June/July 2007

Contrary to what was said at the end of the last update and in the light of further information received, we have decided to give the Koti church another year of AAP prayer support to help the developing church move forward especially in regards to leadership. Please read on.

Translation Work

The translation work is going well. In the translation team we have reached half way in exegetically checking Luke (ie, half of Luke is now ready for the revision team to look at, then the consultant). The really encouraging part is that the revision team agreed to meet two mornings a week! As long as we continue with the current schedule we will comfortably be ready for the consultant check of Genesis 24-50 booked for September.

Koti Believers

Despite amazing conversions and transformations, the number of Koti Christians, probably around the 600 mark, is still less than 1% of the population. But in terms of who are disciples, then the figure is very much lower. The strongest groups are Thamoole (about 30 members present two weeks ago), groups on 6 other islands, a Portuguese group, and the main township group whom I was with on Sunday. There were 18 adults present, and I think 13 of them are on the payroll (ie they receive a modest subsidy to do some evangelism). So I would guess that active Koti members of the TyH church would not reach 300.

Leadership Issues

Also, the new church movement is seriously struggling with leadership issues.

The good news there is that they are now admitting their problems, and there are changes in the air.

Church

The Tarihki ya Haakhi church is coming to something of a leadership crisis. The main leader, and the only educated man among the leadership, has just announced he is stepping down as he wants to pursue his career as a teacher. (He is studying at night school for a degree in teaching and teaching at 2 schools during the day to make some money.) He has no time left to take care of TyH. He also admits that the other leaders are not developed enough to take on leadership without help. The founding missionary had a colleague visit the area recently, and he interviewed some of the leaders. The two main ones he met stated that TyH is falling apart and dying. The founding missionary is asking a Mozambican brother to return to help and also trying to recruit a British couple to spend a significant period of training and mentoring.

Not yet a viable church

All this to me indicates that the Koti are not yet able to stand on their own feet. I would feel it appropriate to ask that they at least be taken through the changes that this year is bringing by those who have been praying for them over the months gone by.

From a member of the translation team exegete missionaries.