundation school that was necessary to allow the school to legally reopen for the new school year February 2011.  We also finished the legal purchase of a 100’ by 130’ plot of land for Pastor Billy and family in Budaka to help them establish both a home, and chicken farm project that will keep them completely sustained and the family provided for to free up more time and resources for both the ministry locally, and Harvest Vision overall.  Next, we are excited to announce the restart of the mushroom project here in the office in Kampala, which will help both outreach in Central Uganda, and Harvest Vision Ministries Africa overall. Finally, in Tororo, Pastor Joel, a new director of some churches coming into Harvest Vision, oversight has established the cell phone charging business with the solar panel to provide some funds for administration in the village there.
            With the indirect oversight of Harvest Vision Ministries Africa, Pastor Joel in Tororo is now directing 26 churches under the name of the ministry in Tororo.  That leaves the ministry with 26 churches under our indirect oversight (which means they aren’t church plants, but are simply supported by the ministry through legal registration), and 5 directly in our oversight which include one in Kampala, another in Jinja, one in Kadama, one in Nansanga, and the newest one in Sironko. The Sironko church plant came out of a need by the believers there wanting to separate themselves from the false teachings of the local pastors, and therefore Pastor Billy will temporarily pastor the church there on Sundays while in the meantime raising someone to take over as pastor there. Lastly, we plan to send a team in April for crusade/seminars to strengthen the church in Jinja which is prepared for harvest of souls!  Some exciting news!  We have just started a live broadcast radio show whereby we have a time slot of 8p.m. to 9p.m. to preach, teach, and pray the gospel weekly from a radio program that covers the largest part of Uganda.  Because of limited media access in village areas, this will be and already has been a huge blessing to many.  We already have put a half down payment of $150, and after Pastor Billy began, after the first week many were calling into the radio program for prayers.

January 1-17, 2011
Beloved of Christ, be blessed with the love of Christ in the fullest of His abundant grace towards us who believe and call on His name, the only ONE who can save us.
            As many as are praying and fasting into this new year, seeking God for His battle plan for the new year, we want to encourage you with this letter that should keep all well informed of Harvest Vision Ministries Africa current activities as both Martin Ocheing prepares to leave to China Saturday, and David Grove for the mission in Gulu, Uganda.  We praise God for His provision for the airfare to China as Martin plans to travel with Pr. Isaac from the DRC to China for both house to house ministry, and a focus on business as we look into alternatives for purchasing portable sound systems that are used for the outreaches to the lost being delivered from the powers of hell by the hundreds everyday, tens of thousands every year.  Pr. Isaac was given money specifically to purchase new sound equipment for the local church body, and Pr. Martin also hopes his funds will be enough to also buy new equipment to replace the outdated equipment in the Harvest Vision Church he pastors.
 David Grove will also be 'out of the office' around the same dates as Martin.  Martin leaves January 22, and hopes to return by the 3rd of February, however because of heavy flight bookings there is a small chance that he won't return until the 9th of February.  David was invited to and will travel to Gulu, which is in northern Uganda with a ministry from Canada with a similar heart as Harvest Vision to serve the Body of Christ and her needs, and return to Kampala on the 28th of February.  To address one question asked by those who haven't' seen first hand "How is the Church Body  'Harvest Vision' doing as a church with Martin traveling so often?"  This could be the simple reply: as a Pastor, Martins focus is to be lead by the Holy Spirit and to train leaders.  If this is done effectively he believes that the burden of the health of the Church lies on both the Holy Spirit and also every member of the Church, not just on his shoulders with Christ as the true head of the Church.  Which gives the congregation the freedom and environment to also believe they hold a valuable part in sharing the burden of hearing from and obeying the Holy Spirit.  Literally what that looks like is to have Pastor/Leaders from within the congregation have the ability to lead the church in Martin absence.
            Here is a small encouragement on the Sustainability projects that provide the coordinators the bread and water their families need while they are out in ministry:  In Eastern Uganda Pr. Billy has had a banana/coffee marketing project going, and to help cover rent more capital was invested into that project.  Also, to help with the day to day ministry their a bike was purchased for him and is doing well.  For the DRC money was sent recently to not only help Augustine the outreach coordinator with the sewing business ran by his wife, but also for a solar panel to help the evangelical clinic their have a lights, and because of a lack of reliable power at the clinic in Goma, this will help the surgeon to see during emergency surgeries at night.  The surgeon was also given hard to get, but much needed medications purchased in Mexico by the team from the U.S. in November/December.  In Kenya, Pr. Abijah has successfully relocated to Kisumu, a more central point in Kenya that will service as a more strategic place to evangelize the country.  To help with his daily needs, money was sent to buy a second motorbike that will be used along with the first bike as a 'taxi' business.  Also, money was sent to help support a local ECD school (like a preschool) with porridge for mealtime for the kids, with 8 new needs desks, and to pump the toilet before the new school year starts.  Money for Burundi was recently sent to service Pr. Evariste outdated car, and also to support a motorbike business for him as well.  Right now nothing has been sent for sustainability for Rwanda as they are so far self sustained.
Outside of the coordinators of Harvest Vision Ministries Africa three Pastor in Uganda who function very apostolically in their ministry were also encouraged with some small sustainability. Pr Joel, who will soon register his church into Harvest Vision, was given a solar panel to help with ministry their in Tororo, and also help with school fees for the orphans he houses and provides for.  Pr. Ambrose from Entebbe was helped with purchasing some materials for the construction of his home.  Michael Wotts who just relocated under the prompting of the Spirit to move to a small village a bit outside of Kampala was encouraged with money to help his wife move the sewing business, and help him open a shop in Kampala that could service his refrigerator repair business.  Pr. Jonathan has received his solar panel for the school, and another small one to replace the one that services his family and orphans living with him.  He also received the funds to finish a room being added onto his house to provide more space for his overcrowded house with so many orphans that he provides for, along with a sprayer to help with the farming projects he does to feed them and help feed the Canaan Foundation Primary School students.  Lastly, Pr. Jonathan has begun digging for the toilet that is legally required before the new school year can begin for the Canaan Foundation Primary School.
            We Praise God for His abundant provision, and thank all those supporting these projects in Africa, and all other help. It's safe to add that a more informative update on the more recent sustainability projects will come soon, but because of timing of sending to Africa, and actually getting these things is difficult.  We don't really live in such an immediate society here where it is as simple as swiping a credit card.  Thank for helping to support these projects, the beads and soapstone, the bible covers, the medicine,
In Love and Service to our Savior, Lord and King, Jesus Christ
 Your servants and His friends, Harvest Vision Ministries Africa

 December 2010 Africa (David Grove)
Dear Beloved in Christ,
            Why did Jesus come to earth and visit mankind?  The bible says in 1 John 3:8 that, “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.”  As Christians our tendency is for our focus to be on escaping the fires and powers of hell.  However, Jesus came to earth to encounter them!  My friends, I am telling you that now our primary task isn’t to avoid hell, but to encounter it, and destroy the works of the devil here on earth through the victory obtained by Jesus Christ who “could not be held under its power.”  It seems that our primary focus of the prayer of Jesus for “heaven on earth” is to make our pews fancy, our seats comfortable, and everything in our lives as comfortable and extravagant as possible to try and match heavens extravagancy.  As Christians our goals seems to avoid as much suffering as possible when Jesus said, “He who wants to be my disciple must deny himself, carry his cross and follow me (and where did Jesus go after this statement: the cross!).  “You fool!  That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies…it is sown as a natural body, and it is raised a spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:36,43).  That is the picture of becoming born again, and what is resembled in being baptized in Romans 6.  So this teaching of “Jesus; God wouldn’t want us to suffer” is unbiblical, and an antichrist teaching (because it goes against what Jesus said).  So friends, beloved, let us get out of our comfort zones, let us move out of our churches and meetings and extravagant lifestyles and engage the powers of hell that are holding captive the possessed, those blinded by unbelief, and the hungry.  Let us no longer wait until our conditions meet heavens before we engage the ongoing battle around us, but use what we have against the enemy (as did Gideon, David, Paul, Sampson and all those of faith).  I appeal to you as if through Christ, let us remember there is a spiritual battle going on around us that we cannot see, and yet we see through doubt, fear, suspicion, unbelief, and the hatred around us through our ‘spiritual eyes’ trained to discern between good and evil.  This battle is first won through prayer, as God reveals the bondages in our own lives keeping us back from engaging the enemy with a steadfastness and full assurance of victory day by day.  That day by day is for “today” for His mercies are new every day, and we are renewed every day…if indeed we are engaged and cast off all fear, familiarity and religion which so easily entangles us.
            We praise the Lord for all he has done.  Many souls this last year have come into the kingdom (over 30, 000!!!), many have been baptized, the Body of Christ has been encouraged, and His kingdom has been advanced through so many who have donated to sustainability projects and other ministry needs as the Holy Spirit leads us to comfort those who sacrifice their lives for the sake of the gospel.  Many from the U.S. have come to oversee the ministry, it’s purpose, and it’s needs and were overwhelmed both by how much is being done for Africa and around the world, and also the need.  We thank God who amply supplies, and are moving forward boldly knowing WHO we are working for.  We want to thank all who have partnered with us in this last year, and all who continue and we know that simple thanks doesn’t really address our true gratitude.

