Mark Logan

BIMI Representative at Large

“The entrance of Thy Word giveth Light” -Psalm 119:130

Sept. 20, 2010

Dear Praying and Concerned Friends:

I just returned from traveling hours every day teaching and preaching 13 of 14 days in Malawi and putting Chichewa New Testaments in the hands of over 450 Baptist pastors. In all of the regional conferences there were many more – deacons, ladies, evangelists, eager young people who wanted one but there were only enough for the pastors. THE GOAL IS TO SHIP A CONTAINER LOAD OF 35,000 for the pastors to distribute to their people who can read! My friend, Bobby Glasgow, a successful businessman and farmer from Alabama was with me and has helped with the funding of these New Testaments. He is very burdened for Malawi. Some pastors were ill and could not journey to one of the regional sites. I missed the pastor in Nsanje whose leg was taken by a crocodile a few years ago – he was very sick. In the first week there, we got news that a pastor near a game park had been killed by an elephant while defending his small garden. Another pastor I had known from many previous teaching trips had died just a few months ago in the home of my church planting national leader, Andrew Dzimbiri. I was able to give some money personally to the widows of these pastors which they will use to buy fertilizer and seed for the planting season as they are now totally responsible for keeping their children alive.

Of all the regions I was in, the most troubling was crossing over the border on Sunday, Sept. 12 into the country of Mozambique, an area which had had no rain in over 2 years. Everything was shriveled and desolate. The people greeted us so cheerfully and after preaching with about 8 souls saved, they presented us with 2 chickens to eat at the regional meeting the next day.

Please pray as we are wanting to send some of the orphan “preacher boys” (who have graduated high school) to a 2 year Bible Institute in Zambia (CABC) so they can train to come back and teach Bible at the orphanage and our own Bible College. Any help with shipping the New Testaments would be great. Thanks for all you do in helping me to teach and preach around the world. I travel to Haiti in 2 weeks and then Pakistan later in the year – two catastrophe affected countries.

Blessings in Christ, Mark Logan

The Fullford Report

MISSION MALAWI

Dear Faithful Friends and Fellow Workers for Christ,

LORD MAKE ME TO KNOW MINE END, AND THE MEASURE OF MY DAYS, WHAT IT IS; THAT I MAY KNOW HOW FRAIL I AM. Psalm 39:4

How true this request is! We pride ourselves on being reliant and being able to work within God’s ministry, but just say this prayer and hang on!
God showed Himself strong on both His and our behalf when we traveled down the Chikwawa road to Nchalo, then turned west on a rough dirt road and continued to travel into Mozambique. We had a schedule for 4 days of meetings at a Good Samaritan Church with other GSBM churches expect to come. What a blessing it was, when we arrived to be well greeted, and with enthusiasm. Our group consisted of Ms. Goodman, Thandie Chikufenji, Henry Chatata, Andrew Nyenga, Blessing Chikopa, and John Fullford. Our goal was to teach these dear people from the Word of God and both strengthen/encourage them.
After our arrival those not teaching immediately set up our camp site, and then started getting ready to teach or assist. Do to the lack of food in the area; Good Samaritan brought maize, cabbage, small fishes, oil and salt for the meals during these 4 days. Many people traveled from far distances to attend these classes and we wanted to serve them in the best way possible.
Monday and Tuesday were very sunny and hot during the day. During the Morning classes on Tuesday Andrew and John went out soul winning and had a great time of fellowship and telling people about God’s wonderful Gift of Life! After our evening meal we started to show “The Jesus Film” to about 400 people, and at this time the weather took a turn for the worst. The wind picked up, it started to mist and rain, and the temperature dropped. It was like this all night, Wednesday, Wednesday night, and right into Thursday. This did not denture us and about 80 dear souls that stayed with us. Many people left for their homes, and it could have been discouraging, but I believe God just culled the crowd and those that remained were serious about God and His Word! I shared this thought with those that remained and when I finished they started to sing and shout praises! The camp site was cold, wet and muddy and it brought Psalm 39:4 to heart. We can plan, but the rest is in God’s Hands!
On Tuesday afternoon we had a baptismal service for many of the people who had raised their hands for salvation during classes, and during our soul winning. John baptized 132 people over a 2 hour period. Just to get to the pool of stagnant water we traveled 10 kilometers down a dirt road, and then walked another 2-3 kilometers. These dear souls were serious, and believed the Word of God when it comes to the first step of obedience.
On Thursday afternoon we curtailed the rest of the classes due to weather; many of the people did not bring heavy clothing because when they came it was hot. They were cold, shivering and exhausted from sleepless nights.
On another note God has answered our prayers for a printing press! We have been given, free of charge, a Multilith 1250 printing press from S. Africa. Another missionary who has a printing ministry donated the machine to Good Samaritan with the stipulation that we transport it up to Malawi ourselves. What a Blessing from God!
We also have a commitment from a church in America to send someone over to Malawi when we receive it to repair it if needed, and to train our young men on the operation. Tell me God does not answer prayers!!
Thank you to all that continue to give even though your finances have been greatly affect by the American economy. We covet your prayers more than anything as God is listening for YOU!

