April 20, 2024
Fifteen bicycles were purchased through funds provided by Kiokee Baptist Church in Appling, where Steve Hartman serves as pastor. DAVID STOCKTON/SpecialAPPLING — In July two Georgia Baptist churches provided pastors in Tanzania with Scripture as well as wheels with which to share it.
A group consisting of members from Damascus and Kiokee Baptist churches, both in Appling, traveled to the African country with money gathered from Sunday School classes and Vacation Bible School participants. Once there, the money went towards Bibles and bicycles for pastors of local Baptist churches. Funds from Kiokee purchased the bicycles, whereas Damascus bought Bibles.
The Georgia Baptists were part of a larger group through the nondenominational ministry Gospelink. Others represented churches from Alabama and Florida as well as Georgia, said Damascus pastor David Stockton.
Left to right, Elaine Stockton, Jane Wells, and David Stockton stand with a Baptist pastor in Banatti, Tanzania. Wells serves Damascus as chair of the church's Missions Committee. DAVID STOCKTON/Special[/caption] "It's difficult for to get Bibles," he explained. "Some of the pastors will have Bibles, of course. The Bibles we brought went toward deacons as a way of expanding the churches' ministry.
"It was on our heart to provide. So we presented the mission trip needs to Sunday School classes and kids in VBS. The kids raised around $500 of the $2,500 we took. We also purchased reading glasses ahead of the trip to distribute once we got there."
While in Tanzania, Stockton reported an ongoing gospel presentation.
"We were there for two weeks with a bus driver assigned to us," he said. "This man came to know the Lord. We gave him a Bible, which he was real excited about."
Bicycles don't typically make the resource list for a missions trip. But, Stockton stressed their practical use.
"That's what the pastors use to get around. Otherwise they'd be on foot much of the time. It really helps expand their ministry," he stressed.
Once in-country, the team purchased 15 bicycles for pastors. "It was much cheaper to buy them there instead of brining them," Stockton said.
"The response was overwhelming. The pastors were extremely happy and crying."
