Colton & Melodie Lee
July 30, 2024
Hello Friends,
Some very exciting things happening in our ministry here on Malaita. Last Sunday, we had 30 people attend. 5 faithful church comers, had various situations off island that they needed to attend to, and yet it was still our largest Sunday. For this, we praise the Lord. We are working through discipling and doctrine with them every week with the hopes to charter on our one-year anniversary.
Two months ago, a village chief asked me for a meeting. During this meeting, He asked if I would consider starting a church in his village of 85 people called Ai-tolo in the bush. (The local name means tree - bush.) Last week, I took a trip with our intern and a church member from the church plant in Auki. We stayed 2 days in the village, and I preached 3 times. The village has had 6 deaths in the past several months young and old. They openly believed themselves to be cursed, as well as they found a tree with all the bark removed, which is local taboo that is a symbol of death. I preached much on the authority and power of God, and many in the village were interested to hear and asked me to come back. The chief held a meeting before I left with about 40 people and asked the people to decide if they wanted a church that would teach more of what I had taught the previous days. The people decided and asked me to come and plant a church there. There is much work to be done evangelizing and discipling here. The chief gave us land and offered local materials for a building.
Our current vehicle made the first trip, but not without issue. The drive is about 2 hours of very bad bush roads. Then we park and walk the last leg down a mountain and across a river. I plan to buy a used Toyota Land Cruiser 75 series to make the trip consistently and without issue. There are several used land cruisers here in country around 10k USD. I have several thousand set aside already and am looking to raise around $5k. Anything that is given above the needed funds will go towards this specific second church plant in Ai-tolo.
We currently, have a 2007 Toyota Prado which is a great vehicle, but still struggled with what we are asking of it. Previously, I planned to put several upgrades to try and make it more capable to make trips such as this one, but I think the better decision is to just buy a dedicated bush ministry vehicle.
All that has happened thus far in our ministry has clearly been of God, and not of man. In many situations, the people’s hearts are soft and ready to receive Christ. Consider helping with this purchase. Thank you!
Also, come visit and see what God is doing here on Malaita.
Any contribution to this, please send to our mission board designated as “Aitolo Church Plant”
WWNTBM
P.O. BOX 725
KINGS MOUNTAIN, NC 28086
Constrained by Love,
Colton Lee
Hello Friends,
Some very exciting things happening in our ministry here on Malaita. Last Sunday, we had 30 people attend. 5 faithful church comers, had various situations off island that they needed to attend to, and yet it was still our largest Sunday. For this, we praise the Lord. We are working through discipling and doctrine with them every week with the hopes to charter on our one-year anniversary.
Two months ago, a village chief asked me for a meeting. During this meeting, He asked if I would consider starting a church in his village of 85 people called Ai-tolo in the bush. (The local name means tree - bush.) Last week, I took a trip with our intern and a church member from the church plant in Auki. We stayed 2 days in the village, and I preached 3 times. The village has had 6 deaths in the past several months young and old. They openly believed themselves to be cursed, as well as they found a tree with all the bark removed, which is local taboo that is a symbol of death. I preached much on the authority and power of God, and many in the village were interested to hear and asked me to come back. The chief held a meeting before I left with about 40 people and asked the people to decide if they wanted a church that would teach more of what I had taught the previous days. The people decided and asked me to come and plant a church there. There is much work to be done evangelizing and discipling here. The chief gave us land and offered local materials for a building.
Our current vehicle made the first trip, but not without issue. The drive is about 2 hours of very bad bush roads. Then we park and walk the last leg down a mountain and across a river. I plan to buy a used Toyota Land Cruiser 75 series to make the trip consistently and without issue. There are several used land cruisers here in country around 10k USD. I have several thousand set aside already and am looking to raise around $5k. Anything that is given above the needed funds will go towards this specific second church plant in Ai-tolo.
We currently, have a 2007 Toyota Prado which is a great vehicle, but still struggled with what we are asking of it. Previously, I planned to put several upgrades to try and make it more capable to make trips such as this one, but I think the better decision is to just buy a dedicated bush ministry vehicle.
All that has happened thus far in our ministry has clearly been of God, and not of man. In many situations, the people’s hearts are soft and ready to receive Christ. Consider helping with this purchase. Thank you!
Also, come visit and see what God is doing here on Malaita.
Any contribution to this, please send to our mission board designated as “Aitolo Church Plant”
WWNTBM
P.O. BOX 725
KINGS MOUNTAIN, NC 28086
Constrained by Love,
Colton Lee