JANUARY 2016
AFRICAN HARVEST FEATURING: 20,000 saved at Mbale Mission Uganda HIV/AIDS Training changes lives in Tanzania A wayward wife is called home in Kenya
UNITY THROUGHCHRIST A MISSIONUNITES AFRACTURED CHURCH
FROM THE CEO/ITL “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 As 2015 concludes and the new year takes shape, we look ahead with excitement for all God holds for AE in 2016. This year we will be holding major missions in Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Ghana. Our mission in Kumasi, Ghana will have over 250 meetings and will have both Leadership Mission and City-wide Mission focuses! God is moving in Africa and we are excited to be a part of His work. We are especially thankful for donors like you who support this vision. Will you continue with us this year? Will you pray with us for the salvation of the millions of people who have no hope? Join us as we take the Gospel into the cities of Africa. Join us on this journey. TOGETHER We Can! In Christ,
Stephen Mbogo CEO/ITL
Cover Photo: A boy in Uganda sings praise to Jesus at one of the Open Air Rallies.
MISSION BRINGS UNITY TO A DIVIDED CHURCH “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 fastgrowing 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 as the mission began, 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 course of the night, pastors saw how much could be accomplished for the Kingdom of God when they unite 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 motorcycles) drivers’ luncheon and leadership
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A crowd gathers from a local slum to hear the AE Team preach the Gospel.
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dinners. Right before the mission started, there was an husband was released. I became filled interdenominational all-night prayer meeting, a street with bitterness and I blamed God for everything that cleaning event, and dental and medical camps as well had happened to me. as one-to-one evangelism. So many people have tried to preach about Jesus Being involved in the events gave these leaders to me but I refused to listen. I hated reading the Bible a new concept of effective urban evangelism and and attending prayers at Prison Chapel. I was too busy two weeks after the mission, reports were still planning my revenge for when I’m released. being received from local leaders of the impact When I found out my husband had re-married, it only the mission had on the community. It is likely fueled my rage and I vowed never to forgive him. that future efforts in evangelizing Mbale will draw Then one day, the AE Evangelists came to my from AE’s example. prison. God used them to Collins, a local THERE WAS A NEW SENSE OF UNITY speak to my heart and when church leader said, AMONG THE DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS I heard them speaking about “…I have been God, all my bitterness AND RELATIONSHIPS ARE CONTINUING challenged by the way AE and un-forgiveness approaches evangelism. They melted away. I feel like TO BE CEMENTED pursue everyone and don’t leave a brand new person! anyone out. Our church does open air rallies which I God has transformed my life in prison!” have come to see are not as effective because they -Christine N. 34yrs - Mbale Prison leave a very big portion of local people unreached. My “During this mission many people committed their eyes have been opened by this mission!” lives to Christ and those who are already believers had In all, 20,487 decisions for Christ were registered, their faith re-ignited. There was a new sense of unity 15,000 of them coming from schools. among the different denominations and relationship are continuing to be cemented. We are also deliberating Mission Testimonies about forming an interdenominational team of Church “My husband and I were arrested for theft two leaders which will be solely focused on Evangelism.” years ago. When I confessed to the crime, my -Rev. Juliet: (St. Andrew’s Anglican Cathedral)
PEACE THROUGH THE HOPE OF THE GOSPEL ames Jibi, works with the police chaplaincy in various topics. He also received personal healing. South Sudan. In 2013 violence broke in Juba, “I remember during one of the training sessions on the capital of South Sudan and James was trauma counseling, the AE facilitator from Rwanda caught in the midst of it all. shared his experience during the genocide in Rwanda “It was a terrifying time for me and my family; we and I identified with his struggles and he helped me were traumatized by the violence,” he said. “There to overcome my own hurt.” As a result James found was heavy gunfire all over the city and we feared for freedom to forgive those who had greatly hurt him. our lives but there was nowhere to run.” Those in South Sudan are still recovering from James hid his family indoors for several days until the effects of what happened – there is widespread there was relative calm. mistrust and animosity But the situation I KNOW THAT SOUTH SUDAN IS NOT THE SAME among the people. But, outside was grim. SINCE THOSE OF US WHO WERE TRAINED ARE James said, life is slowly “The streets were returning to normal. “I hope DOING SOMETHING TO PROMOTE PEACE AND littered with dead bodies,” by God’s help we South James said. “We feared Sudanese will manage RECONCILIATION IN OUR FAMILIES, that another civil war would to forgive each other CHURCHES, AND COMMUNITIES break out as armed groups and reconcile with one roamed the streets attacking another.” people.” This reconciliation will only come through the hope Some of James’ friends were killed during those of the Gospel, something which African Enterprise attacks. How could he ever recover from such an is working hard to bring to that nation. The effect on experience? James is evident. A short time after these events, the coordinator at “I know that South Sudan is not the same since James’ work told him about a series of trainings on those of us who were trained are doing something Peace & Reconciliation put on by African Enterprise. to promote peace and reconciliation in our families, The coordinator wanted the police to be equipped churches, and communities,” he said. “As a leader I with skills of trauma healing and counseling to help now seek to be non-biased so that I can be the bridge those who were affected by the violence. of reconciliation. I am not prejudiced as I used to be James went along with some of his colleagues against other tribes and this helps me to minister to and received thorough, comprehensive training on them in love.”