PRAYER NEEDS:
1. Souls to get saved in Mozambique on our next trip
2. Dr. Gentry’s health
3. Provisions for printing John/Romans in Malawi
4. Repair and Maintenance of the Orphanage vehicles
5. Health for our family in all our travels
6.God would provide for the new Orphanage Project in Ntcheu
7. Shipping of our Printing Press

By His Grace & Mercy,
John, Darcy, & Johnathan

Enjoying village life in Malawi. The pot is always on just in case a missionary shows up and might need a meal, Go John, eat it up. God has someone who is our appointment for today!!

September Newsletter

The Gentry's Malawi Africa

Dear Supporting Partners,

Thank you for your encouraging prayers, calls and cards during my period of recovery. We accepted the challenge, call of God and risk to work in a third world country to establish churches, win the lost and rescue abandoned orphans and much more. My body has been riddled with various illnesses due to the exposure of life threatening diseases in Africa. However, we are not complaining or turning our back on the call of God. Thousands would be without the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ and others left hopeless had we not willingly placed our lives in the gap for them. We serve a mighty God who is well able to help us overcome anything the enemy sends our way. And so we continue the work victorious in whatever state we find ourselves. His grace is sufficient. Please don’t give up on us – your prayers and financial support are piercing the Dark Continent with the light of the gospel.

Bro. James LaCrone who prints thousands of gospel tracts and John and Romans booklets in Chichewa recently made two drop trips to Louisville, KY with hundreds of boxes of this precious cargo that we placed in another container for future shipping to Malawi. Thanks to many of you that are putting wings to the Word of God to reach the dying across the ocean. At the present we are still waiting for the financial funds to send the present container already full of urgent supplies. We need your help in this area as our missionaries eagerly wait for these much needed helps.

We have received requests for an update from our Malawi staff whom a lot of you met personally when they traveled with us in the states to visit your churches. President Henry Chatata and Children’s Home Director Thandiwe Chickufenji recently returned from a week’s trip to Mozambique where they visited our churches there and offered many helps to strengthen them in the Word of God. The team along with Bro. John Fullford and Ms. Sharon Goodman (School Administrator and Children's Home Assistant) were overwhelmed with the results of this journey, as they found these churches operating in dire poverty with joy abounding in His grace and mercy. Chris Gome our building and supply business manager is doing well and active again. Navigator Gome our government informer and numerous helps man, is now enrolled in a 4 year Bible College in Zambia where he desires to further his education in Bible to be a greater servant of Good Samaritan Ministries. President Henry Chatata is a very informative country man and tremendous teacher/preacher of the Word. He oversees the 400+ churches offering helps and keeping check on them through the evangelists under him. These men and women serve under the direction of Assistant Director of Good Samaritan Ministries John Fullford. Many other helpers assist these leaders named, in various and many ways to fully equip this vast ministry.

Thanks to our American staff and National staff for their tireless teamwork in ministering this great work and in advancing the gospel truth in Malawi. And especially to all of you stateside who dare to care by submitting your hard earned dollars to help finance this much needed cause for Jesus Christ. We are powerless without your prayer support also.

Listen come close and place your spiritual ear to this letter – can you hear the heartbeat of God for these needy people? His creation! Can you hear the heartbeat of this frail missionary, your partner, who desires to keep on keeping on to see more people saved from the fires of hell? Jesus is coming soon – time is running out – we must all do His work in some way. Psalms 4:1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayers. What is He telling you?

Gratefully in His love & service,

The Gentry’s (the beggars)