In 1976 there was a student-led uprising in South Africa. Many believe it changed the course of history in South Africa. Today 48 years later, many things have changed, but man still needs to be reconciled with God.

I asked a few godly leaders to give their perspectives.

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A) Encouragement for the youth

_{by Ena Erasmus, Retired teacher and missionary.}

A leader of men, he has inspired millions around the globe with his actions on and off the pitch and served as a role model to young people.  Siya Kolisi was raised in dire poverty by his grandmother.  Not even 10 years old, Kolisi suffered heartbreak when his grandmother died in his arms. “The one person who’d loved me unconditionally had gone,” he wrote in his autobiography.

The people from my community might be poor financially but are happy, proud and resilient.”

I always enjoyed rugby; I trained every single day for it. I was set on preparing myself for any opportunity I could, though I didn’t know what that may be.

In 2019 Kolisi made his most important decision:  “I knew I either had to change my life or lose everything. I decided to lose my life and find it in Christ”.  Today he is a devout believer who puts his faith in God first in everything.

Siya’s favorite verse is; “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…” — Isaiah 43:2-3

Heinrich Gabler was crowned Mr South Africa in 2019.  He was a little nine-year-old boy when he lost his mother in a car accident.  His mother’s funeral was the last time he saw his father, an alcoholic.  Heinrich and his siblings, being orphans, were sent to a children’s home where he lived until he finished school. 

Heinrich recalls a day in Grade eight when he entered into a personal relationship with God, which changed his life forever. “That feeling of emptiness was gone and I experienced an inner peace like never before. I felt worthy and I knew that I belonged. To this day, I hold on to the scripture: ’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’- Jeremiah 29:11.”

He carries a story of hope, one that encourages others to never give up on their dreams, to rise above their circumstances, to embrace community, to stay humble and to continuously look for opportunities to give back.

Not everyone will accomplish what Siya and Heinrich did, but the lessons from their lives illustrate that success is possible for everyone willing to work hard.  You can rise above your circumstances.  Both of them experienced that their lives changed when they committed themselves to Jesus.

The first lesson for everyone is that God created you for a reason.  The second lesson is that nothing is accomplished without hard work, commitment, perseverance, faith in God and believing in yourself.  Only through a personal relationship with God, can your full potential be accomplished.

Psalm 12: 1  “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” 

Mark 9:23  Jesus said:  “Everything is possible for one who believes.” 

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B) Embracing Responsibility

_{by Godknows Muto}, _{Director at Extra Mile Ministries}, _Zimbabwe

Today, we come together to celebrate you, Today’s vibrant and promising youth. It is a day to honor your unique qualities and God-given potential. As we gather here, let us explore the Scriptures and discover how we can live responsibly, demonstrating good conduct, hard work, and a love for peace.

Opening Scripture:
“Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” – 1 Timothy 4:12

• Responsibility and Conduct:

As young individuals, it is crucial for you to understand the significance of responsibility in your conduct. The Bible teaches us that our behavior should reflect the character of Christ. In Ephesians 5:1-2, we are encouraged to “be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in love, as Christ loved us.” This means that our words, actions, and attitudes should align with the love and grace of Jesus.

When we take responsibility for our conduct, we choose to honor God and others. This responsibility involves being mindful of our words, treating others with kindness and respect, and making wise choices that align with God’s principles. By doing so, we become living examples of Christ’s love, inspiring others to follow in His footsteps.

• Hard Work:
  In a world that values instant gratification and quick fixes, the Bible teaches us the importance of hard work. Proverbs 14:23 reminds us that “all hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” As youth, you have incredible potential and talents waiting to be developed and utilized for God’s glory.

Hard work encompasses dedication, perseverance, and a willingness to go the extra mile. Whether it is in your studies, career, or service to others, God calls us to give our best effort. Colossians 3:23-24 encourages us, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters… It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

When we embrace hard work, we honor God with our diligence and commitment. We become responsible stewards of the gifts and opportunities He has given us, and we bless others through our efforts.

