Sunday, November 12, 2023

13-19 November Herron's 2023 Prayer Blog

 James and Sonya Herron, IMB Missionaries

Uganda East Africa

Island Ministry team (Upper Buvuma Islands)

The vision of the International Mission Board is to see a multitude from every language, people, tribe and nation knowing and worshiping our Lord Jesus Christ

_______________________________________________________________________

55 in 5

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NIV)


Pray for the Ndengereko of Tanzania


The Ndengereko number around 285,000. They are only located in Tanzania and live along the Rufiji River. Their primary language is Ndengereko, and their primary religion is Islam. There are very few evangelical believers among them.

 

The Ndengereko are subsistence farmers who grow mainly cassava, maize, rice, millet, sesame, coconuts and cashew nuts.

 

·       Pray for the hearts of the Ndengereko people to be turned toward God.

·       Ask for God-called believers to take the truth of the gospel to the Ndengereko where they live.

·       Pray that the hardships the Ndengereko are encountering in their area will be doors God uses to share His truth with them.


Praise God for His Faithfulness from 06th –12 November 2023 

Thank the Lord with the Herrons for the Past Weeks

We Praise God for:

  • Traveling Grace:
    •  As the Herrons as they traveled in and around the Jinja area during the past week.
  •  We thank God for Baptist Ministry (UBIBM) Leadership Team and their work with the mission team this past week and their continual work in reaching and expanding the ministry of reaching the lost people of the islands.
  • We thank God for the 25 pastors and church leaders who came for the Iganga Bible Study 3rd—04th November, were twenty-four pastors and church leaders from nine different churches gathered to learn about the Old Testament Minor Prophets. 
  • We thank God for the planning that was done in preparation for our Discipleship/Evangelism training in Sigulu Island District next week.
  • We thank God for His provision and allowing us to minister to the peoples of the islands.
  • We also praise God for keeping us in good physical, emotional and spiritual health.

Pray for the Herron’s This Coming Week

13th—19th November 2023

  • Pray for our travel this week:
    • James and Wafula Joseph and the Upper Buvuma Island Baptist Ministry Zone Leaders Travel to Sigulu Island to train Pastors, Church Planters, Church Leaders and members how to disciple new believers from 13th—18th November. 
    • Pray for the Zone Leaders as they travel from the islands to the mainland and to Sigulu Island. 
    • As we travel by van and by boat to the Sigulu Island District. 
    • Pray for our stay on Sigulu Island this coming week.
    • Pray for us as we return to our respective homes on Saturday 18th November.
    • Travel around Jinja area this week.
  • Pray for the Upper Buvuma Ministry Team as they work toward reaching six new Islands with the Gospel of Christ and start eight new churches on these islands and planting of eight new churches in the Buvuma Island District.
  • Pray Mukisa who is taking the national examinations this week:
    • Tuesday from 9:00 am.—5:00 p.m. Economic
    • Thursday 16th November General Knowledge 9:00 a.m.—12:00 noon.
  • Pray that the Herrons would be light and salt to the people they meet this week.
  • Pray for Sonya and Madison as James will not be home from 13th—18th November.  
  • Pray that the Herrons will be given the words to share to others about Jesus and how they might receive the salvation from God offered through a relationship with Christ.
  • Pray for the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of the Herrons.
  • Pray that God will give the Herrons insight and spiritual wisdom in making wise ministry decisions as they engage in ministering on the island.
  •  Pray for our families in the USA 
    • Our three sons and their families 
      • Our oldest son Keith in Memphis, Tennessee
      • Our middle son, Jason, and his wife Marsha and their two sons Jacob and Joshua
      • Our youngest son, Jeremy, and his wife Jennifer, and his three children, Cam, Colie, and Cy as he serves in the Army in stationed on Stuttgart, Germany.   
      • Babra in Heidelberg, Germany
    • Pray for our siblings, aunts and uncles and their families.


