Oasis International

How You Can Pray for Nigeria and Our Ministry

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a
people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you
out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 1:9 NIV

Dear friends,

Kano, a predominately Muslim city about 4 hours north of Jos suffered serious attacks on government facilities this past Friday. More than 200 people are reported dead. We must ask why? Boko Haram, an Islamic sect, believes that we are made right with God by keeping the law. Because of this, it is their goal to implement sharia law throughout northern Nigeria. But in doing so, they are bringing only death, deception, destruction and despair. The Bible tells usthat no one can be made righteous by keeping the law—it only shows our sinfulness (Romans 3:20)!

What—who—is the answer? Jesus Christ. It is through Jesus and his sacrificial death on the cross that we are made right with God (Romans 5:9). The Living Word, Jesus, as revealed through God’s Written Word, is the answer. Through Christ, the Prince of Peace, come life, light, liberty and love. What a contrast—who said theology doesn’t matter?

That is why Beth and I are serving in Nigeria with Oasis, to bring this Good New of God’s salvation through Jesus Christ. Beth does this daily as she teaches fifth graders at Hillcrest. Her ministry goes even farther. As she teaches students from missionary families, their parents are able to focus on their assignments which also bring the Gospel to Nigeria—Bible translation, theological education, evangelism and church planting.

Daily, I serve along with our 30 colleagues at Oasis through Bibles and Christian literature. It is as the Church gets its theology right and comes to know the Living Word that Nigerians will experience the peace of God in their hearts and lives.

How is Oasis doing that, and how can you pray with us? Let me share three ways:


1. The Preacher’s Outline and Study Bible-New Testament is a beautiful and helpful three volume set that helps Bible teachers and preachers to “get the Gospel right” and give well balanced spiritual meals to their listeners. We are able to distribute this in partnership with Leadership Ministries Worldwide because you have given generously. We have 1400 sets currently in the port and a few in stock. Please pray that these will quickly be cleared and released.

2. We also distribute affordable Bibles that are even more afforable. Many of these are used by students who are taught the Bible in government and private schools; others are used by the people in the pew. Last year, 2011, we distributed record numbers of Bibles. But at the present, we have none, and we are unaware of any basic Bibles that are currently available anywhere in Nigeria. We expect to receive 45,000 pocket Bibles around May. Please pray with us for the quick availability of basic Bibles in Nigeria.

3. We distribute The Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation in partnership with Tyndale House Publishers. These are made available to Christian workers—Pastors, those teaching Bible in schools, theological students—for less than $10. Another 5280 are also on the way. These are tremendous resources to help these Christian leaders to communicate the Gospel clearly. There are documentation problems that need to be resolved. Please pray for quick clearing and release of these Bibles.

Please also pray for the peace of Nigeria, coming through the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. Thank you for continuing to pray for us and our ministry.

Serving together with you,

Craig and Beth Ewoldt

McKinsey Report Reinforces Oasis' Work in Africa

Africa’s economic climate has grown more in the last decade than we had ever previously seen. Africa GDP rose 4.9 percent a year in the past decade, twice the pace of the 1980’s and 1990’s. A team from McKinsey Quarterly explains this in a recent article: Click Here. According to the report, Africa’s recent economic growth can be attributed to more than just increased sales in resources. The improvements seen through governmental and social efforts also play a part to impact Africa’s economy. For example, they cite government’s action to end armed conflict, improvements on macroeconomic conditions and microeconomic reforms to create a better business climate all helped this growth surge. From these economic conditions, Africa has seen more urbanization, a growing middle class and a larger work force. These characteristics are pushing this economic growth to become a long-term reality.

 The biggest challenge Africa now faces is educating the next generation in order to continue the growth. Experts believe “if Africa can provide its young people with the education and skills they need, this large workforce could become a significant source of rising global consumption and production.” The continent now experiences higher literacy rates than in previous decades, but it still needs to make substantial improvements within its educational systems.

