The Newsletter of
SOMA USA

June 2000     Volume 15, Number 2

Practical Intercession in East Ankole, Uganda
         by Edwina Thomas
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Ellie Jackson leads intercessors.

Training intercessors was one small portion of SOMA's task in the Diocese of East Ankole. When the team arrived in May, Church leaders were deeply concerned over the recent cult murders. A local radio broadcast caused greater agitation: a Ugandan holding a Ph.D. hosted a nightly talk show aimed at destroying Christianity, "the white man's religion," and restoring worship of ancient tribal gods and ancestors. Our friends asked, "How do we pray effectively about this?"

This situation became a "practicum" for our intercession presentation. First, we looked at the difference between the man into whom God wants to speak "life" and the lies he spoke. We looked at what God's word says about judging others or having a critical spirit. We broke into small groups and prayed for this man using scriptures of blessing for salvation and for revelation.

During the next session we wrote down the man's spoken claims and measured each by scripture. We prayed, declared, and "executed" the truth of God's word. This exercise helped us identify the nature of the spirits with whom we were dealing. We used portions of the Psalms (such as Ps. 35: 1-10) as warfare prayers, being careful to remember that our enemy was not this man, but evil spirits. Lastly, scriptural passages (Deut. 26:4, Neh. 1:6, and Daniel's prayer in Daniel 9) encouraged the Ugandan leaders to hold an evening of prayer as they repented for themselves and on behalf of their own "group," (clergy, young men, mothers, fathers, tribal/ethnic group, etc.) These prayers were in the local language, without translation, and in the context of anointed worship, singing and dancing to drums.

On the last day of our conference two sources gave us information that employees of the radio station that aired the offending program had "run away" because they had not been paid. We do not know the results of our prayer investment in the life of this radio personality or in the life of the community. We do know that almost 50 participants returned to their homes excited and enthusiastic about beginning intercessory prayer groups.

Team list: Mrs. Edwina Thomas, SOMA USA, team leader; Mrs. Ellie Jackson, Sedona Christ Center, Sedona, AZ; the Rev. Charles Thebeau, St. Charles Episcopal Church, Poulsbo, WA; the Rev. Benoni and Mrs. Joyie Mugarura-Mutana, Anglican Renewal Ministries, Uganda; the Rev. Johnson Ebong, Provincial Mission and Evangelism Coordinator for Uganda, the Rev. Chris Palacas, M.D. and the Rev. Jane Palacas, American missionaries in Uganda.

"A Desire for SOMA'S Ministry…."
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"Since I last saw you at Lambeth, I developed a desire for SOMA's ministry…come at your most convenient time," wrote the Rt. Rev. Samuel Ssekkadde of the Diocese of Namirembe, Uganda. In May, a team of three Americans traveled to Kampala, teaming up with two Ugandan couples and an American missionary.

Bishop Ssekkadde put the clergy at ease when he said words of welcome to this effect:

"The Church is a strange mystery. There is need for exploration, for the growth of tools and personal understanding. The East African Revival has done us a lot of good. Let us continue in it."

"As for healing, Jesus Christ is our Savior and there is a [continuing] need for healing. We in Namirembe Diocese are very much interested in the healing ministry. It changes lives. We need to know the practical steps we must take to do and know about healing ministries."

"I attended a SOMA conference before Lambeth. There I saw people speaking in tongues, worshipping spontaneously, raising of hands, and people falling down under God's power. We in Uganda also need to understand these things as well as the ministry of driving out evil spirits."

The bishop then told a personal story, which included the exorcism of three homes at a diocesan school.

Most received SOMA's teaching on healing, holiness and contemporary music and worship with rapt attention and joy. Bishop Ssekkadde publicly asked for a permanent partnership with SOMA and invited us to return for a residential retreat next year. To God be all honor and glory!

Team list: Mrs. Edwina Thomas; Mrs. Ellie Jackson; the Rev. Charles Thebeau; the Rev. Benoni and Mrs. Joyie Benoni Mugarura-Mutana; the Rev. Johnson and Mrs. Vicki Ebong; Mr. Phil Leber, American missionary in Uganda.

The Rt. Rev. Peter Munde Yacoub, Bishop of Yambio Diocese, Sudan, accepted SOMA's invitation to preach the Gospel in churches in the Dioceses of Virginia, Tennessee, Kansas, New York and Albany. Bishop Peter was part of the SOMA team to southern Sudan in March 1999 that endured the aerial bombings by the Khartoum regime. He comes to share his faith, tested and strengthened by years of persecution and suffering.