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S. Sudan Peace and Reconciliation Training
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Churches in Eldoret have been faithfully following up with those who made commitments to Christ during the Great Eldoret Mission in July and the stories of transformed lives keep pouring in! We in AE are excited and humbled to read about what God has done in so many lives! Together WE CAN transform Africa with the Gospel!
A WAYWARD WIFE CALLED HOME - KENYA ane K., a Kenyan wife and young mother from everybody else. I never knew that those few minutes Kitale, felt trapped by her family. “Since school would change my life for good.” days I’ve lived the same reckless lifestyle and Jane had never seen or heard a police officer preach when I got married I was not ready to change that.” and was intrigued to hear what a man in uniform would Her husband confronted her about her behavior and, say about Christ. He spoke of the bondage of sin and after a big fight between them, Jane decided she had for once, Jane felt the guilt of all the things she had had enough. She ran away, leaving her husband and done wrong. children, and fleeing to Eldoret, a town about 70km “He brought out the message so clearly, explaining away. that many people are struggling in life because they “I felt I needed freedom to do what I wanted and have been made captive by sin. He outlined how Christ if I stayed with my came to set free all MY GREATEST DESIRE IS TO BE REUNITED WITH family in Kitale, I those bound by sin. wouldn’t be free.” I suddenly realized MY FAMILY. MY PRAYER IS THAT MY HUSBAND For two years she that I was a slave of WILL BE ABLE TO FORGIVE ME lived in Eldoret, going out in sin! And I felt desperate for the evenings, doing what she wished, free from family salvation. When the preacher read a scripture from the responsibilities or concerns. Faith was the farthest Bible saying ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and thing from her mind. burdened, and I will give you rest’ I felt within me a “With very little spiritual guidance in my life, I had great burden and desire for someone to give me rest!” never considered things to do with faith or family as Crying, Jane went forward to receive the love and important,” she said. “Life had more to offer than mere salvation of Christ. That day, she found true freedom, faith.” the kind that can only come from Him. One evening, she was on her way out, when she Her life has changed completely: she has a full-time saw some policemen marching in a shopping centre job, attends discipleship classes at church and prays and stopped to watch. “I thought it was a governmentfor God to help her make peace with her family. related event,” she said. “Then I realized that they were “My greatest desire is to be reunited with my actually participating in a praise and worship session family. My prayer is that my husband will be able in an open air meeting! I nearly left but something to forgive me.” within me told me to stop for a few minutes just like
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POWERFUL HEALING IN ZAMBIA
*Photo not from event referenced
any years ago AE conducted a mission in Ndola,
Word spread quickly – on the third night, the Cathedral was packed with people who thought that anyone had seen. The venue was an Anglican David and Sam were magicians. This was not at all Cathedral where Father Thomas was Dean. He was what they wanted. a Sri Lankan man and was used to a ‘high’ form of “They decided not to call for a prayer response but Anglican liturgical practice. What happened in his instead explained that they were just disciples of Jesus cathedral had an impact on the entire community. Christ and that He – by His Spirit – was the healer. Here, David Richardson, CEO and Executive It required no touch or knowledge by David or Sam. Director for AE Canada, tells the story of God’s Everyone was then asked to place their hand on where healing power and an they needed healing and then SOON EVERYONE KNEW THAT SOMETHING unforgettable mission. to pray to the Lord, the Great EXTRAORDINARY WAS HAPPENING AT THE “On the first night Physician for His mercy of the mission David Peters CATHEDRAL AND THE VENUE WAS PACKED and healing. The result (AE SA) called for those who was way beyond the EVERY NIGHT OF THE MISSION. wanted to make commitments norm and we needed all to Jesus to come forward, and only a few came, but local pastors to help with the counseling and praying when he invited people forward for prayer there was a with people in their pews after they experienced big response and big needs. Many were healed. healing. This went on long after the meeting closed. “The next night when Sam Nkulila (AE Tanzania) None of the AE Evangelists could remember such made a similar appeal there were even more calls for a response to prayer for healing.” prayer for healing of chronic conditions –blindness, Such miraculous occurrences did not pass deafness, paralysis from a stroke, and others – and unnoticed and local news reporters came to check the Lord healed them all.” out the rumors. Soon everyone knew that something
