Sowing the Seed: A Fellowship Project

Spring/Summer 2017 - Sowing the Seed

It seems that the Bible is more accessible today than it ever has been in history. People can access it through the internet, mobile apps, e-readers, and in paperback or hard copy. It’s difficult to comprehend that while we enjoy this incredible ease of access, some people still have no way to read God’s Word, making spiritual growth a difficult task. 

Two main people groups that are in great need of Bibles are Muslim and Francophone peoples. The Sowing the Seed project aims to provide Bibles for these two people groups in their native tongue, giving them personal access to the living Word of God. 

The Goal: $60,000

Sowing among Muslims

Sindh, Pakistan

With over 90% of the population of Pakistan’s Sindh province professed followers of Islam and 5% Hindu, there is a great need for the people to have access to a clear and accurate translation of the Bible in their own language. Along with a team of dedicated workers, Fellowship missionary Mark Naylor has been diligently working on a Sindhi translation of the Bible for many years, publishing the Old Testament in 2007. This completed the common language version of the Sindhi Bible for a Muslim audience. Mark and the team are currently working on a revision of the Sindhi New Testament for a Muslim audience, improving the consistency of the translation, using more common and up-to-date phrasing and ensuring the finished project closely communicates the intended meaning. At the same time the team is preparing a parallel translation for a Hindu audience. It is a time-consuming and expensive process, but preparing an accurate, understandable, and accessible version of God’s Word for people who need Jesus is well worth the sacrifice. Through the Sowing the Seed project, we are seeking to raise $25,000 to go towards this project.

Ottawa/Gatineau area, Ontario

FEB Central church planter Richard Raya has followed the call to share the Gospel with Muslim peoples in the greater Ottawa/Gatineau region, through his role as pastor of Jesus Light of the World Arabic Evangelical Church in Ottawa. The church’s outreach programs reach countless people, including many Syrian refugee families, with the Gospel. We aim to raise $15,000 to help provide Bibles for Richard’s ministry to the over 38,000 Arabic-speaking peoples of the Ottawa/Gatineau area.

Sowing among Francophones

Dondon, Haiti

The people of Dondon, Haiti are starved for even basic necessities. Many go without food, water, shelter, and education — some will never be able to touch a Bible, let alone read one. Through the Sowing the Seed project, we are seeking to raise $10,000 towards placing French Bibles in the hands of Haitians so that they can learn about the love and salvation offered through Christ. Through one of our partners, Salem Christian Church, Bibles will be distributed to those in need who would otherwise never experience the transforming power of God’s Word. 

D. R. Congo

The church in the D. R. Congo continues to grow and flourish, but the need for Bibles is great. Fellowship International missionaries Richard and Brenda Flemming have met with many pastors who don’t have one single Bible in their entire church. Similarly, Fellowship International missionaries Apollo and Lois Midigo see a great need for Bibles as they minister to the people in the war-torn city of Goma , D. R. Congo. Through the Sowing the Seed project, we aim to raise $10,000 to go towards the purchasing of French Bibles for those in the D. R. Congo.

                      “YOUR WORD IS A LAMP FOR
                               MY FEET, A LIGHT ON MY PATH.”
                                                                                         PSALM 119:105 (NIV)

In Psalm 119:105, we’re reminded that God’s Word brings light to those who read it. It spreads and touches every area of darkness, changing the way things are seen and experienced. With your help, we can bring the light of Scripture to Francophones and Muslims who are in desperate need of God’s Word.