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Leon and I were chatting on the patio. He shared an idea with me, and I encouraged him to move this idea forward. What started as an idea became a reality in the New Testament Relay. In the New Testament, Paul shares with Timothy to give time and effort to the public reading of Scripture.  In 2020, what would this action look like during a nationwide lockdown? How about reading the entire New Testament over a social media platform LIVE! We mobilized over 60 different readers from South Africa, Kenya, and USA. Even our teenagers, Mack, Noel, Nala and my mother had the privilege of reading. Over five consecutive days, we read through the New Testament from noon until evening. We were trusting, “…my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”  Isaiah 55:11

It was an amazing experience; 8000 views and 500 phone calls later! One of the young ladies I am discipling also read a section of the New Testament.  She shared a special message to our ministry sharing what God had done in her life after the reading.

The third-year medical student wrote:

“Thank you for the [New Testament] Relay week. It was a challenge especially considering that I was writing my block tests online on 3 of the 5 days of this relay, but I was able to get bits and pieces of the live readings. I am a full-time medical student; therefore, since everything is online, there are bitter and sweet moments like these where you want to partake of something you know will benefit you spiritually but have academics hanging over your head however the Lord was very gracious to me and allowed me those moments. 

I have really been blessed by this relay such that it spilled over to my conversations with my friends who also joined in watching the live readings. We have now started to prayerfully plan our own relay as practical as we can make it. If it weren’t for your idea, we would not even have thought of it and it would have even seemed impractical but now we see it is very achievable.” 

              Please pray for this group of women and all who heard God’s Word to use the public reading of His Word to continue impacting lives. 

                                                                                                                                                Sincerely,                                                                                                                   Melanie Best