www.africanenterprise.com
2015
MISSION SUMMARY
JANUARY 2016
2015 Missions at a Glance Ethiopia Reached: 7,000 Saved: 305
Ghana* Reached: 59 Saved: 55
Uganda Reached: 170,408 Saved: 18,208
Kenya Reached: 103,394 Saved: 8,672
DRC*
Malawi
Reached: 60
Reached: 5,300 Saved: 1,100
Rwanda
Reached: 43,797 Saved: 7,148
Zimbabwe Reached: 1,470 Saved: 93
South Africa Reached: 162,286 Saved: 16,060
Total Reached: 493,774
//
Total Saved: 51,548
* Country did not hold a traditional mission and numbers represent results from social action work
A MESSAGE FROM
Stephen Mbogo salm 22:27 says, “All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him.� From one end of Africa to another, 2015 saw people of every sector of society remembering and turning to the Lord in prayer, in song, and in their lives. AE has reached thousands of people with the Gospel: from a Vice President in Zimbabwe, to a drug-addict and gang-leader in South Africa, from an embittered and imprisoned wife in Uganda, to a questioning intellectual in Ethiopia, people have had their lives transformed. As you read the stories chronicled here, join us in praising the Lord for His power and mercy. Above all, remember that each number listed here represents an individual person and reborn soul who, because of you now has the hope of heaven in their hearts. Because of your partnership, they are able to walk with Christ and must now try and live their life for Christ. Pray that their faith would go deep and that they would not be choked by the worries and cares of this world, but would flourish and grow to yield their own harvest.
P
Yours in Christ, Stephen Mbogo
CEO & ITL of African Enterprise International
Response cards from the first day of the Eldoret Mission, Kenya
“
I thank God for AE and for bringing this mission to our city. It has been so successful and we have seen thousands surrender their lives to Jesus. Many of the people we encountered were discouraged,
we have seen thousands surrender their lives to Jesus.
- Eldoret City-Wide Mission Volunteer
“
Many had walked away from God, but when we came and preached to them wherever they were, they were strengthened and are now walking with God again.
Join us in spreading the Gospel in Africa! Make a donation on our website at www.africanenterprise.com
ETHIOPIA “I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” Isaiah 43:6-7
n partnership with local evangelical churches African Enterprise has been planning their Gondar mission for over a year. Their goal? To see church attendance grow by 10% in the city. Gondar is one of the largest cities in Ethiopia and has a population of over 300,000. About 1% of this population is Protestant; most others are part of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. At the beginning of December, 2015, AE launched their mission with a meeting for 50 couples, focusing on the sanctity of family life and marriage. Many of these couples were involved in church leadership. “One of the primary challenges of the church in the 21st century is to do with family life,” said one of the participants. “Satan has waged a war to corrupt and disgrace the biblical meaning of marriage and to destabilize family, leading to family disintegration and divorce.”
I
AE’s seminar could not have come at a better time. “We as leaders and ministers of the church in Gondar are grateful to AE for focusing on such a relevant and timely topic. A strong family means a strong church, and a strong reputation for the church.” From there the mission sprang into it’s proclamation phase and crowds gathered to hear the Gospel. The response was more than anticipated, with an overflowing crowd on Sunday at the end of the week. “It is uncommon to get souls converted in big meetings such as the one we had in the mission,” said Mel Mesfin. “Often, after hearing the Gospel preached it takes long gestation and contemplation period before the people come to the Lord.”
Ashenafi’s Story “I am the kind of person who is full of questions; I had an unsettled mind and often could not sleep because of it. I became so restless that I even thought of committing suicide. One day I went to a church by myself. I heard the Gospel preached and I said, ‘this is what my soul was searching for’.” Ashenafi gave his life to Christ. “Now I am a different person. My questions are answered.”
Reached: 7,000
“When I go back home after graduation, I want to tell to my family about this new found life in Christ Jesus. I am so sorry that I wasted so many years of my life without Christ. I want to compensate it by talking about Jesus to as many people as I can!”
//
Saved: 305
“
I felt desperate for salvation. When the preacher read ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest’ I felt within me of great burden and desire for someone to give me rest!”
