Sunday, June 2, 2024

Power Solutions

 


“Doing the work of God is dangerous. Not doing it is more dangerous.”

– Sabina Wurmbrand

 
 

 
 
Farakoren, Kenya - Solar Ministry Toolkit
 
 
Our partner, Audio Scripture Ministries (ASM) shared this on Facebook: “This Solar Ministry Tool Kit was recently installed in Farakoren, Northern Kenya through your prayers and support, and thanks to Gospel Partners The Tirrim Trust, SonSet Solutions, Theovision International Kenya, and Africa Inland Mission (USA). Will you pray, as Pastor David shared, that this toolkit will amplify the reach of the gospel in their region so more people can hear the Word of God for themselves?”

ASM also posted a very good video – here's a link to the video: https://youtu.be/baP3lxvMQlc
 
 

 
 

 
 
Radio Shalom - solar energy system
 
 

Mamoud (red shirt) from Radio Shalom in Sierra Leone is meeting with community leaders in the city of Mongo where the radio station has a repeater. We are working with Mamoud to install a solar energy system that will power their studio building in the city of Kabala.

Please ask the Lord to give us wisdom in our analyses to best serve the needs of Radio Shalom, as they seek to broadcast the gospel in areas that are mostly Muslim.

 
 

 
 

 
 
Family Update
 
 
JR was able to come back into the area, and we were able to get together in May to a favorite place: Starved Rock and the Chicago Cubs!
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 Praises
  • Praise! Our appointee, Bryan Jackson, reached 100% shortly after we sent out our last update and is serving full time with us!
  • Four of six interns have been serving the past two weeks. Soon all six interns will be here to serve for the summer.
 
Prayer Requests
  • Continue to pray for Mounsithiraj family and us with the homegoing of Tyler's father.
  • Ask the Lord for safe travel for John's Uncle Jim and Aunt Dena who will be visiting in June.

Saturday, March 23, 2024

100,000th SonSet® Radio Delivered​

March 2024

“In a world of a billion Christians, there should never be a moment on the planet when hurting people feel orphaned by God.”  – Johnnie Moore

100,000th SonSet® Radio Delivered

On March 20th, we were able to celebrate this milestone! We heard stories and testimonies of the radios in person and via Zoom and were able to celebrate God’s goodness with our staff, some volunteers and some board members present.


It was 1994 when senior design engineer, Mike Axman, returned from Burkina Faso where SonSet Solutions has helped establish multiple Christian FM stations. He approached our director with the critical need for durable, fixed-tuned, solar-powered radio receivers to provide clear reception for their listeners. Without reliable receivers, these radio stations would be ineffective in reaching their communities.

In 2001, SonSet Solutions presented a project for just such a radio receiver to senior design students at several universities. Key designs were chosen, and our engineers got to work putting it all together. Our first SonSet radios were shipped in 2005.

Currently, SonSet radios have been distributed in 72 countries on six continents. These hand-held receivers are a lifeline where electricity is scarce, and batteries are expensive or hard to find. They are distributed in the vicinities of our partner Christian radio stations and fixed-tuned to pick up only those frequencies.

The full story is told here: Celebrating Our 100,000th Radio - SonSet Solutions.

Mobilization at Wheaton College Missions in Focus


While we primarily work in other areas of SonSet Solutions, we have been able to travel on occasion as part of SonSet Solutions' mobilization efforts. We enjoy meeting college students and enjoy all sorts of conversations with them.

It is largely through efforts like these that we gain some of our interns. This summer we have six interns. Please pray for them as they continue to raise their support team as they study as full-time students and as they serve this summer.

Praises

Praise! Jean's breast cancer follow up during February-March has gone well, and she's good to go for another six months.

We're thankful for good interactions as we represented SonSet Solutions at Wheaton College's Missions in Focus week in February.

Prayer Requests

An appointee is getting close to 100% support, and we're excited for him to begin service, as he'll fill some key roles. Pray for that last bit to come in.

Pray for the Lord to supply continued strength as we travel, host, and carry multiple roles here and at church.


Thursday, February 1, 2024

Solar Ministry Toolkits in Tanzania

 “To belong to Jesus is to embrace the nations with Him.” – John Piper

Solar Ministry Toolkits in Tanzania

Two of our Solar Ministry Toolkits (SMT) were installed in the country of Tanzania with two church plants just outside of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The first church plant is pastored by Pastor David, who won respect from the village by clearing the land, tilling the soil and planted crops. That same week of the installation, Pastor David showed The Jesus Film using the SMT and a bed sheet. A Muslim boy from the neighborhood chose to follow Christ. Additionally, shortly after Pastor David's church opened and started growing, three mosques popped up surrounding him. Please pray for this church and for the Muslim boy to continue to grow.

The second installation of an SMT was at Pastor Hery's church. This church is located in an area where at night, the darkness is fairly complete. There are no competing lights when the power goes out, which it does often. Pastor Hery hosts plenty of trainings for other leaders at his home and church. One particular Thursday the power went out, and he had about two dozen leaders at his home; they were able to keep working because of the light provided by the SMT. Please pray for this church as they reach out and also train leaders for other areas of church planting.​


Cedarville GO Conference in January

We interacted with many Cedarville students. David is in the center and is from Papua New Guinea, the Mt. Hagen area, where some of our teammates have gone and ministered. The student on the right is Daniel, who was a student of one of our former SonSet Solutions summer interns.

We appreciate that Dr. Jeff Shortt, who recently retired from teaching at Cedarville, came and helped us out at our table. The students were glad to interact with him! Also, he and his wife Sandy now volunteer at SonSet Solutions and sometimes stay with us when they're in town.

Annual Giving Statements
      Though John isn't pictured, he was an integral part of preparing, running and getting our SonSet Solutions annual giving receipts ready. The rest of us, Jean and coworkers, printed, stuffed, stamped, folded and emailed them out. Whew! It's a big job, and we're done! 

Praises
· Praise! During 2023, SonSet Solutions assisted 125 ministries in 51 countries via equipment, service, consultation, training, and partnership development.
· We praise the Lord for good conversations as we represented SonSet Solutions at Cedarville University's GO Conference and saw a supporting church in Illinois.

Requests
· ​​Please pray for the two church plants in Tanzania as they face opposition.
· Pray for the Lord to supply continued strength as we travel, host, and still carry multiple roles.
· We’ll be representing SonSet Solutions at Wheaton College in February. Please pray for great conversations at our alma mater.