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"Newsletters"
February 13th, 2020
My dear Partner in the Gospel,
You are helping me to fulfill the Gospel
mandate and lives are being forever changed by the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. Thank you from the depths of my heart…your financial support and
prayers are invaluable.
This is a time like no other…2020 and the
decade of the twenties will be an awesome time for God’s church. The
number 20 biblically can symbolize Redemption and also 20 years can be a
complete and entire time of waiting. 20/20 speaks of perfect vision and
I believe God is realigning, and bringing Focus to His church. We the
church must understand our assignment if we are to become a Glorious
church. God has given me much revelation in this area and I must take it
to His church body. In order to see a fresh new Pentecost with all that
accompanies that, the church must be awakened and re-focused. I really
believe we are entering the last Great Awakening and the beginning of
the church becoming Glorious. The church must take their place beside
the reigning King Jesus and rule with Him. This Word of the Kingdom will
be preached to all Nations and King Jesus shall return.
Wow, Wow, Wow…God has opened some huge doors
in South Africa. I will be leaving on March 18th and
returning on April 14th. God has brought more clarity to my
assignment there and I am expecting great breakthroughs. I will be
preaching the message of the Kingdom with Miracles, Signs and Wonders
following beginning in Johannesburg then to Port Elizabeth, Jeffrey’s
Bay, Plettenburg Bay, Riversdale and finishing in Cape Town with my good
friend Apostle George Paige at his annual Easter conference. I am
especially thankful for the opportunity to minister for one of the city
fathers in Cape Town…Apostle Theo Roman on Easter Sunday morning.
Please help me take this message to the church
in South Africa. Your financial support will help to bring a Reformation
to God’s church and enable them to function as a true New Testament
church. Your support is very important at this strategic time on God’s
schedule. The budget for this outreach to include expenses of
conferences, transportation and accommodations is $4000.00. The cost
is great but the rewards are worth it. God has promised to Bless you as
you get involved with His work. Thank you in advance for your much
needed prayers and financial support.
Every Kingdom Blessing,
His For Kingdom Advancement,
Thomas & Cathy Meares
October, 2007 Newsletter
(Mission To Tanzania & Kenya)
October 12th,
2007
Dear Friend,
Hello my precious
friend and thank you for your prayers and support. Cathy & I
are so blessed to have you as our friend and partner. I just
returned from three weeks of successful ministry in Tanzania
& Kenya. This is an update especially for you. Please take
just a few minutes to read it to the end. I have also
enclosed some pictures from this mission. Wow, what a
trip...it was a little hard on the flesh but the spiritual
results and rewards are awesome. There were 30 plus people
that accepted Jesus as their Saviour and many others
testified of God’s healing power in their lives. All the
Pastors and Bishops I ministered for said that they as well
as their people were very encouraged. Thank God I was able
to give up myself so God could lift up His people.
God showed Himself
faithful during the whole time there. The first 5 days my
mornings were spent teaching at the Agape Bible College
(Bishop Stephano Nzowa founder) and preaching in the
evenings at New Beginnings Church in Mbagala for Pastors
Swithurn & Angelina Mgaya. The time spent with the Bible
College students was so rich, all of them being in the
ministry. I saw God working with His word as one of the
students; a Pastor sowed 100,000 shillings which is
equivalent to $100.00. His obedience to God’s word enabled
us to take about 25 of the students on a day trip to
Bagamoyo, a city that was know for slave trade. It was a
very informative trip for us all and a treat for me after 5
days of ministering morning and night.
After a 7 hour bus
ride we (6 people plus me) reached Dodoma the capitol city
of Tanzania our next place for ministry. It is the dry
season so everything is brown and dusty...and the wind is
blowing dust everywhere. We were met by Bishop Mark & Dorcas
Mhina of New Beginnings Fellowship and stayed in their home.
The crusade began on Thursday and continued through Sunday
with hundreds in attendance. This is where 24 plus people
were saved and we received several healing testimonies. One
being a woman that was healed of female problems...Praise
God. It was also here that my camera was accidentally broken
by the Bishop sitting on it and I also ran out of money. So
you see although I love telling about the good things...bad
things do happen. I was very disappointed about my camera as
it was a gift from a precious preacher and a wonderful
church...the best camera I have ever owned. I am still
trusting God that it will be replaced. Sunday was
the last day there so I ministered in the church that
morning then went to the Pentecostal Church Of Christ
Mission and ministered for Pastor Egla Utonga in the
afternoon. Then we came back and closed out the crusade that
evening with Bishop Mark & Dorcas Mhina.
After the long day on
Sunday we (5 people plus me) arose at 5am on Monday to get
ready to board the bus at 6:15am for our next destination.
This proved to be the worst day of my trip. The bus had a
flat tire which took about an hour to fix. We then traveled
another 30 to 40 minutes and the transmission went out on
the bus, stranding us in the middle of nowhere. Finally
after it was dark the bus driver flagged down a transfer
truck and all six of us including our luggage climbed into
the cab of the truck with the driver and his assistant.
