The Newsletter of
SOMA USA

October 2001     Volume 16, Number 3

United, Joyous, Loving             By The Rev. José Poch
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The SOMA team (l-r): Mr. Tim Laundrie, St. James, Newport Beach, CA; the Rev. José Poch, St. David's, North Hollywood, CA; Ms. Cindy Drennan, Team Leader, St. James, Newport Beach, CA; the Rev. Jack Tench and Mrs. Joan Tench, St. Charles, Poulsbo, WA.

I believe these words accurately describe the people of the Episcopal Diocese of the Dominican Republic. In late August, a SOMA team traveled to the Dominican Republic at the invitation of the Rt. Rev. Julio Holguin to conduct a clergy and spouses retreat, the first of its kind in the diocese. The bishop wanted a time of refreshment for his clergy and their spouses who work so hard for the spread of the Kingdom. His desire was for us to give them tools to strengthen their marriages as well as tools to use in their ministries with their parishioners.

About 40 people attended the retreat at the diocesan camp in Jarabacoa. We presented eight different talks on marriage that created a great deal of enthusiasm among all the participants. They could not stop talking about our presentations, even during breaks and meals. This certainly was a great encouragement to us.

Fully undergirded in prayer through a worldwide intercession team, this conference was a true delight. Everything was knit together in Christ and empowered by the Spirit. The gathered clergy and spouses sang praise songs and hymns with great vigor and joy throughout the conference - music to my ears!

After the conference, we were driven back to Santo Domingo, where we enjoyed a great victory celebration in, of all places, a Pizza Hut, followed by ice cream at Baskin Robbins 31 Flavors. It was clear that Bishop Holguin was very content and excited with the retreat and is eager to see us return again. This was truly a blessed mission. We enjoyed the people of the Dominican Republic immensely.

What a marvelous experience to be with such exciting people of God. Clearly the unity, joy and love shown by the Dominicans comes from the top - the leadership of Bishop Julio Holguin and his lovely wife, Milagros.

The Power of the Cross             By The Rev. Dr. Rob Sanders
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A priest lifts high the cross at one of the Namirembe Diocese conferences.

A SOMA team traveled to Uganda in late August and early September to introduce the Diocese of Namirembe to the work of renewal through the power of the Holy Spirit. This trip was a remarkable outpouring of the Spirit in which the Lord Jesus was proclaimed in power, and all of us, the team and the Ugandans, were brought together in praise and love of God.

It began when our team leader humbled herself before the cross and we followed suit by surrendering to her leadership. Actually, it began long before that with prayer on the part of many intercessors all over the world. The next major step was a series of teachings and witnesses on receiving the Holy Spirit and walking in obedience. These testimonies were given to three different groups: the clergy, their wives, and the lay leaders. Each conference lasted two or three days.

Although there were some differences in the responses, the major effects were multiple: 1) an assault on the evil principalities and powers; 2) a deep repentance on the part of many of those present; 3) the receiving of the Holy Spirit by the three assembled groups; and 4) an outpouring of joy, praise, healing and deliverance. By grace, the team was empowered to love the Ugandans and given a measure of humility so that the message itself was clothed in the robe of Christ. I am convinced that this witness to the Lord Jesus and His Holy Spirit will bear fruit for many, many years.

For my part, I was lifted up by the faith of the other team members as well as by the response of the Ugandans. I was physically healed of something that had beset me for some years. I turned a spiritual corner, saw how to minister in the power of the Spirit at a new level, and surrendered matters that had been on my heart for over thirty years. For that, to bless others and to be blessed, I cannot thank God enough.

"I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them..." (Is. 42:16) This verse was for Uganda, but it is also an apt description of our multi-venue SOMA mission to Uganda in August and September. For the journey, God used the prayers of intercessors as eagles' wings to carry the mission and to bring victories that give glory to His Name. His hand moved in sovereign ways to release an outpouring of the Holy Spirit everywhere the SOMA teams taught and ministered.

Mrs. Edwina Thomas, team leader, and Mrs. Gail Patton (All Saints', Woodbridge, VA) participated in two meetings with renewal leaders from many dioceses in Uganda. The first consultation sought God's direction about the formation of a SOMA Uganda. During the second, a conference hosted by Anglican Renewal Ministries Uganda, Edwina shared principles that God taught SOMA about servant leadership. God used this time to begin a healing between tribes that dismantled walls and brought forgiveness and repentance leading to unity.

Three conferences on renewal in Namirembe Diocese followed, with additional team members joining us: the Rev. Dr. Doug and Mrs. Ana McGlynn (Ascension, Pittsburgh, PA), the Rev. Dr. Rob Sanders (St. Mark's, Jacksonville, FL), Mr. Phil and Mrs. Jennifer Leber (American missionaries in Kampala), plus intercessors throughout Uganda.

