Prayer Letter / Testimony Jason, Kelli and Selah Sigmon
"The Forgotten Land of Madagascar"
Dear Pastors, Church Members, Family and Friends; July/August 2009
We want to start by saying thank you to all of our supporting churchs and individuals. Those of you who support us financially and prayerfully, we thank you so much. As you have read in past prayer letters the situations we had in Madagascar through trials, persecutions and troubles, we thank God for everyone who has been a part of helping us reach a forgotten people. God has shown me that we have to work together here in the states and abroad to accomplish the task that Jesus Christ has instructed us to do (Matthew 28:19-20). For us to be able to ‘go’ means there must be others to ‘send’ and God spoke to me as I was reading Philippians 4:17 “Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. As we go and labor to reach Madagascar for Christ, our fruit will be the same as yours because we are both sacrificing to see souls born again. Thank you again churches and individuals who have helped us in this great task of reaching the forgotten souls in Madagascar and may we all continue that our fruit may abound for Christ sake.
As I am here in the states trying to take care of my visa and raise our support level back up to continue the work God has shown us, Kelli and Selah are doing good back in Madagascar taking care of the orphanage. Kelli has actually added 5 more children to the home since I have been here in the states. She loves those children and stays busy. She now has a total of 11 to watch after. I thank God Kelli and I are able to speak everyday on the phone and I get to hear Selah’s voice also. Kelli and Selah are safe and healthy and Lord willing I will be able to return the first week in December and be with them. It would be a real blessing if some ladies could send her a letter to be a blessing and encouragement. She does get lonely but she is thankful for God’s grace to help her through it all. Thankfully I am able to spend time with my Pastor and Mrs. Vannest working to improve our missions department. Pastor Smith has some good ideas to help us achieve our goals on the field and use our support in better ways to improve the ministry, orphanage and my family needs.
The churches in Madagascar are doing good under Pastor Pierre and Pastor Lucien even with the persecution they have been facing this year. I spoke with Lucien a couple weeks ago and he informed me that God had allowed him to start a church on the north end of Mahajanga. He was street preaching and having bible studies with a group of Malagasy and seen 4 Malagasy souls born again. The fokotany or mayor of that area then gave him a building to use for church services praise the Lord. Kelli told me that over thirty visitors came to the church services a couple weeks later. Please make time to pray for Pastor Lucien and Pastor Pierre as they lead the six churches to go out and proclaim God’s truth to over 20 million forgotten Malagasy people.
Thank you again and one day we will rejoice in Heaven with these Malagasy souls. God bless you all.
Prayer Request:
- 20 million Malagasy souls
- Our families Salvation
- Safety and Health
- Visa’s to finalize
- Orphanage (11 Children)
- Pastor Pierre’s Churches
- Pastor Lucien’s Churches
- Safety of men Street Preaching
- Support to increase to continue work
- Mr. and Mrs. Fulkerson coming to help
If you send any love offerings or monthly support, please make sure our names are in the memo and address the letter to Mrs. D. Vannest as given above to avoid any confusion. Thank you
For God’s Glory;
Jason, Kelli and Selah Sigmon
ll Corinthians 4:3-5 Romans 15:20
cell # 1-828-228-5711
Dear Pastors, Church Members, Family and Friends;
Hello as we report from the forgotten land of Madagascar. We want to thank everyone that has prayed for us and those who have given the last couple months to help us reach this needy country with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. I wish I could say things are going good, but every day seems to be a struggle here trying to do paper work for the government, dealing with people who want to get us kicked out of the country for preaching the truth of God’s Word and many other battles we face daily as satan works to hinder the ministry.
We can praise God knowing that no matter what happens, He is still in control and He will never leave us, nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Although we see satan doing things to try and discourage us, we see the Lord working to help us fulfill His great commission (Matthew 28:18-20). We reported last time that we had seen three souls saved in Monadona and now we can thankfully say we have started the church/assembly now in that town. The Church is named Fiangonana Batista Fahasoavana (Grace Baptist Church) which is only the third Independent Baptist Church in the country. The Lord has given us 7 born again and baptized members and He even gave us a little building to use that we rent for only $5 a month. We are hoping to possibly purchase the building in the future because of much needed repairs. Please help us to pray that God will give us many souls in this town of 10,000 people.
Also, in the town of Betafo, where we had been teaching English and having Bible study on Sunday afternoon for the last 5 months, we had to move that to Wednesday afternoon so we could go to Monadona for church services. It is sad that Betafo is such a hard town having a big influence from the catholic and protestant religions which have no Bible truth. Praise God on our first Wednesday meeting we had over 200 students and young Adults come out to learn English and most importantly hear the truth of God’s Word. Please, Please pray that God will give us some souls in this needy town of Betafo.
We have a couple preacher boys that started teaching English and having Bible study on the north end of Antsirabe on Sunday afternoons hoping to have another church started as we see souls come to know the truth about Jesus Christ. On their first Sunday, they had over 300 people show up for the teaching and the same amount showed up for the next week also. Please pray we will see souls saved and have another church started in this needy area of town.
