Enabling a community to flourish

 In September 2017, with the generous support of donors who helped fund the shipping costs, Media Ministry delivered over 700 books, with a retail value of approximately $13,000, to New Creation Ministry, Sekruzu, Nagaland.

The ministry, run by Rev. Vekuso Swuro and his wife, Vesalu, provides educational facilities and resources to individuals, young and old, in Sekruzu and surrounding villages. Its vision for the area is to promote personal development, civil society and, above all, growth in Christian values and character. 

 

This compliments Media Ministry’s ‘Biblio-Ministry to the Nations’ (BMTN) primary objective: to advocate and promote the discipline of reading by setting aside resources to benefit the needy and under privileged communities in emerging economies, especially communities that have special needs for English print materials where Christian resources are scarce. Indeed, in a subsequent appeal for additional resources received in May this year, Rev Vekuso remarked,

“…we are very grateful for your generous donations. The books you have sent to us are very helpful, many of the college students and Church workers are coming to use the library besides the school students and teachers. It enriches their knowledge and develops reading habits.

The place where we are doing ministry doesn’t have [access to] any other library [or a] proper network to use modern technology. The books [are] the best source to help and guide us.”

We are, therefore, delighted to report that once again, through the equally generous support of a BMTN inspired donor, just last month we were able to deliver a further 700 books (approximately $11,000 retail value) to New Creation Ministry.

 

In this instance we were responding more specifically to a need for school/library books on youths and counselling, for youth leaders; pastoral care and ministry; women, marriage and parenting; and children books (ages 6 – 13).

Books in the current shipment included, the wonderful children character building tales from Dr Gilbert V. Beers, “The Adventures of Bramlee Bears” series [Honesty, Kindness, Obedience, Thankfulness]; the “Young Readers Christian Library” series, [David, Elijah, Paul and Samson] and “Pilgrim’s Progress” for young children. Adult resources included, “Searching the Scriptures” by Charles R. Swindoll; “Faith Conversations for Families” by Jim Burns; and “Interactions Bible studies” [including studies on Character, Marriage, Parenting, and New Identity].

 

Rev. Vekuso’s wife, Vesalu, updated us recently: “We have received your gifts… You have sent us books which we are very much in need of. Not only that, you’ve sent solar lights [15 units] as well for which we are also very grateful … We thank you for your kind donations and we will continue to keep you in our prayers.

It affirms our belief that such needful organisations, ministries and communities are, and will continue, utilizing the resources to their fullest, and thereby afford the materials wonderful potential for significant and lasting ministry impact.

The ‘solar lights’ refers to the Kulumi-mini. This solar powered lamp is a versatile and hardy tool that offers practical resources for use in remote areas, such as Sekruzu, where technology and infrastructure, as Rev Vekuso remarked, are poor. It includes a light source and audio platform for sharing biblical resources.

 

It consists of a battery powered LED light, an audio Player, a radio, a mobile phone charger and a built-in solar panel. The Kulumi is used to provide people with a good light source, and audio education and training in their own language (26 to-date). Pre-loaded content includes the Bible and ‘Jesus’ film audio.

We will be most pleased to connect and explore with you on how Kulumi-mini may augment your overseas missions. We also welcome anyone who resonates with our heartbeat in resourcing the needy ministries across the nations to come alongside us in our BTMN projects in any way.

We continue to pray… with ‘the right book, for the right servant, at the right time’ God will inspire, initiate and empower amazing work through New Creation Ministry, and those whom it serves, for the Greater good of Sekruzu and its surrounding villages.

After Christianity was established in Ireland, Irish monks spread across Europe taking a cultivated lifestyle of literacy and education with them, “…they were modelling a sort of learning organization in which reading and learning were intertwined with neighbourly care… their reading of Scripture and theological works, shaped the ways in which they engaged their neighbours and enabled their places to flourish.”

C. Christopher Smith, Reading for the Common Good