November 2010 (1,575 born again in November crusades)
George, Linda & Bobby Kelley flew to London where they met with Michele, a sister that Bobby had met while on mission in Brazil. Michele was a gracious host providing dinner and accommodations in her home and we were blessed with the sharing and presence of God during our stay. The Lord is using Michele in supernatural ways to pour out His love and we know that we will be with her again. We arrived in Entebbe, Uganda the next day where we were met by Pastor Martin and his wife, Beatrice. David Grove had already been living in Uganda with them for a month so it was a great reunion for everyone. During our stay in Kampala, the capital and where our home and office is located, we visited with family and Bobby was able to begin to witness the culture and traditions of Africa living since it was his first visit. We attended services at the Kibuli Harvest Vision fellowship, that was started at the first of the year, other church fellowships, met and shared with many pastors and leaders at the home and visited the Royal Hope Academy school. During our stay, we purchased necklaces, soapstone and other craft items that help support the local people and that will be used for donations to support the ministry when we return to the USA. We discussed the Africa website and how it can better serve the ministries in Central Africa and sustainability projects that can help support the coordinators, their families and the on-going ministries.
We visited with Pastor Jonathan and Janet Lubega in Mukono outside of Kampala. They provide care for 11 orphans as well as their 5 children in their small home and 12 other orphans stay at the school that is operated on the church property. Two of the school teachers stay with them during the night. The school provides education from primary 1-8 for 264 children. He also leads the local pastoral fellowship and over-sees a 2 acre farming project that helps support Harvest Vision ministry.
We visited with our eastern Uganda coordinator and his wife and their 1 week old first born daughter, Blessing. Because of repeated attempts on his life, he moved to a town center a distance away from where they have the Kadama Harvest Vision fellowship. Pastor Billy coordinates the evangelistic outreaches and organizes the pastors/leaders teaching seminars in the area. We also visited with the Nansanga Harvest Vision fellowship a distance away with Dr. Christopher and his wife, Pastor Margaret. We later traveled, with Billy and the equipment to a small village south of Kadama in the Tororo District. We met with local pastors and helped with a video outreach for about 200 people. We were blessed to sleep in the huts in the village, share at the morning service and meet with the local pastors to encourage and find ways to be of service.
Our road trip to Rwanda ended up being revised by God after the transmission went out in the car. Martin and David stayed with the car and a mechanic came from Kampala to make the repair while George, Linda and Bobby proceeded by transport to Rwanda and met with our Burundi coordinator, Evariste, who escorted us to his home in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi. A blessed time including getting to minister at the Miracle Center, where Evariste is Sr. Pastor, and visit with Goshen Ministries, a church fellowship and orphan project started by our friend in Tucson, AZ, Pastor Bigimba. Evariste also serves as the focal point for Judea Harvest, a USA based ministry, that is supplying 10 large tents per month for church planting in Burundi for the next 2 years. We brought a new sound system to replace one of the older ones and Evariste shared testimonies of the evangelistic work in Burundi. He identified areas in which we needed prayer to bind spiritual strongholds and further the gospel.
Our drive to the DRCongo allowed us to visit the home of Joseph Ayienga in Kigali, Rwanda and meet with our new Rwanda coordinator, Marcos Ibrahim. Marcos moved from Kenya 2 years ago to serve as worship leader at the Treasure Center, which is the church family started by Joseph in 2006 to reach out to the prostitutes. Other ministries are involved to provide education and business opportunities to help these women support themselves and their families. One of these, Heart for Africa, makes uniforms for local schools and employs 22 of these women.
Our drive from Kilgali to the DRCongo was interrupted by the car breaking down 45 miles from the border. Martin remained to get help from a local pastor and the 4 of us traveled by public transport to the DRC border, only to find out the “system” had been changed and we were not able to get visas without approval from the government. Pastor Isaac and his wife, Jose, our DRCongo coordinator crossed over to the guesthouse that we stayed in on the Rwanda side and visited with us. He shared with us about the outreaches that are using the equipment and the testimonies of the work in the hospital clinic and ministry to the pygmies on Ijwe Island. The hospital has no power so all surgeries are done with candles, lanterns or cell phone lights. We are praying to supply a solar-panel for lights that will meet this need. Martin was able to get a new radiator and head gasket and meet us with the car. We also discussed the need of a coordinator and second set of equipment to serve in the DRCongo between Lake Kivu and Lake Tanganyika. Bobby was able to join with Martin to cross over and help with the pastor’s seminar and visit the hospital where they were able to present them with the anti-biotics we had brought from the USA.

October Testimonies
In November 2009, we received our first equipment to support outreaches in Eastern DRC. The equipment was ready after the first of the year and Pastor Isaac Mwaunaume, our coordinator working together with Brother Augustine began to set up crusades. During this time, his health deteriorated rapidly and after much prayer and intercession, he journeyed to India where he received medical treatment and returned home where he has recovered. He was able to begin to have an outreach in June and then others in July, August and September. We received out first report of the testimonies from these outreaches last month. 8,228 people received salvation and many others were healed and delivered. These outreaches are planned with existing and new church plants to ensure that new believers are incorporated into a church family for fellowship and discipleship. Your prayers and support added to the prayers and sacrificial giving of our native missionaries have helped bring 26,190 people to salvation and into discipleship in Central Africa through October. They have had many doors open to reach out to institutions with the gospel.
Last week we took equipment to Rwanda to resume outreaches again; Marcos and Joseph are already making plans for outreaches for the coming months.
David Grove has been doing very well in Africa since he came; he has been doing lots of missions in eastern Uganda with Pastor Billy.
God bless you for praying for praying and supporting us to reach the unreached, the scripture says…”they that are wise who win many souls will shine like stars”.
From Martin, Harvest Vision Ministries Africa

September Testimonies (2,093 salvations)
First and foremost we want to thank God for the healing of our D.R.C coordinator, Pr. Isaac who has finally returned from India where he had gone for treatment and re-joined his family and ministry. Glory to God and thank you saints for supporting his family and ministry through your prayers.
We thank God for His grace upon all who minister with us, Burundi brothers are experiencing great grace and testimonies, in one of their outreaches last month two young Muslims got saved who ended up being disowned by their families. Pr Evariste and the church had to take the responsibility of providing them shelter, food and pay their school fees as they disciple those two to become His disciples. They have been seeing many souls being transformed and witchdoctors leaving their witchcraft and turning to Christ.

Our minister’s training in the eastern Uganda has resumed after a two month rest, the leaders are hungry for more and God has been faithful to strengthen our hands for this work.
Kibuli Harvest Fellowship the 9 month old church plant has began raising ministers in different areas of ministry, we just sent our first mission team of 3 to a three day mission in Eastern Uganda. Wow what an experience, they came back just like the disciples did in Luke 10 “demons and all evil spirits were subject to us” over 30 souls came to Christ and testimonies of healings and miracles. Jesus said “and these signs shall follow”…..you must be on the move for the signs to follow; we cannot afford to be static, complacent and play church and expect signs to follow. We are getting ready to send another team of youths out for a two-day mission again this month…..and the gospel must be preached to all nations before the end comes.

August 2010

We thank God again for his grace for last month, and for the new doors that are being opened for the ministry. Here in Uganda we see we are seeing a renewed zeal to reach out to the lost. Even in radio programs many preachers are calling upon the saints to get back to the preaching of the cross. For a long time since the preaching of materialism came to the church the zeal to reach lost died as people focused on acquiring the whole world for themselves. If we are sincere enough you will agree with me that this is not happening only in Africa but even abroad, most saints have lost the urge to depopulate hell and populate heaven. From my experience, I can say that in the past few years the focus of the church has drifted to mostly charitable works. Billions of dollars are given to charitable organizations that have nothing to do with the destiny of human soul. People will eagerly give money to cloth or feed a poor man or child but they will not give a dime to help reach same with gospel of salvation. Of what benefit is it to have well fed and clothed beings heading to hell without Christ? Think. Am I against charitable works? No not at all, I do them daily. This we should have done without neglecting the need for man’s salvation. Jesus asked “what shall it benefit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul”?

A new door has been opened for us to resume evangelistic outreaches again in the country of Rwanda. Brother Marcos Ibrahim is ready to commit his life to this kingdom expansion business. Our challenge for now is getting a set of equipment for Rwanda and funds to facilitate outreaches on monthly basis. But we know that the Master of the harvest will speak to His servants in the harvest to meet this need.

Great things are happening in Kenya, Pr Abijah has been operating from a small rural village in Busia western Kenya. However he is preparing to move to Kisumu town. This will be a more strategic location from which we can reach the wider western province and nyanza province.

May the Lord ignite in us the fire to see souls won to Christ again, for the value of a soul is priceless. We thank God for the 1,517 souls that came into the kingdom during August in Kenya, Uganda & Burundi. 

 

August 4 2010

The surgery to repair damage to the spine on Pastor Martin’s father-in-law has been done and he is in the hospital in much pain. We appreciate your prayers that the family will remain strong and this will be another example of your loving hand ministering to everyone involved and that those that don’t know the truth will be drawn into the Light of your perfect love. Martin just returned from a visit to Nairobi, Kenya and we have successfully registered the name, Harvest Vision Ministries – Kenya, and will be working toward the full registration. Dr. Robert and Susan Owade, the founder of the AFM Bible College in Rwanda, and one of our Rwanda coordinators is relocating back to Kenya. Pastor Joseph Ayinga, our other Rwanda coordinator, is also working between Kenya and Rwanda. Robert and Joseph will join Martin and Pastor Eliud Abijah, our Kenya coordinator, as the Board for the newly formed HVM-Kenya. We are also working to support Abijah as he relocates from the village of Siteko in the southwest corner of Kenya to Kisumu, more into the interior of Kenya. This will provide easier access to the other areas in western Kenya. We are also excited to share the news that the two services every Sunday at the Kibuli fellowship in Kampala, Uganda are filling up and that we have received the last of the money needed to pay the lease for another property for next year. Martin will be signing the lease soon and plans are being made to construct a building there.

July 2010

June 2010

          I (martin) will be traveling this month to the US for my very first time. I will be ministering and sharing the ministry vision with saints in Nashville, Tennessee and Washington State. I ask you saints of the Lord to keep my mission, family and ministry back in Africa in prayer especially for this time that I will be way for a month.

 

April 2010 Update

 

It is another month of victory in East and Central Africa as 2,784 souls come to Christ.. DRC Congo is finally beginning to work with a few missions to the institutions within Goma. They had one institutional outreach in the University in which 12 souls came to the Lord. We are beginning to see souls come to Christ in DRC through the faithfulness of the brethren working with us there and we need to continue to pray with them. We thank God that finally we have been able to replace the equipment in Kenya with a bigger sound system.

Church planting in Uganda: The Lord is opening another door for us to plant another church in Njeru a small town close to Jinja. Gregory Kagobe one of my spiritual sons has been led by Lord to plant a church in that area and hence we are working toward how we can help him do that work. The harvest is truly ready so the laborers need to be working.

