JANUARY 2015
AFRICAN
HARVEST FEATURING: Letter from CEO, Stephen Mbogo From fear to freedom - A Muslim man finds Jesus Looking ahead: Missions in 2015
REACHING FUTURE
LEADERS
PROCLAIMING JESUS TO THE STUDENTS OF AFRICA
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The Lost are Found in Kenya Ireen’s Testimony
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Celebrating Life Campaign in Rwanda.
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University Outreach - Ethiopia Mankessim Outreach - Ghana
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Fear to Freedom - A Muslim man accepts Christ.
Power of Prejudice South Sudan Testimony
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Final Word from Stephen Mbogo
Dear Friends, “Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you…” 1 Peter 5:5-9 In recent years, we’ve seen the immense effect that a few small voices can make on a nation. Revolutionary whispers with the power of social media behind them have overthrown governments and sparked worldwide movements. We’ve seen how powerful humanity can be when given the proper tools. The youth of this world have seen that change is possible and they are passionate enough to make it happen.
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Be encouraged as you read these stories and testimonies from university campuses across Africa. It’s because of your partnership that young leaders have been introduced to a life-long relationship with Jesus Christ. Pray for them as the future of Africa. Ask God to humble them under His guidance so that at the proper time he can raise them up to lead nations.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
Editor: Krista Burns / Ruth Garvey-Williams Design & Layout: Krista Burns African Enterprise AFRICAN HARVEST is published four times a year for distribution to friends and supporters of the African Enterprise ministry.
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from the CEO
As the popularity and accessibility of higher education grows in Africa, young and educated leaders are being released into their communities. They are passionate about their nations and about making positive change. This is greatly exciting to us in African Enterprise. We believe that godly leadership will change nations and the effects will trickle down into every portion of society.
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CONTENTS
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‘It is the time to let Jesus take over’.”
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“All I was thinking about was my own life and how I had rejected God... When the preacher called forward all those who wanted to receive Jesus as their personal savior, the voice within me said,
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ife has never been very easy for me. I left home as soon as I was old enough with the hope of making a better life for myself. I was able to get a job in a small market, but I soon found that the wages were not enough to support myself and my family back home. I began working in prostitution after work to make extra money. I was willing to live with what I was doing because it was getting me by, but I always had a feeling that what was happening in my life was not right. I felt an emptiness within me. One evening I was going home from my job at the market when I saw a huge crowd of people at an open air meeting, being preached to by uniformed police officers! I was shocked by the sight so I stopped to listen. It is not common to get even one police officer, let alone twenty police officers, preaching! The preacher talked of many things but I honestly cannot recall much; all I was thinking about was my own life and how I had rejected God. The preacher said Jesus was the only one able to take away all our cares
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and heavy burdens. “Even mine?” I asked from within me. I suddenly realized that this police officer-turnedpreacher, was describing me! If one of my friends had been there, I would have asked her why she had shared my story with a stranger. When the preachers called forward all those who wanted to receive Jesus as their personal savior, the voice within me said, ‘it is the time to let Jesus take over.’ I am a different person now; the craving for money has disappeared and I am committed to my work at the market. I look forward to getting an even a better job so that I can continue to support my family. I am grateful to those police officers who preached at that open air meeting, to the follow-up team here in Deliverance Church where I now attend church and a weekly discipleship course. Thank you for coming to my town and telling me about Jesus. You’ve saved my life and I have been changed forever.
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The Lost are Found in Kenya - Ireen’s Testimony
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Celebrating Life Campaign - Rwanda
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Students dedicate their lives to Christ during one of the outreached in Rwanda.