In HIS service  

James and Sonya Herron

 "...before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language...." Revelation 7:9 (NIV)   

 

55 in 5 Resources 



Ndengereko Woman



Ndengereko Woman-2




The vision of the International Mission Board is to see a multitude from every language, people, tribe and nation knowing and worshiping our Lord Jesus Christ













Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Herron's Prayer Blog-30 October—05 November 2023

 James and Sonya Herron, IMB Missionaries

Uganda East Africa

Island Ministry team (Upper Buvuma Islands)

The vision of the International Mission Board is to see a multitude from every language, people, tribe and nation knowing and worshiping our Lord Jesus Christ

__________________________________________________________________

55 in 5


"I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus …"  (1 Timothy 2:1,3-4)


Pray for the Ngiri of the Democratic Republic of the Congo


The Ngiri live in a heavily forested area on the edge of the largest freshwater wetland in all of Africa. They were once renowned warriors but today they are looked down upon and discriminated as “those forest people.” The Ngiri face the challenges of poverty, poor hygiene, alcoholism, domestic violence, fear of sorcery, and a shortage of opportunities to grow intellectually, spiritually, and economically.

The Ngiri are primarily farmers; women tend the crops while men fish, hunt and clear the farmland. While the Ngiri reject non-Christian religions such as Buddhism and Islam, they don’t worship the one true God, and few understand the gospel. Instead, they practice a form of religion that involves ancestor and spirit worship.


·       Pray that God would place a longing in the hearts of these “people of the forest” to know Him.

·       Pray for current work being done by Seed Company to translate the New Testament into the heart language of the Ngiri.

·       Ask God to make a way to reach isolated villages in this vast and heavily forested area.

Praise God for His Faithfulness from 09th–29th October 2023 

Thank the Lord with the Herrons for the Past Two-Weeks

We Praise God for:

  • Traveling Grace:
    •  As the Herrons travel to Entebbe to pick-up the mission team from O’Fallon, Illinois
      • As James traveled to the islands with the Mission Team from O’Fallon First Baptist Church (OFBC)
      • We thank God for protection as we travel over nine hours on the waters of Lake Victoria. 
    • As the Herrons traveled in and around the Jinja area during the past two weeks.
  •  We give thank to God for the O’Fallon First Baptist Church (FBCO) mission team and their ability to adjust to not having the medical clinics and providing training to the people of the islands and evangelism training and application.
    • We praise God for discipleship, and evangelism training taught by the FBCO Mission Team.
    • We praise God for the nine teams of mission team member, pastors and church leaders and women who made up the evangelism team that visited:
      • Four islands
      • Six village churches
      • Witnessed to over 400 people and
      • Saw 193 people accepted Christ as Lord and Savior Upper Buvuma Island
      • More than 100 persons were discipled at the time they accepted Christ.
      • All the new believers were connected to a village church that is committed to discipling the new believers.
  • We thank God for the Upper Buvuma Island Baptist Ministry (UBIBM) Leadership Team and their work with the mission team this past week and their continual work in reaching and expanding the ministry of reaching the lost people of the islands.
  • We thank God for His provision and allowing us to minister to the peoples of the islands.
  • We also praise God for keeping us in good physical, emotional and spiritual health.

Pray for the Herron’s This Coming Week

30th October—05th November 2023

  • Pray for our travel this week:
    • James and Wafula Joseph travels to Iganga this Friday and Saturday Bible Study with local pastors November 03rd and 04th.
    • Travel around Jinja area this week.
  • Pray for the Upper Buvuma Ministry Team as they work toward reaching six new Islands with the Gospel of Christ and start eight new churches on these islands and planting of eight new churches in the Buvuma Island District.
  • Pray for the mission team from O’Fallon FBC as they return to Illinois after beinig on the islands for six days this Tuesday 31st October.
  • Pray that the Herrons would be light and salt to the people they meet this week. 
  • Pray that the Herrons will be given the words to share to others about Jesus and how they might receive the salvation from God offered through a relationship with Christ.
  • Pray for the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of the Herrons.
  • Pray that God will give the Herrons insight and spiritual wisdom in making wise ministry decisions as they engage in ministering on the island.
  •  Pray for our families in the USA. 
    • Our three sons and their families 
      • Our oldest son Keith in Memphis, Tennessee
      • Our middle son, Jason, and his wife Marsha and their two sons Jacob and Joshua
      • Our youngest son, Jeremy, and his wife Jennifer, and his three children, Ki, Colie, and Cy as he serves in the Army in stationed on Stuttgart, Germany.   
      • Babra in Heidelberg, Germany
  • Pray for our siblings, aunts and uncles and their families.