Our new church plant in Kampala in the Muslim stronghold slum is doing very well we now have seven home churches through which we do evangelism. Being in a Muslim stronghold is it a little had to do mass campaigns, but that cannot stop us from winning souls, we anticipate many souls to Christ through our house churches. Our school hall with a capacity of a hundred people is no longer enough so we are looking forward to start two services every Sunday. However we are praying that eventually we will able to get out of this school hall to a place with more space.

The Lord be glorified.

 

March 2010 update

 

Glory is to God! Souls continue to come to the kingdom, churches are being planted and the number of those who believe is being increased day by day. For the month of March we saw 2474 souls won to the Kingdom in Uganda, Kenya and Burundi. All this is because of the faithfulness of our Lord Jesus and every one of you playing your part in the kingdom expansion business.

The equipment in DRC is now set to go more often. Bro. AUGUSTIN SHAKO has committed himself to be in charge of the sound equipment and will be  going out for the outreaches. Bro Augustine is married and they two children. Please include them in your prayer list for outreach team in the East and Central Africa.

Harvest Vision Ministry has set a department of Church Fellowships which allows us to plant churches in Uganda. Amazingly, it is only 3 months since this happened and we already have two Church congregations: in Kampala (Central Uganda) and Kadama (Eastern Uganda). God is doing a quick work,  Jesus is coming back soon.

The Kampala church is in a very strong Muslim slum with so many challenges but it is growing steadily. We really need to get a better place for the church fellowship since the school hall where we hold our meetings is already not enough to contain our ever growing congregation. 

Regarding Sustainability projects: We have acquired over two acres of land for farming close to the Pr. Jonathan Lubega’s property in Mukono. We have started clearing the land cutting down the trees to make it ready for farming activities. We plan to use Farming God’s Way methods on that virgin land. This will also be a way to show the community how to farm in such away that they do not destroy the soil and its fertility.

We are praying and looking into all possible ways to have Harvest Vision registered in Kenya. Please join us in prayer for this, that God may lead us and open the right doors.

 Ministry registration in Kenya is a little different so we really need God‘s favor for this to happen. This will give us more freedom the serve the body of Christ in Kenya than we have done in the past.

May the grace of our Lord keep you in Him as we look forward to His soon coming.

 

Feb. - March 10, 2010

George arrived the end of February and was able to provide much needed ministry supplies, including medicine, a sound system for one of the church families in Niarobi, Kenya and a keyboard for the coordinator of Harvest Vision Ministries in eastern Uganda. We have had the opportunity to preach and fellowship with pastors and leaders from throughout Central Africa since his arrival. We were also able to provide funding for roofing tin for the Entebbe Miracle of Faith Church building that will be dedicated in November.    

We were blessed with the testimony of 1,514 salvations through the outreaches in February and represent Christians from all different denominations. We are using only one primary technician to support one set of equipment out of the Kampala office. Sets of equipment are also located in western Kenya, eastern Uganda, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and two sets in Burundi. The equipment is needing to be replaced or repaired so we are in the process of that at this time. A stronger focus is now on leadership training. We will be leaving to participate in the monthly leadership meetings in eastern Uganda this week with a friend that is a director for IRIS ministry in Sudan. In May, Martin will help coordinate training in Rwanda and the eastern DRC for Faith Life Ministries with Barry Voss from the USA. Martin will also be going to visit Michelle at the IRIS orphan project in Yei, Sudan to begin building a relationship with pastors and leaders and find coordinators for the ministry in Sudan. Louis Mukunda will accompany For His Glory Ministries for outreach to western DRC in August and prayerfully allow the Holy Spirit to lead us in regard to a coordinator for that area and southern Congo. Louis is also serving on the core committee for coordinating the Andrew Palau Festival scheduled in Kampala in September. A copier is being purchased to support the need for printed materials as we continue with more emphasis on leadership and training.   

Last year, we formerly registered in Uganda as Harvest Vision Ministries – Africa and are expanding to provide over-sight and the legal covering to Spirit-led ministries. Harvest Vision Church started in Kampala at the beginning of this year. The church, as well as the church in eastern Uganda that was planted by Pr Tom Billy, will be in the new Department of Church Fellowship. We have put a strong emphasis on discipleship, including using the Men at the Cross material from Joe White that is coming from the USA. We are currently working to get a sound system and a keyboard. A future project will purchase a property to build a worship center with an office in a separate location but within walking distance of a new ministry complex. The new ministry complex will be in the same area of Kampala as we are currently located. This has proven to be a location that is easily accessible for the many Christian leaders and pastors that we are working with and we have a good relationship with the surrounding community. The complex will include a director’s home and a separate building for a lounge room for ministry and office and conference room. Rooms will be available for staff from the USA and a smaller set apart mission housing with small kitchen and bath for visiting missionaries. The liaison staff will provide administrative and project support and will help coordinate individuals and small groups from the USA and other countries so they can be introduced to the Christian leaders of the various ministries in our sphere of influence. The “partnering” is up to the leading of the Holy Spirit and will be different for everyone that God brings.

We have visited the Royal Hope Academy that has been supported through Rebecca Sorenson (from Tennessee) with help from Michael Collins and the director, Sam and his wife, Florence. They have 3 children and 5 other orphans that live with them and also attend the school. The school is in the process of registration and another piece of property has been purchased to relocate the school to but it is wetlands and negotiations are occurring to provide a place to build. The school has over 130 students with 9 accredited teachers. We are discussing the possibility of providing over-sight for the school by creating a Department of Education through Harvest Vision Ministries – Africa. The day that we visited the school, Richard, a young man from the Anglican Church also visited and will arrange to bring his student ministry to the school on a Friday.

A 5-7 acre property is being looked for in Mukono, a rich agriculture area out of Kampala, and close to Pastor Jonathan Lubega’s home to use for agriculture that will support the ministry. The older more responsible orphans can help with the farm in exchange for help with school fees. The produce can be brought to the ministry complex in Kampala or sold on the market to support the ministry. The property that Martin and Beatrice are purchasing in Kampala city limits, may require us to put up a small structure so we can begin to farm and use it to help provide further support. Martin is waiting for the final instruction to launch the mushroom sustainability project that is being housed at the home/office in Kampala and a poultry sustainability project to support Pastor Tom Billy and his wife and the ministry in eastern Uganda is being started. 

            Abijah, our coordinator in western Kenya, visited on his way home after leading a 4 day crusade and outreach west of Kampala. Abijah’s wife, Deborah, who passed away a few months ago was the pastor of the Kenyan Assembly of God Church in the village of Siteko the last 12 years, during which time Abijah moved throughout western Kenya coordinating crusades, leadership training, strengthening existing churches and helping plant new ones. He is working to train a young man that will pastor the church while he is in the field. We were also able to provide money to purchase a volleyball and soccer ball to support the sports ministry that has been going between the local villages in that area. In the fall of last year, we established a brick-making business to provide employment to local people and finances to help support the family and ministry.    

 We are also establishing a bead and soapstone ministry that will be used to help build relationships, provide an opportunity to share the gospel and provide much needed finances to support the ministry. We are purchasing handmade beadwork (necklaces, bracelets, earrings and purses) from Kampala and soapstone carvings from Kissi, Kenya that will be available in the USA to those that would make presentations to groups or hosts “Africa” parties with friends, family and neighbors. A fund will be set up to replace inventory on an on-going basis, ordering from a catalogue of what is available. All donations, except those to sustain the ministry, will be used to support the over-all ministry. We are specifically purchasing these items from those that are in need of this business to meet their basic living needs.

 

February 2010 

  Praise be to God for the over 1,514 souls brought to the kingdom in February.  Usually the first and second months of the year don’t see lots of outreaches. But we thank God that this year we have been busy in the harvest field even in these months when everything goes slow after a lot of work and expenses during Christmas season.

We thank God so much for every direction He continues leads us. Through our missions in the past we discovered that some time we could go to places do crusades and many people come to Christ but only few get discipled in Christ. Through prayer and sharing our burden we discovered that we needed to spend more time discipling the ministers to be able to take care of the harvest. This burden birthed 4-day monthly ministers training in Palisa and Sironko districts of Eastern Uganda. So as the Lord leads us we will be doing more training of ministers especially in the rural areas where most of leaders don’t have any form of training in the word. Our Coordinator in Burundi is seeing the same need; to train and equip the ministers. So we pray that Lord will connect us to those in the kingdom who are called to train, disciple and equip ministers.

Burundi:

The Lord is giving our Burundian team more victories in the rural un-reached areas. It is like what God speaks in Jeremiah 1: 10 “see, I have this day appointed you to the oversight of the nations and of the kingdoms, to root and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant” The team last month invaded one of the places in the province of Mwaro where there is a big water fall and many people go to this very place to offer animal blood sacrifices on the altars to gods on daily basis. The Lord used the team greatly and many people came to Christ in this area and many were healed from different kinds of diseases, tearing down the kingdom of darkness. We praise the Lord that testimony.

Other Missions:

A few years ago God spoke to me (martin) about Sudan and He told me that when I go to Sudan he will show me two men that He has predestined to use greatly to reach many souls in Sudan. Feb 18^th -20^th saw the fulfillment of this word I received over three years ago. I was ministering the word to a group of ministers in Iris ministries a prayer conference in Yei Southern Sudan. The Lord gave me a prophetic word and as I spoke it, two men out of the whole congregation began to shed tears. Then the Lord immediately reminded me of the prophecy and He gave me specific prophetic words to these two men. I laid hands on them and prayed with them. They later confirmed that every word the Lord spoke to them through me was specifically what God had told them. Praise the Lord!!!!!

We believe God to come along side our brothers already doing ministry in the southern Sudan to reach the un-reached.

We are in great need of study bibles for the pastors and leaders whom we are training in the rural areas. If anyone out there can help us get study bibles for these men and women of God, we will be very grateful.

Glory be to God.

January 2010

 

Dear Beloved, we hope all of you have began you year blessedly. We encourage you to continue to fight the good fight of faith, and keep the faith until we all finish the race and win the crown of righteousness that is kept for all those who long for His appearing. We exhort you give attention to sound doctrine for the Spirit warns that in these last days many will come and have already come, twisting the truth to fulfill their own ambitions. But you men/women of God stand firm in the word of God holding on to faith and good conscience.

