ROCK Monthly Updates

ROCK Resources

Due to the many multi-language media gospel tools being produced and/or disseminated simultaneously, it is challenging to know what to mention in these short updates. This month we focus on one resource: The WAY of RIGHTEOUSNESS Radio programs in one great language: Chinese Mandarin—being produced in a dialect intended to reach and bless the largest Muslim-majority ethnic group in China. This TWOR series will be good for the rest of China as well, but for a number of reasons this project has dragged on for more than two years. Please pray. The cost is $20K. The translation and editing of the 100 programs are nearly complete and, Lord willing, the recording will soon begin. We recently received this note from the translation team in China:

We would like to thank ROCK International for the opportunity to work on this project. For the last 24 months, we have seen a much-tightened situation in China. It has taken much time in working not only on the scripts, but also in finding the right voice, to ensure that the presentation will be highly acceptable to the [people group it is designed to reach]. Our local friends commented that they were very glad to know that their people group is not being left out and that churches and [believers connected with] ROCK International are helping them to develop this radio series. … We understand that [such] resources for both believers and non-believers [in our people group] are very limited. Hence, we really look forward to the fruition of this production project and, God willing, the ground distribution of the programs afterwards. … As the situation in China gets more bleak over time (and now with the Wuhan coronavirus), we feel the urgency for the production work to be done. Our team hopes to start the recording soon.

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In Senegal and Niger, God continues to do His work in lives through the faithful everyday witness of His servants. The New Hope Secondary School for Girls construction project in Tanzania has come to a standstill for the moment due to some unforeseen challenges that the local believers are working through. Pray for wisdom and the Lord’s provision to see this project to its finish line—and to its starting line, so the school can open. Thank you for your part and prayers in what God is doing through this channel of blessing called ROCK International.

ROCK Resources

At the start of a new decade, we ask you to continue in prayer that the production and dissemination of ROCK’s multi-language multi-media films, radio broadcasts, and books will be used of God in even greater ways to open blinded minds and hearts, and to encourage and equip believers around the world “to make the gospel clear as [they] ought” (Col 4:4). To the glory of God, here is some recent feedback:

• “Your book has been a great blessing to many Muslims and others.”
  – Chaplain who has distributed about 3000 copies of ONE GOD ONE MESSAGE in detention centers and prisons in the USA
• “The Turkmen version of TWOR radio series will be going on the air in Central Asia starting in January!”
  – TransWorld Radio, broadcasting The WAY of RIGHTEOUSNESS in some 20 languages worldwide
• “The King of Glory movie in Turkmen is in the lineup for airing this week on our Satellite stations. Praying it has a huge impact on the dear people in this very closed country.”
  – Russian/Ukrainian TV ministry partner that broadcasts KING of GLORY in various languages

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Thank you for your part in the ongoing ministries in Senegal, Niger and the Girls’ Secondary School construction project in Tanzania. Will 2020 be the year the school is completed? While ROCK is a channel for projects, the workers connected to the projects are the ones who daily represent Christ in unique and daily ways. Here’s a recent story from Niger: “An older Tuareg woman who lives near us has been seeing things as blurry blobs with ongoing pain in her eyes and back. We prayed for her. To her surprise and joy, God opened her eyes to be able to see everything clearly. The next day she exclaimed how she never once woke up in the night from back pain. I reminded her that God loves her, and that Jesus has power to heal and to save. Please join us in prayer that God would open her spiritual eyes to know that the message she has heard is truth. Today we began listening to the audio Bible in her language. Pray for a continued desire to hear God’s Word.”

ROCK Resources

At the close of another year, to the glory of God, as a result of your share in this worldwide media ministry, it can be “said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’ The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad!” (Psalm 126:2-3) Last month we received this feedback from a listener in Tanzania who follows our 100-program chronological series broadcast by TransWorld Radio: “I need to thank you for this program, The Way of Righteousness in Kirundi language. It is rich in information with different stories we find in the Bible. Here in our country we receive this program perfectly and we are really happy to hear it.” Another wrote: “I heard someone saying that it is a program to evangelize Muslims, but I see that it is helpful to all people who need the Word of God.” Through your part with us in 2019, the KING of GLORY movie has been completed in 8 new languages, the KING of GLORY Coloring Book should be in stock by mid-December, and The Way of Righteousness English book has been revised and is going to the printer for a January release.

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Also, in 2019, God has brought about some wonderful victories in Tanzania, Niger, and Senegal. In Tanzania where the secondary school for girls is being built, the Lord has helped the local believers overseeing the project work through some challenges, during which time, through your gifts, sufficient funds have come in to construct the next building. In Niger, we thank the Lord for last month’s arrival of another worker, a godly sister who brings many gifts and abilities to the team. In northern Senegal, the Senegalese couple and their three boys who moved into the village in August continue to put roots down, build relationships, and, in fellowship and collaboration with the church in the nearby city, are believing the Lord to do great things in this community and beyond.