In HIS service  

James and Sonya Herron

 "...before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language...." Revelation 7:9 (NIV)   

 

55 in 5 Resources














Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Herron's Prayer Blog for 16-22 October 2023

 James and Sonya Herron, IMB Missionaries

Uganda East Africa

Island Ministry team (Upper Buvuma Islands)

The vision of the International Mission Board is to see a multitude from every language, people, tribe and nation knowing and worshiping our Lord Jesus Christ

_________________________________________________________________________

55 in 5

Pray for the Naath of South Sudan

        “Open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to         God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been             sanctified by faith in Me.”  (Acts 26:18)

The Naath, also called the Nuer, are cattle herders living in both Ethiopia and South Sudan. In many African societies, cattle are considered to be “currency” and the primary source of wealth.  The more cattle one has, the wealthier one is. Often cows are used in business transactions and as payment for wedding dowries. They are also traded to settle disputes between families. 

 The Naath believe in a supernatural being. They also believe in lesser gods, which they call "kuuth," but they know there is only one God (Kuoth). The Naath of South Sudan are unevangelized and unengaged, while their counterparts in Ethiopia have had more evangelical influence.

Pray

  •  That the Father will open the eyes of the Naath community to see Christ as the source of abundant and eternal life.
  • That God would raise up qualified pastors and teachers who will be well established in the faith.
  • That believers in South Sudan and neighboring countries would have a heart to bring the gospel to the Naath.

Praise God for His Faithfulness from 15th–22nd October 2023 

Thank the Lord with the Herrons for the Past Week

We Praise God for:

  • Traveling Grace:
    •  As God has protected us as we traveled to and from Kampala last Tuesday.
    • As we traveled to in and about Jinja during the week.
  • We praise God for the Upper Buvuma Island Baptist Ministry (UBIBM) Leadership Team and their continual work in reaching and expanding the ministry of reaching the lost people of the islands.
  • We are thankful for the report we received from Sigulu Island:
    • We praise God for the leadership on Sigulu Island in their efforts of planting new congregations on and near Sigulu Island.
    • The spiritual and numerical growth of the primary church we are working with:
      • Numerical growth from 74 adults in worship to 173 in attendance now
      • From six small group Bible study classes to twelve Bible study classes since April 2023.
      • Primary work being done having six villages where there are Small Group Bible studies in April to having twelve small Bible studies group now.
      • Plans of reaching six islands near Sigulu Island including islands in Kinya waters.   
  • We thank God for the Buvuma District Zone Leaders and their assistances who are preparing our pastors and church leaders to prepare the congregations to take the Gospel of Jesus to the ends of the earth.
  • We thank God for His provision and allowing us to minister to the peoples of the islands.
  • We also praise God for keeping us in good physical, emotional and spiritual health.

 Pray for the Herron’s This Coming Week

16th–22nd October 2023

  • Pray for our travel this week:
    • The Herron’s travels to Entebbe to pick-up the FBCO Mission Team Friday 20th October
    • Visit to Buvuma Island for six-day mobile medical clinics 22nd—27th October.
    • Travel around Jinja area this week.
  • Pray for the Upper Buvuma Ministry Team as they work toward reaching six new Islands with the
  • Pray for the mission team from O’Fallon FBC as they prepare to come to Uganda 20th October for twelve days.
    • Pray for the planned five mobile medical clinic, that people will be ministered to by the medical care and the Gospel of Christ.
    • Pray for approval from the Medical Director for the Buvuma District before Wednesday 18th October.
    • From these clinics, we pray that new believers are discipled and integrated into churches that will help them grow in their faith and commitment to Christ.
    • We pray for unity among the pastors as we minister to the people of the islands.
  • Pray that the Herrons would be light and salt to the people they meet this week. 
  • Pray that the Herrons will be given the words to share to others about Jesus and how they might receive the salvation from God offered through a relationship with Christ.
  • Pray for the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of the Herrons.
  • Pray that God will give the Herrons insight and spiritual wisdom in making wise ministry decisions as they engage in ministering on the island.
  • Pray for our families in the USA 
    • Our three sons and their families 
    • Our oldest son Keith in Memphis, Tennessee
    • Our middle son, Jason, and his wife Marsha and their two sons Jacob and Joshua
    • Our youngest son, Jeremy, and his wife Jennifer, and his three children, Ki, Colie, and Cy as he serves in the Army in stationed on Stuttgart, Germany.   
    • Babra in Heidelberg, Germany
  • Pray for our siblings, aunts and uncles and their families.

