One of our main objectives of hosting the Renewal Conference this past January, was to create a sense of community amongst the Smart Choices team leaders.  BOHI has 14 teams in 8 different geographical areas in four different countries, most of whom had never met one another.  Our hope was to create a space where these amazing men and women of faith could worship our Lord together and feel connected to each other as co-laborers in the Kingdom. As always, our God is faithful.

During the Renewal Conference, we were able to use WhatsApp to form group “chats” for team leaders within each country to communicate more effectively with each other. We also made one large group on WhatsApp in order to connect all of the team leaders and board members.

Soon after the conference, Welcome Ndlovu began using WhatsApp to send out inspirational messages and encouragement to the whole group and various people responded favorably.  We have also seen team members present prayer requests to the group as whole and people have responded with words of encouragement and prayers for each other.

A prime example has been in the life of Cyprian Shumba who lives in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.  He was in need of a hernia repair and traveled to Livingstone, Zambia (better and more affordable healthcare in that town) with the promise of surgery, but was denied and sent home. This occurred not once or twice, but three times. So devastating. Many team leaders wrote messages of prayer and encouragement for Cyprian and wonderful DZ from South African called and prayed with him on the phone as well.

It was not until one of our team leaders, Prisca Kambole in Kitwe, Zambia (over 500 miles away), heard about his plight through WhatsApp that things began to change.  She had a contact in Livingstone, who knew a surgeon, who was able to get in contact with Pastor Shumba to finally arrange to have his surgery completed (one month later than the original surgery date!).  Our God is good and chose to use this amazing network of Smart Choices team leaders to come together to lift up our brother Cyprian.  He is recovering very well. Amen!

I hope this story is as encouraging to you as it has been to me.  Our God is so faithful and I am excited to see how HE is going to continue to work through this mighty Beacon of Hope team members in the future.