Ministry Update – March 2022
Thanks to your ongoing support, our AE teams have enjoyed some wonderful success in our outreach programs across Africa. By the grace of God, our Togo farming project has begun, with participants preparing the land ready for seed planting. They are also being educated on the correct way to grow vegetables for sustainability.
In Kenya, the local church leaders are helping to train up missionaries to reach even more people with the good news of Jesus. The Foxfire program has also had great success, with high schools now participating in forums to expand and continue the harvest. One young student, Boaz, says that he ‘feels strengthened to keep pure and serve God and His people.’
Our sewing school in Malawi has seen many graduates become trained in tailoring and professional dressmaking. These skills enable people to generate an income to meet their basic needs, and some have even gone on to open their own businesses.
The Hope for Girls Project will also soon launch in Malawi, with the aim of providing essential re-useable sanitary products to young girls aged 10 and over. This will be incorporated into the needlework program to ensure the sustainability of the program.
AE Ethiopia continues integrating new believers from the Kotebe mission into the mainstream church. New believer Gelan Megersa says she was met by someone on the street who told her about Jesus. “I was convinced and became a believer, and have been attending discipleship classes for the past 3 months. I have seen such a transformation in my life.”
In Uganda, the Omoo Youth Skilling and Production Centre has been training young people to bake cakes, mandazi, samosas, chapatis and buns to sell to the local market. They were able to raise more than 200,000 Uganda Shillings (approximately AUD 73.74) through the sale of their products.
Once again, AE has been able to outreach successfully in South Africa. In partnership with other ministries, we have been able to bring food relief to those who continue to suffer from unemployment, the ravages of the pandemic and the aftermath of recent unrest.
One recipient said that she had been praying for God’s intervention after both her mother and sister succumbed to COVID leaving her with the responsibility of caring for her brothers, all of whom are unemployed. Her response to our outreach was, “I feel I have hope now.”
Your prayers and support are invaluable to AE, and we give thanks to God for enabling us to bring some relief and minister to communities in desperate need. Please continue to pray with us that those whose hearts are moved by the Holy Spirit may grow in their journey of faith and be a witness to others.
African Enterprise supporter David Le Rossignol, first heard about us through a visiting speaker at his local church in Tasmania. It turned out that his father-in-law was also an avid AE supporter.
David’s own father was born in Port Elizabeth in South Africa, and his wife’s father was born in Kenya. This was another connection that sparked his interest in the work of AE.
David, his wife and their two daughters visited Kenya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe in 1991. They travelled for four months, and their African adventure was the fulfillment of a life-long dream to visit this beautiful country.
David says he always looks forward to EA’s newsletters because they inspire him to be in ministry in his own community in Tasmania. “Just to follow what God is doing in His world is amazing!” he says. He also finds encouragement in listening to messages from AE founder, Michael Cassidy.
David’s grandfather is buried in the St John’s Methodist Cemetery in Port Elizabeth in South Africa, and David and his family are proud to honour their African heritage by continuing to support the transformational work of AE.
Southern African Region (Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe)
The Southern African region under the regional leadership of Dr. Lutangu Lubasi, is one of our newest established regions. This was done to strengthen our capacity, capability and effectiveness in reaching more people with the Gospel. Even with the impact of COVID-19, we are grateful for all that was still possible throughout the year.
Recently in the region, a very successful mission was held in Zomba Malawi under the leadership of Dr Cornelius Huwa. About 1,984 people were reached with the Word of God (this excludes those reached through radio, television and social media).
AE’s foxfire team in Malawi have done wonderful work this year by using their energetic dance and engaging drama performances to share the gospel with the youth during market and school outreaches. This approach has helped to reach more than 200 000 children with the Word of God over the past 10 years. The ministry’s goal is to provide a holistic empowerment and discipleship of Malawi’s youth and it is heartwarming to see the team at work.
AE Zambia has started the Lusaka Enhanced COVID-19 Response whose objective is to educate and sensitize vulnerable communities and distribute reusable masks to the most vulnerable among marketeers, street vendors and other vulnerable groups.
Your prayers for the following are valued:
- For the development of a new missions team in Zimbabwe to build our evangelistic presence in partnership with the church.
- For the vibrant and energetic Foxfires team in Malawi where they still want to reach a minimum of 10 schools this quarter and reach approximately 5000 students
- For the Tailoring Project in Malawi that the AE team can have the funds to train even more women next year.