ccording to Alice Muhizi, finding ones’ purpose in life only comes in knowing God. “Life without God is meaningless,” she said, “It is nothing”. Alice is Rwandan University student and was one of the many campus leaders involved in this year’s university mission to Rwanda, Celebrating Life Campaign. The campaign trained over 500 Christian students in evangelism and discipleship, and used them to reach unevangelised students with Christ’s gospel. The mission used unique methods to encourage participation and follow-up, asking participants to give feedback, share their prayer requests or ask questions by texting them to a response phone number. This was popular with students and helped organisers in following-up on new Christians. “Many students responded by asking for help and prayer for different issues of life and salvation,” said Sengoga Desire, campus mission coordinator at the College of Arts and Social Sciences. By the final day of the campaign, about 23,000 students had been exposed to the gospel through one of 98 evangelistic events. A total of 847 new believers came to Christ, with 213 people re-committing their lives to him. “I am thankful to God for giving us a spirit of boldness in spreading the good news,” Alice said. Badukunze is a student at the College of Science and Technology. He accepted Christ during the mission and his life has been forever changed. Badukunze says, “I used to have strong feelings against God and Christianity; I couldn’t stand to be in a place where the word of God was being taught because I knew that it went against my actions and my desires. I kept company with people who were engaged in bad habits and we were all addicted to drugs, alcohol and sex. It made me uncomfortable NOW I KNOW THAT I AM FORGIVEN, I when I heard people talking about God. I knew what I had done and was doing in my life was wrong and AM A CHILD OF GOD, AND I AM FREE IN being around people of God made me uneasy. MY LORD But, when I heard the gospel at Celebrating Life Campaign, when I heard that Christ came and was The Celebrating Life Campaign has been a bridge to crucified for me, a sinner, so that I am not condemned the best place I have known; a place I could not have but that I receive eternal forgiveness – then I was known without it. I thank God for the follow-up group, a convinced in my heart that I was being pulled by group of caring people who have become my true friends; the power of the devil to destruction. Thanks to my you have banished my loneliness. Now I know that I am Saviour God, He has destroyed this power and drawn forgiven, I am a child of God, and I am free in my Lord.” me close to him.
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Hunger for Truth - Ethiopia here wasn’t an empty seat in the house during the gospel outreach meetings to students in Ethiopia. It was clear to everyone there that there is a hunger for the truth of the Gospel. The University of Bahir Dar in Northwestern Ethiopia currently has a student body of 44,700 students. Despite being in a country that has Christian roots dating back Students in Ethiopia fill the venue to overflowing to the 4th Century, only about 5% of those students are in order to hear the Gospel. Evangelical Christians. African Enterprise in Ethiopia puts a from various sicknesses. The most exciting thing large focus on student outreach. By collaborating with the is that the effects will continue to reverberate in the students’ fellowship groups, the team is able to spiritually campuses throughout the year because the students nurture and empower Christian students for mission within have been trained on how to effectively share the their own community. In all our work there, we are seeing Gospel. I expect many more, the Nicodemus types God’s faithfulness. This culminated in the 2014 Ethiopia (Jn 3:2), who will come “by night” and throughout mission from November 14th – 16th. the year,” he said. IT WAS CLEAR TO EVERYONE Prior to mission week, the “In addition a lot of campus was flooded with students recommitted THAT THERE IS A HUNGER FOR THE student evangelists who their lives to the Lord engaged students in one-to-one TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL and many were healed from witnessing and invited them to various illnesses. We can say that the mission the main gospel meetings. As the students gathered at the was astonishingly successful,” he went on to say, main meetings, the mission coordinator was encouraged. “especially with the number of people who came “The venue was packed and we saw many first time to the Lord. This is not something that happens salvations and many more people who rededicated their everyday.” lives to Christ. We also saw many people being healed