God is faithful! He brought forth what was prophesied and fulfilled words of knowledge given for this mission! Uganda will preach the good news of salvation spoken of in Is. 61:1-4, and they will tell of what God has done.

Team List Front row (L-R): From Nairobi, The Rev. Elizabeth Kamau; Miss Annah Wambua; Mrs. Elizabeth Talitwla; and Mr. Stephen Kamau. Back Row (L-R): Mr. Ron Davis, Team Leader, All Saints', Woodbridge, VA; Dr. Jeffrey Brown, St. Charles, Poulsbo, WA; and Mr. John Kamau, Nairobi.

Two men from the USA joined a team of intercessors from Nairobi, Kenya, to conduct the first SOMA clergy conference for the Diocese of Kitui. This diocese has suffered through internal conflict and a split amongst the clergy over the past several years. We share the following letter that we received from the Rt. Rev. Benjamin Nzimbi, the diocesan bishop. The letter testifies that prayer changes the course of history, despite what is known or seen in the natural.

"Bwana asifiwe! Greetings from the Diocese of Kitui.

We are grateful to the Lord and to you because of sending the team to come to our Diocese to conduct the Renewal Conference. Those who attended experienced a great revival. Many were healed, delivered and strengthened. Two of our Clergy who had been ill for a long time were prayed for and now they are doing well.

We thank God that through this conference we were greatly visited by the Holy Spirit and now we see the battle in a different face. We are happy and we thank God for the SOMA Team. We love you and we are praying for you. Pray for us also that whatever was born during the conference will be able to grow into maturity. We will be happy if the same team visits us again."

God's grace was greatly on the team, and we know that the Lord continues to have a very special purpose for our week of training and equipping in the Diocese of Southern Malawi. Our joint SOMA team consisted of four priests, three from South Africa (Chris Viljoen, our team leader, Allan Smith and Jack Kudumela) and me (from Pittsburgh, PA).

We led a conference from September 10 through 14. Each of the five archdeaconries of the Diocese sent leaders in evangelism and renewal. They were hungry to learn, so we simply plunged in and taught, with heavy emphasis on training for practical ministry. Allan spoke for a whole day on leadership, the best Biblical teaching on the subject I have ever heard (one of the benefits of going on a SOMA trip is getting to hear other people's talks!).

One highlight for me was being led by the Lord to pray prophetically over one of the participants for the release of creativity to write songs and poetry. When I asked him if I was praying the right way, he said: "Yes-that is exactly what God has called me to do."

Reentry is always a challenge after a mission trip. This time was especially so, because my country changed while I was away as a result of the September 11th attack. Before the trip, the Lord had given me four words: silence, solitude, simplicity, and slowness. Now I feel that I have stumbled, unknowingly, on the mega-question of our age: in a world of fear, mistrust, hatred and sudden destruction, how can one cultivate these disciplines which depend so much upon having a safe place to engage in them?
I suggest two answers to that question. The first is Psalm 91, which was given me by one of my intercessors prior to leaving for the trip. I think it has the deepest application in the aftermath. The Lord Himself must be our place of refuge, for we truly have no other; this is abundantly clear after September 11th. The second answer flows from the obvious question that this statement presents: how can this be? How can the Lord make Himself our refuge in such a world? The answer to that is: I don't know, but I'm about to find out, because God has commanded me to pursue the answer with everything in me. The "I'm about to find out" part excites me, even in the midst of post-return exhaustion.

Edwina Thomas, Director

   "The brothers and sisters in Uganda send you their greetings and their love. We want you to know that we are so sorry for what happened in America. We want you to know that we are praying for America, for the people."

I was on mission in Uganda when the terrorist attacks struck New York, the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania. The loving and prayerful responses of many Ugandans helped ease my anxiety until I arrived home. But I returned to a much different America from the one I left. The changes made me ponder the consequences to SOMA. How will SOMA respond to war, continued threats of terrorism, and State Department warnings against international travel?

Our hearts are so heavy because of what this war means, not only here in the United States, but for our Christian friends and partners in other places around the globe. On September 7th, violence between Muslims and Christians erupted in Jos, Nigeria, the home of my friend, the Rt. Rev. Benjamin Kwashi. The strife quickly spread, with churches burned, businesses destroyed, and fighting in the streets. People lost everything, including loved ones. The horrific events of September 11th overshadowed the reporting of the conflict in Jos.

A bishop friend of mine from Pakistan is currently serving as the director of a historic Anglican mission organization based in London. He responded to the terrorist attacks on the United States by flying to New York City to be with friends in pain. From New York, he chose to return to Pakistan to be with his people, the Christians who are facing serious threats and living in fear of a Muslim majority.

How should SOMA respond to these recent acts of terror and persecution? Our SOMA USA board met in October and agreed that our response is and will be to press on. We will be alert to danger, mindful of the changing international environment. We will continue to minister in the difficult places, to stand with our brothers and sisters in Christ, to pray with them for God's mercy, provision and healing power.