“
KENYA “Within the church in Eldoret we have noticed a particular problem; many people think they are saved - maybe they go to church a few times a year, maybe they know a few scriptures, but there is no change in their hearts, there is no foundation. It is time for Eldoret to experience God again.” Eldoret Mission Volunteer.
he theme of the Eldoret mission was, “It is time”; time for the church to stand up and take responsibility for their city, time for the lost sheep to come back to the Sheperd, time for God to fall afresh on the city. The mission began with a bang; over 1500 people attended the Commissioning service where the pastors of Eldoret symbolically handed over the keys to the city to the AE Team. Rejoicing filled the hall as people praised God for what he was about to do in the city! From there, hundreds of mission volunteers descended on the centre of Eldoret to clean the gutters and the rubbish heaps in a symbolic and physical act of cleansing. People passing by were amazed; why would these strangers suddenly start cleaning things that no one wants to clean? It was an act of devotion to the city as well as an expression of AE’s desire for God to cleanse its people from sin. “A man stopped to ask us what we were doing,” said one volunteer. “He could see that we were cleaning the dirtiest places; places that no one else would dare touch. I told him it was because once I was dirty like all this rubbish but when God came
T
Jane’s Story
Two years ago, Jane left her husband and children in search of what she thought was freedom.“I felt I needed freedom to do what I wanted and if I stayed with my family in Kitale, I wouldn’t be free.” She ran away to Eldoret, where she was able to go out in the evenings, doing what she wished, free from family responsibilities or concerns. Faith was the farthest thing from her mind. “With very little spiritual guidance in my life, I never considered things to do with faith or family as important,” she said. “Life had more to offer than mere faith.” One evening, she was on her way out for the night, when she saw some policemen marching in a shopping centre and stopped to watch. “I thought it was a government-related event,” she said. “Then I realized that they were actually participating in a praise and worship session in an open air meeting! I nearly left but something within me told me to stop for a few minutes just like everybody else. I never knew that those few minutes would change my life for good.” Jane had never seen or heard a police officer preach and was intrigued to hear what a man in
Reached: 103,394
into my life he made me clean and we want to share that with others. He decided to accept Christ right there on the sidewalk!” This mission was the largest in recent AE history, with nearly 200 hundred churches and 1400 mission volunteers involved. The city was strategically divided into five zones, North, South, East, West and Central – so that AE could effectively reach each portion of the city. The generosity and willingness of volunteers and churches to join each other for the sake of the Gospel was yet another indication that it truly is time for Eldoret and for this important mission. As the mission kicked off across the five zones, reports of salvations started flooding in. On the first day in the central zone alone, 700 people accepted Christ. Teams were sent to nearly every school in every zone to run programmes for students. AE’s stratified evangelistic approach means that people are reached wherever they are, whether in prison, at the hospitals, at the market or in the slums. Every zone was reached and thousands of doors were knocked on with the message of the Gospel.
uniform would say about Christ. He spoke of the bondage of sin and for once, Jane felt the guilt of all the things she had done wrong. “He brought out the message so clearly, explaining that many people are struggling in life because they have been made captive by sin. He outlined how Christ came to set free all those who were bound by sin. I suddenly realized that I was a slave of sin! And I felt desperate for salvation. When the preacher read a scripture from the Bible saying ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest’ I felt within me of great burden and desire for someone to give me rest!” Crying, Jane came forward to receive the love and salvation of Christ. That day, she found true freedom, the kind that can only come from Him. Her life has changed completely: she has a fulltime job, attends discipleship classes at church and prays for God to help her make peace with her family. “My greatest desire is to be reunited with my family. My prayer is that my husband will be able to forgive me.”
//
Saved: 8,672
MALAWI “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8
E Malawi’s mission to Chinsapo, Lilongwe was fraught with challenges from the beginning. The local church was fearful to commit to the mission and many pastors withdrew from the mission at the last minute; the number of partnering churches when from 30 down to 10 churches helping with the final touches for the mission. On the fourth day of the mission, AE’s sound equipment blew and one of the rallies had to be canceled. But the team persevered through all obstacles and the mission was a huge success because of their commitment. During the course of this mission alone, 1000 souls came to Christ and 5000 people were exposed to the Gospel! When the sound equipment became damaged, a boys’ secondary school invited the AE team to do a
A
rally at their school using their equipment, and more people were reached through that event. “Throughout this mission the Malawi Fox-Fires were setting ablaze the entire Chinsapo Township and were a marvel to watch,” said Abel Sauti-Phiri, AE Malawi’s missions director. “We have learned that we can still do a meaningful and effective mission with little available resources!” Reports from the local churches say that they have been receiving new members over the past weeks as a result of the mission. Pastor Bottoman said that, since participating in AE’s mission, his faith is no longer the same.