In HIS service  

James and Sonya Herron

 "...before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language...." Revelation 7:9 (NIV)   

 

55 in 5 Resources






Nuer Man


The vision of the International Mission Board is to see a multitude from every language, people, tribe and nation knowing and worshiping our Lord Jesus Christ

_____________________________________________________________








Monday, October 9, 2023

Herron's Prayer Blog for 09-15 October 2023

 

James and Sonya Herron, IMB Missionaries

Uganda East Africa

Island Ministry team (Upper Buvuma Islands)

The vision of the International Mission Board is to see a multitude from every language, people, tribe and nation knowing and worshiping our Lord Jesus Christ

______________________________________________________________________ 

55 in 5


“And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2:2, ESV)  

Pray for the Ngongo of DRC

There are approximately 200,000 speakers of the Ngongo language in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They live in the very fertile lands and forests of central DRC. Like many of the people groups around them, many Ngongo are nominally Roman Catholic, although syncretism with African traditional religion is common. There is no written Scripture in their language, but last year a group of six committed Christians began putting stories from the Bible into their language to be shared orally. These six have recruited and trained 25 others to join in their work.

Pray 

  1. ·       That those who are putting God’s Word into their heart language would remain faithful to the Scriptures.
  2. ·       That they will remember the importance of what they are doing and not become discouraged by setbacks.
  3. ·       That those who claim the name of Christ would cling to faith in Him alone for salvation and leave their animistic beliefs and practices behind.

Praise God for His Faithfulness from 02nd–08th October 2023 

Thank the Lord with the Herrons for the Past Week

We Praise God for:

  • Traveling Grace:
    •  As James traveled from Johannesburg, South Africa to Uganda last Tuesday.
    • As we traveled to in and about Jinja.
  • .We praise God for the Upper Buvuma Island Baptist Ministry (UBIBM) Leadership Team and their continual work in reaching and expanding the ministry of reaching the lost people of the islands.
  • We are thankful for the progress made in the planting of three new churches on Sigulu Island this year.
  • We thank God for the Buvuma District Zone Leaders and their assistances who are preparing our pastors and church leaders to prepare the congregations to take the Gospel of Jesus to the ends of the earth.
  • We praise God for the leadership on Sigulu Island in their efforts of planting new congregations on and near Sigulu Island.
  • We thank God for His provision and allowing us to minister to the peoples of the islands.
  • We also praise God for keeping us in good physical, emotional and spiritual health.
  • We praise God for Madison’s successful in school this year.

Pray for the Herron’s This Coming Week

09th –15th October 2023

  • Pray for our travel this week:
    • The Herron’s travels to Kampala Tuesday 10th October 8, 2023
    • Visit to Buvuma Island later in the week.
    • Travel around Jinja area this week.
    • Meeting with Sigulu Island Leaders later this week.
  • Pray for the Upper Buvuma Ministry Team as they work toward reaching six new Islands with the Gospel of Christ and start eight new churches on these islands and planting of eight new churches in the Buvuma Island District.
  • Pray for the mission team from O’Fallon FBC as they prepare to come to Uganda 20th October for twelve days.
  • Pray for the planned five mobile medical clinic, that people will be ministered to by the medical care and the Gospel of Christ.
    • Pray for the team as they prepare themselves to minister to the peoples of the Islands of Lake Victoria.
    • Pray for God protection as they plan to travel from the St. Louis area to the islands of Lake Victoria.
    • Pray for the family, loved ones and those who are left behind praying for them as they travel. 
  • From these clinics, we pray that new believers are discipled and integrated into churches that will help them grow in their faith and commitment to Christ.
  • Pray that the Herrons would be light and salt to the people they meet this week. 
  • Pray that the Herrons will be given the words to share to others about Jesus and how they might receive the salvation from God offered through a relationship with Christ.
  • Pray for the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of the Herrons.
  • Pray that God will give the Herrons insight and spiritual wisdom in making wise ministry decisions as they engage in ministering on the island.
  •  Pray for our families in the USA 
    • Our three sons and their families 
      • Our oldest son Keith in Memphis, Tennessee
      • Our middle son, Jason, and his wife Marsha and their two sons Jacob and Joshua
      • Our youngest son, Jeremy, and his wife Jennifer, and his three children, Ki, Colie, and Cy as he serves in the Army in stationed on Stuttgart, Germany.   
      • Babra in Heidelberg, Germany
  • Pray for our siblings, aunts and uncles and their families.