We thank God for the testimony of over 1,864 souls that have come to Christ through our outreaches in East and Central Africa in January. And we pray that as many as possible will be discipled by churches in the areas where the outreaches have happened.

We thank God for divine connections He is making for us to begin to affect Southern Sudan too. Please pray that He will show us the way forward for Sudan.

The 4 day monthly training for leaders that we began in Eastern Uganda, last month is doing very well I get ready to go again this second week of Feb. But what is amazing is that one pastor from a different district who attended it last month, went back to his district of Sironko mobilized leaders and asked us to go to  their district too. Pr Billy has already gone there, so now we have two districts open for leadership training on monthly basis. Isn’t the Lord good? God is doing a very quick work; we are overwhelmed by His glory and the move of His Spirit. It is getting too big for us to handle and are therefore praying and getting in touch with people called to teaching ministry to join us for these trainings in Eastern Uganda.

Sustainability Projects: Ps Abijah in Kenya bought a piece of property from the $670 we received. This property will be used to make bricks which will be sold to raise many to sustain ministry and family in Kenya. Last month Ps Abijah made over 10,000 bricks that he expects to sell this month. In Kampala we have already built the structure for our mushroom growing project, we are only waiting for the expert’s instruction before we kick off. Ps Billy in the Eastern Uganda is getting set to build poultry house whenever the funds are available. He has been keeping poultry in small scale, but would like to make it commercial.

We look at these projects as one way of transforming our communities. Through the projects we will able to raise funds for ministry and family locally without necessarily depending on donations. But above all the community around us will see what we are doing, learn from us and do the same. That way we can help our communities get out of the ring of poverty and dependence. We are very excited about this and believe the Lord will use this strategy to bring a revelation in the body of Christ here in Africa that for generations have always looked to the west for help. We are therefore inviting everybody who would like to be part of this work through prayers, giving; practical involvement in missions or any other way the Lord will lead you.

Church Plant: Five weeks a go the Lord led us in Kampala to plant a church, we aim at raising an army for the Lord Jesus, people that are ready to go make disciples. Our focus is to reach people through house fellowships/house churches and meet on Sundays for celebration services. The Lord is really blessing this work, having started just 5 weeks ago, last Sunday we were 120 adults and over 30 children. The room we meet in is no longer sufficient…..wow that is a good problem to have. We would rather have more disciples than we can house than have more room with no disciples.

Pastor Billy Weds: Ps Billy our Eastern Uganda coordinator wedded on the 24^th of January, Billy had always had a desire to be an example the saints by doing a very simple wedding because many believers here are bound in the Christian traditional pride of “expensive colorful weddings” This tradition has been used by the devil to cause many young believers to backslide and elope when their time to marry comes since many young people cannot afford to raise money for a wedding. Ps Billy being a respected and influential leader though single had purposed to break the neck of this giant obstacle for young people by wedding his wife in the simplest manner, no elegant dresses, no gowns. In fact the money he should have used for such things he used it to sponsor an outreach for winning souls to Christ. It has become a topic everywhere in Kadama, young people are so excited, they are set free, they can now follow that example and now they know anyone can have a blessed holy matrimony even without spending a fortune. What a testimony in the body of Christ!!!!! God bless Billy and his wife Teddy.

Thank you for taking time to read this report. Should the Lord lead you to participate in this work, you are most welcome.

Love from the families here.

Africa December 2009 (from Martin Ochieng Ngollah, Director Harvest Vision Africa)

 

Blessed New Year!!!. We bless the Lord for his faithfulness the whole of last year and more so for the month of December. In that month alone we experienced we saw 2131 souls come to the Lord in the East and Central Africa. The grace of God has been multiplied to us even in the midst of persecutions sometimes, but that is common to all of us who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus.

Thanks a lot for who has been praying for our Kenyan Coordinator after his wife went to be with the Lord. He is encouraged, strengthened through the Holy Spirit and is continuing with the Ministry. In his last meetings in December many people were filled with the Holy Spirit speaking in tongues for their first time.

The report from Burundi shows that; Burundi is a country comprised of 17 provinces, In the year 2009 we were able to do outreaches in 13 provinces of the 17. We were able to work with 34 different church fellowships and ministries. Our brothers in Burundi believe God in this year to cover the remaining provinces and extend into D R Congo. May God bless Pr. Evariste our Coordinator and the team for their faithfulness in the field.

In Uganda; we thank God that we were able to do outreaches in 15 Districts for the whole year and worked with so many pastors and other ministers. The grace of God has been multiplied for us especially in the Eastern Uganda. Many doors are opened through Pr. Billy our Coordinator. The pastors have requested us start centers for training gospel ministers in many parts of eastern Uganda. We prayerfully considered this request and therefore this year we will be doing ministerial trainings in Kadama, Palisa District from January to April. We shall be doing a 4-day training session every first week of the month. We already have about 30 ministers coming from Palisa, Bugiri, Sironko and Mbale Districts. We are so amazed by what the Lord is doing in Eastern Uganda may all the glory be His.

As this year starts we have many plans to promote the kingdom of God including doing sustainability projects that we may have income for expansion of the ministry and caring for the families of those involved in this work of the kingdom. We welcome godly ideas for projects from all of you. We would also want to invite all those who would want to be part of this work through prayers, giving; practical involvement in missions or any other way the Lord will lead you.

May the Lord bless you in this year and may our pride be that we know Him and our labor contribute to the building of the Eternal Kingdom. Amen.

 

 November 2009

Once again we are happy to share the testimonies of the Lords working through the month of November. It has been a very busy month especially for ministry in Burundi and Uganda. Just a reminder; we now have two sets of equipment in Burundi and that makes it possible to do two missions in one week. Pr. Evariste and the team have ventured in new provinces in Burundi, the Cankuzo province which has very few churches and even the few which there are not doing well. They had an outreach in the stadium in Karuzi and so many souls turned out to receive Christ. The Burundi team is planning for a church plant in the same place.

Here in Uganda great things are happening; apart from our weekly evangelistic outreaches, Pr Tom Billy our Eastern Uganda Coordinator successfully did the first ministers conference in his sub- county meant to bring the pastors together for fellowship and working as one team. They had a four day meeting with over a hundred leaders in attendance daily which was incredible seeing how divided the church has been in the area. The Leaders have requested us to conduct Leadership training in their area. And so far we have planned for a four-day leadership training every first week of the month for the first four months next year.  Please pray that we may have the wisdom to do this effectively, and that this will spark a revival in that area.

DRC Congo is beginning to work, Pr Isaac is already informing the pastors of the availability of the sound system in Goma and we believe God that we will soon begin to receive good reports from DRC. There are more challenges in the DRC than the other three nations where we are. This is due to the volatile situation caused by the rebel activities in North Kivu. Our brothers/sisters there serve God under very hard circumstances but they have been faithful even to point of death in the hands of the rebels. They need our incessant prayers and encouragement.

Turning to Kenya, we want to thank every one who prayed and supported our Kenyan Coordinator Pr. Eliud when his dear wife Deborah went to be with the Lord. The family still needs prayer support and friendship. Pr Eliud is very much comforted and is back on the rugged mission roads.  His grace is always sufficient and His strength made perfect in our weakness.

Thank you for reading through this update, may the Lord bless you in this festive season.  I pray that you may be the salt and light of world and not celebrate in the manner of the world. May your light so shine that heathen will be drawn to it. Love you forever.

Martin Ochieng

October 09 Africa update (from Pastor Martin, Director of Harvest Vision Africa)

 

Give praise to the Lord for His love endures forever, we appreciate all of you who have prayed for, encouraged and stood by Pr Abijah our Kenyan coordinator whose dear wife Deborah went to be with the Lord a few days ago. It was quite a difficult moment for the family, the church family that she pastored and all the friends who knew and greatly valued her. However we thank God for the sufficiency of His grace at such moments. May we continue to pray for family adjusting to the new life changes.

The DRC equipment finally got there, Praise the Lord. We will soon be receiving reports of what the Lord is doing in Congo. We therefore ask for prayers for the Congo outreaches through Pr. Isaac Mwanaume working with other pastors in Goma and other parts of Eastern Congo.

Our women’s conference in Kampala was a great success as testimonies come from the attendees. This time round we were in the western Kampala an area that we have never held that conference and it was a new venture and a great blessing to meet new sisters and to see how they all worked together to make everything to work. One of the speakers came from Western Kenyan town of Kitale and believe is a divine connection too.

We just came back from the first Kenyan Women’s conference which organized by our late sister Deborah and had to continue even after she went home. We were so blessed seeing God working through different people equipping the body of Christ.

Other evangelistic outreaches have been a great success with many souls coming to the kingdom as you can see in tabulated reports. Please we ask the body to above all things pray with us and especially for our outreaches and the equipment. Due to constant use and travel on the rough roads on public transport we have had to constantly repair the equipment.

Blessings.

(The update below is from Linda)

Greetings to you in the name of Jesus,
My trip to Uganda and Kenya has been very eventful and I wanted to share some of it with you.
 I left the US on October 20th with the 8th set of portable sound equipment designated for the Congo, and will return home on November 20th.  I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for your prayers and support to the ministry enabling the Gospel to be preached to the Nations. The first thing on my agenda after arriving was to travel to Siteko, Kenya for the burial of my dear friend, Pastor Deborah Abijah, who died of malaria and typhoid a few days before I got here. She and I had prayed and planned for a women's conference in Siteko Village since lsat year. With her passing, it was felt that she would have wanted the conference to continue as planned. So on the 6th and 7th of November, after making a second trip to Siteko, the conference was held. There were about 45 women who attended and we were all blessed. I got to spend a couple of extra days to enjoy the peaceful life in the village and sleep in my mud hut. Met and made many new friends.
In Kampala on the 29-31st of October was the third annual "Keepers of the Word" women's conference. There were many very good speakers and the 100-125 women who attended were hungry for the "Word" and I enjoy the new friendships that were developed.
The time has passed so quickly. There are still some things to do on my agenda. Visiting a couple of schools, sponsored by friends, and an overnight at our friend, Jonathan Lubega in Mukono Village on Lake Victoria. And only one week before I return to the US.
I pray that each of you will continue to uplift the ministry here in Africa, Mexico and the US.
May God bless your lives for your faithfulness.

