“God is good – all the time.”
For nearly 50 years, Uganda and its joyous Christians have been etched on Dr Robert Claxton’s heart. As a former AE Australia Board Director and Doctor, he has made periodic visits to the beautiful East African nation at various stages in its tumultuous history.
He’s been uniquely exposed to the changing demographics, political climate and growth of both Uganda and its Christians, who suffered prodigiously at the hands of Idi Amin in the 1970s. Originally working as a doctor in Uganda 45 years ago, Dr Claxton revisited 20 years ago, and make the journey to Africa again this year to join the proclamation period of the 2017 Kampala Mission.
In September 2017, Dr Claxton visited the International Christian Medical and Dental Association at Mengo Hospital, and the Department of Surgery at Mulago Hosptial. At Mengo, an exciting project overseen by Indian missionaries Anil and Shalini, is training South Sudanese students in medicine and surgery. They are also discipling these students through daily devotions, prayer and singing. It is an exciting time to be a Christian in Uganda!
He also reflected on serving at Kinawataka Medical Camp, in the vast slum of Kinawataka, where 700 of the most vulnerable people were given free medical care to improve their health, and by extension, whole communities. They were also spoken to about the complete healing that can be found in Jesus Christ.
“We looked after slum dwellers, the poorest of the poor, who live in extremely crowded ad unsanitary conditions. We screened for Hepatitis B, C and HIV and offered advice to patients. An eye clinic was also organised to restore vision and hope to poor Kampalans.”
Joy is present in the churches of Kampala in a tangible form – genuine, generous love and care for new Christians, worship through song and prayer, and a real sense of community. It’s quite inspiring and an obvious manifestation of God’s love for his church.
AE Australia is so thankful for supporters like Dr Claxton, for helping to sow seeds to strengthen the Church in Uganda.
Robert’s prayers for Uganda:
- Praise God for the Church in Uganda
- Pray for its leaders and that it will remain faithful to the Gospel.
- Praise God for the many lives transformed during the Kampala Mission
- Pray that those who came to Christ will be enabled to grow in their faith and have the support they need to live for Jesus in the modern world.
- Praise God for people like Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, and pray for them as they seek to be salt and light in public life.
- Praise God for political stability.
- Pray this this may continue to the glory of God and the blessing of the people.
Lusaka Leadership Initiative to Zambia has begun, and AE International Missions Director Emmanuel Kwizera has sent through news of the exciting launch of the mission.
Remember to follow AE Australia on Facebook and head to our website for the latest updates, photos, testimonies and more.
Saturday, 4 November
On 4 November, bright and early, the Lusaka Leadership Initiative was launched with a ‘Serve the city’ event. Church leaders and the AE Mission Team worked together to clean the most populated streets in Lusaka, including Cha Cha Cha Road and Freedom Way.
The reason behind beginning every AE mission with street cleaning, is to challenge community members to see that though AE mission volunteers are cleaning the streets, Jesus can clean their hearts. In Lusaka, street cleaning was specifically used to remind leaders to serve first their community, and that the Lusaka Leadership Initiative is about more than just events, but about an ongoing transformation of African cities.
Emmanuel explains,
It’s more than cleaning. We are working to transform African people to take up leadership responsibilities in their communities. You have to combine evangelism and prayer with caring for your community to show your faith is living and active.”
AE worked with Jesus Cares Ministry to mobilise churches to be part of this activity of cleaning the city.
One mission volunteer, Margaret Kantai shared her joy at seeing the mission begin in this way,
“It was amazing to see people giving their lives to Christ, and seeing churches get involved for the first time in cleaning the city!”
More cleaning will continue as the Mission continues this week.
Please continue praying for the other leadership meetings that will take place during the week, and the following prayer requests from AE Malawi Missions Director and Lusaka Leadership Mission Coordinator Abel Sauti-Phiri.
- Pray for the church in Zambia to catch the vision of reaching Leaders with the gospel
- Pray for The mission committee and leadership coordinators
- Pray for all the AE International speakers
- Pray for the heart of Leaders to be opened for the gospel
- Pray for the preservation and the commitment of the church in Zambia to continue
- Pray for the finances needed
A landmark bid by African Enterprise to spark a repeat of the great Lusaka Christian revival of 1980 gets under way in the Zambian capital on November 4.
Some 1500 leaders representing every facet of Zambian life, including politicians, lawyers, doctors, academics, police and the military, have been invited to a series of gospel gatherings designed to bring greater understanding of God’s word and the vital role it can play in giving new hope to the Zambian people.
More than 200 churches are also taking part.
The mission, running from November 7 to 11, has particular significance because it comes during a period of increased political tension in Zambia.
Some activists continue the question the legitimacy of the national government in the wake of last year’s general election, and more recently an opposition leader has been charged with treason.