After 3 hours packed in there like sardines (worse than
uncomfortable) we arrived in Moshi. We finally got in bed
about 1am Tuesday morning...Wow, what a day.
Thank God I had the
next two days to relax. On Tuesday I enjoyed the beautiful
mountain, Mt. Kilimanjaro...the highest mountain in Africa
which is over 19,000 ft high. Then on Wednesday I enjoyed a
small animal park and a museum of the Maasai people, the
traditional African people who are nomadic herdsmen. I had a
first experience here as it was my first time riding a
camel. It was also here that Cathy wired me money which God
provided just in time...God is always faithful. I stayed in
a hotel here and was able to take a shower (a cold
shower)...Praise God for a shower even though it was cold.
Many people have to walk for miles for water and it’s not
very clean at that.
After this short time
of rest we (now three others and me) set off for Nairobi,
Kenya. Seven hours later we arrived and met Pastor Charles
Kingori. Tired and ready to rest we found out that he lived
in Nkubu, a town 200 kilometers from Nairobi toward Somalia.
Four hours later, now after 10pm we arrived at Pastor
Charles’ home and were met by his wife Nancy and daughter
Daisy and a nice meal. The next night we started the
meetings in his church, Evangelism Church. On Saturday we
also had a crusade in town as well as the night service. On
Sunday I again preached 3 times, in the church that morning,
the crusade in the evening and the final service that night
in the church. Thank God for 6 plus salvations and 3 joining
the church.
On Monday October 1st
we had quick celebration of my birthday in the morning
before leaving to Nairobi to start my long journey home.
This is the first time I have been away from home on my
birthday. I was supposed to leave on Saturday night but
because my ticket was booked to leave from Dar es Salaam
instead of Nairobi, my ticket had to be rebooked at an
additional cost of $115.00 and the first flight they could
get me on was Monday night.
Thank you again for
being our friend and partner. After all of this I have
returned and my airline ticket for this trip has not been
paid for. I still owe $1489.00 plus the additional
$115.00 to rebook, a total of $1604.00 which is still on my
credit card. Please help me take care of this...I
don’t believe that God would send me on a mission and not
provide for my expenses. I also don’t believe in giving
interest to the credit card company when I could be giving
more toward ministry projects.
One last
thing is the truck...I have failed at this point to deliver
this valuable tool to Bishop Nzowa. I still believe God for
a miracle of $8,000.00 in order to accomplish this. Please
ask God what He would have you to sow toward this.
I will continue to pray for you daily that God will provide
your every need...spirit, soul and body. Let us know what we
can pray with you about. Cathy and I will stand in faith
with you concerning your prayer request. Thank you again for
your faithfulness. We look forward to hearing from you very
soon.
His For Kingdom
Advancement,
Thomas Meares
Apostle Thomas Meares
Teaching ~ Helping ~ Releasing ~ Because Your Success
Matters
Omega Christian Academy Is Now Open
Precious Friends & Partners,
This has been a life long dream of mine,
come true. Yes, August 13, 2007 was the first day of
school for Omega Christian Academy Students. Some of you may
not know, but on May 24th
the school where I was teaching closed their doors.
Sometimes I think we can get to relaxed and in a comfort zone so to
speak. But God knows how to get our attention. I was going to
start two years ago, but it was not Gods timing. I am excited to get
started and there are many challenges. Please pray for this very
important part of Omega Christian Ministries International. The
following is a little about what we will offer at Omega Christian
Academy.
Building Lives for the
Future,
Cathy
Meares
May God Richly Bless You
and Your Family!!!
Greetings
From The Cathy Meares
On the surface, most schools look alike - buildings, personnel,
curriculum, and budgets. Omega Christian Academy wants its
philosophy built on basic principles of the Word of God. We want to
teach Students to see life from God’s point of view, to take
responsibility for their own learning, and to walk in Godly wisdom
and character. At Omega Christian Academy we focus on what is best
for the individual child, after all, that should be the primary
concern of education.
Individualization - Whether
the student is a high-achiever, a moderate-paced learner, or a slow
learner, Omega Christian Academy educational process proceeds at the
exact level determined by the child’s ability. With the
curriculum we have chosen this makes it possible for each student to
master the subject matter before moving on. Such mastery is the
foundation upon which all future learning is built.
Academic Excellence -
Individualization produces academic excellence. Students receive
character training in Biblical principles. Moreover, students will
go on to higher education and into business and professional pursuit
with confidence and a superb educational background.
Character Building - Godly character training received as
part of this learning experience prepares students to welcome and
accept challenges and future opportunities.
Traditional Values - Biblical values and concepts
considered foundational to meaningful interpersonal relationships
and productive living are conveyed throughout the curriculum, in
such a way as to become life-shaping influences.
