Solar Update - September 2021

Solar Players Beyond the Electric Grid of Zambia
By Brian Davis, World Bible School

In the far northwest corner of Zambia in the remote area of the Mumena Chieftaincy, a church planting movement has been underway since 2005 among the Kaonde and Lunda people groups.

In 2013, the last of the missionaries departed the field. Annual follow-up trips have been made several times a year to encourage these young congregations. Even during the Covid travel restrictions, our brothers and sisters in these remote areas continued sharing the Word of God as more congregations were planted.

This year, as a return trip was being planned, 50 Solar Players were sent from SIBI to contribute to the leadership development among these new churches. Don Boyd and Brian Davis, missionaries who worked among the Kaonde and Lunda peoples, had the pleasure of delivering these invaluable resources to churches and leaders in villages beyond the electric grid. Solar players are ideal for their Bible studies and lesson preparation.

Normally, the church leaders get together twice a year for in-depth Bible studies. With Solar Players, leaders can study daily and share lessons while sitting around an evening fire with friends and family.

Beautiful smiles beamed from the faces of those who were entrusted with these devices, and solemn promises were given that the lessons within would be studied and shared with the growing congregations of Northwest Province, Zambia, as well as the trans-border tribes in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola. We know that God is going to make use of the lessons on the Solar Players to bring about a great harvest in His Kingdom.

The Solar Mission is very thankful for the growing ministry partnership with World Bible School to help expand the borders of the Kingdom in Africa.

More Languages for Solar Players

A total of 13,000 Solar Players have been distributed in six different languages. Well over half have gone to English- speaking countries, mostly in Africa. From the beginning of this ministry we believed it would be important to present the Bible and Biblical teaching to receptive populations in their own language. For that reason, we included the cost of translating the “next language” in our Solar Player distribution expenses. Following, you will see the plan to translate “Solar Player teaching” into two language groups spoken by billions of people who need to hear the gospel.

Urdu Translation for Pakistan and India

Sylvester Rakah Peter was a Catholic priest in Pakistan. To escape persecution he fled to Athens, Greece, where he was arrested and imprisoned as a result of a Greek immigration crackdown. During his time in prison, Sylvester studied the Bible with Beni Leka, director of our partner Bible Institute in Athens. After four months of study Sylvester was baptized and enrolled in Athens International Bible Institute, from which he graduated two years ago. He speaks several languages, including English, but his native tongue is Urdu, the official language of over 200 million people in Pakistan. Sylvester is now working with the Solar Mission full time to reach out to other Pakistani immigrants in Athens and to translate all of our courses into Urdu, which will also reach millions in northern India.