For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. – Ephesians 2:8-9
Kenya Mombasa West Mission – 2 – 12 June – 382,880 – heard the Gospel – 20,492 saved by grace.
Rwanda Rwamagana Mission – 18 – 24 July – 60,251 – heard the Gospel – 4,815 saved by grace.
Uganda Festo Kivengere Mission, 24 – 31 July, happening now.
What a joyous moment it is when someone gives their life to Christ, when someone decides to follow Jesus. After a mission, I tend to stare at the numbers for a bit and just say thank you to Jesus for His grace, compassion, forgiveness and salvation. Each one of those numbers is a person like you and me. Long before our missioners reached the people from the stories below, God was there. Preparing their hearts and making sure they were on the right place at the right time where they could respond to the Gospel. All by the grace of God.
I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. – Luke 15:7
Stories from the mission field:
Kenya
Located in a quarry area in Likoni, Ebenezer Worship Centre church sits in a unique raised place. Construction in the area was supplied by stones extracted from a quarry area which is now dormant. Settlements have now been set up in the area and Ebenezer Worship Center, led by Pastor Naomi Furaha, is their worship center. The fellowship has unique neighbors, drug addicts. The addicts spend their days in a cave situated just below the church – a cave formed due to the former quarry activity. Pastor Naomi, who is also part of the Likoni Pastors Fellowship, invited them for a hot cup of tea and a snack. Together with missioners at the Reach Mombasa and Diani Mission, they managed to feed 38 addicts – feeding them with the Word as well. Many of the addicts admitted that they were interested in a new life but the bondage has kept them there. The missioners led them in prayers with 12 giving their lives to Christ. Having their church as “their home”, they were receptive of the idea to go to church and Pastor Naomi mentioned that she will remain dedicated to reach out to them. With the church above and drug den below, the positioning seems as if holiness sits above while evil lingers below. What is unique is that those below are looking up – looking up to a new life in Christ. We pray that these addicts will be freed of their bondage and that through them, many will get to turn to Christ.
Rwanda
This is a new convert with joy – Niyomungeri i Emmanuel. He is 31 years and a father of 2 kids.
“I went through life’s challenges in my family at the extent of stopping my studies. This made me feel hopeless in life. Because of this kind of life, I took a decision of engaging in drug abuse leading to me being addicted by them. In the midst of this kind of life, I got married but my marriage was not successful at all just because of my bad behaviours. I ended up in divorce and I remained hopeless and vulnerable. But today, when the preacher was sharing his testimony about his journey of salvation, my heart was convicted that I have to repent and be saved and turn to my creator. After hearing the gospel, I have a plan of joining the local church so that I may continue growing in Christ. I want to bring back my lovely wife because she was innocent; I believe that she will respond positively to my repentant request.”
Uganda
During School Ministry at the Bishop Festo Kivengere Girls School, the school was filled with angelic voices singing spirit filled praise and worship. The students were dancing and surrendering their lives to Christ. The Holy Spirit was ever present and many of the students testified to the Glory of God.
At Trinity College, the young students were thirsty for the word of God. Ministering to them, Oscar Sabit encouraged the students to remain focused on the right path referencing his teachings from 1 Peter 1:24-25. By the end of his sermon, several students gave their lives to Christ.
Thank you our beloved supporter, for your prayers that carry our missioners through every day, thank you for praying for our missions and for every new believer. Continue to pray with us for the upcoming missions in South Africa, Zambia, Tanzania, Ghana and Ethiopia. Pray for every new believer, that they will be connected to a church where they can learn and grow in their faith.
AE’s participation in Ethiopia’s Emergency Response Program and the Sewing Project for Vulnerable Women has been an answer to prayer and a genuine blessing. The benefits of both are being felt by entire communities.
Our first round of graduates from the sewing program are already in the process of establishing their own businesses! The AEI Team was able to visit to provide valuable mentoring advice, and focused on assessing the success of this Community Transformation Group (CTG) program.