- That the Lusaka Enhanced COVID-19 response program really strengthen the community and educate people effectively to stay covid safe.
- That in the year to come, this newly established Southern African Region under the care of Dr Lutangu Lubasi will grow and flourish to reach as many people as possible in a combined effort from the three countries.
- For safety of the teams, staff, board members and their families as they continue serve God.
That the churches in the Southern African Region will be unified to reach 1,000,000 people by 2024 through our regional initiative.
The Mombasa West Mission in Kenya is the first one to be conducted in the year 2021. The mission is scheduled for 1st to 11th July. The mobilization of missioners and preservation facilitators took place in the month of May. The AEE Kenya team intends to host 300 visiting missioners in 9 zones. The rest of the missioners will come from within Mombasa. This month, there has been a series of continued mobilization and trainings.
The Kayonza Mission in Rwanda was scheduled for 20th – 27th June but following the Volcanic eruption in the neighboring DRC, the mission was postponed to 15th – 22nd August. Preparations for the same are ongoing. At least 127 homes are targeted to be trained to conduct Home Based Evangelism (HBE). Though this is an ongoing activity, 42 households were reached in May this year using HBE and 9 people accepted to follow Christ.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), preparations for the Mont-Amba Mission, which is set for 16th to 24th October, are ongoing. Mont-Amba is located South East Kinshasa in DRC. AE DRC Team conducted School of evangelism in the targeted location of the Matete, Ngaba, Kisenso and Lemba districts and a total of 276 participants from 99 local churches were trained. Currently, the team is mobilizing for prayer and funds for the mission. Earlier, 19 different local churches were equipped for further church members’ mobilization in the target area.
AEE Tanzania is set to have its mission between 22nd and 29th August in the capital city, Dar es Salaam. The team has been meeting the Pastors, equipping them through trainings towards the mission and conducting prayer for the 2021 Mission. Mobilization of evangelists and partners to participate in Dar Back-to-God Mission has as well been ongoing. In the month of May, a group of intercessors from different Churches gathered to purposely pray for the mission preparation and all programs at AEE-Tanzania.
In September, AE Uganda will have a mission in Jinja from 19th to 26th. The AE Team conducted a Vision Casting seminar for the mission where 52 leaders from Jinja City attended. This meeting brought together both the Anglican church leaders and Pentecostal church leaders in one house for the same purpose bridging the gap and dealing with misunderstandings that have always been there. Mobilization teams have been established and tasked to draft their strategies to aid achieving the mission targets. An overall steering committee with 18 members was constituted in May to help oversee the preparations. AE Uganda facilitated a training held in Entebbe for 120 evangelists by our partners in ministry who are planning a citywide mission in that city. The training was organized by the Joint Pastors Network in Entebbe city.
AE Southern Africa Region (AESAR) which is comprised of the Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe teams is set to hold a mission from 19th – 25th September in Zomba, Malawi. AE Malawi held three training sessions in Zomba ahead of the mission where 85 people were trained. The second phase of training the same group was set for the month of June. In April this year, task team leaders for the Zomba Leadership Mission were successfully appointed and a meeting with Church leaders in Zomba to review mission plans was held.
The AE Zambia team continues to go through the AE Manuals to adequately prepare for both the Kitwe and Lusaka mission scheduled for this year and next year respectively. The AE Zambia team visited Kitwe at the invitation of the Maranatha Pentecostal Assemblies of God church to help with the mobilization of the church for evangelism. Close to about 100 church members turned out for the evangelism outreach in Kalulushi.
In Ghana, the AE team is preparing to have a mission in Lome, Togo from the 15th to the 25th of October. An online meeting with the leaders in Togo was held earlier to aid preparations. The leaders were also able to meet the working committees in person. A HBE online training is scheduled for 30th June.
Preparation is ongoing for AE Ethiopia’s mission scheduled for 22nd – 26th December in Kotebe, North East of Addis Ababa. Last month, the AE team held a Home Based Evangelism training as part of the preparations steps for the mission.
Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity
1 Timothy 4:12
Foxfire teams are the youth arm of African Enterprise’s Evangelistic and Mission activities. Each year, across four countries a small team of young people are chosen and intensively trained and equipped for a lifetime of service.
Last year, due to the pandemic, the mix of learning and hands on activities had to be adapted. However, this in turn led not only to souls saved but a lifelong lesson in trusting that God’s word and His mission is unstoppable.