Academic Benefits
*
Produces academic excellence
*
Teaches the child to think
*
Stresses the uniqueness of the individual
*
Incorporates Godly character training
*
Teaches responsibility and accountability
“Building Lives for the Future”
For more
information or for an appointment:
Contact:
Mrs. Cathy Meares
910-628-8610
"Academic
Excellence With A Biblical Perspective"
July 31, 2007 Letter to
Partners
Dear Friend & Partner,
Hello, it has been some
time since I have written you, but you are always in my thoughts
and prayers. Your prayers and support mean more than you can
imagine to Cathy and me. Thank you so much for helping us
take the gospel to the nations...Wow, Cathy has really kept
me busy getting the building ready to launch Omega Christian
Academy. Yes she will finally give birth to her life long dream
of having a Christian school and on August 13th the
school and will open with 15 students in Fairmont, NC. I have
enclosed a short letter with more about the school from Cathy.
I will be traveling to
Tanzania, Zambia and South Africa September 11th thru
October 2nd. One of the main purposes for my trip is
to purchase a pickup truck for Bishop Stephano Nzowa and the
Agape International Fellowship which consist of 34 churches in
Tanzania, Zambia, & Mozambique. Bishop Nzowa & I will also hold
a conference with all the Pastors of the Agape International
Fellowship to encourage them and further equip them for their
work. We will visit the churches in Zambia also.
When I was there last
year I announced that when I came back Bishop Nzowa and I would
be riding in a truck. Please hear me from my heart.
Bishop Nzowa is a precious man with a big heart for the Pastors
he serves and my desire is to help him train and oversee many
more Pastors who will plant more churches. He don’t have a
vehicle at all and has to travel many miles by bus or
train...then he walks for miles in the rural areas to bring hope
and encouragement to his Pastors and their churches. I only
wish you could go there with me and see the conditions for
yourself. The roads are terrible to say the least. I am not
attempting to buy a new truck, but a good used one. The
investment needed for the truck is $8500.00. Wow, what an
opportunity to place such a tool for evangelism in this man of
God’s ministry. It will increase the effectiveness of his
ministry more than you can imagine. Will you please ask God
what He would have you to invest in this? I believe according to
Ephesians 6:8 “What you make happen for a man of God, He will
make happen for you. Thank you in advance for helping to advance
God’s Kingdom in Tanzania.
I will leave
Tanzania on September 26th and go to Cape Town, South
Africa. My main purpose there is to speak in a fundraising
breakfast for Pastors George & Ingrid Paige who are raising
money for the down payment on the building for House Of Healing
Christian Center. They need at least another $25,000 to
accomplish this goal. Please pray for all of the above needs
and do your best. A preacher friend of mine told me that God
could supply the money for the truck with one swoop. In other
words, someone could write a check for the total amount of
$8500.00. Please be obedient to God’s leading. We look
forward to receiving your letter and please include your prayer
request so we can intercede in your behalf...God answers the
prayer of Agreement. Thank you again for prayers and
financial support.
Advancing God’s Kingdom
Together,
Apostle Thomas Meares
Teaching ~
Helping ~ Releasing ~ Because Your Success Matters
Cathy's
Letter
My precious Friend,
This is a life long dream of mine, come
true. Yes, August 13, 2007 will be the first day of
school for Omega Christian Academy. Some of you may not know, but on
May 24th the school where I was teaching closed their
doors. Sometimes I think we can get to relaxed and in a comfort zone
so to speak. But God knows how to get our attention. I was going to
start two years ago, but it was not Gods timing.
I am writing you to let you know I need
help. I didn’t know it could cost so much to start a school.
Expenses like Inspection permits, having Water, Electricity and
Telephone turned on is just a start. I need to purchase
Teacher’s Books, Student Desks, Black Boards, Bulletin Boards, and a
Water Cooler. The list goes on and on. Will you help?
Teachers Books cost $550.00 per class. I’m starting with 4th
– 7th grade this year. One friend and partner told
me that her and her husband would purchase one grade of Teacher’s
books. Can I depend on you? Your gift is greatly
appreciated.
Building Lives for the Future,
Cathy
Meares
_____Yes Cathy, I will purchase Teacher’s books $550.00 for one
class.
_______Yes Cathy, I will help with the Teachers Books
_______Yes Cathy, I will purchase a Black Board for $150.00.
_____Yes Cathy, I will donate $100.00 towards school start up
expense.
May
God Richly Bless You and Your Family!!!
Newsletter April 07 Ministry To South
Africa
May 5th 2007
Dear Friends & Partners,
Greetings and Blessings from
Thomas, Cathy & Sarah... We have just returned from three weeks of
ministry in South Africa. Wow, what a great time of ministry as well
as a wonderful time for building relationships. Thank you for your
prayers and support to make this ministry a success.
Praise God for 25 people being
saved and several miracles. Two miracles of healing took place on
Easter Sunday. First, one of the elders of Pastor
George Paige's church was suffering with an arthritic knee and had
been out of work several days. He could not bend his knee and was
walking with the assistance of a crutch. Just after the service was
given to me I was prompted by the Holy Spirit to pray for his
healing. Praise God, when he left the church he was carrying
the crutch and when he came back on Sunday night he was
walking normal. The next day he went back to work...Hallelujah.
Second, the mother of one of the preachers had
been taken to the hospital with pain in her side. The doctor said
she would have to have an emergency surgery to remove her appendix.