It was heart-warming to see how skills development coupled with the love of Christ can change the lives of vulnerable women. In the last 4 months, the graduates have even progressed to marketing their products.
Young orphan, Lemlem Tibebu has benefited greatly from the project. “It is a miracle that I joined this training program,” she says. “I have hope for my life now. I know there is someone who cares for me. My goal is to help myself and others who are like me.”
AE was also part of the emergency response targeted at displaced people currently in camps in an area called Azezo. The support focused on 598 women as direct beneficiaries. 12 kilograms of wheat flour, 2 liters of cooking oil, and one bar of soap were supplied to each woman.
Donations were distributed with love and messages of encouragement, and the majority of the 1,654 people in the camp were indirect beneficiaries. The emergency response was implemented in partnership with the Azezo Mulu Wongel Church.
Thanks to a previous working relationship with AEE, the church was able to facilitate discussions with local government and camp administration. They also gathered several donations that were distributed throughout the camp.
The Government’s Head of Gondar City Administration Emergency and Food Security Office made a plea for the continued support of displaced people. Due to ongoing fighting between groups, the numbers arriving at the camp continue to grow.
AEE is grateful to Barnabas Fund UK, who supported us through AEI. We also want to thank the AEI staff from Nairobi who led the distribution of emergency aid on the ground. This outpouring of love and care is a huge help to people who are desperate at a time when they need it the most.
It was a moment of complete surrender. Ruth stepped out from the crowd and towards the AE preacher. She answered the alter call and gave herself fully to Jesus. She repented before Him and experienced His life saving forgiveness for the first time.
Ruth is just one of the 906 high school students who accepted Jesus during the mission. Each one found hope in the risen Christ to change their lives. Ruth reconciled herself to His love and grace and allowed it to bridge the gap that had separated her from her family.
Alongside heaven, we celebrate the lives changed through the Zomba leadership mission. We give thanks to the 48 churches and the hundreds of volunteers who were involved. Their dedication saw over one thousand people make commitments to Christ during the school and leadership outreach.
This action-packed week facilitated the AE team to outreach to 8 Malawian leadership groups. These included the medical and legal professions, politicians, university lecturers, traditional leaders (chiefs), civic council members, business and student association leaders. Each group attracted at least 50 participants, with AE speakers exhorting the leaders to let Christ lead the way. It was humbling an inspiring to see an average of 20 people make commitments to Jesus per event!
One such person was a nurse whose life had taken a difficult turn. After losing her job, relationship, and friends, she realised that there was nothing left except Jesus. She needed him to restore her hope. As she listened to the guest speaker, she understood that it is never too late to turn to Jesus. As the speaker shared the story of how Jesus had forgiven him, she knew He would also forgive her. “In spite of my challenges, my joy and peace will always rest in God,” she said.
We thank our incredible supporters, who enable AE to comprehensively reach out to the Zomba community. It was a privilege to invite such a large cross section of the leadership community to hear about Jesus. Thank you for continuing to equip God’s people to bring the good news, unite churches, and give renewed hope to this city.
AEE-Rwanda implements a healing and reconciliation program targeting both students and out of school youth. The program also targets the key community groups that have greater influence on youth. The key ones being parents, teachers, grassroots leaders, and pastors.
The youth are the nation. More than 50% of Rwanda’s population is under the age of 18. Preparing the youth to become responsible citizens will break the cycle of violence. Parents probably have the greatest influence in molding the character of their children.
Parents were educated to impart messages of repentance, forgiveness, and peaceful coexistence with other groups.
Pastor Come Rwasibo one of the 14 pastors trained on healing and reconciliation tells his story. Come is the Senior Pastor of Rwanda Christian Revival Church (RCRC), He resides in Mwurire Sector, Ntunga cell, Cyimbazi village in Rwamagana District.
Come shared how he had experienced healing because of the training that helped him to understand that forgiving those who wounded him is the only way to experience healing and completely get rid of wounds of trauma that resulted from the loss of his beloved family members in 1994 Genocide Against Tutsi and the betrayal from fellow pastors in the ministry 10 years ago.