 With Africa’s promising economic situation, the best time to create sustainable industry is now. We contribute to industry growth by publishing and distributing affordable Christian books and Bibles in Africa. Oasis’ vision is to create a healthy Christian book-selling industry in English-speaking Africa. By providing more literature to areas where education is growing, Oasis comes alongside an optimistic future in Africa’s educational system. Oasis is transforming lives by supplying Christian books and Bibles, but also transforming communities by encouraging literacy and education.

Rwandans Healing from Inner Wounds

Pius Nyakayiro is our first distributor in Rwanda. We made our first shipment to him in 2009. A second shipment will arrive to him in just a few weeks. Pius shares our enthusiasm of bringing quality Christian literature in Rwanda. But books aren't his only ministry.

Pius is Director of Good News Jail & Prison Ministry (GNJPM) in Rwanda. GNJPM serves the country's correctional facilities by providing spiritually mature and equipped Christian chaplains for the inmates. 

Although they primarily focus on the Rwandan inmate population, GNJPM decided to take care of another group in Rwanda affected by the 1994 Tutsi genocide. Now 16 years after, Rwanda is still bandaging up its wounds and pain from this horrible experience. Those who were children during the genocide are now between the ages of 18 to 22. Many are orphans who have not dealt with the issues of pain, anger, and forgiveness for those who hurt them.

Their psychological, emotional, spiritual, and physical needs demanded the attention of GNJPM. They refined the mission of GNJPM-Rwanda to meet the needs of healing, reconciliation, and restoration of these survivors in addition to the original purpose and mission of GNJPM.

In May 2010, GNJPM-Rwanda conducted a four-day workshop on inner healing and forgiveness for the 55 genocide orphans living in Kinyinya - Kigali suburbs. Most were teenagers who survived the genocide but still suffered from many wounds. 

The workshops tackled different topics in order for the participants to experience real healing. The Bible-based topics ranged from: source of tragedies they endured, suffering before the God of love, the father heart of God, trauma and mourning, Jesus the pain-bearer, healing of the inner wounds and forgiveness. 

After spending time in these topics in a large group, they were given an opportunity to share their pains and sorrows in a small group setting. During small groups, each person was encouraged to write down all the pain they had experienced on a piece of paper. Together they crucified their papers on the cross as a symbol of handing their pains over to Jesus, the pain-bearer. Later on the papers were burned and buried as a symbolic act of releasing their loved ones they did not bury and so much more which had wounded their hearts. This was a time of weeping and incredible deliverance.

Their openness in sharing what the Lord was doing in them was confirmation of the inner healing. One powerful testimony came from a women at the workshops:

“I lost all the parents during the genocide, and remained with some relatives who raised me from childhood. When I was still in primary school, I felt they were helping me in everything they were doing for me; as I grew up, I begun thinking whether my parents had left any possessions or material goods. When I asked about this, it became a big problem with my caretakers and they said, ‘They had used my parents’ possessions to raise me up and pay my schools.’ This has brought much conflict and chaos between us, until I handed the case over to the Tribunal to be tried. The court has commanded both my caretakers and the perpetrators who destroyed lives and belongings of my parents to restore whatever goods were misused to the rightful remnants, but nothing has been handed over to me. Consequently, my caretakers chased me out, and I was homeless for 2 years; I could sleep wherever was opened for me, until I eventually got a shelter in this site.

I have endured a lot of hardships; it was too hard for me to get food and other basic needs, and while struggling with this kind of life, a certain man impregnated me. When I had given birth, the man renounced his social responsibility on the child. Because of all those trials, I became a very hopeless woman, and I was convinced that ‘there was no love, God, nor happiness in this world’. I decided to hate God, and all people especially males.

 But these 3 days I have been in this seminar listening to your teachings, my mind is being changed. I have realized that if God was not on my side, many things that were in my life would have killed me. So please, keep praying for me so that I may be changed completely, able to love God, my relatives, and all the people. I want to forgive those who hurt me, I want to care for my child, and I want to begin praying because I had abandoned to go to church, and all prayer matters.” 

Most of the participants were ready to go back to the community to face those who murdered their relatives, and express forgiveness to them. They were also determined to restore broken relationships with their remnant families that had chased them out, since they have believed that their future is in the hands of God Almighty.