September update

   Soul winning  

“Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens and those who lead many to righteousness like the stars for ever and ever” were the words of Daniel when he considered the importance of soul winning. Jesus underscored the very point when He said “there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents….. How much more rejoicing do we have in heaven when over 2,901 souls come to the Lord through outreaches in one month in three countries?

Glory to God and thank you all who pray, encourage, give, go, plan etc. Together we expand the kingdom of God.

Equipping Saints

Our ministry has got great favor in Eastern Uganda; Pr Billy has been graced to use the equipment to bring together many pastors and leaders who would normally not meet together due to religious and doctrinal differences. He just finished a land mark unity meeting that brought together pastors and believers totaling to over 500 people in their small town of Kadama. All came together for a whole day of nothing else but prayer. Praise God. For those who know that place and how divided the body of Christ has been there, this is nothing but a miraculous move of God. The pastors have even requested me (Martin) to organize for Leadership training for them. We are prayerfully working toward that this month.

Again last month the Lord gave me an opportunity to meet musicians from MEPI (a fellowship of about 100 churches) in Kampala city and share a word with them. It was their first time to do this kind of a meeting.  A door has been opened for me to fellowship with and train in the word all these ministers every week-end for the next one month. Pray that this will impact the city for the glory of God.

More Nations.

The Lord spoke to Pr Billy Tom last month sending him to the nation of Zimbabwe to prophetically speak to the church; he leaves for Zimbabwe this week and needs the prayers of all of us who love the nations. He has never been there, but we have a friend there who has offered to host him. But by faith we know the purpose of God will be accomplished. Nations are calling and we cannot afford to wait in fear for “most convenient circumstances” Jesus, the apostles and many others have risked their lives for the sake of this gospel if we cant ours then we are not worthy of it.

God willing, from next month when the equipment for Congo gets here we will begin to hear what the Lord is doing in that country. So nations lovers get on your knees for Congo too, that God will prepare the harvest and the harvesters as we launch their next month. Remember; “the shares of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to battle. All will share alike” (1Sam 30:24) Pr. Isaac Mwanaume will be coordinating outreaches in that country, lets all keep him fired up.

So what else can we say about these things, If God is for us who can be against us?

We highly esteem and appreciate every bit of encouragement and kindness that we receive from the body of Christ; you are an integral part of our lives and ministry. So whatever you can do to impact nations for Christ to it and do it now for night is coming when no one can work.

 

August 2009 update

Glory to God for all the great things He has done in the great lakes region.

A very fruitful month indeed, we received lots of testimonies and over 2,759 souls coming to the kingdom through the weekly outreaches from the three countries. Pr Abijah from Kenya saw many instant healing miracles in the previous meetings. Pr Billy from Eastern Uganda has been greatly used by the Lord to strategically organize missions to revive some church fellowships that had died out.

I (Martin) also had a chance to join a team of brethren from Netherlands for a Crusade in Ruhengeri Stadium in western Rwanda. Evangelist David De Voss of “Go and tell” ministry is a friend of our brother and partner Joseph Ayienga. We had over 7000 and more people attending daily for the 5days. So many people received Jesus and there were many instant miracles. I can’t forget this lady who was paralyzed on one leg, Jesus healed her, she threw away her crushes and began walking and jumping around. The next three days of the crusade she attended the meetings walking very well. Several deaf ears opened through the power of the Holy Spirit. After the crusade ended Evangelist David De Voss was led by the Lord to give all the ten flood light lamps (1000w each) that were used in the crusade to Harvest Vision Ministries. We give God all the glory. We are praying about doing a crusade with them in the remote areas of Uganda and Burundi in the near future God willing. We ask all of you saints to pray for “Go and tell” ministry as the Lord leads you to.

The plans for the next Women’s Conference in Kampala has started. The women are being mobilized; again we ask the saints to join us in prayer for that conference next month.

We gratefully thank the Lord for our family; we previously had an onslaught of sickness and health problems with almost everybody in the family. But the storm is over and Jesus is glorified.

Praise the Lord.

 

 

July 09 Africa Updates

We thank God for the time we spent with our dear sisters Dina and Gabby in Uganda and other countries which we visited in the month of July. We had great missions happening along side our weekly outreaches in the three countries which brought in the kingdom 461 without counting Burundi. Our visit to Siteko Kenya for sports outreach with Gabby has sparked a fire in sports outreach in the village as Pr Abijah has reported. Our visits to Canaan Foundation has also been a great blessing to the children and the family especially at this time when their only mother Janet is bed-ridden after the accident which most of you may be aware of. Janet is back again to Mulago Hospital in kampala and has not walked yet since the accident. We ask the saints to continue praying for the family; Pr Jonathan and the 30 children need our encouragement too.

The month was crowned with a baptism service in Lake Victoria where Dina, Gabby and two of Canaan foundation girls were baptized. May God bless Dina and Gabby and continue to use them for His glory back home.

Thank you all wonderful saints of the Lord for your prayer and support we are together in Him forever.

Below is a short report in Dina and Gabby’s words, enjoy.

From Thursday July 2^nd to Monday July 6^th we spent in Siteko, Kenya. The first day there we spent with Zabde-Ezra Ayienga attending a sports activity day with the children of his home village. He’s a Canadian missionary who is originally from Kenya and he turned his piece of land into a recreational center for orphan children and is working on building a library as well. With them, we played games such as tug of war, jump rope, basketball, as well as watched them perform and sing a long with many other activities. During our time with Pastor Abijah and Deborah, we had 2 sports days. We were able to visit the school and greet the kids to invite them out to play with us. Mama Deborah also brought us with her to her woman’s fellowship. Although very hot in that tiny hut, it was great to fellowship with the ladies and we all had a blessed time. We were able to invite them out to join our sports day as well, and so many women came out that we were able to have an all ladies soccer game going. Everyone had so much fun. If this game was filmed and on ESPN, the headline would read, “Pregnant mother traps a soaring ball with her skirt and goes on for the goal!”

Tuesday July 14^th  through Wednesday July 22^nd was spent in both Rwanda and Burundi. There was much traveling to be done in those few days, and with only some minor difficulties were they completely successful. That Thursday marks a memorable one in both of our books, and after Pastor Joseph’s powerful message, we can both say, in Joseph’s words, “Because of the Lord, I am still standing!”   On Friday July 17^th we traveled through Burundi on a mission up to the mountain village of Mugumera. We were fortunate enough to be the first white people for this village to ever see. Multiple churches met beneath one roof and we were even more fortunate to greet the people, hear different choirs sing, do a video outreach, and enjoy all of the other festivities going on. After a night of sleeping in the car, we visited with Pastor Evarists’ family and journeyed back to his home. Our last day in Burundi before traveling to Rwanda was spent with the family at the beach. The kids, Vanessa and Axel swam and played with us all day in the water and we were all smiling and laughing the entire time. Once we traveled back to Rwanda, we stayed the night at Joseph’s house, and to our surprise we learned that some of the best food in Africa is in fact made in a house full of men. They took us to two different Rwandan Genocide memorials the next day, which were both informational and shocking all at the same time. The time spent in Rwanda and Burundi was incredible and brought us so much joy, we’re thankful for all the wonderful people we met and were able to spend time with.

Africa June 2009

We give God all the glory for the 1992 souls that have come to Christ through the outreaches in East Africa in the month of June. Pastor Abijah of Kenya experienced lots of healings in the remote villages of Chesamis in Western Kenya. Many people were delivered from much demonic oppression. The new work in Eastern Uganda is doing very well as many pastors in that part of the country begin to make use of the equipment to reach out. Thus we had three good meetings in different places in the month of June with over two hundred souls coming to the Lord. We ask saints to continue lifting Pastor Billy, our eastern coordinator, before the Lord in prayer.

Dina and Gabby, the young sisters in the Lord from the USA who are with us here on mission are doing a great job. They’ve been great blessings to the people they have come around in Kampala, Kasese and Mukono where they have so far traveled on mission. The first week of June, Dina traveled with Pastor Rogers and Michael Collins for a mission in western Uganda. Unfortunately, Dina’s backpack got stolen in the bus containing most of her documents including her passport and other personal items. But in spite of that, God graced her to proceed with the mission un-hindered and in the end we had testimonies of souls coming to the Lord and changed lives. Glory is to God. She has since got another passport from the American Embassy here and has been again on the road to Kenya and back. The move of God cannot be hindered by anything for the grace of God is always sufficient for us.

Beatrice, my wife, has been studying in Swaziland for the last four weeks experiencing the grace of God too. We are but unprofitable servants only here to bring Him glory.

 

GABBY AND DINA GO TO MUKONO, UGANDA

(Dina and Gabby sent pictures for each of these ministries. Please go to the Photo Gallery to view them.) 

Jonathan’s Jungle

From Saturday June 20^th to Wednesday June 24^th, we stayed in Mukono, Uganda with Pastor Jonathan, his wife, Janet, their 5 children and 25 adopted orphans from the village. The first night we were treated with an exciting performance of singing by the children, including songs of praise that will forever hold a spot in our memories. Our particular favorites include, “To be like a pilot (or other profession of choice) is wonda-fooool!” and “There will be smiling (or other activity, jumping, clapping, greeting, etc.) today in the house of the Lord!” and “Glory! Glory! Glory! Somebody touched me. I know it was the hand of the Lord!” All of these pictures were performed by lantern, in the dark, in small concrete living room/kitchen/bedroom area.

Balloon Ministry

Sunday we attended church service at Jonathan’s church. After speaking to the Sunday School, we enjoyed some African style worship, which involves plenty of clapping, dancing and singing. A few young brave souls got the guts to come and sit with the “muzungus” on our bench in the front, and before we knew it we were entertaining multiple children during the service. Following the church service, we returned home and shared George Henson’s balloon ministry with the children of the home. With all of us crammed into their living room/dining/bedroom area, we created a variety of animals with each child’s name but soon they were transformed into hats, balls, bats and other unidentifiable objects that were far more entertaining (see photo). The day ended with a visit to Lake Victoria near the home, with Jonathan and the kids. Our adventure was quickly interrupted by a heavy rain shower, which led to a race through the jungle to reach home safely. Bless the children’s hearts for trying to protect us with banana leaves to keep dry, but the rain was a blessing in itself and a much needed break in the heat for us “muzungus”.