• Love for Peace:
  As young people, you have the power to influence the world around you. In a society often marked by division and conflict, the Bible calls us to be peacemakers. Matthew 5:9 says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

Being peace-loving means actively seeking reconciliation, understanding, and harmony. It involves resolving conflicts with grace, promoting unity, and extending forgiveness. When we choose peace over strife, we reflect the character of our Heavenly Father, who is the ultimate source of peace.

As we celebrate you today, let us remember the importance of living responsibly. May our conduct be a testament to God’s love and grace, inspiring others to follow Him. Let us embrace hard work, using our talents and abilities to make a positive impact on the world. And may our love for peace shine brightly, bringing healing and reconciliation in a broken world.

Remember, you are not merely the future of the Church, but active participants in God’s Kingdom here and now. Go forth, embracing responsibility, and let your light shine brightly for all to see. Amen.

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C) To the Youth in South Africa..

_{Nancy Wagacha, founder of Wells of Hope Daycare & Kindergarten, Nairobi, Kenya}

Timothy 4:12

Don’t let anyone look down on you because of your youth, be an example in conduct, in love faith, and Purity.

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D) Many Experiences

_{Dr Johan Louw, Retired inspector and principal of schools.}

Many experience our world, with its famine and wars as unstable and in turmoil today. Not even to talk of so-called leaders who have feet of clay and make empty promises to attract votes for elections.

This of course brings uncertainty and instability with it.

The Bible on the other hand, encourages us to build our physical, psychological and spiritual houses on rock (Mat 7:24).

We as believers know that Jesus is the Rock. If we build on Him and His Word we experience safety, security, certainty, and hope.

Furthermore the Bible also states:
“You are loved, you are valued, and you are cherished by God. In a world filled with uncertainty and pressure, remember that your identity is rooted in Christ. You are a child of the King, and He has a plan to prosper you, not to harm you (Jeremiah 29:11).

The worldly mindset should not define our worth; instead, we are encouraged to find our worth in God’s unfailing love. We are forgiven, redeemed, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a life that honors God.

Remember that we are not alone; God is always with us, and He wants to guide us through every ups and downs of life. His grace is sufficient for us, and His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

We are the light of the world, and God wants to use us to make a difference in the youth generation.

Don’t be afraid to stand up for your faith, share the Gospel, and be a beacon of hope in a world that desperately needs it.

You are the future leaders, innovators, and change-makers, and God has a special plan for your life. Trust in Him, lean on Him, and never give up on your dreams.

Remember that God’s love for you is unwavering, unshakeable, and unending. You are His beloved, and He wants to have a personal relationship with you.

Hold on to hope, dear youth, because God is the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). He is the hope that anchors our souls, and He will never let you down.”

I hope this message brings encouragement and inspiration to you, the youth of today!

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E) Encouragement

_{Past. Loffie Schoeman, Missionary and Evangelist. He has worked in many countries.}

Hi, dear friend, I would like to remind you that God has given you all you need to fulfill your created purpose on earth. Salvation through Christ and blessed with every spiritual blessing (Eph. 1:3) to live a godly life, through our knowledge of Him (2 Peter 1:3) equipped with everything good, for doing His will! (Heb. 13:21)

We have been chosen, appointed to go, bear fruit (Joh 15:16), to be God’s instruments telling others what He has done for you ( 1 Peter2:9)

Be not ashamed of the Gospel, it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes. (Rom 1:16) The Holy Spirit God has given us does not make us timid, but gives you power, love, and self-discipline! (2 Tim 1:6)

Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (HEB. 12:1,3)

May you experience God’s pardon, power, presence, provision, protection, and peace – fulfilling His purpose for your life!

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F) Conclusion

We pray and stand with the youth to grow to become the leaders of tomorrow. Ps 119

9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

#youth #youthday #youngpeople #education #character

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Feedback session on 31 January 2024 in Pretoria.

Breakfast on 3 February in Pretoria East.

