By Ron Barnes
For a few years in a row, the SLM Director from South Africa, Fanie Buys, requested materials in Portuguese. It was an unusual request since South Africa is not generally a Portuguese-speaking country, but we accommodated his request because it was such a small order.
As the years progressed the order grew larger and larger, and I began to ask some questions. It turned out, the order was coming from a Paulo and Julia Naene in Mozambique, and we decided perhaps, for the size of the order, we should consider having them apply to become a more official partner with SLM—an Associate Discipleship School. This would give them access to the lessons, not as an official Branch, but at a greatly reduced cost. That was before I discovered Mozambique was listed as one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world.
We began to correspond back and forth and eventually set up a Zoom meeting so we could meet
face to face, and I felt compelled to further see this relationship developed. Paulo and Julia Naene grew up and met in church, but not a Bible teaching one. That is, until an American missionary came and began to teach them God’s Word. The lessons he brought with him were the SLM courses in Portuguese.
Paulo described that both he and his wife were fed and grew under the teaching of the SLM lessons. They were saved, and given the foundation for their eventual marriage through courses like “Love, Dating, and Marriage.”
His pastor trained him, and eventually Paulo became the pastor of a church plant where he found himself ministering to youth … a lot of them. Over half of the population of Mozambique is under 17, many left as orphans due to the high percentage of deaths from HIV. Four out of every 10 Mozambicans have HIV or AIDS.
He and his wife became burdened for these youth and how to reach them, and particularly addressing the issues of sexual relations in light of the HIV epidemic. He wished that the missionary who first introduced him to the SLM course, “Love, After years of serving as a church planting missionary, Dr. Ronald J. Barnes Jr. now serves as the President & CEO for SLM. Follow me @RonBarnesJr 8 sourcelight.org /slmin.us @slmin 9 Dating, and Marriage,” was still alive to provide him with those courses, along with others for his church. He thought perhaps he might find someone else who could provide him with the courses.
An Internet search revealed a missionary in South Africa, just a few hours away, who provided the courses. Paulo began to reach out to this missionary, named Fanie Buys. Since it meant extra cost to further ship lessons from South Africa to Mozambique, we decided to find a way to ship them directly to him. Then, as we continued to communicate with Paulo, I decided to visit him, who by then had expressed interest in a deeper relationship with SLM. So, I boarded a plane toting three lesson-filled suitcases and made my way to Mozambique.
Paulo was as pleasant and kind as I had envisioned through our Zoom meetings, but also had a zeal and a passion to reach his people with the Gospel, see them discipled, and particularly see the leaders and pastors of his country better equipped at using the Bible. This is no small feat since only 1% of the 30 million Mozambicans have attended higher education, and only 5% of pastors even know how to read or write. But he seemed undeterred, despite the odds, and at every new revelation about the resources available to him in Portuguese became even more confident about joining SLM.
When I interview potential teammates, there are certain things that separate the “wheat from the chaff,” and the number one thing is money. SLM doesn’t pay anyone a salary; every single person who joins is a missionary and secures their own support. Hearing this, Paulo didn’t flinch. No reaction, no surprise, he just continued with the same momentum as before.
We decided to start the lengthy application and reference process with him, which also involves providing him with a supply of courses and seeing how he uses them, through various forms of accountability, and of course through the lengthy application and references.
We hope that by the time this Reaper hits the presses, Mozambique will have become the next SLM official Discipleship Training Branch, with Paulo as its director. Paulo has been faithfully keeping us updated with his reports, and it has become clear God has been using him greatly and he has a great big Mozambique-sized faith. We believe God could use him and SLM together to reach his country with the Gospel. Pray that together Paulo and SLM will seek to “Explore the Unexplored.”
PAULO’S VISION INCLUDES:
- Promote and train churches and schools to use SLM’s evangelism and discipleship courses
- Continue to plant churches and train church planters
- Train current and future leaders and pastors
- Train youth and children’s leaders
- Expand ministries to orphans
- Host pastors’ conferences
- Start the World Wide Bible Institute of Mozambique.
PLEASE PRAY:
- That God would meet his support needs as well as those for the running of the Branch (currently $1,000)
- For a good-running personal vehicle ($8,000)
- For protection for him, his wife, and two daughters from those who oppose the Gospel being preached
- For the expansion of a network of churches and schools to utilize the SLM lessons
- For Mozambique to be reached with the Gospel