In Kenya, Foxfires conducted a mission in Kawangare estate within Nairobi, witnessing one on one particularly to street children. Of the 301 people who heard the Gospel, 46 made commitments for salvation. Every Sunday the team minister at the Teen’s church in Nairobi Chapel Karen branch through dancing and preaching The Foxfires have been able to minister to 1751 students with 171 making commitment for salvation.
The team also interacted and prayed with patients in the AE Kenya Soweto Kayole clinic and helped clean the compound.
As the pandemic intensified, the Foxfires studied PTC courses online and developed digital content, including short video clips, for evangelism on social media. Group discussions on topical issues affecting teens began almost every day, providing godly counsel to many. More than 613 young people have been reached via these videos and a platform has been created for teenagers to engage.
In Malawi, Foxfires were trained in how to counsel and help their fellow youths who are facing problems like peer pressure, alcohol & substance abuse. They also practiced drama and dance skills in preparation for school and college outreaches.
The spike of Covid-19 cases during the year disrupted the Foxfire’s youth ministry plans since schools closed down and markets were highly restricted by government’s orders. However, the decrease of COVID-19 cases during the last two months of the year gave them the opportunity to do ‘whistle stop’ outreaches at several schools and marketplaces. A total of 2,249 people were reached and 319 people committed their lives to Christ. 
Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team donated blood at Malawi Blood Transfusion Services Office in response to shortages, and went to Ntchisi District to distribute Masks and Soap. There they shared the word of God to over two hundred villagers, and eighty adults committed their lives to Christ.
In November, the Foxfire Alumni Initiative was launched to re-unite participants from 13 years of this ministry in Malawi and testimonies of transformation and empowerment bred a thanksgiving heart among the attendees.
In Zimbabwe, Foxfires learned how to participate in Home Based evangelism and help local communities with aid, including helping build a water tank for horticulture fresh farm produce.
In South Africa, the Foxfires conducted school outreaches, reaching 962, with 373 decisions made for Christ. In a village in Kwa Zulu Natal, in the Greater Edendale area, they did an open air outreach. As the Foxfires did their dance and drama, people started to notice and came out to see what was happening. When the word of God was shared, people were given a chance to accept Christ into their lives.
South Africa continues to be the most severely impacted country in Africa by COVID-19, with the strictest lockdowns on the continent. This has delayed the 2021 team from forming, with Pietermaritzburg having been identified as a hotspot area in early January.
We look forward to what God has in store for us this year. We are trusting Him to open doors for us to minister in the midst of the pandemic. We are also praying for protection over our AE team as we set out to do what God has called us to do.
Please pray:
- Praise God that Foxfire training was able to continue in 2020 with innovative strategies.
- Pray for Foxfire alumni to continue in faithful gospel proclamation and to ‘pass on the baton’ by training others.
- That God would achieve infinitely more that we might ask or think through the Foxfires and bring glory to Himself and Jesus in the church through all generations (Ephesians 3:20-21)
- Pray for the successful establishment of a Fox Fire Youth Empowerment Program in Zambia.
- For God’s mercy on the people of South Africa, and that they would call out to Him for relief from the pandemic.
Read more about our Foxfires >
Watch a video update about our Foxfires >
Our much loved AE Zimbabwe Team Leader and his family process the loss of their home
2020 has been a difficult year for Guide Makore, our AE Zimbabwe Team Leader. On the 19th of October, Guide and his family lost their home in a house fire. Since then, Guide, Forgiveness and their 5 children have been slowly rebuilding their lives.
The family is processing the loss of their home, and the trauma of the incident, with the help of counselling. Forgiveness and the children have been experiencing nightmares, while Guide has been struggling with a burden of false guilt, as he ponders how he could have prevented the family’s loss. Guide mentioned that even their young baby has been unsettled, as if she has been sensing the distress of her family members.
Following their loss, churches, Christian organisations and individuals have rallied to support Guide and family both emotionally, spiritually and financially. Guide has been keeping a record of gifts and donations received, and the family are so grateful.
After losing their home, Guide and family initially stayed with friends, before temporarily moving into the AE Zimbabwe office. The family have currently secured another interim residence, as they begin the process of rebuilding their home.
Guide and Forgiveness have asked us to convey their gratitude to all of our supporters who have given so generously to help them rebuilt and to those who are keeping the Makore family in their prayers. Please continue to pray for Guide and his family during this challenging time.
Featured Photo – Guide and Family (Guide, Privillage, Forgiveness, Giovanna, Genius , Graham & Elshaddai is missing on this photo)