Eric’s Story “My life has been transformed since becoming part of the Foxfire Team in Malawi. There is a great change in my Christian life. When I joined the Foxfire team in February 2015, I did not have confidence to speak in public. Now I am able to with conviction! My participation in AE missions has helped me to be more committed to the Lord personally as a soul winner. I have seen many young people accept Christ through the outreaches my team has done this year. I’m so thankful that God placed me in this team and thankful that we’ve been used to share God’s love.” - Eric Maonde, Malawi Fox-Fire team member
Reached: 5300
//
Saved: 1100
Partner with us as we equip and support local churches to spread the Gospel in their communities! Visit our website to donate. www.africanenterprise.com
EVANGELISM TRAINING SUMMIT - KENYA & SOUTH AFRICA
“
Events like these search your soul and give you that boldness and that courage in the Spirit to actually stand up and do what you need to do. It becomes practical.
“
“
“
I feel loved, and no longer desperate. I’m not feeling lonely anymore and I’m now with a very big family—the members of the body of Christ.
RWANDA “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” Mark 9:37
ast year, AE Rwanda was moved to reach out to the young people of Eastern Rwanda and, together with local churches and the Centre for Champions, they launched their Rwanda East Mission on August 9th, 2015. Center for Champions offers an accelerated “Catch Up” educational program for children and teens who cannot complete primary school because of financial or family difficulties. These children take an accelerated three-year course and can then rejoin mainstream education for secondary school, or they can stay at the Center for a year-long “Crash Course” of Vocational Training in welding, carpentry, plumbing, hair dressing, tailoring, construction, and electricity. The school currently has 95 students in the Catch Up program and 515 in Vocational Training.
L
Jeanne’s Story
AE’s mission to Eastern Rwanda in August 2015 saw about 7000 people commit their lives to Christ for the first time. Jeanne Mukandori, a 52 year-old widow with four children, was one of them. Jeanne lives with two of her children in Nyabishunzi village. During the mission week, AE staff visited her home, along with church leaders from her neighborhood. “Being a widow, I was desperately lonely with no one to care for me or give me support. My only comfort was being in bed, and even then I spent many nights crying,” she said. “When the AE crusade took place, I attended and was strongly touched by the preaching
*Reached: 43,797
These students and their families were all given the chance to hear the Gospel during AE’s mission, through outreach events at four major commercial areas in Eastern Rwanda; Rwamagana (where the school is situated), Kayonza, Kabarondo and Kiramuruzi. The churches involved have built strong relationships as a result of the mission, and are ready to take on their own evangelistic outreaches. They are committed to guiding new converts, leading them through discipleship classes to help them grow as followers of Christ Jesus. One church in particular welcomed 109 new converts! These new members have been baptized and the church leaders are visiting them, welcoming them to their new family in Christ.
and testimonies of those who shared the Gospel. Before the outreach, going to church wasn’t my priority but sometimes I would follow others to the church—merely as a stranger with no commitment,” she said. “During the mission, I decided to accept Jesus Christ as my Savior and now I am a committed church member.” Jeanne has even joined the choir at her new church! “I feel loved, and no longer desperate. I’m not feeling lonely anymore and I’m now with a very big family—the members of the body of Christ.”