ROCK Resources

Twenty-seven years ago, on November 2, 1992, the first Yoonu Njub (Way of Righteousness) chronological, creation-to-Christ-to-new-creation radio program was broadcast in the Wolof language of Senegal, West Africa. Here is a sampling of feedback received from Senegalese in the first three months of those broadcasts:

• “I’ve never heard anything so profound.” —University student
• “The words are so clear; we have no choice but to listen.” —Young man
• “It makes my heart very cold (happy) to hear such pure Wolof.” — Older man
• “The men are gathering at the mosque to hear and discuss Yoonu Njub.” —Neighbor
• “I gather my children around the radio every Monday evening. Everybody listens well.” —Mother

Today this 100-program series in Wolof continues to be aired on 9 stations across Senegal—and in many other languages worldwide. It is through the prayers and gifts of God’s people that His message of hope is being proclaimed to those who have been taught an anti-gospel from their youth. TransWorld Radio, presently broadcasting it in 20 languages says: “’The Way of Righteousness’ is a radio program that is expanding rapidly around the TWR world because of its proven ability to explain the Scriptures to Muslims. Airing across the regions, it generates great feedback from listeners including a remarkable number deciding to follow Jesus.”

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Thank you for your prayers and participation in ongoing projects designed to bless youth and their families in Niger, Senegal, and Tanzania. You will find fuel for prayer related to these projects at www.rockintl.org. Also, we praise God that after two years of work, by this time next month the KING of GLORY Coloring Book (a companion tool for the KoG movie, book, and study guide) should be in print. Another way to introduce kids to Jesus!

ROCK Resources

God is at work in lives. Here are two recent comments. From a young man in South Africa: “I watched the whole movie. Absolutely brilliant! it’s really life-changing. Exactly what I needed. I showed my friends and they think it’s amazing.” From a dad in Zambia: “Thank you much for this wonderful narration of the word of God as we gather as a family to listen.” Thank YOU for your part in making the chronological gospel available and clear to individuals, families, communities, and nations devoid of the true word of God. ROCK has many projects going on right now such as THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS radio series being produced in Mandarin for China’s 1.1 billion people, an audiobook of ONE GOD ONE MESSAGE in Bengali for Bangladesh and West India’s 200 million Muslims, and the movie KING of GLORY already in 35 languages, with a dozen more in production. We also hope to soon publish the KING of GLORY coloring book for kids around the world—all for the furtherance of the gospel and the glory of our wonderful Lord.

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Thank you too for your prayers and participation in projects in Niger, Senegal, and Tanzania. In Senegal, we praise God for how He has recently led a young couple with 3 boys to leave a good job in the capital city and settle in the north of Senegal, in the village where ROCK’s medical clinic is located. After a little more than a month, solid relationships are being established. In fellowship with the believers in the nearby city, this couple’s passion and vision is to use sports, information technology, ladies’ gatherings, community events, film showings, medical services, etc. to see the younger generation and their communities blessed for time and eternity—through the gospel. ROCK is a critical channel for some of those developing ministries. Thanks for your part and prayers in what God will do in this spiritually dark region.

ROCK Resources

We thank God for all who partner with us in this multi-language multi-media ministry to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Because of your prayers and gifts, the good news is going into the most unlikely of places. Last month, following 3½ years of opposition, the KING of GLORY movie was finally completed in Turkmen. Praise God! To give an idea the challenges, here’s an email excerpt from two years ago from the overseer of the project. “Please be in prayer about this. Opposition is incredible. Our guys there are currently under unofficial house arrest. All their Bibles were confiscated. They are looking at possibly 15 days in jail to begin with.” This same brother wrote, “It is increasingly difficult to operate in the traditional sense of missions. Doors may be more difficult to go through, but they are not welded shut. God is still being glorified, souls are still being saved, disciples are still being made and churches are still being born. God has given us an opportunity to seize the moment. We are storming the very gates of Hell; please join with us through your ministry of prayer to see the darkness of man’s religion shattered by the Light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

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Thank you too for your prayers and participation in projects in Senegal, Tanzania, and Niger. Last month, one of the Niger team members had a motorcycle accident the night before he and his family were scheduled to fly back to the country after a visit to the USA. He has since undergone surgery and the family plans to return later this month. Also in Niger a new believer was baptized, and the on-demand printing press arrived and has been set up in the Youth Development center. This will be used to produce materials in Zarma and other languages. Good things are also happening in the expanding soccer ministry, giving youth exposure to God’s love and truth. “It has been encouraging to us to see their excitement about God’s word.”

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This update just came in from the team in Niger: “The Youth Development Center has had a lot of excitement over the last months. New believers have been coming to the center for Bible study and encouragement for some time but have now started meeting there on Sundays as the early formation of a church. They have gone out several times into the community for evangelism and talked with many neighbors, boldly proclaiming the name of Jesus. We were able to get a piano for the music center as music classes continue. The soccer team has outgrown the center’s courtyard they play in. We are working to prepare a regulation-size field for them. We were also able to finish the automotive shop and the tech school should start back in the next few weeks. We pray for open hearts and minds as well as open doors to see lives transformed here by the gospel.” Thank you too for your continued prayers for all that is needed to complete the buildings for the New Hope Secondary School in Tanzania. We are thrilled that local partners there were able to get funding for a deep well and that the government has agreed to subsidize the running of pipes. In Senegal, a Senegalese couple with three young boys are taking a step of faith this month by moving from Dakar to a village in the north with the vision to do youth and media ministry in fellowship with the church in Saint Louis and with ROCK International.