Canaan Foundation Primary School

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, were spent playing soccer with the children of Jonathan’s primary school. We played with everyone from primary 7 to baby class. The high level of energy and athleticism brought by the girls when given the chance to play with the boys was beyond inspiring. With some opposition from the boys and teachers, we successfully joined boys and girls into multiple-mixed teams for each primary class. One the final day, we all met in the church to share some inspirations with the children and bless them with 4 soccer balls and 2 volleyballs. We then took photos with each of the groups we played with and a photo with all the children of the school (see photo). Our time in Mukono was truly blessed.

Africa May 09 Updates

Halleluiah the Lord reigns, and of the increase of His kingdom there shall be no end. The Lord has done great things in the month of May. We have a testimony of 1594 souls come to Jesus in that month only through the crusades and film ministry in East Africa. There has also been many healings and deliverances especially from the Kenyan outreaches.

It has been our desire for along time to meet the need of equipping ministers of the gospel with ministry tools. By the Lord’s grace we have started seeing this vision coming to pass   through our first ever ministerial training that we recently supported in conjunction with Makindye East Pastors Fellowship.  We had about 143 pastors and leaders in attendance daily for those 4days. Bro Barry Voss of faith life ministries and Pr. Ayub Khayo of Deliverance Church Nakuru Kenya were tremendously used by the Lord for those days to bless and encourage the ministers of the gospel here. Also present for the training were our coordinators from Rwanda, Burundi and Kenya and some brothers from Eastern of D.R.Congo. Some pastors have already started using that material to train their own leaders, so we are already seeing the fruits of the 4 days. Glory be to God!!!!

Bro Ocitti and Katie are now proud parents of a baby girl Malaika who came on 30^th of May. May God bless them more and more and thank you so much all you saints who have been praying for and encouraging them, keep the fire burning.

Dina Wilkins from the USA who is with us is doing very well and  learning from the Lord and ministering in different ways. She is at the moment in Kanungu (western Uganda) on a mission outreach.

Despite of the many testimonies of success, we also have experienced an onslaught of challenges throughout the month. Our equipment have had lots of technical problems, there has been lots of demonic attacks. But we do not give up, yes because we know that ALL things work together for good to those who love the Lord are called in accordance to his purpose. God never promised that all things will be GOOD, but all will work for our good and for the furthering of the gospel.  So all the attacks that we face only make us more vigilant and aggressive. There has been a deception in the body of Christ that when serve Christ all will be well always. But we know that in all these attacks we are more than conquerors though Christ Jesus.

So you who call on the Lord keep not silent, give yourselves no rest till He establishes his kingdom on earth.

Africa News April 2009
      Pastor Martin and George finished their 2,700 km trip by traveling to Rwanda and Burundi to visit the coordinators and their families. Great visit in Burundi with Pastor Evariste and his family and we will now have two sets of equipment working in the country. We also updated the outreach schedule with 27 crusades that are planned for the remainder of the year in Burundi. We had the opportunity to attend a video outreach at a small church that Evariste is pastoring by the airport that brought over 1,000 people in the neighborhood together and many received Jesus. We were also blessed on Easter Sunday to preach at two different churches – Martin at the Miracle Center and George at the Goshen Church. The pastor that started Goshen Church has also started a Goshen Church plant in Tucson, AZ with plans to start another in Phoenix targeted for refugees relocated to the USA. Presently, members of the Tucson Church represent members from 7 different African countries. George will be visiting them in June in Arizona. We also were blessed to visit and have dinner with the pastor of the Rock Church and his family and visit a YWAM team from Switzerland that are being hosted by Pastor Michilene in Burundi before leaving for Tanzania. Great time with Pastor Joseph and Pastor Robert and their families in Rwanda. We were also blessed to have Pastor Kim, the dean of students, from New Creation Bible College in Nairobi that stayed with us. The AFM Bible College that Robert directs in Rwanda has new property and will relocate this next year. We have arranged that those that come on missions of a couple of months or more can be involved in correspondence courses through AFM, Africa Faith Missions Bible College in Rwanda. The Treasure Center Church that Joseph started from the prostitutes is growing and the church is actively seeking ways to help the families receive help and training to care for their basic needs. Joseph leaves the first of May for 3-4 weeks of ministry in Germany. Because of problems with Martin's passport we were unable to enter the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but Pastor Isaac, our DRC coordinator, came and joined us in Kigali, Rwanda. Much persecution is ongoing in the DRC. Keep in prayer 14 of Isaac’s churches that have been destroyed, some of the leaders and members killed and others have fled to Uganda. He is working to find where those that have fled might be, possibly one of the refugee camps along the border. Miraculously, Ijwe Island, where the ministry to the Wambuti pygmy tribe is has escaped the recent violence and the Church is growing. Although traffic in and out is more difficult, Isaac said he is ready now for a set of equipment that will be designated specifically for the Congo. We will pray that we might be able to fund two more sets for Linda to bring in October - a second much needed set for Kenya and one for the Congo. At our last count and without a schedule for the set of new equipment that will be used by our new eastern Uganda coordinator, we have scheduled 121 outreaches for the remainder of the year. We have also started some sustainability projects and have identified others that need funding which will generate local income to sustain the coordinators and the missions. Also keep in prayer the need for laptop computers for our primary coordinators.
    Dina Wilkins from Washington arrived on April 22^nd and will be staying for 3 months helping with the family and ministry needs in Central Africa. She brought the primary sound and video equipment for the 7^th set of equipment and other ministry supplies such as extra microphones, a digital camera for a Burundi pastor, toys and clothes for the kids, patterns for the sewing ministry. A “special” gift for the children was a plastic inflatable swimming pool. Dina will be visiting different ministries and outreaches, and possibly traveling to Kenya, Rwanda and Burundi. Prior to George leaving on April 27^th, they visited the local slums with Mercy Ministries and attended the school graduation at the Lulagwe Community Church in Mukono. Dina will be starting a Facebook and My Space accounts for the ministry while she is in Africa. We are currently assisting Pelgrine and Katie in obtaining his visa so they can visit the USA the end of this year to show off their new baby that is due May 31^st. During the last month, we have also been successful in registering the ministry as a non-profit NGO in Uganda. Please check out the Africa pictures in the photo gallery.

Overall the year has been challenging but fruitful with 37 outreaches in Uganda, Kenya and Burundi which have brought 5,048 souls into the kingdom and countless healing and deliverances. Churches have been planted and existing churches strengthened. Everyone is eager to receive the 7^th set of equipment that will be arriving in April. With it comes the awareness of existing challenges, the financial support for the outreaches and the maintenance of the existing equipment that is beginning to show the signs of use in building His Kingdom. The car purchased to help reduce transportation costs and provide safer travel is also starting to get aged. At present, we have 97 outreaches already planned for the remainder of the year. The Outreach Schedule is available for viewing on the website.

            I arrived in Kampala mid March, bringing medicine, Bibles, DVD’s and other ministry supplies. Also, we brought digital cameras for the coordinators for use during outreaches. We have had the opportunity to minister at the Kampala Foursquare Church that has recently had their church building and property taken from them. Medicine and donations received from necklaces taken to the USA from Mercy Ministries that works with orphans and widows were given to Pastor Louis. A friend from Mt. Vernon, WA, Devin, was able to accompany Pastor Louis on a 6-day outreach to western Uganda where 439 people were saved in those 4 villages. Plans were also made for the Women’s Conference in October when Linda visits. Pastor Jonathan from the Canaan Foundation visited and we were able to give him medicine for his family and the 25 orphans that stay at his home. We are in prayer for money that is owed to the teachers of the school with over 200 students that are on the church property. We also were able to visit with Ron & Joy Maund from South Wales at the House of Joy Ministry in Mukono. The ministry started just three years ago but has facilities and a school providing education for 630 students.      

            In order to better facilitate the outreaches in Uganda, we have divided Uganda into regions. Pr Billy Nkwanga is the coordinator for the Eastern region and will be working out of Kadama. He will have video and sound equipment to facilitate outreaches in that area. Pelgrine and Katie Ocitti are working with the equipment in the Northern region and are based out of Pader. Currently, Katie is spending time in Kampala as they are preparing to have their first child to be born the end of May and they are finishing work on their home in Pader. Their primary focus is helping establish church families in communities that people return to after having been in the IDP camps. They have outreaches planned throughout the year with one month of evangelism and church planting in different villages, then the following month, discipleship and leader’s training in the same villages and so on. As in the other regions, we still have challenges with the mobility of the equipment, lack of funds for fuel and having Bibles. Currently, the needs of the Western region are served out of Kampala (Central region) until a coordinator can be found in that region. We are also registering the ministry in the country of Uganda in order to ensure that we are meeting any and all the requirements. 

            The end of the month, we traveled with Pastor Paul Odede from Kenya to visit our Kenya coordinator, Eliud Abijah and his wife, Deborah, at Siteko. Deborah pastors the Kenyan Assembly of God Church and we were blessed to have two days of teaching and a video outreach that brought 200 people together with 10 of those receiving salvation. Paul stayed with us for two days, then returned to the Kisumu area. He will be helping Abijah with some of the 30 planned Kenya outreaches that are on the schedule for this year. When we crossed over the border, we met Michael, a crippled man begging at the border, and after sharing the gospel, we were able to lead him in the prayer of salvation. It was a blessed way to join our crossing over from Uganda to Kenya with his crossing over from darkness to the light. Plans were also made for a informal gathering of women in ministry and pastor’s wives that will be in October when Linda visits Siteko. We also have been blessed to launch a sustainability farming project that will provide all the corn needed for porridge for all 70 of the young students at the ECD school and have money left over to provide support for the other 160 primary students - all growing corn on leased land with primary students being taught farming. We also pleased to report that the government has now appointed 6 certified teachers for the primary school. This is amazing since the church petitioned the government to start the school just 3 years ago. We were also able to bring supplies for the school and balls to support the community youth outreach project. We also launched a brick making sustained business that will help the cost of supporting the outreach ministry in Kenya. Both these generate perpetual income with a portion of the profits sustaining business and the remainder supporting the school and business and that require no more income. We are praying to launch a second farming project identical to the ECD school project, that would further sustain the work in Kenya with possibly a second set of video and sound equipment. We pray that God will continue to reveal the way in which the ministry can be provided for as the outreaches and harvest increases.

