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Mission report from James Colton

June 26 2008

James Colton reports back on a very busy mission that the team had a few weeks back. As you can read, it was a time of great blessing but also very tiring as well. Continue to pray for James that he will be strengthened in the Lord for all that he is called to do.

'Mission to Bunonga, Nyida, Shinyanga Region for Pastor Jeremiah Bahati.

Our first meeting was to be on Wednesday 11th June. We were assured our bus journey would be one day, leaving early and arriving that night. But this did not take into account the bus breaking down - we stopped 3 times; the first for 5 hours and then for 2 hours, then on reaching Singida bus terminal at 3 a.m. we did not leave until 10 a.m. When repairs were finally completed. We arrived at our final destination at 3:45 p.m. on the Wednesday! (soon we will have our own transport and all this will be a thing of the past).

There were 6 of us in the team. Silas as team leader and coordinator and Evangelist; me as principal teacher for the seminars; also from Silas's church, Heavenly Light as Evangelist and Theresea as teacher and solo singer; finally there were George and Godfrey who sang together, led praise and assisted in ministry.

God blessed the open air meetings through the ministry of Heavenly Light and Silas, with over 110 receiving Jesus into their lives. Being a young church the members were blessed, strengthened and encouraged by the teaching from the seminars. On Thursday morning I taught about our position in Christ. Friday morning I taught about Knowing God and then about Prayer. Saturday morning I taught about Believer's Baptism (Water Baptism ) and then we had a 40 minute walk across country to the river where I baptised 10 of the church members.

Sunday morning I taught on the Power of the Holy Spirit and many received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and were strengthened in their walk with God. We then prayed for people with needs - almost all the church came forward for prayer - God meeting with them and meeting their needs. We thank God for those who have been supporting us and our ministry in prayer. The Chairman of the village came to some of the open air meetings and was very pleased with everything. At the final meeting he thanked us all and told the villagers that they needed to come to Jesus. Pastor Jeremiah was also very happy with all that took place.

James'