A Joyous Journey Delivering Bibles Around Lesotho
How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news – Isaiah 52:7
In March 2021 a Harvesters team travelled for a week around the mountainous terrain of Lesotho and successfully delivered over 1,000 Bibles.
The enthusiastic group of eight – who began their journey in South Africa – loaded up 1,080 Sotho-language Bibles and headed to the border. Harvesters currently has 127 churches planted in Lesotho and 98 pastors in training.
“Team Lesotho crossed the border this morning,” came the joyous report the following day. “We divided into three teams and will each visit two congregations today to hand out Bibles.”
Life-Changing Bibles
On the first day, one of the groups met Joseph in the village of Mokhehle. He is passionate about sharing the Gospel and was delighted to receive a Bible in his native language from Harvesters Ministries. “I’m so grateful because I had no Bible to share with my friends,” said Joseph, who wants to become an evangelist. “I really thank God because I’m going to share with my friends and relatives who don’t know anything about Jesus. I’m going to preach the Word. This Bible is going to help me because I want to learn more about Jesus Christ.” Bibles provided by Harvesters are in the local language so people can more easily access and know the true Gospel.
Pastor Joshua and his wife Likhama of Ha Lesia Village were especially grateful to receive their native Sotho Bibles because they have had problems with false teachings misleading new converts in their area. Harvesters Ministries distributed 16 Bibles to the leaders and congregation members of their church who can now read the Word for themselves. We pray that the Truth will become known throughout their village.
Harvesters Ministries does not simply send out boxes of Bibles, we delivery them directly into the hands of our pastors, students and congregants. We share testimonies, pray together, discuss Jesus, and help people to read and study their new Bibles. Those precious moments – such as Team Lesotho member Steven teaching two local men how to use their new Bibles to lead others to Jesus – are important elements of every Bible placement trip.
The Impact of Harvesters Ministries in Lesotho
On day two Team Lesotho was ready for their busy day ahead visiting 12 more Harvesters churches. In a rural village named Leribe is a local church that was planted by Pastor Kerabo. He has already planted three churches and has just completed his Phase C Harvesters training which covers homiletics and sermon preparation. He discussed with Francois Snyman, Harvesters’ country leader in Lesotho, the impact that the Harvesters programme has had. “The work of God has been made easier for us as pastors. We used to see the work and the harvest to be so complicated,” explains Kerabo. “But through these trainings I have learned that it is possible to win souls without any other worry of expenses and money and sound systems. I’m excited! The work of God is so great.”
Towards the end of the trip the team met Pastor Matuso, a dedicated pastor in the Mafeteng district who walks three hours each Sunday to meet with her congregation at the top of one of Lesotho’s mountains. “I have a passion of telling people about the Word of God,” she told the team, “because I have realised that people are being tortured by the devil. The Word of God is helping them to be free from the bondages.” Her church congregants received their own life-changing Bibles from Harvesters Ministries. We pray that the Truth will set them free.
Matuso, who has just finished Phase E studying the New Testament, has found the Harvesters training so useful. “It has equipped me with the knowledge that I didn’t have before,” she explained. “I have improved in many areas because of the books they have given to us. We learn how to preach, how to prepare a sermon and how to talk to people about the Word of God.”
Another leader in a remote village about 30km from the nearby town of Maseru also thanked the team for the Harvesters training. “The materials actually gave me strength,” he said. “They gave me courage to go from house to house to tell the people [about Jesus].” Travelling from Maseru every Saturday, this pastor preached faithfully in the surrounding townships that have no electricity or running water. The Lord was working through him and one of his churches now has 30 adults and 25 young people.
A Successful Trip
Throughout their week, Team Lesotho travelled thousands of kilometres on bumpy dirt tracks and through some stormy weather to deliver 1,080 Bibles to 61 churches. “It was such a blessing to meet so many faithful children of God and equip them with God’s Word,” reflected André Jooste – Harvesters Bibles for Believers manager – upon the team’s return. “We pray that God’s Word will not return void.”
Thanks to your donations this Bible placement has changed the lives of over a thousand believers in Lesotho. It costs £15/$20/R300 to put a native-language Bible into the hands of our Harvesters brothers and sisters. Prayerfully consider giving an invaluable gift of a Bible today.
