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Allow me to introduce Sofia. Sofiaβs story affords her entry into the Somali Faith Hall of Fame. Although she had not yet entered into a relationship with Jesus, she was a sincere seeker and a member of a house church in Hargeisa, Somaliland. |
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The security of this house church became compromised. The pastor was the first to be arrested and then the imprisonment of the others followed. Four of them escaped Somaliland and came to Addis Ababa, where we put them in a safe house until it was safe for their return to their home country.
It was not long before trouble arose in the safe house. The landlord from whom we rented this house complained about the noise at night, and even threatened to evict our four tenants. Our Somali leaders came to me and said that they believed that Sofia was demon-possessed. She apparently would cry out in pain all night long. She was normal much of the time, but in the evenings, she would go into a trance-like state. She would cry out in great pain, hold her stomach, and roll on the ground in agony. I found her like this, when I arrived at the house with three of our Somali leaders. It was apparent that she was demon-possessed.
Our leaders had briefed me that Sofia came from an Islamic family that had allowed traditional beliefs to permeate their Islamic faith. In fact, Sofiaβs mother was a witch doctor, as her grandmother had been. The practice went back as far as the family could remember. Sofia was expected to follow in the footsteps of the women before her; that was her problem. There was a demonic stronghold on her family. Sofiaβs life had been destroyed by this stronghold. She was embarrassed and never told her underground church of her condition.
We began to pray and command in the name of Jesus that the demon leave her. My three Somali friends and I continued over some time (which seemed like an eternity) to cast out this demon. It did not go quickly but it did go. After repeated attempts finally Sofia stopped groaning, and with a smile and a clear expression of peace coming over her face, she looked up at me and declared βJesus is Lord.β You might expect that we would break into celebration after such a prolonged struggle, but we didnβt. We stood there in silence, knowing that Jesus had been in our midst. There was a holy hush that came upon those in Sofiaβs room that day. Our hearts were thankful, and we stood in absolute awe of our Jesus.
After six months Sofia and her three friends, returned to Somaliland to continue their ministry for Jesus. For Sofia, she returned home with the generational curse finally broken. By faith Sofia moved from darkness to light, breaking a generational curse that had destroyed generations of her family.
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OUR MISSION IS TO REACH THE LOST FOR JESUS CHRIST |
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Every dollar spent, every word spoken, every action taken by the SBS is done to reach lost people for Jesus Christ. All of our projects are targeted to help broken people, like Sofia, to live more productive and wholesome lives. We act out of compassion to meet their physical, mental, and emotional needs. However, the end game is always to lead them to encounter the Word of God in the Bible and enter into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Real compassion cares about where people will spend eternity. A summary of these projects of compassion is given below in this monthβs issue. |
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Equipping & Mobilizing Somali Evangelists in the Disciple Making Movement (DMM) Strategy. Project #103550.
SBS is planning to equip and deploy 500 self-supporting evangelists within five years. Each evangelist will equip and deploy another evangelist. They will implement the strategy to make a disciple that makes another disciple, causing exponential growth in the Somali Peninsula. We anticipate a minimum of 250,000 new disciples by 2034.
Details in video clip below. |
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YouTube SBS Video promoting the βEquipping and Mobilizing of Somali Evangelistsβ
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βLiteracy Training Reaching Nomadic People with Camel Librariesβ Project #102727
SBS is teaching illiterate people to read and write in remote areas, as well as in the cities. SBS is assisting the Somali population to improve their living conditions and to be able to engage the Word of God in the Bible. Although reading materials for study can be easily accessed in the cities, SBS delivers these materials to remote areas on a camel back.
One such camel library shown in image below. |
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SBS Taking a Mobile Library to Nomadic People Teaching the Illiterate to Read and Write
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βChurch on a Camel Backβ Project #102731
SBS and their local church partners are training and deploying Somali evangelists to remote areas to lead camel herders to Christ. SBS equips each evangelist with training and provides them with a small herd of camels. The evangelists then join larger herds cared for by camel herders from their own tribe and clan. Relationships are fostered and Christ is shared.
One such camel-herder team is shown in photo below. |
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Somali Camel-herder Evangelists
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βWidows and Orphans Ministryβ Project #102730
SBS sponsors microenterprise projects which provide a living wage to needy widows, so that they can provide for their at-risk children. Some widows are equipped with a small herd of cattle and others are set up with a functioning small shop (souk).
See photos below of two widows helped by SBS in this way. |
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 | SBS buying small herd of cattle for needy widow
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|  | SBS setting up a needy widow with a small shop (souk) |
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βChristian Census in the Somali Peninsulaβ (Completed Project)
Although the Census has been completed, SBS and their local church partners are now coordinating ongoing discipleship for 98% of the nearly 200,000 professing, but not yet discipled Christians living in the Somali Peninsula.
