Ceasar started volunteering with Emmanuel International last year. There was no budget for a staff-person for Jesus Film, but Mike was finding it difficult to run the films alone. Ceasar has many, many skills, and among them is how to hook up and care for an A/V system. And so, Ceasar started helping Mike to run the films.
Mike simply didn't have time, however, to devote to following up with Bible study groups that were initiated following the showing of the film. So when we went to Canada, we appealed for funds to hire Ceasar as a part-time staff person who could also do follow-up, and God answered! Thank you to those of you who gave!
Before Ceasar was hired to do follow-up, only 6 of the 18 groups were actively meeting weekly for Bible study. Now as we speak, that number has gone up from 6 to 15 actively thriving groups! Almost all the new believers whose names were written down during the altar calls in the film showing are regularly coming to their respective groups. Group members report that the Bible studies are helping them to understand the Bible well and grow in their faith.
As people come to Christ, it also helps families become strong and more financially stable. One testimony is that of a man named Simon. Simon was a drunkard, drinking away his family's resources. In fact, as the Jesus Film was shown in his village, he was drunk! But God is able! Even in his drunken state, the film touched him, and he came forward and gave his life to Jesus. When the church volunteers followed up with him, he told them he is grateful to the Lord for saving him, because now, he is able to save money to send his children to school and provide items that were lacking in the home. There is now hope for a better future for his children, because Jesus liberated him from his addiction!
As an aside...one of Ceasar's strategies in re-activating groups that had petered out was to go meet with the groups and lead an interactive Bible discussion himself, using the Acholi-language guide that we have provided to the groups. At the end of the discussion, he would then ask them, "Now, shall I go back to Pader with this guide and give it to another group, or would you like to use it?" Learning by example! Another thing we believe is effective is Ceasar's heart to pray for the groups and the pastors. Often, if a group has a member who has lost a family member or is sick, the groups call Ceasar to pray for them because they know he really cares, and he brings the prayer request before our team. Recently, one pastor who was very sick with a kidney problem was healed in hospital, and we give glory to God! He also goes and joins the communities in mourning for lost loved ones, when he has the opportunity.
Pray!
In addition, Bibles are scarce. There may only be one Bible in a whole village, shared by all the members. Each group was given a Bible to start, and we have been selling subsidized Bibles to help people in the villages get access to their own Bible. However this problem is deepened by the fact that for over 6 months Acholi Bibles have been out of stock in Uganda, and the shipment from South Korea to the Bible Society continues to be delayed. Please pray for more Bibles!
Finally, many of these small village churches simply meet under trees. Pray that people will commit themselves (in time and resources) to constructing shelters to fellowship under, in case of rain!