“Being healed of wounds of trauma is a result of discovering personal inner strengths and accepting help from others-willing people. When I was listened to during the training, I felt respected by people who gave me their time in listening to me. I felt safe which gave me the courage to share my past painful and hurting experiences with group members. In the 1994 I lost my beloved relatives who were innocently killed. This wounded my heart, I always found it hard to forgive those who killed my relatives. Ten years ago, I was also hurt by fellow pastors in the ministry. Colleagues unlawfully sued me and broke away with three-quarters of the churches I had facilitated to start in the ministry”, With sobbing eyes, Come narrates his painful story.
“For all this time, I felt bitter and inhabiting unforgiveness despite being a Senior Pastor, but I am now free, my heart is clean. I have understood that many wounded people resent God and hate people which continues to limit their development both economically and spiritually. From the time I made the decision to forgive those who hurt me, I have begun to experience inner peace and I feel restful. From now onwards, I will purposefully listen to people and help them to get healed of their wounds of trauma. Like it has been to me, many wounded people do not want to be approached or share their painful experiences and get healed” said Pastor Come.
Poverty neglect and rural migration have led to around 61,000 children aged under 15 years being forced onto the streets of Ghana’s capital city Accra. Sadly the right to food, health, education and a safe environment are missing for these children and they are open to abuse, trafficking, health risks as well as being exposed to and involved in crime.
Every year through the Ghana Street Children Apprenticeship Project (SCAP), 50 children otherwise destined for crime and abuse are brought off the streets and equipped with skills through vocational courses including dressmaking and tailoring, computing, hairdressing and beautician, aluminum fabrication and auto mechanics.
One of these graduates, Gabriel Otoo, completed his training in auto-mechanics and now works independently in an Accra city shop. He is not taking the opportunity lightly, and is working hard to establish his new business and to employ others.
“I am forever grateful for AE Ghana and all the donors”, he said. “My goal is to save for land to develop into a training workshop and other children like I was.”
Providing a better future for other disadvantaged youth is now a passion, all made possible because AE supporters gave him a helping hand when he had no much hope.
“What AE has done for me, I am obliged to pay back by giving back to society”, he said.
Thank you for all your faith in the work of God to change lives through word and deed in the name of Jesus. Thank you for your continued support towards AE Ghana’s SCAP program.
SIMON NZIVWA MUNDU, AEI INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS MANAGER
Simon is the International Operations Manager for AE overseeing AE’s financial, procurement and asset management and financial reporting among others. Simon is also charged with establishing and operationalizing the African Enterprise Southern Africa Region (AESAR), a new mode of operation that AE is piloting.
I first heard about AE from my local congregation pastor who comes from the same locality with a former AE Kenya National Team Leader; Mr Gerishon Mwiti.
Born 54 years ago (12th March 1967) in the eastern region of Kenya, Simon is the second born in a family of nine (6 brothers and 3 sisters) him being the elder son. His parents are peasant farmers.
Simon is an holder of Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) degree and an MBA both from the University of Nairobi. In addition, Simon is a Certified Public Accountant in Kenya and a member of the institute of Certified Public Accountants in Kenya. My work experience started 29 years ago in private sector with the last 5 years in government sector and now in the NGO sector.
I committed my life to Christ in January 1986 while a student in secondary school. Thereafter I served in various capacities in the Christian Unions culminating with being chair of Uttermost Evangelistic Team (UET) which spreads the gospel in the rural areas prior to joining AE. Being in AE is an extension of serving God just like in the previous role at UET but this time in urban locations which is a new environment.
I am married to one wife (Grace) and are blessed with three children (Euphemia, Elijah and Emmanuel). On the photo we are from the left: Emmanuel, Grace, Euphemia, Simon and Elijah.
The life of Jesus Christ influences my spiritual life deeply as I read how he lived and demonstrated his faith daily and in public. Consequently, my favourite book of the bible is the Acts of the Apostles. It lays the biblical foundations of the church and instructs the life of a Christian including demonstrating the power of God at work in believers.