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E’s October 2014 mission to Mankessim aimed Through all these efforts – the youth meetings, both to encourage those churches and to reach cinema evangelism, seminars and work of the out to locals within the town needing the gospel. counsellors – the mission to Mankessim reached Seminars were organized for people from every section of about 12,500 people. The AE team recorded that society: teachers, youth, couples, singles, church leaders, 1,922 people came forward to commit their lives to pastors’ children, politicians and business people. Christ, and out of this, 1,505 were youth. These new converts have been contacted One of the creative ways AE by local churches and invited to used to reach people, particularly attend services or be involved the youth of the city, was by in discipleship classes. screening the movie The Passion of the Christ. The response to this The results of the mission are was extremely positive. One young evident not only in the numbers lady, Mary, was deeply touched of new Christians but also in and said, “Now I know how much the effect on the Mankessim He suffered for me. Today I want churches. Joana Amegashie, to live the rest of my life for Him. I AE Ghana Secretary, said she don’t want to go to hell.” A young has noticed a spiritual revival man, Eric, was overcome with among the churches. “They emotion watching the film and now have a deeper told counselors, “I have understanding of 1,922 PEOPLE CAME FORWARD lived a reckless life for a mission work, and long time but now is the of their duty towards TO COMMIT THEIR LIVES TO CHRIST, time I have to start living the church and their AND OUT OF THIS, 1,505 WERE YOUTH. town. The Queen mother’s right. Looking at how Jesus suffered because of me, I participation in the mission can only appreciate His love by surrendering my life to showed that the church and traditional leaders can Him so that He will control it.” work closely together to for the welfare of the town.” Besides the film screenings, several youth seminars The mission has had a lasting impact on God’s were organized and Victor Obeng, General Secretary of people within the city. “It was difficult to rally pastors Ghana Fellowship of Evangelical Students, told the young together but you made it work for us,” said Mission people to make good use of their energy. He challenged Chairman, Richard Green. “We have seen the fruit them to stop the current trend of sexual immorality in the and we hope to maintain the fellowship. You came to city and encouraged Christian youth to use social media show us the power of unity.” to promote their faith.
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Communities healed by the Gospel - Ghana
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From Fear to Freedom When I went to university, I stopped going to the mosque was born into a Muslim family. My fathers’ relatives are strong Muslims and though my but I was still too afraid to go to a Christian church. mother came from a Christian background, One day, I was out to lunch when I met two gentlemen she had to convert to Islam when she got married. and I stopped to hear what they had to say. They told me My father hates everything to do with Christianity and they were preachers and had come from Nairobi. I told them any association with Christians warrants punishment I was in a hurry but would be glad to have a discussion with from him. This is the life of any Muslim child. them later in the day so we exchanged details. When I was in high school, my father’s fortunes That evening I received a call and we agreed to meet. increased and he became richer than any of his He shared his testimony with me and listened as I told relatives. Some of them became jealous and began him about my life as a Muslim, about the prayers of my using witchcraft to send evil spirits to torment us: uncle, and about my fear of becoming a Christian. He snakes, frogs, rats and strange insects appeared in the asked me, “What have you been house from nowhere. Sometimes, waiting for? There are so many I REALLY WANTED TO PRAY we would all get sick and doctors Christians among Muslims TO THE GOD OF MY UNCLE WHO in the best hospitals could communities who know Christ not find the cause. We SEEMED TO BE MORE CAPABLE as their personal savior.” I realised that lived in constant fear. he was right; I was away from home, I Though my father tried to THAN OUR GOD had not gone to a mosque since I left get ‘protection’ from another home. It was time to make the decision I had been longing witchdoctor, it did not help – the invasions and to make. My new friend prayed for me and I accepted Christ torment continued. We were rich, but very unhappy. as my personal saviour. My mother’s family became concerned and My friend gave me the contact details of the African started visiting us. One of my uncles would pray Enterprise Mission team and they in turn led me to one of Christian prayers whenever he came and because the local pastors. Since then, we have been meeting twice our situation was so bad, my father felt he had no a week to study the Bible. I attend a morning church service choice but to allow it. Whenever my uncle prayed, the and am now very happy to be worshipping God from a invasions would cease for a time. My younger sister personal conviction and not from a family demand. and I began asking him to come pray for us. I really Thank you for coming to my town and telling me about wanted to pray to the God of my uncle who seemed Jesus. Thank you for putting me in a local church. My life to be more capable than our god, but I could not even has been changed for good. think of converting to Christianity if I wanted peace with my father.