Please contact Johan Louw for more information – jlouw@megavoice.africa / +27 (082) 855-6510

Today, 36 years ago on 11 January 1988 God gave Tom Treseder the vision for MegaVoice – to reach those who do not read with audio and sign language Bibles. This is the first concept as sketched by Tom.

We praise the Lord and give Him the Glory. Today we have distributed 3,6 million Bibles worldwide in about 160 countries.
In 2023 we distributed 401,000 units and by now material in 8000 languages and 417 languages with complete Bibles.

Download the press release dated 11 January 2024 – MegaVoice Australia – click here

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. _{Corinthians 13:13}

35th Anniversary of Our MegaVoice Bible Ministry to the World   11th January 1988 – 2024 – till He comes.   Tom wrote: ————————————————————————————————————– Dear beloved MegaVoice partners,   As we celebrate 36 years since the Lord gave the vision of an audio Bible, with no moving parts, nothing to wear out, lightweight, compact, rugged, easy to use by the blind, those disabled, busy people, and powered by the sun and where the message is secure. I want to thank you for the indispensable part you play, in the task of us fulfilling the commission, the Lord gave right at the beginning, “Let the whole world hear His voice.”   Let me tell you a story of which you are now a key part. In 1982 I had prayed, asking the Lord if, with the Holy Spirits help, we could create a Bible for everyone. That means for the blind, deaf, aged, disabled, crippled by leprosy non-literate, all who are untouched by the printed word, and those hindered by belonging to other belief systems.   In 1985, He gave the ability to create MegaWord, which we called for commercial applications, The SmartBook. Later, other companies brought to our world, today’s iPad.   The first design of a MegaVoice audio Bible, “God put into my heart” (Nehemiah 2,12.) on January 11th, 1988. This again was in answer to a very simple prayer, as I had learned that most of the world’s people cannot, do not, or will not read. As with the SmartBook, I wanted to store God’s Word on a tiny chip of rock  (silicone). At that time we could only store 10 seconds of speech. But the vision The Lord gave was to broadcast, 810,677 words that God had moved 40 men to write, and in any language, which we call, The Holy Bible.   Yes, some thought such a thing, a crazy dream, even impossible! However, I was again inspired and encouraged by God’s Word when I read, “With man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19.26.)   I asked the Lord to lead me to someone skilled in electronics to develop this seemingly impossible vision. He led me to a man on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. American Ken Crowell with his wife, set up a very advanced electronics company in the city of Tiberias. A little while later the Lord added J. Rudolf Geigy to the Founders Team.   On hearing the story and seeing my early designs, Ken’s smile said it all, as he said, “Well Tom, it’s never been done before, but with God’s help we’ll do it!” There have been many struggle times and amazing, miraculous stories to tell, of God working through very generous donors and many gifted men and women, over these 35 years Together we have brought our global, MegaVoice ministries to where we stand today. Thank you for whatever part you have played and are playing, to move us forward in 2023.     What’s Next? This question is one I am often asked. My response is, “Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it” (Isaiah 43,19.) By God’s enabling and your dedication, this can be a very significant period of expansion, in our global ministry of MegaVoice.   1 MegaVoice Ambassadors Inspire and encourage all our MegaVoice board members, staff, Global Associates, and supporters, to take up every opportunity to promote and welcome their and your friends, to play their part in our ministry.   2 Expand our database, our donor base, and prayer support fellowship. Use every means to educate and motivate our whole global team to see how imperative it is for us all to build these three areas of support we offer. We welcome many people to be actively involved in our wonderful, global, Bible ministry.   3 Inform the world of our ministry to the blind vision impaired and disabled worlds. With our specially designed Envoy Connect, PathwayLight players and unique “content loaders/Kiosk’s,” introduce and impact all the world’s libraries. Public, education, colleges, Christian institutions, churches etc. (Replace CDs with megavoice players!)   4 Shake the deaf, hearing impaired, and disabled world, with the news of our unique, astounding, first-ever, dedicated- Bible, video player we call, “The MegaVoice Envision.” Yes, it has been designed and released for possibly the largest, less-reached, mass of people in the world. It offers features no other player has ever offered these dear people. It will speed up the whole process of translation and producing available textual material in the 440 Sign languages of the world.   The MegaVoice Envision also has limitless use to serve, all those creating surging amounts of video material of every kind.   5 Exploring and developing with partners, digitized, text-to-speech, and text-animated visual presentation.   6 With the new PocketVoice, expanding our partnership with major evangelistic initiatives such as “The Decade of Evangelism,” Gafcon, Jesus for All, Let the Whole World Hear His Voice, 1 Billion, and many others.   7 Intentionally promoting and providing a low-cost Bible, in selected languages, in unprecedented quantities, to enable The Word of God to transform the lives of multiplied millions in the desperately hungering, “M” world.   8 To encourage Christians worldwide when inspired by God’s Holy Spirit to become;– Donors, and investors of their time, leave money in their wills, sponsors, grant, foundation, and trust supporters, event organizers, and participants, benefactors, and prayer warriors.   9 Expand and nurture, dynamic MegaVoice Media Centres. These very effective centers are desperately needed for us to dramatically impact our world, with the saving message of Jesus and His love for lost mankind. There are exciting, honorary roles just waiting to be filled, to grow and inspire these important centers.   10 Make a sensitive, well-created plan, for our MegaVoice Global Centre in Galilee, to be seen as one is blessing to the increasing and diverse people of that land and from there, the whole world.   These are very exciting days of unprecedented opportunity to enable the world to hear of the love of the Lord Jesus and to fall into His open arms.   Look up, the King is coming,   Tom Treseder