I agreed in prayer with him for her and before the service was over
his father came by the service and said that the surgery had been
canceled. I went and preached for this Pastor on Wednesday night and
his mother was there, smiling and totally healed.
Wow…what a mighty God we serve.
Thank you again for standing with
us and believing in us as we endeavor to advance God's Kingdom. I
will now share my heart with you about a great need of my friends
Pastors George & Ingrid Paige and the ministry of House Of Healing
Christian Center. They are in currently worshipping in a building
that they wish to purchase. They are renting about half of the
building and are paying $1000 per month. Pastor Paige feels that the
money they are paying in rent should be going to purchase the
building and I agree. It is a very large building which was once a
grocery store. The building is built well and will serve the
ministry and its many outreaches for years to come. The building is
large enough to accommodate up to 3000 people. So you see it will be
a good investment. The cost of the building is 1.2 million rand and
my desire is to help them raise the down payment of 210,000 rand
which would be $30,000 dollars.
These precious people have been in
my home on two occasions and I have now been with them on two
occasions. I have seen their hearts of love for God and the
ministry. I have also seen their ministry for myself and it is good
ground to sow into. Please make this a matter of prayer and let me
know what you can do to make this happen. I really believe that
"What You Make Happen For God's House, God Will Make Happen For Your
House". Please do your best...and remember that it is your
seed that creates your harvest. You are so
special and we are always praying for you and your success in every
area of life... spirit, soul and body.
Always Advancing God’s Kingdom,
Apostle Thomas
Meares
Teaching ~ Helping ~ Releasing ~ Because Your Success Matters
Happy New Year & Ministry To D. R., Honduras & Guatemala
January 5,
2007
My Dear Friend,
Happy New Year my
friend and fellow laborer in Christ, from the Meares and Omega
Christian Ministries Int’l. This is the Year of Rest… You
must enter your Sabbath of Rest and receive all that God has
promised you. God rested from all His labors on the seventh day and
enjoyed all that he had made. It is time now for us to enjoy
the fruit of our labors. You can only enter your Sabbath by faith.
The children of Israel could not enter their Promised Land because
of unbelief. The Sabbath is a Place and not just a day. You
must come to the end of yourself and you trying to make something
happen. Just be obedient to God and His Word and let Him produce the
results. Let’s all enter our Promised Land of Rest…Our land
that is flowing with milk and honey. God has given us everything
that pertains to life and godliness (II Peter 1:3&4). Receive God’s
best in this Year of Rest...
Thank you for your prayers and
support of my recent trip to the Dominican Republic, Honduras and
Guatemala. From the first night it was an absolutely successful time
of ministry. The first night in the D.R. was in a small town called
Ranchito and we had six people who were gloriously saved. On Friday
I sang and spoke at the La Vega Christian School for the High school
and the Middle school students. Wow what a lively group of young
students, it was great. The Pastor’s Conference was a huge success.
They were very encouraged as I shared the Word under the anointing
of the Holy Spirit. At the close of the conference they received an
offering for my trip to Honduras and Guatemala, also one of the
Pastors paid for everyone’s meal. This was a miracle. Another
miracle was a brother that just happened to be in La Vega who was
from Ft. Worth, Texas and he sowed $200.00 also. I was there to sow
and God was multiplying my seed (II Cor. 9:10) Praise God…Continue
to pray for Bishop Mitch and Debbie Martinez, the school and all the
churches that they are working with. They have a wonderful ministry
and have accomplished so much in the Dominican Republic
After arriving home on Tuesday
night and sleeping in my bed for a few hours I left again on
Wednesday morning for Honduras where I met Apostle Jose Alvarez and
the ministry team of Cocina del Amor (The Love Kitchen). I
ministered to the men of the Iglesia de Christo Mahanaim that night
and 6 men were saved and many other encouraged in the faith. This is
a great church of over 1000 members in San Pedro Sula which is the
second largest city in Honduras. On Thursday night I ministered to
the whole church and declared a New Season to them. It was a
glorious time as the Holy Spirit spoke thru me to declare that they
were a church that was chosen to make a big impact on the city and
the country. Please pray for this church and Pastors Miguel & Nora
Flores.
On Friday we left for the
mountains of Guatemala. There in the city of Esquipulas we
ministered to over 1600 people all day on Saturday and Sunday. These
are very poor people that live up in the mountains without
electricity or running water in their houses. Over 60 people gave
their lives to Christ and countless others were encouraged and
healed by the love of God felt from the ministry team. Over 400
families received baskets of food and everyone enjoyed hot meals on
both days.
On Sunday which was the
children’s day there was special music and a clown. About 900
children received a toy for Christmas. It was a very happy time for
these precious people. Can I count on your prayers and support for
these desperate people of Esquipulas?
Our final destination was
Guatemala City and the headquarters of The Love Kitchen Ministries.