See the YouTube video clip below for details. |
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YouTube Video of the SBSβ Somali Christian Census
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βTrauma Healing for Severely Persecuted Christiansβ Project #103327
Fellowship, encouragement, therapy, and biblical counseling are provided by SBS in a safe place to restore Christian leaders to emotional and spiritual health and prepare them to re-enter active ministry.
The photo below shows one such Trauma Healing Conference in action.
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Trauma Healing Conference in an Indian Ocean Venue
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βBible Translationβ Project #102472
SBS has completed a new translation of the New Testament. We are currently working on a six-year project to translate the Old Testament. The goal of the SBS is to facilitate engagement with the Word of God in the Bible and to see Somali Muslims come to Christ and be radically changed.
See photos below of the SBS Translation Team in action. |
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 | SBSβ Translator, Bashir Muse |
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|  | SBSβ Translation Checking Team |
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|  | Rev. Dr. Aweis Ali, Chief Editor |
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βCore Presenceβ Project #103253
Giving to the βCore Presenceβ project supports the overall operation of the Somali Bible Society, working with their local church partners, to make disciples of Christ of Somalis living in the Somali Peninsula and throughout the Somali Diaspora.
See map below to identify the Somali Peninsula.
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The Somali Peninsula includes Somalia, Somaliland, Djibouti, Eastern Ethiopia, and Northeast Kenya.
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βGood Samaritan Centerβ (GSC) Project #102852
The Somali Bible Society (SBS) is planning to build a ministry center in the heart of Somalia that will act as a coordinating hub for the SBS and their local church partners. We are currently raising funds for the building site where this four-story building will be constructed.
See photos below of building site and proposed ministry center. |
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This is a high-priority project! Funds needed urgently! |
|  | GSC Building Site SBS has raised $36,000 USD to date with a Balance Owed of $214,000 |
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|  | Proposed GSC Not an exact image for security reasons |
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THE SBS IS SEEKING PARTNERS |
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BREAKING NEWS: We are seeking 100 Partners who would donate $50 per month to the ministries of the Somali Bible Society. Some may only be able to give $25 per month (or less), while others may be able to give $100 per month (or more). Whatever amount you can afford, your commitment to an automatic monthly donation will be greatly appreciated! |
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If you would like to support any of the above projects, click or scan to donate. |
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Both one time and automatic monthly donations are received with great appreciation!
IMPORTANT On the donation page enter the project number in the Project #/Comments field. This will assure that your donation goes to the project of your choice.
If you are unable to give financially, you can still be a part of this movement by becoming a prayer warrior for the Somali Bible Society. Respond to this email indicating your desire to join our SBS Prayer Team.
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To My Somali Muslim Friends
The Gospel came to Sofia, even though Satan had held her in chains for years. No matter what your present spiritual condition, you can encounter Jesus Christ in the Word of God. You can find the Truth yourself, if you read the Somali Bible with an open mind. Remember, the Qurβan proclaims that the Gospel and the Torah are the uncorrupted Word of God. Many Muslims believe that the Gospel that was given to Jesus has been corrupted and cannot be trusted. This belief, however, contradicts what the Qurβan teaches. Read what the Qurβan says in Surahs 3:3-4; 5:46; 18:27.
Surah 5:46 - We made Jesus, son of Mary, follow in the footsteps (of the earlier Prophets) and confirm what existed in the Torah in his time. We gave him the Gospel containing guidance and light, as a confirmation of the Torah and instruction and advice for the pious ones. And again in, Surah 3:3-4 - He has sent the Book (Quran) to you (Muhammad) in all Truth. It confirms the original Bible. He revealed the Torah and the Gospel before as a guide for the people and now He has revealed the criteria of discerning right from wrong. Those who reject the revelations of God will face the most severe torment. God is Majestic and capable to revenge.
The Qurβan proclaims that the Gospel (Injil) is the Word of God.
Surah 18:27 - Read whatever is revealed to you from the Book of your Lord. No one can change His words and you can never find any refuge other than Him.
The Qurβan verifies that the Word of God cannot be corrupted. |
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| | | Click Link to Somali Bible |
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|  | Scan Somali Bible QR Code |
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IS GOD CALLING YOU TO SERVE? |
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| Is God Calling You? The Somali Bible Society is currently recruiting missionaries to serve in various countries around the globe. We need missionaries in the major cities of the USA and in most world regions outside of the USA. If you, or someone you know, would like to discuss the possibility of involvement in a mission to the Somali people in some region of the world, or even somewhere in the USA, email me:
howie@somalibiblesociety.org |
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PRAYER REQUESTS
#1) Pray for pastors and churches to sponsor training in the Somali Peninsula for the initiative of βEquipping and Mobilizing Somali Evangelists.β Pray that the finances will be available for this project so that 500 new evangelists will be equipped and deployed in the next five years. We are looking for churches that will support this critical training initiative with a $5,000 donation for conference costs and the support of their pastorβs travel expenses to the training venue (a safe location in the Somali Peninsula), The pastor will act as one of the trainers.