In addition to preaching and building relationships, Bishop Peter is also participating in SOMA conferences for the Sudanese refugees in the USA titled "Discerning the Spirit In the Midst of Chaos." The first conference was sponsored by the Southern Sudanese Community of Washington, D.C., the Diocese of Virginia, Christ Church and St. Paul's, both in Alexandria, VA, and Church of the Apostles, Fairfax, VA. Christ Church hosted the conference. The team leader was Mr. Scott Field, SOMA USA, with team members Ms. Fran Boyle, Truro, Fairfax, VA; Mr. Ron Davis, All Saints', Woodbridge, VA; Ms. Jan O'Brien, Christ Episcopal Church, Overland Park, KS; and Mrs. Joyce Shepard, St. Bartholomew's, Nashville, TN.

Christ Church, Overland Park, and the Southern Sudanese Community of Kansas City hosted the second conference. The team leader was Mr. Scott Field with team members Bp. Peter; Ms. Bonnie Bashor, St. Bartholomew's, Nashville, TN; the Rev. Dr. Alison Barfoot and Ms. Jan O'Brien, Christ Episcopal Church, Overland Park, KS. Bishop Peter's ministry was a blessing to all who received him.

Rosa teaches about the sexual absintence before marriage pledge card she uses with Zimbabwean teens.

In April a team of three Americans and an evangelist from Zimbabwe visited the Diocese of Mt. Kenya Central for the first time. Bishop Gachuche's theme for the Diocesan Fathers' Association Conference was taken from Hosea 4:6. "...My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge..." Conference days began with worship at 7:00 am followed by teaching sessions that ran late into the night. Despite the heat, 480 men, both clergy and laity, dressed formally in suits, packed into the pews of the church at Kahuhia for three and a half days.

When our Zimbabwean team member, Mrs. Rose Chiguma delivered the address on raising children to maturity as adult Christians, she had the full attention of each man present. After offering her well-considered advice and scripture readings, Rose talked about the importance of abstinence and purity for young adults. When she offered samples of the pledge cards she uses with the youth to the men of the Fathers' Association, they were so eager to receive the cards that they virtually dove over pews to get them.

We have never witnessed such eagerness to learn. By midnight on the last day when I would expect the teachings and enthusiasm to be tapering off, the men still gave keen attention to the speaker and exuberantly threw their hands into the air with questions.

Team list: The Rev. Richard Menees, team leader, and Mrs. Martha Menees, St. James, Newport Beach, CA; the Rev. Dr. Robert Sanders, St. Paul's, Manhattan, KS; Mrs. Rose Chiguma (Changu), Anglican Church, Banket, Zimbabwe.

Leadership training in Diocese of Mexico

On Wednesday morning, April 5, Fr. José Poch, Eric Horn, and DiAnne Charves met in the parking lot of St. David's Episcopal Church in North Hollywood, CA. The long awaited time had come, and our SOMA team was finally on its way to Mexico City. Bishop Sergio Carranza-Gomez of Mexico City had invited Fr. José to bring a team to present a conference on Leadership.

The conference was held on the grounds of St. George's Episcopal Church beginning Friday evening and continuing through Saturday. The clergy of the diocese attended in addition to many lay ministry leaders. As we began the presentations, we observed that those who came were hungry for teaching. They were attentive and receptive to what we were sharing.

We presented teachings on the Qualities and Laws of Leadership. Our main focus was to draw them in, making sure we gave them the tools on which to build strong leadership skills and techniques. The teachings fully engaged the participants, who had many comments and questions both during and after the conference. In subsequent conversations we noticed that some were already thinking and applying what they had heard during the conference.

The people of Mexico City were extremely caring and giving, and we felt accepted, received, and definitely cared for. We felt God answered our prayers, and the mission was accomplished to His glory and for His purpose.

Edwina Thomas, Director

"This mission involves raising and spending a lot of money. Wouldn't it be more efficient just to send them the money? Are we going to do something that they could do for themselves?"

What words could I use to speak to this dear friend, who had joined the SOMA team and had her recently purchased international ticket in her hand? What explanation can I offer to you, who may also be asking this same question? How do I describe something that is as easy to capture as smoke?

Although money is in short supply for the Church in most of the developing world, it is relationships, not money, that nurtures love, stirs up hope and equips leaders.

The word "consultant" perhaps best describes SOMA's work. Through our presence we make a spiritual investment in a host diocese. Our team members listen, teach, train, minister, model, and encourage. Those who travel to serve are ordinary people with an intimate working relationship with the Holy Spirit, who is faithful to invest in them extraordinary power. The work of a SOMA team, and its only measure of success, is to be radically obedient to and dependent upon direction and anointing of the Spirit.

One of our translators, a senior and mature priest in Namirembe Diocese, said to me, "Your teaching has changed my life."

After returning from this trip to Uganda, I interviewed my friend who asked about just sending the money. She replied, "We didn't make 'little Americans' in Uganda. There was a wonderful affirmation of the people there and I see great hope in them. We brought a perspective from 'outside their box.' Clearly, SOMA's role is to equip leaders and that's what we did. Yes, we needed to go."