On Tuesday night there was a service in the streets at the ministry
center and what a celebration it was. There was special music and
after my message “Jesus Is Lord Of The Sabbath” the ministry team
prayed with about 40 people. They were very blessed as we ministered
the love of God to them. Again everyone was fed a wonderful hot meal
and food was given to many families. On Wednesday it was ministry to
the children with a special children’s group that sang and did
skits. The clown also amazed the children with his tricks and funny
stuff. Every child received a toy and what a blessing it was to see
the smiles on their faces. During the time that the children were
having their fun Rev. Lora Lockert was leading a Ladies Banquet.
There were about 185 ladies in attendance and many were saved and
healed, not only physically but emotionally as the Holy Spirit
ministered thru Rev. Lockert and the ministry team.
Wednesday night was the close
of the 11th Annual Celebration of The Love Kitchen with a
banquet at the Westin Camino Real Hotel. Wow what a banquet. The
food was great, but the ministry was even better. Everyone was
ushered into the presence of God as we were lead into praise and
worship by Jose Jr. and the band. I preached on “The Power of the
Seed” and over 50,000 quetzales were received as the Holy Spirit
challenged the people to sow into The Love Kitchen Ministries. To
top off all of this, I was honored by Apostle Alvarez and the Love
Kitchen when I was presented with a beautiful silver and jade ring
with the logo of the ministry etched into the jade. Please continue
to pray for Apostle Jose Alvarez, his staff and the various
ministries of The Love Kitchen. Also pray for my good friends John &
Renee Houser of La Paloma Ministries (The Dove Ministries), which is
a support ministry here in the States for The Love Kitchen
Ministries. John & Renee, along with Rev. Lora Lockert and Heather &
Billy Medley were part of the ministry team from the United States.
It was an absolutely powerful
18 days of ministry and I am so very thankful for all of you who
supported me with your prayers and your finances.
We are planning our first ever
Partner meeting and we would love for you to make plans to come.
Plans are to have this meeting in Lumberton on the third Saturday in
February. I will send another letter with details soon. It is going
to be a great year and we ask for your continued support. We can’t
do it alone. Thank you for your faithful support. You are in our
thoughts always and we are praying for you. Again receive God’s best
in this Year Of Rest…
Always Advancing God’s
Kingdom,
Thomas
Meares
Apostle Thomas Meares
Teaching
~ Helping ~ Releasing ~ Because Your Success Matters
Ministry To
England July 2006
July 31, 2006
Dear Partner,
Thank you for your prayers and
support of my recent mission to England, and also your support of
our ongoing ministry to Tanzania. The mission to England proved to
be most successful. Because of your help I am able to preach the
Gospel all over the world. The following is a brief account.
The Destiny Connect 06
Conference was absolutely powerful. Over 200 people were blessed and
encouraged as God’s glory was manifested. The Word went forth with
such power and authority.
Many were healed of various
ailments and prophetic words thrust all present into a higher place…
Heavenly places in Christ Jesus. I made some golden connections with
two Indian Pastors as well as a wonderful couple from the Czech
Republic. These connections were all made possible by my friends
Apostles Ian and Rachel Critchley. They are the founders of Destiny
Connections, and the Pastors of Destiny Christian Church in
Wakefield, England. Wow, what an awesome life changing conference
and a wonderful time with my Destiny Connections family. On
Wednesday night I ministered at Destiny Christian Church with a
powerful message on the manifested sons of God, in which I
encouraged everyone to do the works that Jesus the pattern Son did.
After arriving in London on
Thursday, I was greeted by my friends Pastors Kendrick and Simone
Simon. On Friday night I spoke to and Arabic church and what an
honor to address mostly former Muslims from Egypt, Jordan and Iraq.
On Sunday morning I brought a brief exhortation and a song at the
Fountain Of Life PH Church. We returned again for an afternoon
service at the Arabic church and what an experience it was to
worship with these precious people. God is busy raising up His
church all over the world and He is doing it through us, His
body…the body of Christ. On Sunday night I ministered at the World
Revival Center to a Brazilian (Portuguese speaking) congregation.
Wow, what an exiting on fire
group of people. Thank God for this young Pastor and his precious
wife. This church began just two years ago and over 200 believers
are already part of this ministry.
Again, thank you for your
prayers and support. Your obedience to sow into this ministry will
continue to authorize God’s blessing on your life. It also enables
us to fulfill the Great Commission. (Mark
16:15 & Matt 28:19&20) Please continue to pray and
support the ongoing work in Tanzania.
I have enclosed an updated list
of ministry needs. You are loved and appreciated more than
ever and we are interceding for your needs. Please continue to send
us your prayer concerns. You can email us at
thomas@thomasmeares.com or you can include them with your next
financial seed. Also please keep checking our website
www.thomasmeares.com as we are in the process of updating it.
To View Pictures Of This
Trip (Click
Here)
Always Advancing The Kingdom,
Thomas Meares
Rev. Thomas Meares
Teaching ~ Helping
~ Releasing ~ Because Your Success Matters
Ministry To Tanzania & South Africa April 2006
May 9, 2006
Dear Friends &
Partners,
Praise God, I am back
in the USA from my three week trip to Africa and what a
powerful and challenging trip it was. I am so thankful for
your prayers and support. Your prayers were effective and
God gave me strength to complete the mission. Let me give
you some highlights of this mission.