We are continuing the work on the large building here in Antsirabe as churches are helping us to raise the funds to finish the purchase of it. We are hoping to start teaching English and having Bible studys there after the first of the year. I am confident the Lord will give us souls quickly and be able to establish only the fourth Independent Baptist Church in Madagascar because there are many people in this area that have already told us they want something that is real instead of all the false religions in this town.
I can’t explain enough the great need here for all the lost and dying souls that need someone to come and tell them about Jesus Christ especially since no other missionaries are trying to preach the truth or establish true Bible believing Baptist Churches. If churches back in America could know what some missionaries really do on the field it would make them sick. Jesus Christ only gave us one thing to do in the Great Commission and that is to go and teach all nations their need for the Savior, establishing churches and disciple those believers. (Matthew 28:18-20) The Lord said if you do this you will suffer (Acts 5:41, 9:16, Romans 8:17, ll Timothy 3:12). We need men and women who are willing to sacrifice and give their lives to see souls saved and born again. God never promised his children an easy comfortable life with nice houses, cars and fancy restuarants. If He did, then He lied to his disciples and the early churches, who as we read in Acts had to suffer and die to see the gospel reach new areas of the world. There is coming a judgement day for the saved and the lost. Will you really receive a crown from our Lord and Savior on that day or will all your works just be burned up…….(1 Corinthians 3:11-16) Please think on that. The world is dying and going to Hell by the millions each week and what are you actually doing for Christ sake??? (Isaiah 5:13-14)
For Gods Glory,
Jason, Kelli and Selah Sigmon
ll Corinthians 4:3-5 Romans 15:20 ll Timothy 3:12
Prayer Request:
- Jason and Kelli's families for salvation
- Fiangonana Batista Mamory Vokatra (Harvest Baptist Church)(Only 2nd Independent Baptist Church in Madagascar)
- Fiangonana Batista Fahasoavana (Only 3rd Independent Baptist Church in Madagascar)
-Orphanage
- Wisdom and knowledge to train men to reach this needy country of 20 million lost souls
Testimony of Jason and Kelli Sigmon
To start out, I was saved at Freedom Baptist Church in Hiddenite, NC in July of 1996 at age 19. My Pastor at the time was preaching on Hell and I realized I did not want to spend eternity there. The Lord convicted me of my need for the Savior and I made a bee line to the altar where a I fell to my knees and trusted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. Amen, Amen. My church did not have any type of discipleship so I didn’t change right away. I wasn’t even told about baptism after my salvation. I was baptized however later in the same church. I now am a firm believer in discipleship of new converts and that water baptism is important for our first step toward obedience toward Christ and our baptism is a cymbol of the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 6:4).
Later the Lord started dealing with my heart about missions. After a few years of having missionaries come through our church presenting their work, a missionary from Southeast US and Jamaica Ministries came and offered anyone a chance that wanted to go to Jamaica on a mission’s trip. The Lord dealt with my heart right then and opened the door for me to go. In February of 2003 we were in Jamaica for a week. The Lord broke my heart and made me realize just how spoiled we are as Americans and especially in the so called Bible belt. I truly felt at home in Jamaica and was amazed at how humble and thankful the people were. They walked for miles just to attend church. I told God I would go where ever He wanted me to go. I publicly announced my calling when I returned to America and after talking with my pastor. Later that year, on September 13, I announced my call to preach. I have been to Jamaica now four times, but I knew that it was not God’s will for me in Jamaica because there are over 150 Baptist churches already on the small island. I have done a lot of street preaching and nursing home ministries. One thing my pastor emphasized was that God never calls a lazy person.
After a year or so, I realized I needed to simplify my life for when the Lord was ready for me to go wherever he wanted me. I sold my house, and everything I owned. The Lord then directed me to Harvest Baptist Bible College. I knew I had a calling on my life, but I just didn’t have any direction. I visited the college and found out that they have a very good mission program. I attended and graduated in May of 2006 with my associates degree. During Bible college we had a missionary come named Gil Anger. He travels the world year round helping third world pastors and missionaries. He told of the great need for the gospel to be preached in Madagascar. God laid the country on my heart and I knew that was where He wanted me.
My wife Kelli was saved at the age of 7 in a youth meeting at Twin Ports Baptist Church in Superior, WI. She was baptized and has lived for Jesus ever since. She attended Pensacola Christian College where she wanted to major in missions but couldn't. She majored in Education which was a blessing as it will help us more in the mission field. After graduating she taught at New Manna Baptist Christian School for 5 years. My wife and I were married on June 17th 2006 after meeting at a revival. I thank God for my wife and I thank God most of all for saving our souls from the eternal flames of Hell and allowing us to serve Him. We are thankful for the calling the Lord has given us. We would rather live poor in Madagascar in God’s will than here in America out of God’s will. Amen 1 John 4:4
Thank you and God bless;
Jason and Kelli Sigmon ll Corinthians 4:3-5
Birthdays:
Jason 12-14-76
Kelli 11-23-76
Selah 5-1-2007
The 7th day adventist spent a billion dollars building false churches in Africa last year. If they will give and sacrifice for a lie, think what we should be doing with the truth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ..........