ROCK Resources

Last month KING of GLORY’s 32nd and 33rd languages were released, Russian and Iraqi Arabic. We receive comments of all kinds. A YouTube viewer in Russia wrote, “There was no king of glory.” And in Afghanistan, “The movie was amazing.” From Iraq, “Respect the majority [religion] and don’t go astray [with] fictional writings.” And in Indonesia, “It’s a very beautiful video. You make me realize how great God is. Thanks!” Keep praying for the dozens of ongoing projects and productions with ROCK’s multi-language multi-media tools.

ROCK Resources

God is at work in lives worldwide through ROCK’s multi-language multi-media tools—via radio, printed page, internet, and video. A few days ago, KING of GLORY’s 31st language was completed ( Kazakh ), with at least five more languages nearing their finish lines (Egyptian, Iraqi, and Mauritanian Arabic, along with Russian and Telugu). Other projects, such as KoG in Vietnamese and OGOM audio book in Muslimi Bengali, await their start lines—as funds become available. As for THE WAY of RIGHTEOUSNESS radio series, twelve new languages have been released in recent times. “This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes!” (Psalm 118:23)

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Following a season of hindrances, we rejoice to report that Saturday Kids’ Club has started back at the Youth Development Center in Niger.

Last month, Dr. Rachel Hagues (ROCK board member and Girl’s school visionary) spent 2+ weeks in Tanzania. Here is her fresh report: The Kazilankanda village is beginning to be excited about the establishment of Tumaini Jipya (New Hope) Secondary School and are anxious to know when it will open. We thank God for continuing to provide funds in His timing – some of those funds through many of you. In a recent visit to the village, girls expressed their desires to one day become teachers, doctors, nurses, seamstresses, the list goes on. Lord willing, many of these same girls will complete secondary school at Tumaini Jipya, putting them on track to fulfill these dreams. Soon a headmistress for the school will need to be hired. Please join with us in praying for the person who will fill that position even now. We also are so thankful to the Lord for godly on-the-ground oversight provided by the Africa Inland Church in the Mara (mainland) & Ukerewe (island) districts.

ROCK Resources

In addition to the already completed Modern Standard Arabic, Lebanese Arabic, and Moroccan Arabic, the KING of GLORY movie is being produced in several other Arabic dialects, including Yemeni Arabic which is presently in translation. We praise God that the recording of Egyptian Arabic was recently completed and is ready to be dubbed. Pray for wisdom and diligence for the teams working on these productions and for the distribution of ROCK’s many multi-language chronological gospel tools. Recently, a church leader in Uganda wrote, “This is my favourite Christian movie. I use it to train others and through it many have come to really understand the Word of God. My family and children like to watch it almost every day.” The WAY of RIGHTEOUSNESS radio programs continue to be produced and aired in new languages. Here are the latest additions: Kirundi (Congo, Tanzania, Uganda), Tigrinya (Eritrea and Ethiopia), and Kotokoli (West Africa). These programs are being broadcast into these regions by TransWorld Radio. Thank you for your prayers and part in the production of such resources.

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In Tanzania, construction on the secondary school for high-risk girls continues as the Lord supplies through His people. In Jesus’ name, we thank each of you who have given recently. The Niger team is restarting the kids’ club at the youth center. Pray for God’s mighty working in lives. In Senegal, a believer is planning to move his family from the capital to the northern region of the country to establish a business so that he and his family can minister to village youth and their families in years to come. Pray for provision, strength, wisdom, and courage for the Lord’s servants in these three nations.

ROCK Resources

The most recent language into which KING of GLORY has been dubbed is Mongolian. This is the 30th KoG language to be released, with many more in progress. Last month, two team members worked hard to improve Search Engine Optimization for the hundreds of KING of GLORY multi-language videos on YouTube, but ultimately our dependence for reaching a confused world is not in SEO, but in God working through your prayers. He is at work! A few days ago, we received this report from a ministry partner that has been broadcasting (for well over a decade) ROCK’s “Way of Righteousness” chronological radio programs in West Africa in a dialect spoken by 7 million. The overseer of these broadcasts wrote of this language group, “about 100 people have formed a church with 10 other cell groups which are becoming churches as well” and “in [another nation] 7 groups/churches started through listening to the radio programs” and “in [yet another country], coffee and cocoa plantation workers are turning to Christ and a church group has been created.” Please pray for these new believers, that they will be firmly established in the Word of God.

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Thank you for your part in ROCK projects in Tanzania, Niger, and Senegal. Continue to pray for all that is needed to complete the Girls’ School in Tanzania (See: https://vimeo.com/327816868). ROCK-connected workers who just returned to Niger, wrote: Please pray for us as we transition back into life in West Africa in the extreme heat. We appreciate you for keeping up with us and surrounding us in prayer. How great is our God! What a mighty work He is doing. May He be glorified among the nations and in the hearts of many in [West Africa]!” Amen. “Brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you” (2 Thessalonians 3:1).