I started out with the
hardest assignment first which was 10 days in Tanzania. I
left on Tuesday April
4th
at 3:00pm and arrived in Dar es
Salaam at 9:30pm on Wednesday April
5th
Bishop Stephano
Nzowa along with other Ministers, members of the church and
family members met me at the airport and welcomed me. We
then went to the Bishop’s house for the first night where I
finally got into bed at 12:30am. I was awakened at 4:30 am
to get ready for the 12 hour bus ride to the Mbeya region
where I would stay in a rest house in the small village of
Mlowo. We missed the bus we were supposed to take and had to
ride one that stopped in Mbeya. It was pouring rain and we
had to stand under a shelter until Bishop Nzowa found us a
taxi to take us on to Mlowo. I finally arrived after 9:00pm
wet, hungry and exhausted. Thank God the rest house had a
decent bathroom with hot water. After bathing and having
some food I crashed about 11:00pm and slept till 9:00am the
next morning.
On Friday we began the
Ministers Conference in Isansa which is a village out in the
remote area. It took us about 45 minutes to travel 10 to 12
miles. The roads were so bad that we had to hire a truck to
take us. (What made things worse was that the Bishop’s phone
had been stolen and he don’t have a vehicle. We were without
communication and transportation so you can imagine how
difficult it was. Remember this is the remote area and
everything was a challenge.) When we got to the village of
Isansa we were welcomed with singing and waving branches.
They put down branches and cloths for us to walk into the
church on. It was such a welcome that it made tears come
into my eyes. They were so happy to see us and it was a way
of showing respect to us. We had an awesome service,
they were so excited and you should see how they worshipped
with dancing and waving flowers and branches. The church was
decorated with flowers and balloons. I preached for over an
hour and everyone was very blessed as the Holy Spirit
ministered to each need. Bishop Nzowa then showed me his old
home place. Most of his family still lives in this village.
The houses are mud huts with grass roofs; however some are
made with homemade bricks and have a tin roof. We left to go
back to the rest house in Mlowo about 7:45pm. Oh this day
was also the first contact I made with my wife by email
after being gone since Tuesday.
Saturday was another
great day. We finally got out to Isansa at about 1:30pm. We
marched with the students (from a house where they met to
get ready) to the church. It was a proud occasion for all of
them. After preaching for almost 2 hours (It would only be
about an hour if
I
were not preaching with an interpreter. The language there
is Swahili.) Bishop Nzowa and I presented diplomas to 18
students who received a Diploma In Theology for their
studies and we also prayed for them. The students were so
touched as the Holy Spirit spoke some powerful words thru me
to them as we prayed. After the service we went to the
Pastor’s house where the students took off their caps and
gowns and we ate some boiled corn together. It was a joyous
time for all. We then went to another village where the
assistant Bishop Wegga pastors a great church. They welcomed
us the same way and we had a powerful service there as well.
After the service we went to the assistant Bishop’s house
for a Pepsi. I had to use the bathroom there and it was an
adventure. It was a small room with a burlap sack as the
door, and a hole in the floor for the commode. I didn’t see
any toilet paper but I did see some corn cobs. Wow what a
deal... After the Pepsi and some fellowship we started
the long journey back to Mlowo. We had rented a larger truck
so we could bring the ministers and students back so we
could finish the conference in Mlowo. The Bishop told me
that there were about 70 people packed in the back of that
truck. Again, wow what a deal...
On Sunday we also had
two services at the Mlowo branch church. The first service
was a regular Sunday morning service, but there was nothing
regular about it. The anointing was so powerful and I
released it into the people. When I finished the Bishop said
“what do we have to give to this man.” He has given
everything he has and we don’t have anything to give him
except our prayers. He instructed them to pray and that they
did…
. .
it was
powerful. While they were praying the Holy Spirit instructed
me to receive the tithes and offerings when they finished.
So I told them if you really believe what you have just
prayed, bring your tithes and offerings. I believe everyone
came forward and brought something. One brother didn’t have
any money so he brought his jacket. The offering was 27,500
schillings and the Bishop said that was a miracle. He told
me that many of the people did not have anything to eat.
They had went to bed hungry the night before because they
were saving their money to pay for transportation back home
or to pay for the guest house they were staying in.(27,500
Tanzanian schillings is about $27.50 US dollars) So you see
what he meant about we don’t have anything to give this man.
I felt uncomfortable when I tried to give the offering to
the Bishop and he wouldn’t take it. He told me that God
instructed me to receive the offering so it was mine. I told
him I didn’t receive it for me but I would use it for the
ministry. He told the people what I had said and they all
said “Use It”. Of course I sowed it all back
into the ministry. Later that evening about 6:00pm we had
the ordination service and 18 ministers were gloriously
ordained into the ministry with the laying on of hands by
Bishop Nzowa, assistant Bishop Wegga and I. What an awesome
service and a blessed day it was.
On Monday we came
back for one closing session with the Ministers only and I
was able to pour into them what God had given me. It had
gotten dark on Sunday and I did not get to share the message
and the charge that God had given me for them. (The churches
don’t have electricity and most of them have dirt floors.)