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The Power of Prejudice - South Sudan he people of South Sudan have been left Christ’s ambassadors. I was also personally touched deeply wounded following the violence that and greatly impacted by the teaching on the topic of rocked the nation this year. AE Kenya has The Awful Power of Prejudice”. been on the ground since the beginning, engaging At the conclusion of the meeting, participants wrote with the residents and bringing healing those most down their hurts and took turns nailing them to a deeply affected. wooden cross as a symbolic act of Christ taking their Our team recently held a burdens when he died on the third peace and reconciliation cross. “As they stood one by training session for community one and shared the ways they facilitators. The training was had personally experienced aimed at giving community prejudice I could see the leaders the information and weight being lifted from their tools to propitiate peace and shoulders.” Augustine said. reconciliation between tribes in “One could clearly see that this their own communities. training has started a genuine Augustine, the missions process of reconciliations director of AE Uganda joined the Course graduates in South Sudan among those in attendance.” AE Kenya team as a facilitator. Those who attended the “I felt deeply privileged to be training will now return to I COULD SEE THE WEIGHT among the facilitators of this their communities to conduct training.” Augustine said. “It similar sessions. Similar BEING LIFTED FROM THEIR was immediately obvious to courses will continue to be held SHOULDERS. me that the people of South in the future so that we can equip Sudan have been left traumatised the maximum number of training by the recent conflicts. I thanked God that he facilitators who will in turn spread the message of brought us here in his perfect timing. I facilitated a healing and reconciliation to the areas the AE Kenya session about Christians being the salt of the earth, team aren’t able to reach. the God-mandated agent of healing for society and
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THE FINAL WORD Dear Friend and Partner,
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Great Eldoret Mission Kigali City Mission Mbale Mission Madina Mission Gondar Mission
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Kenya Rwanda Uganda Ghana Ethiopia
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Confirmed Missions for 2015
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The saying holds true, it is indeed hard to teach old dogs This year, we conducted several major university misnew tricks. This was highlighted to me nearly a decade ago. We sions. Our outreaches to campuses in South Africa and had just concluded a large campaign that produced an exciting Rwanda alone saw more than 500 students trained in evanresponse in the amongst the leaders. However, the changes gelism and nearly 40,000 people exposed to the Gospel. The failed to trickled down to effect the nation and bad governance results are exciting. These future leaders have been transwas still prevalent. It was clear that there was much work left formed and inspired as they listened to other exemplary to do. Christian leaders from different professions. When the challenges became evident to me, I began asking In 2015 we have missions in …. that will have a rich the Lord, “What do we do to make young leaders component. OUR OUTREACHES TO CAMPUSES a significant difference?” It’s then The youth are not just the that I started thinking, “If your busileaders of tomorrow but IN SOUTH AFRICA AND RWANDA ness was all about trees and forests, the leaders of today. When ALONE SAW MORE THAN 500 where should your focus be?” The a young leader is changed, answer was simple - in planthe has the ability to change many STUDENTS TRAINED IN EVANGELISM ing trees! current and future leaders. Thank AND NEARLY 40,000 PEOPLE you for being part of that change As a boy I recalled growthrough your financial partnership. I ing seedlings in seedbeds EXPOSED TO THE GOSPEL. also salute those who have particiand transferring them once they pated in our university missions as speakers and volunteers. were a certain height. The attention you give your seedlings deContact us to find out how YOU CAN make a difference in termines how they grow and develop into trees and ultimately the lives of the young leaders of Africa in 2015. Visit www. building materials. africanenterprise.com for details. It is at that point the Lord directed my attention to the fact that we needed to focus on future leaders as well as current Yours for the extension of God’s Kingdom, leaders. Focusing on emerging young adults in universities gives us the unique opportunity to influence them toward godly governance while their values and ideologies are still being shaped. That shift of attention to student leaders in institutions of learning in addition to our ongoing foxfires ministry that foStephen Mbogo cuses on young people in high-schools brought a new thrust of International Team Leader meaning to our engagement with leadership.
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Reaching out to leaders and engaging them in the Gospel is one of the most exciting things for me. The Lord sends us to them as agents of change. He even gave us advance notice when he said, “you will be brought before Kings and governors as my witnesses” Mt. 10:18 It’s an honour to bring the gospel to those that have so much control over nations and communities. However, ministering to those in high leadership positions is inevitably expensive, daunting and the results are not always immediately visible.
July July September October December
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