In HIS service  

James and Sonya Herron

 "...before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language...." Revelation 7:9 (NIV)   

 

55 in 5 Resources





Ngongo Team




Old Testament Survey Iganga Bible Study


View of Serinya Island from Malijja Island


Village on Sigulu Island


The vision of the International Mission Board is to see a multitude from every language, people, tribe and nation knowing and worshiping our Lord Jesus Christ




Sunday, October 1, 2023

Herron's Prayer Blog for 02-08 October

James and Sonya Herron, IMB Missionaries

Uganda East Africa

Island Ministry team (Upper Buvuma Islands)

The vision of the International Mission Board is to see a multitude from every language, people, tribe and nation knowing and worshiping our Lord Jesus Christ

_________________________________________________________________________________

55 in 5

““The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)

Pray for the Northern Teke of Gabon

The name of the Teke people reveals what their occupation was in former times. The word teke means 'to buy,' indicating they were traders. The current economy of the Teke is mainly based on farming, but they are also hunters and skilled fishermen.

For the Teke, a large family is very important as the head of the family gains prestige as family members increase. The Teke are a very spiritual people and believe in practicing African traditional religion, which involves the veneration of ancestral spirits. They are also known for their fetishes, including figurines and masks. There is usually one tribunal chief who has the right over the life and death of all family members. This chief decides the fate of those who do wrong or break the law.

Pray

-          Pray for the Northern Teke to trade their false beliefs for a true understanding of God and the salvation that is found only in Christ.

-          Pray they will know there is only one who holds the right over life and death, and it is the one true God.

-          Pray that the gospel would go forth among the Teke and that they would repent and believe in Christ.


________________________________________________________________________ 


18th September—01st October 2023

Thank the Lord with the Herrons for the Past Two Weeks

  •  Traveling Grace:
    •  James and Sonya travel to Nairobi for medical appointments Friday 15th –22nd September. 
    • James travel to Johannesburg, South Africa 27th September—03rd October
    • Travel in and around Jinja during the last two weeks
  •   We continue to thank God for the work of our national partners are doing to reaching the peoples of the islands.
  • We praise God for the Upper Buvuma Island Baptist Ministry (UBIBM) Leadership Team and their work in of reaching and expanding the ministry of reaching the lost people of the islands.
  • We thank God for the Buvuma District Zone Leaders who continual to prepare our pastors and church leaders to take the Gospel of Jesus to the ends of the earth.
  • We thank God for His provision and allowing us to minister to the peoples of the islands.
  • We praise God for the work we are doing stateside as we communicate with our Church Connection churches and minister to the churches informing them of what God is doing in Uganda.
  • We thank God the mission team from O’Fallon FBC as they prepare to come in mid-October.
  • We also praise God for the work being done on the mainland and island in preparation for the Mission Team arrival.

Pray for the Herron’s This Coming Week

02nd—08th October  

  • Pray for our travel this week:
    •  As James travel from Johannesburg, South Africa 03rd October
    •   Our travel from Entebbe to Jinja
    • Our travel in Jinja and surrounding area during this week.
  • Pray for the Upper Buvuma Ministry Team as they work toward reaching six new Islands with the Gospel of Christ and start eight new churches on these islands and planting of eight new churches in the Buvuma Island District.
  • Pray that the Herrons would be light and salt to the people they meet this week. 
  • Pray that the Herrons will be given the words to share to others about Jesus and how they might receive the salvation from God offered through a relationship with Christ.
  • Pray that God will give the Herrons insight and spiritual wisdom in making wise ministry decisions as they engage in ministering on the island.
  •  Pray for our families in the USA 
    • Our three sons and their families 
    • Our oldest son Keith in Memphis, Tennessee
    • Our middle son, Jason, and his wife Marsha and their two sons Jacob and Joshua
    • Our youngest son, Jeremy, and his wife Jennifer, and his three children, Ki, Colie, and Cy as he serves in the Army in being transferred to Europe in mid-August.   
    • Our siblings and their families.


In HIS service  

James and Sonya Herron

 "...before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language...." Revelation 7:9 (NIV)   

 

55 in 5 Resources





Food Distribution on the Island


food distribution Kyanja Baptist Church


Food Distribution on the Mainland

The vision of the International Mission Board is to see a multitude from every language, people, tribe and nation knowing and worshiping our Lord Jesus Christ