Also, today is when I gave back the remaining part of the
offering which they gave me on Sunday. I had already given
part of it to two different Pastors as the Holy Spirit had
directed me. The reason I gave the money to Bishop Nzowa is
because he knew who needed it the most. This was the closing
service and everyone was so very encouraged. The Bishop was
really happy with the conference and he said that the
ministers and the people were very blessed and encouraged.
There was such a sense of unity and belonging created by the
conference. By coming together each minister now has a
renewed desire, and a feeling of being part of something
bigger than their church. I don’t know if we can even
comprehend everything that God did thru the conference.
Again, what can I say except God is absolutely
wonderful?
After closing the
conference and leaving Mlowo we went to Tunduma, which is a
town on the border of Tanzania and Zambia. After checking
into a hotel we crossed the border into Zambia to visit
Bishop Nzowa’s daughter. We had a good time of fellowship
there and prayed for them and their family. Then we went to
find some supper, we had to stop at a couple of restaurants
before we found one that Bishop felt comfortable with. Thank
God he was looking out for me. At this point I had given him
all the money I had with the exception of about $57.00 which
I was keeping to get to South Africa. He would not even
order any food. He said he was going to eat with his
brother. He also didn’t stay at the same hotel because it
was too expensive. However it was not a very nice hotel
according to our standards. It had a long drop in the
bathroom instead of a commode, but at least it had a shower
with warm water.
On Tuesday we headed
back for Mbeya where we were to take the train back to Dar
es Salaam. Bishop Nzowa’s wife had gotten malaria while we
were in Mlowo and had to go to the hospital for two days. We
prayed a fervent prayer on Monday in the closing service of
the conference and I told them she would be out of the
hospital and would go back home to Dar es Salaam with us.
Praise God she did … Because of the malaria she
needed fresh vegetables to eat so we went to look for them
and missed the train. At 2:00pm the Bishop’s wife Edda and
the other ladies got on the train and it left without us. We
then had to get a taxi to take us far enough to get ahead of
the train and board it at another station. This train was a
nightmare, it was 35 years old, the bathrooms had no water
and no paper and you could not use the bathroom if it was
stopped at the station. I’ll let you figure that out. It
stopped at every station on the track, about every 25 to 30
minutes. The windows were down and diesel smoke was coming
in. I had the top bunk and it was awful… what an experience.
27 hours and 45 minutes later we arrived in Dar es Salaam. I
have never been more thankful to get off of anything in all
my life. I threw up my hands and praised God as soon as I
stepped off. The time is now 15 minutes to 5:00pm on
Wednesday. We finally got back to the Bishop’s house about
7:00pm. I would like to tell you that the nightmare was
over, but there is one more day.
After a bath, a meal
and a good night sleep I rose on Thursday ready for the next
ten days in South Africa. The day was off to a good start.
First of all I went and emailed my wife. Bishop Nzowa and I
then went to look at trucks to get some idea of how much
money we needed to purchase a truck for him. Then we went
down town to the fish market and took some pictures of me
standing in the edge of the Indian Ocean. I asked the Bishop
if we needed to head for the airport several times, but he
said we had plenty of time. We had a soda, a snack, and
enjoyed looking across the bay. Finally we headed for the
airport and the traffic was horrible. Long story short we
got to the airport at 3:00pm and my flight was at 3:20pm.
The flight was closed and I was upset. I had a little talk
with the Bishop about respecting my time and we went
upstairs to rebook my flight for the following morning.
After that we left the airport about 4:00pm and went into
the city to email my wife and call Pastor George Paige to
let him know I would not be there to open the conference on
Friday morning. Because of the rush hour traffic we finally
got back to Bishop Nzowa’s house at 8:00pm. I was so
disappointed but God really helped me. We had a good supper,
but I didn’t sleep very well that night. Friday morning I
rose early determined not to miss my flight again. My flight
was at 10:20am and I was at the airport at 7:30am. Thank God
for a successful mission to Tanzania.
I had asked God
Thursday night to connect me with someone on the way to Cape
Town and he did. I met a wonderful Christian man at the
airport in Dar es Salaam that bought me breakfast, let me
use his phone and gave me 300 rand for the ministry... God
is so good. Since he was also going home to Cape Town, I was
on the same flight and he helped me get thru the airport in
Johannesburg. Thank God for answered prayer. We got to Cape
Town at about 5:15pm and Pastor George and two of his elders
picked me up and we were off to the Easter Conference. I got
to the church in time to get a shower and go right into the
service, and wow what a service it was. After giving my last
fifty dollars and the offering that my new Christian brother
gave me my pockets were empty. The service was powerful and
3 people were saved. I was so happy to see so many Pastors
there. God is really raising Pastors George and Ingrid Paige
up to bring unity to the churches. After the service the
Pastors were invited for some food and fellowship. Before we
got started, a tall young preacher came up to me and gave me
a nice watch. He said it was the best he had at the time. 1
really liked the watch and wore it proudly the next day
showing off my blessing. On Saturday night I had no money
for the offering and I felt lead to sow my new watch…the
Bible says that God gives seed to the sower so I sowed my
watch. That night after service a man came up to Pastor
George and bought my watch back for me... Praise God!!!
