Through our affiliation with Christian Media International, we have been operating a fully equipped audio/video studio in the southwest region of Nigeria for three years and are now televising seven weekly Gospel programs in six languages. As a way for CMI to fulfill humanitarian efforts through missionary partners, Impact Others explores more unique ways to spread the message of salvation. Working with Impact Others, multiple widows’ meetings have been conducted, often bringing in over 200 ladies for a Gospel message and a gift of various foods and toiletries; furthermore, the ministry of benevolence has funded a new business for several of these ladies to help support their families. An orphanage with which we partner has received assistance through IO, and recently, we were given support to enable three churches to do boreholes on their properties. As a result of these mechanized wells, not only is clean water provided to parishioners, but a tap is also opened for the public to use. We are regularly hearing testimonies of people gladly listening to the Gospel and receiving Christ when they come to draw water freely from the church. At the end of September, one of the beneficiary churches held a commissioning service in our honor to thank CMI for their new borehole. Also, Sabrina and I had the privilege to make a quick trip to Egypt in the middle of October to see more Impact Others projects with CMI’s founder and their CFO.
In the middle of September, my son Brian and I honored the invitation for me to preach the Missions Conference at Colorado Springs Baptist Church. Pastor Jason Brockman and I were roommates during my freshman year at Hyles-Anderson College, and we have kept in touch for nearly thirty years. I hardly saw Brian throughout our week in the U.S., as he thoroughly enjoyed himself with the pastor’s family and the church’s youth group, while I had several great opportunities to fellowship with men of God during meals and church services. We went home with suitcases full of gifts and snacks, checks for our building projects, and delightful meditations of a friendship rekindled and potential partnerships established.
Truth Baptist Church’s working relationship with Port Harcourt Independent Baptist Church provided the remaining highlights of the last two months. Just days after the S.M.I.T.E. at PHIBC, our TBC members and seminary students conducted a Vacation Bible School during the second week of September before schools here began a new year. A high attendance of over 500 was recorded during the three-day event. On the third Sunday of October, as the founder of Truth Baptist, I encouraged our members to hold the first ever Appreciation Day for the three pastors on our church staff. Each Sunday school class came up with their own gift and presentation at the end of the Sunday morning service; the great participation of the church and obvious delight in the pastors have ensured that this day will become an annual tradition at TBC. A Soul-Winning and Leadership Conference at PHIBC capped off the month of October, as Missionary Evangelists Jim Belisle and Denton Bell joined me for the special meeting of churches with a missions emphasis. For this particular conference, there were a record number of churches (25) represented.
Believing God,
Mark Holmes, written 9 November 2024; WhatsApp +1.228.209.4625
vimeo.com/missionaryholmes, “Prayer Letter updates” section for a quick video