African Enterprise international mission director Emmanuel Kwizera says: “This means we will need God’s guidance and favour as we seek to bring our leaders around the preaching of the gospel.
“Zambia truly needs a touch of the living God and the transforming power of His work among its leadership today”.
Bishop Joseph Imakando, head of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia, which is organising the mission, has fond memories of the 1980 one.
“It transformed many lives and revitalised the church in this city”, he says.
Organisers seek prayer that day-to-day running of the mission will go as planned, that there will be a very strong and representative response from invited leaders, and that those who attend the meetings will put aside political differences as they listen to God’s word.
Story written by Mike Heard, AE Volunteer.
Head to our Missions page for more details.
AE Ghana is about to commence a mission to Accra South. In anticipation, we share a story about the ongoing impacts of the mission to Kumasi in 2016.
As one of 11 children, Precious’ family of 13 was constantly fighting to stay out of poverty. She couldn’t go to school, and was instead sent away to a faraway city to earn money for the family. Any money she made was sent back to her family in the village. It was hard to be just the house-help, and so lonely.
She fell prey to a man who made her pregnant, but refused to have anything to do with the baby. Back in the village, her family didn’t know what to do.
A young woman, with a tiny baby to care for, alone.
Precious became increasingly desperate, especially after her father had a stroke. She returned to the village and left her baby with her mother in the village. She travelled to Kumasi where she’d heard she could make money as a prostitute.
She hated the work and felt trapped.
But God had a plan for Precious.
African Enterprise conducted a mission to Kumasi, Ghana in October 2016. Precious stumbled on one of the rallies and heard the Gospel being preached! She gave her life to Jesus and since then has been growing in her faith, through AE’s Vocational Training Programme in Accra, Ghana.
Precious has learnt how to run a small business and is now making and selling soap. She also sends some soap to her village for her siblings to sell and is training up two assistants.
“AE helped me to become a Christian and through Bible studies my life has been impacted positively. I have understood God’s love and His forgiveness.
Today, I am able to pray with my family before I start work every day. Thank you African Enterprise for making this possible. I pray for God’s blessings on all the donors.”
Pregnant at 21 years old, Abbo *, decided she was going to abort her baby.
“I have no one to help me with the baby and no money,” she said. “The baby’s father is not financially stable, and he said he was couldn’t care for the child.”
Abbo was a Christian, and knew she had messed up, but she couldn’t see a way out.
“When I finished high school, I couldn’t do any further education,” she said. “I found myself with no money and no food, so I got into a romantic relationship with a man who got me pregnant.”
Desperate and frightened, Abbo thought the only option was to abort the baby.
Until she met a local evangelist during the Kampala mission this week. Reverend Susan, an assistant chaplain in one of Kampala’s hospitals, arranged for Abbo to visit the clinic and gain access to free pre- and post-natal care.
“I am so overwhelmed by the love I have received from fellow brethren in Christ and for Reverend Susan for her kind offer!” Abbo said.
“The AE evangelists talked to me about the love of Christ, how he forgives all sins and how He still loves me no matter what.”
Because of this reassurance of Christ’s love, and the help from her fellow Christians, Abbo has decided not to go ahead with the abortion.
Abbo and her baby have both been saved.
*name changed to protect individual’s privacy
Richard stumbles along the road in a long, tattered shirt, wearing shoes that don’t fit. At first glance, he looks like madman – dirty, unkept, muttering.
“I cannot remember the last time I had a shower,” he says. “Every time I shower, when I try sleep afterwards, I have dreams of snakes crawling over my body.”
Tortured by nightmares, avoided by other people who think he is mad, Richard feels like demons are chasing him.
But Richard is not mad. He is broken.
Richard’s wife left him and his children want nothing to do with him. He has no hope on his own.
“I feel like my life has no meaning,” he says. “I have no job, no family, I just loiter on the streets to see if I can find food.”
Having been tormented for so long and feeling pushed to the edge, Richard decides he is better off dead. He plans to go to Lake Victoria, and throw himself in the water to drown.
But then, a man approaches him and smiles. Richard blinks, tries to think if he knows the man. The man asks his name, reaches out his hand, and touches his arm. Richard is shocked into stillness.
He hears the man’s voice telling him about God, telling him that Jesus forgives all sins, no matter how great they are.
Richard finds himself crying and tells the man he wants Jesus to save him.
That day, Richard becomes a child of God, thanks to the work of an African Enterprise evangelist who reached out to a dirty, broken man on the streets of Kampala.
“I cannot express enough how grateful I am to you for praying for me,” Richard says. “Now all I want is to be reunited with my family. No more rejection! No more torment!”
Richard is broken no more.