I will not share as
many details about South Africa due to the length of the
letter. We closed out the Easter conference on Sunday night
with 5 people saved many healed and everyone present on a
spiritual high. On Monday I had a rest day and we drove
around and saw some of the beauty of greater Cape Town. It
is a beautiful place with the mountains and the seas. I
spent Monday and Tuesday night with Dave and Pat Donald. On
Tuesday Dave took me on a nice drive which included Cape
Point where the currents of the two oceans meet...the
Atlantic and the Indian oceans. It was a very relaxing and
enjoyable day with my new friend. I had a preaching
engagement that night and on Wednesday morning we went to a
men’s breakfast where I also spoke for a few minutes. I went
to preach Wednesday night at Manenburg where Pastor George’s
brother Richard is the Pastor. It seemed that the service
that night lifted my spirit and I was ready to finish my
assignment. I preached Thursday night and Friday night.
Saturday morning we had a Pastors breakfast and I spoke on
relationships. Pastor George shared my burden for the
Tanzanians and received an offering of 972 rand which is
about $150.00. I felt that I was supposed to match it so I
did a bit more and sent $319.57 which is about 2000 rand.
Sunday morning I preached under a tent in a place called
Saron about an hour and a half from Cape Town. There was a
strong prophetic anointing in that place and 5 people were
saved and several were healed of sugar diabetes and other
problems. I finished that night in the Sowers Of The Word
Church in Cape Town with another strong prophetic message
that confirmed the direction of the church. On Monday I
finally got to go to Table Mountain and it is magnificent,
the views are so beautiful... God is so wonderful...
When all was said and
done there were about 15 people added to the kingdom, many
healed and hundreds encouraged by the powerful Word of God.
Thank you for being my partner. I am praying for you every
day and I know that God will continue to bless you for your
connection to this ministry.
To View Pictures Of the
Africa Trip (Click
Here)
Partners For The
Harvest,
His For The Kingdom,
Thomas Meares
Rev. Thomas Meares
Teaching ~ Helping ~ Releasing ~
Because Your Success
Matters
Ministry to Guatemala November 2005
December 27, 2005
Dear Partner,
Choice greetings to you
my dear friend, I just wanted you to know that I am praying
for you. I believe that God has something fabulous you in
2006. Thank you for your prayers and financial supporting
the past year and also thank you in advance for partnering
with me in 2006. My prayer is that God will overwhelm you
with His presence and power as you pursue Him in the New
Year.
My trip to Guatemala was a great success. Many were
encouraged by the power of the Holy Spirit. You should have
seen the smiling faces of the children as they were fed by
the staff of Cocina Del Amor along with my sister Christina.
They were especially happy when she gave all of them
lollipops. Their smiles were priceless and it was worth
every effort we invested to witness their happiness.
I gave all that I had, even though I still owed the price of
my airline ticket ($514.00). I also blessed Pastor Christian
with three suits which I charged on my credit card. When God
speaks we must be obedient. I know that my reward is looking
for me because I have been obedient to God’s voice. On the
last night of the crusade I preached on the power of the
seed and received an offering for the church in excess of
$4,000.00, to God is the Glory… The church is in a rented
building and God has challenged them to acquire their own
property. Please pray for The House of Bread and Praises
Church and Pastor Christian Maldonado and his family as they
pursue God’s best for them. Apostle Jose Alvarez has invited
me to do a crusade with him in Nicaragua. I also have an
open invitation from Pastor Christian to go back to The
House of Bread and Praises Church.
Bishop Stephano Nzowa, founder of Agape International
Fellowship Centers has asked me to be the Mark or Father of
his College, Agape International Bible College in Tanzania.
In August he asked me to send curriculum and when the fall
session closed I was asked to prepare diplomas for the
sixteen people who received a Diploma in Leadership. I will
be returning to Tanzania in April to minister personally to
the graduates and hold a special Ordination Service. After
my time in Tanzania I will be going to Cape Town, South
Africa for a special Easter Crusade at The House of Healing
Christian Center with Pastors George & Ingrid Paige. I will
also be going to England for Apostle Chritchley’s annual
conference in July and several other trips which dates have
not been set for as yet.
Wow, these are just some highlights of what we have done and
what we are anticipating in 2006. If you could help
with any of the ongoing projects, upcoming events or just
help us get back in the black going into the New Year,
please know I will be most appreciative. Thank you again for
being my friend and partner. Please write or email me with
any prayer needs, the email address is
thomas@thomasmeares.com
. I am praying that the
Rest of your life will be the
Best of your life. May the blessing of the Lord
overtake you in this New Year.
To View Pictures Of This Trip
(Click
Here)
Partners For The Harvest,
His For The Kingdom,
Thomas Meares
Rev. Thomas Meares
Teaching
~ Helping ~ Releasing ~
Because Your Success
Matters
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