            We are preparing to take a trip to Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo the first part of April. Currently, the instability in the DRC has made evangelism challenging and we are now presented with the possibility of a volcanic eruption in the city of Goma where our coordinator and his family live. The outreaches in Burundi saw 500 people give their lives to the Lord in March. The aggressive schedule in Burundi has been hard on the equipment, so we will be replacing some of the equipment while we are in Burundi. We are praying that we may soon see two sets of equipment reaching areas in Burundi, especially along the Rwanda, DRC and Tanzania borders. We are also looking forward to visitation with Pastor Joseph at the Treasure Center Church and witness the work being done for the prostitutes in Kilgali and visit other ministry partners in Rwanda.

            Please keep us in prayer as God stretches our territory and the finances that He has provided to support it. We need to raise our monthly support for the ministry from the $1,350 a month up to $1,500 a month if possible to support the next set of equipment. This is the amount for bare necessities to facilitate the ministry and outreaches, without consideration for another car or sound and video equipment. At present, we have only the money for this month, April, so we are asking that you consider whether this is a way in which the Holy Spirit might ask you to help in the building of His Kingdom. Any amount is honored and can be used greatly over here with these faithful servants that are willing to do so much with so little. You can give electronically or any other way. Thank you for your consideration.
For our Prayer Warirors:
Bishop John Kamanzi, his family, Kampala Foursquare Church and the Foursquare Churches of Uganda which he oversees; 
Pastor Emmanuel Kabonge who resigned as Bishop of AFM Churches Uganda to dedicate himself more fully to evangelism and church planting;
Katie and Ocitti Pelgrine our North Uganda coordinators for the health of their expected baby and a possible trip to the USA in the fall (Ocitti's first);
Support for Pastor Jonathan Lubega, his family including their 25 orphans living in their home and the support for the school established on the church property with over 200 children;
Support for Pastor Louis Mukunda, founder of Mercy Ministries, who was forced to move his family from their home by their landlord - provision for relocation close to the church, ministry and their children's school;
In Kenya, Pastor Deborah's complete healing after having been attacked physically with health issues this last year;
Pastor Joseph our Rwanda coordinator who is under personal attack for the work he is doing for the prostitutes in Kilgali, Rwanda;
Pastor Isaac and his family in Goma, DRC our DRC coordinator for protection during the time of civil unrest and the possibility of a volcanic eruption. Pastor Isaac had his previous home destroyed in 2002 from a volcano.
"And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." Matthew 10:42 
 
God bless each of you and everything that you are doing to build His Kingdom.
George of the jungle, desert or whatever, wherever to whoever forever and forever  
In Love and Service to our Savior, Lord and King, Jesus Christ Your servants and His friends, Harvest Vision Ministries Africa

Africa February Testimonies (Director of Ministry & Uganda Coordinator – Martin Ochieng)

We always thank God for the privilege to serve Him and the ever-abiding grace to do so. And we know it’s not by power nor by might but by His Spirit. We boast in nothing except in our sufferings for him for we are but unprofitable servants. Through his grace we have experienced great testimonies in Africa in the month of February. Our crusades in East and Central Africa has seen about 2,385 souls come to Christ Glory be to God!!!!!!!. Join us to labor in prayer for these new believers until Christ is fully formed in them (Gal.4:19).

 There are other testimonies of what the Lord has done through the outreaches: Pr Evariste of Burundi and his team had a follow-up mission in Kayanza the place where in their last mission two prominent witches gave their lives to Jesus. This time round it was another Holy Ghost experience. After the crusades, they did house to house evangelism and many people gave their lives to Jesus. Those who had amulets, totems, charms and other items of witchcraft brought them out and he and the team burnt all of them declaring their freedom from the powers of witchcraft. This place has only one spiritual church and many people have to walk for very long distance to attend church fellowship. Therefore Pr Evariste is working on how to plant another church fellowship there soon. Please may we all join them in prayer and support for that to happen. Glory be to God!!!!!

We also want to thank God for the revival that is happening in Eastern Uganda. The Lord spoke to Pr Billy our coordinator for Eastern Uganda at the beginning of this year to dedicate himself in prayer and fasting for what He is about to do in Kadama a small trading Center where he ministers. Pr Billy did exactly that and after the protracted time of prayer and fasting, the Lord led him to start evening revival meetings.  We sent Bro George with some equipment to join him for two weeks of the revival. What is amazing is that these meetings that began over a month a go to date have not ended. Many people are coming from within kadama and its environs daily for these meetings as God continues to deliver many from the oppression of the devil and sin. Souls are coming to Christ daily through the meetings and great joy has filled the believers in the area. Pr Billy says he is not sure when the meetings will end because he is not in control God is.

Again last week we had a 3-day mission for teachings and evening meetings in Fort Portal western Uganda with Pr Malisi of Miracle Center Church. This was in a small village of about 300 people. Now in that village there was a lunatic woman in her 50s who had been chained in her compound for about two years because she would be very chaotic and destructive when left alone. She was very dirty and wore very dirty clothes. So when the relatives heard about the meeting they decided to bring her to the evening meeting on the second day. True to her nature she caused a lot of commotion in the meetings but after all she was prayed for, but even after prayer there was no visible change in her, so the relatives took her home still violent. But the following day when this lady woke up she had regained her sanity and for the first time she asked her grandchildren “what happened to me, how come my clothes are dirty like this?” She cleaned up and came back for the meetings and gave her life to Jesus. The word went out to the whole village and on that day there was no space to put people, over 200 people in that small village came to the meeting.  When the meeting was over the people did not want to go back to their homes. Oh! Praise the Lord for the great things he has done. We have planned another follow-up meeting to the same place 6^th-11th October this year.

Pr Abijah in Kenya has had tremendous meetings with so many souls coming to the Lord in single meetings. He is so amazed because he has not seen anything like this before, people rushing to get to the front to receive Jesus under heavy conviction of the Holy Spirit.  May we all keep him held in intercession for what God is doing.

Northern Ugandan pastors are getting set to begin outreaches this month using the equipment which is stationed there. They intend to plant churches in the new villages as people leave the IDP camps and get back to their ancestral lands to re-settle. Those of who have a heart for church planting join them in whichever way the Lord will speak to you. We are believing God for revival to break forth from the ashes of war in Northern Uganda

We are so grateful to all of you who support us with your prayers, finances and encouragement.  We ask you to continue to pray for my (Martin) family, the last two months our second daughter Audrey has been battling what the doctors say is an asthmatic attack and she has had to miss school most of the days when she becomes too weak. She has had three attacks in about 5weeks. We believe out of this situation a great testimony will arise for the glory of God. We also need to believe God for another set of equipment for Burundi because the one they have is getting worn out for being on the roads and the mountains almost on daily basis. Thirdly, if we can have at least three digital cameras for the 3 countries, then we can be able to share some photos of testimonies we bring to body monthly. Finally Pr.George Henson from USA will be with us in Africa for the months of March/April, please keep us bathed on prayers as we will be travelling in the East and Central Africa with him. “Behold am coming quickly and my reward is with me, to give everyone according to his work” (Rev 22:12)

January 2009  (from Martin Ochieng, Director of HVM Africa & Uganda Coordinator)

     Yes they overcame the enemy by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony……the outreaches in Uganda have been great despite January being a month when everything goes slow. We have had great outreaches with over 578 souls coming to the Lord, and many healing testimonies. The second week of January we had the youths in the Eastern Kampala team up for one crusade in a place called Luzira. The ground which they used for the crusade was offered by a Muslim man, however as they began preaching other Muslims came causing chaos and shouting at them to stop them from preaching but they were determined to continue preaching. Everyday the Muslims tried to stop them but they persisted and souls came to the Lord. The Kingdom is taken by those who are aggressive from the time of John the Baptist until now.
     We had our first Leadership Training Conference in Rakai about 200miles west of Kampala in a small village which has had cases of Cannibalism. On our way to the church Pr Frank showed me a home of a man who was beaten to death by the villagers after they found the head, remaining bones and clothes of a drunkard who had mysterious disappeared. Every evening our technician Mike would make a joke with team “make sure you don’t get into somebody’s sauce pan before morning.” We had great Conference for Leaders and evening film shows, every evening we had about 700 people for film shows and they sat up to almost midnight. Many people were prayed for to receive Jesus through films. It was hard to count the numbers since all this happened at night. The Leaders were so blessed and empowered so they are inviting us again to speak to the pastors and leaders in the whole district.
     The last week of January I did another two-day leadership meeting organized by our friend Pr Jonathan of Mukono District.  I was accompanied by young lady called Rebecca from the USA; it was great to share the word but also to meet with other speakers from the neighboring country Kenya. Rebecca had a great time with the 30 orphans being raised by Pr Jonathan in his house. The children were so blessed as Rebbecca played with them, helped them do dishes, peel bananas, cook, carry water on their heads from the lake. The kids’ faces shown brightly as they wore new clothes which Rebecca had brought for them as gifts. It was the first time someone had given such gifts with soooo much love and care. I cannot forget the night/morning worship with kids. Every morning they wake up and one of them leads praise/worship songs before they all pray to begin their day, and in the evening before having dinner they do the same…..i was so touched by the depth of their worship, it was like the heavenly angelic choir had joined us in the worship. Rebecca said “there is revival in this place.”
     Last September we had a Crusade in Kanungu by Pr Rogers of Miracle Center. This was in a remote village of Kanungu where the cash crop is tobacco. Many souls were saved and many delivered from addictions and a new church was planted after the outreach with 289 new believers. Last month on 26th Pr Rogers did a follow-up mission and we were amazed at the testimonies: The new church had grown in membership to 320 believers and Pr Rogers baptized 20 of them who had not been baptized.
 During the Crusade in September last year, an old man requested Pr Rogers to visit his home which he did. This old man was born again but his wife wasn’t and she felt she could not be born again because she loved her tobacco business and she was addicted to it. She had a big farm of tobacco and severally her husband persuaded her to grow rice instead but always refused. So when the Pr Rogers visited them he preached to her but she said she cannot receive Jesus because of her tobacco. He however prayed for the family. Three days after Pr Rogers left there was a very heavy rain with a lot of hailstones, the rain totally destroyed all the tobacco leaves in the area.  This lady felt so bad because the whole of her farm was completely destroyed, so she left her home anger to visit her sister and while she was there she attended a church service and gave her life to Jesus. She went back to her husband and now they grow rice and earn more than they earned through tobacco leaves. But they are also committed believers in the church.
     There was another testimony of a couple who were addicted to alcohol. So everyday after working and selling their tobacco the man and his wife could go the bar in the trading center where we had the crusade to drink. So everyday as singers sung in the crusade this couple would be drinking in the bar but the wife would feel very irritated by the singing and the sound from our crusade. On the last day of the crusade she got so irritated by the sound that she left the bar and headed to the crusade ground with the intention of verbally insulting the noise makers (singers in the crusade). But when she came to the ground she was un-able to utter any word. She listened to every word and finally gave her life to Jesus. The next day she did not join her husband for alcohol at the bar instead went to church. After some weeks the husband also gave his life to Jesus and now they are serving God together in the new church.
     Katie and Ocitti are doing very well in Northern Uganda’s IDP Camps bringing the body of Christ together for fellowship and Encouragement.
     Great work in Kenya and Burundi too, with Burundi seeing as many as over 900 coming to Christ.
We tell all the soldiers of the Lord that, fight the good fight and keep the faith for the Master of the harvest is soon coming back.
To God be the glory for all the changed lives and testimonies.