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with the Triune God as the only authority in all
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extraordinary was happening at the Cathedral and the venue was packed every night of the mission. “People were being healed by just walking into the Cathedral while others said ‘you just have to walk near the Cathedral!’ AE did not have to shout or make any claims about the super-natural power of our ministry. The witnesses came from the people who were healed or from those who had a friend or relative who was healed. They told their stories to the press or their neighbors while AE preached the Ndola, Zambia Gospel and gave all the glory to the Lord.” When the wife of a wealthy Zambian businessman – the owner of the Zambian PASTORS CAME... AND CONFESSED THAT THEY Soccer Team – went home from the HAD BEEN INCLUDING TRADITIONAL AFRICAN Cathedral with an amazing healing, her RELIGION WITH THEIR CHRISTIAN TEACHING husband went to the AE Missions office to find David Peters and offered him a long-term – INCLUDING PRACTICES LIKE ANCESTRAL contract to work for him. WORSHIP. BUT THE MIRACLES THEY “He thought that David could keep his team injury WITNESSED CAUSED THEM REPENT... free “by this prayer thing that David did.” But David things. The Lord confronted His shepherds who had laughed and shared the Good News of the Great become lost and He was bringing them back into the Physician with the businessman.” fold.” Not only were the local people of Ndola healed and Praise God for revealing Himself in small and touched by the Gospel, but local church leaders were big ways so that all may come to a knowledge of also reminded of the Truth. Him! Please pray for the people who were healed “Pastors came to David and Sam and confessed at that event that their faith may be real and deep, that they had been including traditional African religion that may come to a true, personal knowledge of with their Christian teaching – including practices like Christ that is sweeter and more powerful that any ancestral worship. But the miracles they witnessed physical healing received! caused them repent and return to Biblical practices
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hacha M., 52, is a teacher at Mwasamba Primary school God is based on truth and understanding and not on myths in Magu district, Tanzania. He became a Christian as a or rumors,” said Yohana. “I’m now comfortable talking to my high school student in 1978 and as an adult has devoted himself parents when discussing changes in my body and about HIV to spreading the Gospel. and AIDS. I am confident that I am special and unique and that However, like other teachers in his district, he has been God loves me and he wants me to live a life of purity.” discouraged by the prevalence of HIV and AIDs in the lives of Yohana and Chacha, one a student, the other a teacher, his students. Recently, he was given the chance to change that have both been transformed in unique ways. situation. “I learned that it is my obligation as a Christian and an “AE Tanzania invited me to attend a seminar on how to train evangelist to preach and to openly educate young people on school children to fight HIV & AIDS through use of scriptureHIV and AIDS,” said Chacha. “The training made me aware based literature,” said Chacha. He is one of many in Magu that HIV and AIDS is a global and national problem and that district who have young people are at risk of getting FOLLOWING THE AE TRAINING, I DISCOVERED received such infected and affected.” training – teachers, Chacha’s school THAT THE WAY OF GOD IS BASED ON TRUTH AND parents and has seen overwhelming students are being taught to UNDERSTANDING AND NOT ON MYTHS OR RUMOURS changes since the HIV & combat HIV through the Magu HIV & AIDs project; an education AIDs education project began, for example, the rate of child and awareness campaign that is reaching thousands of young pregnancies has reduced by 80%. people in 58 schools. “The word of God is very powerful in the transformation One of those schools is Manala Primary, where Yohana N., of the lives of our students,” said Chacha. “The children a grade six student, decided to attend the training to help his uphold Christian values and practice abstinence from sex till peers. Through the process, he became a Christian. “Before marriage as a protective measure from HIV & AIDS following training I had beliefs in traditional myths about HIV and AIDS,” the implementation of this project. We had tried using other he said. materials on HIV & AIDS before the inception of this project but There is a heavy social stigma associated with the disease; the impact was not as visible as it is through the AE program.” as soon as someone is known to have HIV they are ostracized by their own community. These are the stereotypes AE Tanzania is hoping to overcome. “Following the AE training, I discovered that the way of
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THE WORD OF GOD IS VERY POWERFUL IN THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS
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HIV/AIDS TRAINING CHANGING LIVES IN TANZANIA
Above: Yohana speaks to fellow students Left: Chacha in his classroom