| To reach out to the 14 million people of Kinshasa, we launched a special program this year called Marathon 10,000. This project will continue for the next five years, aiming to study Daniel and Revelation with 10,000 people every year until 2025. |
| Using Voice of Prophecy study guides provided by Light Bearers Ministry, our trained Bible workers set up tents in urban areas and offer to study the Bible with anyone interested. For students who complete the studies, we organize a graduation program and provide each student with a Bible of their very own. It is our hope to see 5,000 students graduate each year and to organize 35 days of Daniel and Revelation seminars every six months at different sites.So far, Marathon 10,000 has reached more than 7,000 Bible students since January 2021! Hundreds of them have given their lives to Jesus and joined the Seventh-day Adventist church through baptism. |
| One tent sponsored by Marathon 10,000 was pitched at Barumbu. This commune of Kinshasa is known for its high number of street children and drunkards. Myriam first approached us with little interest in studying the Bible. |
| She came from a broken family, and her father was an alcoholic. A difficult home life pushed her out into the streets where she became a prostitute. When she spotted the young Bible workers under our tent, she saw them as potential clients. Twice a day, Myriam met with the Bible workers under the tent with pretended interest in studying the Bible. But things did not move in the direction she had expected. Instead of finding boyfriends, she found herself drawn by another kind of love–the love of Christ. Myriam did not wait to share her newfound treasure: she shared the study guides with her father each day. Myriam went through the 26 lessons and fell in love with Jesus. She completely changed her lifestyle, and began to walk the streets with a new purpose.When a prophecy seminar began in Barumbu, Myrian was faithful to attend the meetings every night. She committed to invite her dad and three other girls among her friends on the street. Three weeks later, her dad accepted Jesus as his personal Savior and decided to be baptized with her.On the eve of the baptism, Myriam requested a special prayer session with the Bible Workers and the seminar’s main speaker. “I got involved in prostitution when I was only eleven years old,” she confessed. “I am now fifteen, and I have started a new journey. Please help guide me in my new life with Jesus.”On the day of her baptism, Myriam made a commitment to share Jesus with as many people as possible, by the grace of God.Today, Myriam is keeping her promise. She is now part of the evangelism team at the Barumbu SDA Church in Kinshasa, and two of her friends from the street have already been baptized and become involved in ministry. Myriam is also an advocate against alcoholism, soliciting prayers for her father to be completely free from the influence of his old drinking friends who are trying to draw him back to old habits. God used Marathon 10,000 to transform the life of a street child who is now engaged to share Jesus on the street to broken people. Looking ahead, our plan is to pitch 100 tents in the city of Kinshasa and to place two Bible workers under every tent to study with locals. The cost for one tent is $80, and $90 will allow a Bible worker to serve full time under the tent for four weeks. We are excited to see how God continues to use this successful program to touch thousands of people in Kinshasa. People like Myriam. Thank you for your support and prayers. Pastor Thomas Ongasa |
Street Child
