News

In Nigeria, the name C.A.O. Essien is as legendary and familiar to our brethren as Alexander Campbell is to those who know about the Restoration Movement in the United States. Essien requested a Bible correspondence course from a church in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1950 and began to preach the Gospel he had learned.

When we began the large distribution of Solar Players in 2014, Zimbabwe was one of the first recipient nations. Our partner school, Mutare School of Preaching and its director Nhamo Marunga, led the way in helping us to put over 900 Solar Players into the hands of the right people in one of the most receptive nations in our world. After six years, most of those Solar Players are still preaching and teaching the gospel. Recently brother Marunga said this:

“When the Solar Player project started, we did not know that a global pandemic would come. We have used the Solar Players in evangelism, Bible classes, preacher training, leadership workshops, prisons, and hospitals, far and wide. In Zimbabwe, we were not spared from the pandemic and lock downs. Families are now able to listen to the songs, Bible lessons, sermons, and Bible readings from their Solar Players. What a blessing.”

On a recent DiscipleTrip to Guatemala, Bob Gruner and the rest of the DiscipleTrip team worked at an orphanage in Guatemala City. In this image, Bob is handing out bags of rice to these beautiful children, however, these children are not orphans. This orphanage is not only involved with helping orphans, but they also help the children and families of their neighborhood. Three times a year the orphanage opens its doors to the children of the community to come and enjoy their facilities and to receive gifts. For two days the DisipleTrip team worked with this orphanage to distribute food, clothing, and toys to the local children. What an amazing experience to see children become excited about receiving food, something we may too often take for granted. Acts 20:35 reminds us of what Jesus said, “It is truly more blessed to give than to receive”.

Brother Mauro Francisco is an evangelist in Curitiba, Brazil. He is a sought after speaker and is a national consultant for leadership development in Brazil. Mauro understood the benefits of providing Solar players in Portuguese, not only in Brazil but also in Mozambique. He had traveled to Mozambique to encourage and educate the brethren there and to share the good news of Christ with those in the Portuguese speaking African nation. He knows how large the task of evangelizing Mozambique is and knows that the Solar player can help to reach areas where he may not ever be able to go.

Much of Mozambique was without electricity and many do not read well enough to understand the Bible in print. The Bible and Bible teaching on the Solar player removes these barriers and enables people to hear God’s Word. After a cyclone devastated the country in the Spring of 2019, much of the nation was without electricity and many were reaching out to God to help them in their distress. This has created a growing need for the Solar players. Rebuilding continues. It’s our hope that Solar players can be a big part of seeking and saving the lost as the people of Mozambique try to put their homes, businesses and lives back together. Brother Mauro hopes to return and be part of this process.