Out of Africa

A team of graduates has just been with us. They are fired up and inspired despite the great opposition they are experiencing from dead bishops and traditional religion, to persecution and hatred to threats against their very lives. It is exciting to see these men who have caught the vision for their nation running with the glorious message of salvation. They have boldly testified to the mighty power of intercession declaring that they would rather pray two hours and preach for only 5 minutes. They are experiencing the unprecedented power of the Lord flowing through the outpouring of the blessed Holy Spirit to touch the lives of many. There is an enormous work to be done and few to do it. We need teams of young men and women to come and help and encourage these brave and mighty warriors even for short trips. Will you volunteer?

Kalibu Academy is in serious need of COMPETENT and committed men and women who will come for a month or longer to Yei, New Sudan to teach and equip these hungry and disciplined students. This is an incredible opportunity to sow into the lives of men who are going to be men of destiny and change their nation for Jesus. They are already impacting the land with the mighty Gospel. Many people approach us to teach and then never follow through with their often serious commitments and promises to come. This is the one area most difficult and taxing for the ministry: to find dedicated teachers. I do not believe that finances are an issue if you really commit to come. All we need is Holy Spirit fired teachers who hold theTRUTHS of the Word, have a love for people and know how to teach. You do NOT have to be a professional teacher or pastor but your life must be in ORDER!

Please do not forget that we are sending a container early this year. There is still time to send things and these need to be addressed to:
Shekinah Ministries
c/o MAIL IT
305 Morris St
Toledo OH 43602
Things need to be sent by the end of this month please. Thanks to all those who have been working so hard on it especially the team in Lafayette, IN and Traverse City, MI.

For those who are so graciously supporting our students in Southern Sudan, our grateful thanks. We really encourage you to write to them and send a family photograph so that they can place it in their rooms and they will pray for you. In your letters tell them about yourselves and your family and if you have any prayer requests they will pray for you every day.
PLEASE DO NOT WRITE DIRECTLY TO THEM but send mail via the office in Kansas City. We find that direct correspondence sometimes leads to abuse with the supportee requesting things and this is not permitted.

recently returned from a three week trip to Malawi and to the land of my childhood—Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe has been much in the news over the past year and those who follow the international situation will know about the eviction of white farmers from the land so that it can be handed over to the black “peasant” farmers. It has been five years since I was last there and I was shocked and saddened to see the state of the nation. The farmland has not been given over to the “peasant” farmers but has been handed to families of members of the government or given to Khadaffi in lieu of payment for oil. Khadaffi has long had the desire to become KING of Africa and is quietly pursuing this vision. There is no gas because there is no foreign currency to pay for it so there were massive lines of vehicles at every gas station waiting for a tanker to come by.The beautiful farmland which once abundantly grew maize, wheat, beans, tea, coffee and tobacco are now unkemptand overgrown with weeds. No wondert here is no foreign currency when tobacco, tea and coffee were major earners. Because there is no wheat and corn there is no bread or corn meal (the staple food of the Africans). There is no cooking oil, flour, sugar (which was produced by the great sugar estates of the Sabi Valley).The official rate of exchange for the Zimbabwe dollar is 57 to US$1 but the black market rate fluctuates between$1,500 to 2,000 to US$1. Everything that is sold in the shops is sold at the black market rate. While I was there I ended up at theTrauma Centre and had to go for X-Rays. The X-Rays cost Zimbabwe $20,000 which at the official rate was US$350 but at the black market rate US $13. What saddened me most of all were the elderly retired white people who have no-where else to go and are now trying to eek out a living on their pensions. Their children have emigrated and, like me, probably do not understand the state of affairs. Their parents haven’t told them because they do not want to “bother” them and many are not concerned about their elderly parents anyway. Zimbabwe $10,000 is the average pension for an ex government employee and for those who get a pension check from overseas….. by the time it is exchanged by the bank at the official rate, it is a mere pittance. While I was there an elderly man committed suicide because he could not make his rent payment and thought that they would evict him. I was informed just today that an elderly couple took their lives together because their medication each month alone amounted to $40,000. Many of them cannot even purchase a bottle of shampoo as it is cost prohibitive. One lady walked up to me in the grocery store and asked how much a jar of jam was. When I told her she just shook her head and put it back on the shelf.
We know that we ask a lot of our supporters and we know how faithful you have always been to give to whatever project we are working on but we feel that this situation needs to be addressed. We would like to handle this the same way as we do our students and pastors. If you are interested in adopting one of the elderly please contact us at the Kansas City address. It would be $30 per month and we will obtain a photo and encourage you to write to them. This will not only substitute their income but will also give them an outside interest if we encourage correspondence between you and them.
Many of them will not be Born Again so it will be a tremendous mission field and what better time of life to witness about the saving grace of the Lord Jesus? We will also ensure that each one is given a Bible. I am excited that we have this opportunity to minister to these fine people in the fading years of their lives.
We have such an abundance here and even though we complain about the cost of living most of us do not have to go without luxuries let alone the bare necessities. Please consider this request prayerfully and we will implement it without delay

LAST CHANCE to call if you would like to have Michael Howard come and speak at your church or home group.T he itinerary is well on it’s way to completion so please contact Alice at shekminusa@aol.com or call her on (703) 222-7999. Michael is in Southern Sudan at the Bible School until the end of February when he leaves for England. From England he goes to Finland for a week and then arrives in the US at the beginning of April.
Mom and Dad Howard will also be arriving in the States at the beginning of April and flying in direct to Cleveland to see their first great grandson, James Michael who is due at the beginning of March. They will have an opportunity to travel some with Michael when he is here so you will get to meet them again. They have recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. In this day and age—quite an achievement even amongst Christians.
Our love and blessings to all at the beginning of this New Year. Seek God with all of your being and find out His plan and purposes for your lives for this coming year. He will see it to fruition and when He is in it it will bear much fruit.