| Hi << Test First Name >>, in this issue we are continuing to celebrate and honor some Somali believers, whom I believe should be added to the Hebrews 11 account of Heroes of Faith. Allow me to introduce Farah. This young woman is another deserving to be added to the list of the Somali Faith Hall of Fame. Her story is unique, but one where unbelief was replaced by a living faith in God. |
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THE GOSPEL COMING BY A VISION |
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Farah grew up in Somalia in a good Muslim family. The routine of her life became everything but routine on the day she saw a vision. As she was entering the main living room of her home on this fateful day, she saw something written on the wall. I Am the Bread of Life was boldly printed there. No one could see this except for Farah. She pleaded with her mother, her father, and her brothers to look again and again. When friends would come to her home, she would ask them to read what was so prominently displayed there for all to see (as she had thought). Day after day Farah would see what no one else could see. Her family and all of her friends began to think that Farah was insane. Farah eventually came to believe that she was hallucinating.
Some time later she travelled to the neighboring country of Kenya. While walking on the street one day, she met a pastor there. He witnessed to Farah about the love of Jesus Christ. Feeling a little safer than she would have felt in her home country, she told the pastor the whole story of her persisting hallucinations of seeing writing on the wall in her home. She then asked the pastor what the writing meant, telling him that it read I am the bread of life. The pastor smiled as he heard her mention this and turned in his Bible immediately to John 6:35. He asked Farah to read this verse from the sixth chapter of the Gospel of John. Farah was shocked as she read the words printed on the page before her: “Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life...” It was only a matter of days before Farah knelt down in the pastor’s office, confessed her sins, and put her faith in Christ. Jesus, who had spoken these words centuries before, had spoken them again to Farah. Farah’s story reminds us that God can reach anyone, even those living in societies where Christian witness is violently opposed. By faith, Farah overcame ridicule from family and friends and became a follower of Jesus despite the likely persecution that would come.
The Gospel came to Farah by a Vision!
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THE GOSPEL COMING BY A CAMEL |
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 | Camels Have Signicant Importance to Somalis (Mother in a Protective Stance for Her Young) |
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Ibrahim, 23, grew up in a devout Muslim family in western Somalia, where he lives a life deeply connected to his heritage and community. He is married to two Muslim wives and proudly fathers 13 children. In addition to his large family, Ibrahim owns 53 camels, which play a significant role in his livelihood.
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Most of Ibrahim’s camels were inherited from his older brother, who died in 1998 when he was killed by a lion while tending to the family herd. |
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 | SBS Taking a Mobile Library to Nomadic People Teaching the Illiterate to Read and Write |
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| Life took a transformative turn for Ibrahim when he first encountered the gospel last year through a camel library sponsored by the Somali Bible Society (SBS), which aims to promote literacy and to provide access to educational resources in remote areas.
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Intrigued and motivated, Ibrahim took full advantage of this opportunity, dedicating himself to master reading and writing in Somali, his mother tongue. He was successful in accomplishing this in just four months. During this time, he also received the Gospel of Matthew, which profoundly impacted his perspective on faith and spirituality. By June 2024, after a period of reflection and study of the Scriptures, Ibrahim made the life-changing decision to become a follower of Christ. His faith journey continued to evolve as he completed a discipleship training program in October 2024. |
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This training equipped him with the knowledge and confidence to actively share his newfound faith and spiritual insights with fellow Muslim camel herders in his region. Ibrahim felt a deep calling to reach out to others, hoping to provide them with the same sense of hope and purpose that he had found. |
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|  | Somali Evangelists Reaching Camel Herders |
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The Somali Bible Society and their local church partners are taking the Gospel everywhere, including the very difficult-to-reach nomadic people of Somalia. This ministry was featured in our April 2024 Newsletter. You can read more on this ministry by reading that newsletter at the following link: https://somalibiblesociety.org/somali-bible-society-newsletter-3.html
Despite Ibrahim’s commitment to Christianity, his family dynamics remain complex. His two wives and all 13 of his children remain Muslim, but there is a growing openness within his household. In November 2024, his wives began listening to an audio Bible, sparking their interest in exploring Ibrahim's faith. Recognizing the importance of literacy for understanding the Scriptures, Ibrahim plans to teach them how to read and write Somali, hoping they could achieve literacy by June 2025. The decision of Ibrahim’s wives to stay with him, despite his conversion, speaks to the strength of their family bonds and cultural ties. Ibrahim's journey is one of faith, transformation, and resilience, reflecting both the challenges and opportunities that arise from navigating faith and family in Islamic Somalia. Through his efforts to educate his family and share the gospel, Ibrahim holds onto hope that they may one day join him on this spiritual journey, fostering a sense of unity and shared belief within their unique family dynamic.
The Gospel came to Ibrahim on the back of a camel!
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To My Somali Muslim Friends
The Gospel came to Farah through visions, but came to Ibrahim on the back of a camel. In each case they found the truth about Jesus Christ revealed in the Word of God. You can find the Truth yourself, if you read the Somali Bible with an open mind. Remember, the Qur’an 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 Qur’an teaches. Read what the Qur’an 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 Qur’an 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 Qur’an 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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THE SBS IS SEEKING PARTNERS |
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A donation of any size will assist the SBS and their local church partners in reaching Somali Muslims for Christ.
<< Test First Name >>, to be a part of this movement, either scan QR Code or click DONATE button. Be sure to insert project number of your choice in the Project # / Comments field on the Donation Page.
Thank you for contributing to the work of the Somali Bible Society!
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? |
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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 one of our leaders who has been wrongfully detained by the police. We will be pleading his case in court on Friday January 31st.
#2) Pray for our SBS leaders who are vetting so many contacts in Somalia, who are wanting to join a house church, or become a Christian, or be discipled. All must be sufficiently vetted to assure that they are not trying to undermine the security of our believers and house churches. Pray for wisdom and discernment.
#3) Pray for SBS and their local church partners in training new leaders for house churches and for the expansion of these house churches across the Somali Peninsula. Many more strong and effective house churches are needed to provide fellowship, training, worship, and mission for the growing number of Somali believers.
4) Pray for the finances and the implementation of the many SBS projects that promote compassion, evangelism, and discipleship in Somalia. Pray for each project listed on our web page: https://myfatherswork.org/missions/somali-bible-society-network/
#5) Many Somali Christians are suffering because of their faith in Jesus. Pray for the encouragement and strengthening of Somali Christians who face persecution and opposition for their faith. Pray also for their security and safety as they witness for Jesus Christ in a very Gospel-resistant context.
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|  | PRAISE REPORTS
#1) In most cases our leaders who are wrongfully imprisoned use that opportunity to preach to fellow prisoners. Just this week one of our leaders who was wrongfully detained asked for a Bible so he could preach to those in jail with him. This leader has been imprisoned before for his faith and each time he is imprisoned, he has led others to Christ. Praise God for the strong and passionate faith exemplified by leaders of the SBS and their local church partners.
#2) The movement in Somalia continues. 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.
#3) 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 Howie’s 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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