//
Saved: 7,148 *Represents multiple missions
UGANDA “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17: 22 - 23
hen AE Uganda proposed their mission strategy for Mbale, a fast-growing town in the northeastern Uganda, local pastors partnering with AE were skeptical. Stratified Evangelism is still a unique approach in the Christian world and the local leaders of Mbale didn’t know what to make of it. “When we go into a city,” Paul Ssembiro, AE Uganda Team Leader said, “we reach every portion of society from the government, to the slums and everywhere in between. Our aim is to bring the Gospel to people wherever they are. By working closely with local church leaders and mission volunteers we expand our impact across a city and the events become all about the Gospel, rather than about a particular church. It’s a beautiful thing.” Unfortunately, the Church in Mbale was sharply divided and after months of hard work by the AE Uganda Team to set up the mission, some churches refused to work together. In an effort to save mission week, AE called an all-night prayer meeting which brought pastors from multiple denominations together to seek God. Over the
W
course of the night, pastors saw how much could be accomplished for the Kingdom of God when they were united and the mission was able to move ahead! During the mission, people from every walk of life were reached. Meetings included seven Gospel rallies, preaching in churches, outreaches in 64 schools and nine institutions of higher learning, a prison ministry, a boda-boda (taxi motorcylces) drivers’ luncheon and leadership dinners. Right before the mission started, there was an interdenominational allnight prayer meeting, a street cleaning event, and dental and medical camps as well as one-to-one evangelism. Being involved in the events gave these leaders a new concept of effective urban evangelism and two weeks after the mission, reports were still being received from local leaders of the impact the mission had on the community. Future efforts in evangelizing Mbale will draw from AE’s example.
Christine’s Story Christine Namutosi, 34, and her husband were arrested two years ago for theft. When she confessed to the crime, her husband was released. She became filled with bitterness and blamed God for everything that had happened to her. Many people tried to reach her with the Gospel but she refused to listen. Christine hated reading the Bible and attending prayers at the prison Chapel, and she quietly planned to take revenge when she got out of prison. To add to her bitterness, she recently got
*Reached: 170,408
news that her husband had re-married. She vowed never to forgive him. This is the state she was in when the AE evangelists visited the prison. God used them to speak to her and soften her heart. “I entered this prison a bitter person, full of hatred and unforgiveness but now I feel like the bitterness and hatred has been melted away, I feel like a brand new person. God has transformed my life in prison.”
//
Saved: 18,208
*Represents multiple missions
“
During door to door evangelism, we met a woman who was about to go to the hospital to try sell her kidney because she had nothing to eat. As she prayed with us to accept Christ she became so excited she burst from her house declaring to everyone that was around, ‘I have been saved today!’
“
...she burst from her house declaring to everyone that was around, ‘I have been saved today!’
She will no longer try to sell her kidney as she knows that God will provide for her every need. Eldoret City-Wide Mission Volunteer
Join us in spreading the Gospel in Africa! Make a donation on our website at www.africanenterprise.com
SOUTH AFRICA “But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth” Exodus 9:16.
he “Switched On” Mission was unique in many ways. The unity amongst the local churches in Port Elizabeth was incredible and allowed God to fulfill His purposes. AE also combined an Evangelism Training Summit with a City-Wide Mission which was instrumental in equipping people with the confidence to share their faith with others and to pray with nonChristians. This mission brought people together and created a real sense of shared purpose and extra unity. The mission kicked off with the Evangelism Training Summit. Across the city in several venues, 400 people of different ages, colours, cultures and denominations took part in this three day training with speakers (many of whom are AE Ministry Associates) from across South Africa. Allan Verreynne, head of the “Switched On” Discipleship Committee described the programme as the “most comprehensive evangelism training course” he has ever seen in all his forty years of ministry. It inspired people to step out in faith and to put theory into practice! The “Switched On” Mission officially opened with a festival at St George’s Cricket Oval. 5000
T
people were in attendance and heard Michael Cassidy preach on “The storms of life.” He spoke about different storms we face in life. But, he told the crowd, no matter how big the storms are, Jesus can calm them. Stephen Lungu followed by sharing his testimony. He spoke on the many storms in his own life, and how Jesus had calmed those storms and had given him peace. Many people responded to the call to give their lives, as well as the storms in their lives, to Jesus. Counsellors worked for hours after the end of the meeting leading people to Christ, praying with them and taking their details down so that they could continue to build their friendships and invite them to join a local church. All over the city of Port Elizabeth people heard the saving message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It served as a reminder that whether we are part of the municipal leadership, or the police force, a school child, homeless or destitute, a wealthy businessman or successful sports person we are all in need of a relationship with the Lord, our Maker.