#2) Pray for unity among Christians worldwide so that they may support the evangelization efforts in Somalia through prayer and resources. The western world is so divisive and toxic, seeking political answers to our worldβs problems. We need to move from trusting in politics to an active role in praying and supporting the mission to reach Somali Muslims for Christ and all lost people around the world.
#3) Pray for the hearts of Somali leaders and the general population to be softened and receptive to the truth of Jesus Christ. It is truly only God who can change hearts and lead us to Truth. Your prayers of intercession for the hearts of Somali Muslims can lead to a transformation of a nation and save a people for whom Christ died.
#4) Pray for those who have lost loved ones due to their faith, that they may find comfort and hope in Christ. All across the Somali world Christians are being severely persecuted for their faith. Many have been martyred for their faith. Their families need your prayers.
#5) Pray for the reduction of violence and conflict in Somalia, enabling a safer environment for evangelization efforts. Somalia is a failed nation in chaos. The terrorist organization, Al-Shabaab, is causing terror for Christians and Muslims alike. Other radical Muslims are violently opposing family members and friends that are turning to Christ. Praying for peace in this country can completely change the environment where SBS and their local church partners are at work.
#6) Pray for SBS and their local church partners to develop culturally relevant methods of sharing the Gospel that resonate with Somali traditions and values. Somali Muslims have been programmed by their culture to oppose Christianity. Praying for effective strategies for the Church to reach these people can increase the effectiveness of their discipleship efforts. |
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|  | PRAISE REPORTS
#1) SBS held their first training in the Somali Peninsula to βEquip and Mobilize Somali Evangelists.β Twenty-five Somali Christians were trained in a one-week intensive training session, sponsored by an expatriate Christian leader. This training equipped 25 of the 500 evangelists that we are targeting in the next five years. Praise the Lord for the time and resources that this Christian leader poured into this training and for our first 25 equipped evangelists. God is on the move in Somalia!
#2 Recently there has been an upturn in donors supporting the ministries of the Somali Bible Society and their local church partners. Did you know that a revival in Somalia could very well impact the entire Muslim world? Praise Jesus for drawing Christians into the work of God in Somalia and making inroads into a resistant Islamic people, bringing them into the Kingdom of Light.
#3) Planning is underway for a sister organization of the SBS to develop an Islamic Studies Academy in Africa that will provide comprehensive training in Islamic Studies, equipping Christians with a deep understanding of Islamic beliefs, practices, and history to enhance their ability to engage effectively with Muslim communities. Praise the Lord for inspiring our Christian leaders to initiate a training academy that will provide training that will improve the abilities of the grassroots of the Church to reach the Muslim world with the Gospel. #4) We continue to have more than 100 Somali Muslims come to Christ every day. Praise the Lord for the Spirit of God doing a new thing in the Islamic Somali Peninsula.
#5) Every day the SBS is putting the Word of God into the hands of Somali seekers. Although we do distribute the Bible in printed format, most seekers are receiving the Bible in digital format downloaded to smart phones, iPods, computers, and other audio options. This is extremely important in an Islamic society where people can own and use a Bible that is password protected for security reasons. Praise God that His Word is being proclaimed and that it is having its intended effect. Men and women and boys and girls are coming to Christ daily! |
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Somali Bible Society (SBS) Somali-registered Non-profit Making Christ-like Disciples Thru Bible Engagement |
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| Somali Bible Society Network (SBSN) US-registered 501c3 Non-profit Developing Financial & Human Resources for SBS |
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Click on links below for websites and social media platforms. |
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AVAILABLE FOR SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS |
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Dr. Howie Shute is available to speak in Mission Conventions, Faith Promise Services, Local Church Missionary Meetings, Sunday Services, and Breakfast/Lunch Meetings to raise awareness of the exciting possibilities in the mission to Somalia. |
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If you would like to schedule Howie for a speaking engagement, email him at howie@somalibiblesociety.org or scan QR Code for Howieβs Contact Info. |
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SUBSCRIBE TO MONTHLY NEWSLETTER |
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Feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone you think might be interested.
To subscribe to this monthly newsletter, click the SUBSCRIBE button, or scan the QR CODE. |
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