 Africa News December 2008

We have been blessed to send some funding to support a young girl that accepted Christ and was set out on the streets by her Muslim family.  Martin will be helping to get her set up to start schooling in Kampala. Also, a blessing as we were able to send some money donated by our brothers and sisters from Mexico to help the Mercy Ministries in Kampala. This is a great testimony because of the poverty in which our brethren in Mexico live but have been moved by the Holy Spirit to support the ministry to widows and orphans in Central Africa.

We just received a report from Evariste, the coordinator of the ministry in Burundi, who used that equipment for 2 weekend outreaches in December that brought ~500 souls into the kingdom and resulted in 50 others making a recommitment to Christ. We also received a report from Abijah, the coordinator of the ministry in Kenya, who used that equipment and supported outreaches and conferences in December that brought over 1,800 people together, 179 received salvation and there were many healings and deliverances. In Uganda, 10 different outreaches were held in December with 691 salvations.

George will be going to Africa in mid March through April to encourage and assist in coordinating further outreaches in Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Testimonies (Pastor Martin Ochieng, Director of Ministry)

We pray the blessings of God to all the saints, especially those who partner with us in the great ministry work in the East and Central Africa. December was definitely a great month with lots of testimonies from the body of Christ. Many souls coming to Christ and the body of Christ strengthened as we tarry for His soon coming. Just to share a few testimonies: In one of our outreaches in Mubende-Western Uganda, a woman who was bewitched and had a swollen stomach that looked like a pregnancy for 7yrs was miraculously healed. In the same mission, a man who was once one of the richest men in that village but had lost everything due to witchcraft and was behaving like a mad man was touched by the Lord. Because of the shame of having lost his status in the society, he feared to be seen in the public, especially attending a Christian meeting which are ridiculed by the rich, so he would take off his shirt and hide in back of the crowd to hear the gospel for fear of being recognized. Everyday he heard the gospel and desired to receive Jesus but feared doing this in the public so on the last day after the crusade in the dark this man came and begged the ministers to accompany him to his home and pray for him. They accepted and the man gave his life to Jesus and was filled with great joy after the prayer.

Pr. Louis, one  of the pastors that we work closely with, recently had a follow up mission to Iyolwa in Eastern Uganda where we had helped him plant a church the previous year. The Pastor was so blessed to see that the church had grown numerically and many new souls had joined the fellowship with the number reaching almost one hundred souls. But there was another striking testimony: In the previous year’s crusade, there was a man who came to the crusade who looked sickly in appearance. He received Jesus and joined the new church. When Pr Louis went back this time, this man came to him. He looked very healthy and different and Pr Louis could not recognize him. He asked Pr Louis if he could remember him and of course he couldn’t. So this man went ahead to tell his story. .He introduced himself as Jaramogi. He said he was the sickly man who had received Jesus in the last crusade and that Jesus had since healed him. But he also said that on that day he got saved he had planned to commit suicide because he had suffered a lot with the sickness and did not see any reason to continue living. He then attended the crusade and gave his life to Jesus instead. This man is now one of those leaders who are being trained for the work of the ministry in that new church, praise the Lord!!!!!!! 

We also have a testimony of Br Amoko Godfrey, born again Youngman, who I have been  discipling in Kampala for a more than a year. A few months ago, God spoke to him to go back to his people in Adjumani in Northern Uganda very close to the Uganda/ Sudan border. He obeyed the Lord sold his household items and went there. He began to preach the gospel and within one month he started a church fellowship, God is using him mightily and so many souls are coming to the Lord that they gather under a shade of big mango tree in the trading center for their Sunday fellowships and the Lord is being glorified. We are planning to send a team with the equipment which is already in the North for outreaches in the villages with Bro Amoko . We ask the saints to pray for our brother and the gospel work in that largely unreached part. We look forward for more testimonies this year.

Stay blessed and remember in these last days perilous times are prophesied, but our focus should remain fixed on Christ if we are to overcome the world.

Africa November 2008 Report (from Pastor Martin Ochieng, Director – Harvest Vision Africa)

Thank you Jesus for November. Souls continue to come to the kingdom with this month seeing 1,254 souls pray the sinner’s prayer through our missions. Pr Evariste Habonimana our coordinator in Burundi reports lots of testimonies. In one of their outreaches, two famous witchdoctors who had troubled many people’s lives through their witchcraft gave their lives to Jesus and the crowd just went wild seeing what God can do. There have been also lots of healing miracles. The Lord has been so gracious, though this month we have experienced a lot of attack on our equipment. But praise be to God for our technicians who have worked very hard to repair all of them. It takes a miracle for the equipment to be on the rugged roads on un-reliable public transport 6 -8 times a month and still be able to work as our equipment does. To us, this is a testimony.

This month we also received visitors from the USA through Full Gospel Ministries here in Kampala. I took these young men and women to Namaingo in Eastern Uganda to minister to orphans and needy children being cared for by New Friends Ministries led by Pr Ntalo Simon. It was such a blessing seeing the village come together to receive us. We ministered not only to the children but also to the adults whose hearts were very open to receive the word. It was a time for worship, songs, prayer, prophetic ministration and sharing of gifts with the children, all to the glory of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. To crown it all, the village was blessed with a great down pour of rain as we ministered, but this later turned out to be a test to us on our return journey since all the roads are mud roads. We got stuck in the mud several times, and had to push our cars for more than 4 hours. The journey that began at 6:00pm and normally takes 4 hours to Kampala actually took 10 hours, we arrived at 4:00am, exhausted and covered with mud all over but filled with the joy of suffering for Christ…as Paul we could say….in exhaustion always, in muddy roads, in hunger and thirst…..of such shall we boast.

Thanks for all the prayers of the saints, Bro George our technician who was involved in a motorbike accident last month has fully recovered. Though he still has visible scars on his face, the zeal of the Lord has consumed this young man. He just cannot sit down. This week he is already on a soul winning crusade that we are doing in Eastern Uganda with Pr Billy who just came back from a three-month ministry training in Kenya less than a week ago.

This month MEPI (Makindye East Pastors Initiative) a registered fellowship of about 100 churches from different denominations in Kampala City and which we are also part of gave me a chance to lead its Training Department for the next one year. This means I will be interacting with leaders from all member churches, identifying training needs and organizing training sessions necessary for the growth of the body of Christ. Quite a responsibility so I fervently desire the prayers of the saints.

We are so grateful to you saints of God for your prayer support always, please always remember that this is our Father’s business so we all in it together…”and no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the service of the kingdom”(.Luke 9:62). We send our love to all you,” may the Lord do exploits through your life, may His light brightly shine through your life all those who come into your life will not remain the same in this festive month”.

October 2008, Africa Report (from Director Martin Ochieng, Kampala, Uganda)

For in all these things we are more than conquerors……

 

 

 

From Pastor Evariste Habinomana, Harvest Vision MinistriesBurundi coordinator (August 2009)

THE STATE OF BURUNDI SPIRITUALLY

In the nation of Burundi we have about 9,000,000 people. The government believes that 92% are Christians, but it is not true. When we visit the market places, bards and on the roads, we find many people, but in the church very few people attend Sunday service.

PROBLEMS FACING BURUNDI

1.      Poverty

2.      Witchcraft

3.      Idol worship

4.      Religion

5.      Lack of foundational teaching

6.      Prostitution

Many years ago, Burundi people used to sacrifice to tier gods before they would get a new king. This is how they used to do it. They used to get one person and they would lay this person where the cows would pass when drinking water so they would step on him. This was a way of shedding blood. Also they used to give the king beer and cover him with a blanket so that they could kill him. That time to believe the king is getting himself honey when we  get a new king, then they elect the son of the dead king. All the kings were going through the same process.

Burundi had a god called “Kiranga”, whom they would ask to give them peace, cows and wealth and up to this date, they are people who still practice this when the people practice into the blood covenant with this god.

ALTARS IN BURUNDI

There are many altars in various places, like Gitega, Bururi, Kayanza and Mwaro. Up to this date, people offer sacrifices at these altars. They offer sacrifices in the valleys where water is flowing from the mountains to the valley. They take them beer, food and the currency of the country (these are marine spirits).

2. KINGS HOME

In the kings compound, they used to plant a tree. Before they would plant the tree, they used to put bivod of a cow or goat in the hole. Then later they would bring beer, food and money under the tree, twice a year. The sacrifices were offered in the month of September during the harvest and in March during the planting season. After the harvest, they were required to take some of the harvest to the witchdoctor so they could pray for the rain.

THINGS TO BE DONE

We are trusting God to prepare and equip the people who would pray for Burundi (according to Jeremiah 1:10) and that all the altars would be uprooted and destroyed. We wish to get people from other nations who can train and assist in this work.