Xola’s Story Xola, a former gang leader in the notorious “26 Gang,” found himself in one of the “Switched On” tent meetings in Zwide. “I didn’t want to come to church or even hear about church. I told myself if I go to church I would think about robbing people’s cell phones or that other gangs would come looking for me. But I came to repent and to be healed. I was prayed for. I told the pastor ‘I want to be saved. I want to live a straight life now.’ In this area everyone knows me, even the children. The police would frequently come to my house to do raids. I was smoking Tik and also Mandrax. Among the gang I was the notorious one. But I was going nowhere.” Subsequently about fifteen of Xola’s gang have accepted Christ. Pastor Kenny, the pastor who
*Reached: 162,286
assembled the tent and organised meetings every night for a month, spoke about the difference it has made in the community already, “This area is known for robberies. In fact leaders in my church who go out to preach on the streets were held at gun-point twice in two weeks. But since the tent meetings have started they have not experienced such things. One of the guys who held them at gun-point was one of those who gave his life to Christ. The ‘Switched On’ mission has transformed the community already. But there are many more people to be reached. So much more needs to be done other than just pitching a tent and waiting for people to come.”
//
Saved: 16,060 *Represents multiple missions
ZIMBABWE “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8
he room was filled with hundreds of Zimbabwe’s leaders, some of the most successful, influential and hardworking people in the country: city councilors, businessmen, women leaders, diplomats, high school students, heads of NGOs , pastors and more – all were gathered around tables and each person danced, clapped and lifted their hands and voices to God, together. “Lord, we pray that the walls of destruction in Zimbabwe would be spiritually torn down,” prayed Jaqueline Anderson, a local NGO leader; “that you could bring a standard of righteousness to this country.” She was one of five Zimbabweans that stood to pray for the country at a National Presidential Prayer Breakfast in Harare, on Saturday, September 26th. It was the penultimate event of this year’s Harare Pan African Leadership Initiative and was attended by about 500 local leaders, an AE team from all over the world, and the Vice President of Zimbabwe, Emmersen Mnangagwa. Dr. Michael Cassidy, founder of African Enterprise, addressed the crowd of successful people: “I don’t care if you’re rich, wise, clever, or powerful,” he said; “it’s not enough to be patted on the back by society and have nice big cars and houses unless you know Christ. That’s what really, really matters.” He told them all that the most successful thing anyone can do in life is to choose to have a relationship with Jesus. “If you give your life to Christ today, he gets your money, your influence,
T
“
and your political power, he gets everything,” he said. In the four days preceding this prayer breakfast, AE held daily meetings for each specific group of Zimbabwean leaders, bringing them together and challenging them to lead with integrity in whatever their sphere of influence. Zimbabwe is a nation that claims to be 80-85% Christian. However, though Christianity is seemingly widespread, it very often represents a shallow understanding of the Gospel. This is a situation that the Harare Pan African Leadership Initiative sought to address in reaching out to leaders from every walk of life. Including the Presidency. “Dr. Cassidy has just shared that people need to ask who it is that leads their leaders,” said Vice President Mnangagwa. “I had never thought about it myself; I thought it was enough that we simply led them!” After the breakfast, and as the final event of a week focused on top leadership, over 300 people met at Harare’s Town House to sweep the city and pick up litter. It was an act that mirrored the servant leadership of Christ and symbolized the need for a cleaning up of our hearts. At the cleaning, CEO Stephen Mbogo reminded those gathered that they all need to look inward. “As we clean up the city,” he said, “let’s look inside where there is hatred, tribalism, and corruption, and clean up inside ourselves.” “Tsvaira Moyo,” the crowd sang, which means, sweep my heart, sweep my soul.
Dr. Cassidy has just shared that people need to ask who it is that leads their leaders. I had never thought about it myself; I thought it was enough that we simply led them!”
“I believe that the seed of the Word which has been sown in today’s meeting (Presidential Prayer Breakfast) is going to effect our leaders and influence them to lead lives which are God fearing and directed by God… I believe that today’s meeting was critical in delivering the message of Christ to the leaders of our nation. Thank you for contributing toward make this event a success. It is part of a process and events like this are very strategic for Zimbabwe.”
Reached: 1,470
“
Rev. Dube’s Story
Eldah’s Story
“I came to hear about how to lead Zimbabwe. I was here for the youth and women’s forum and they were both really great. I used to think youth were the leaders of tomorrow but now I have learned that youth are the leaders of today! After today I now believe that I can motivate women to do much more to lead Zimbabwe. Thank you very much. I so much want to make a difference in this nation. It has motivated me that I can do more than I am doing. It helped me to believe in myself.”
//
Saved: 93
www.africanenterprise.com