Our focus remains to make the Word of God available to those who do not read.

Dr Johan Louw joined MVIA on 1 July 2023 as the special projects coordinator. Johan interfaces and cares for our donors. We offer training in various areas:

1. Interactive Bible Discovery
2. Entrepreneurship
3. Sportsmanship

Our media cloud has grown significantly in 2023. We now have 417 Full Bibles (Genesis to Revelation) 1466 New Testaments, 447 languages with God’s Story, etc in 8480 languages and dialects. More can be found online by following the link.

Thank the Lord for a record number of 400,000 audio Bibles distributed worldwide in 2023. Pray for more to be done in Africa, and more by Africans. We plan to distribute 500,000 units in 2024. We cannot do it alone but need your partnership.

In 2023 we distributed audio Bibles and sign-language tablets in Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Togo, Niger, Nambia, Mozambique, Zambia and many more countries. Hands with Words launched 110 Bible portions in the South African Sign Language (SASL).

MegaVoice Southern Africa, a subsidiary of MegaVoice Limited, established recording studios in Pretoria. In Touch Ministries contracting MegaVoice to translate and record Dr Charles Stanley’s messages was the catalyst for this development. Philip Jansen van Rensburg joined MegaVoice Southern Africa (MVZA) in July 2023 to manage this project. Currently, a set of 15 African languages are being recorded – Amharic, Bari, Tumbuka, Bemba, Sudanese Arabic, etc.

The donations received are gradually growing after our largest donor retired from active business in 2022. Without partnerships, we cannot fulfill our visions of all having access to the Word of God in their language.

MegaVoice International Africa NPC is a non-profit organization with the aim to distribute the word of God in audio and video to those that cannot and do not read. We are funding various projects reaching the lost in Africa, providing solar-powered audio Bibles & rugged video players.

In 1987 Tom Treseder, then director of the Bible Society of New South Wales in Australia realized that many people cannot be breached with printed Bibles because they do not read. You can watch his testimony YouTube

For more information on the products we use, please visit www.megavoice.com

Board

MegaVoice International Africa is a non-profit funding various projects reaching the lost in Africa, providing solar-powered audio Bibles & rugged video players 

The board members of MVIA are:

Andre Lubbe – Chairman
James Stegen – Secretary
Patrick Nyonganyi
Johan Grobler

MegaVoice International Africa NPC (Registration number: 2020 / 232496 / 08)
Registered in South Africa

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