“He called a little child to him and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matt 18:2-4
AE’s Kicukiro Mission in Rwanda is underway and the Lord has already shown his faithfulness! Over the weekend, approximately 1,300 children were reached with the Gospel from the four major areas of the city.
This comes as a follow-on to AE’s children festival with launched on June 10th with the specific focus of reaching children with the Gospel. The AE team have been training Sunday School Teachers and children from local churches in how to effectively share the Gospel with other children.
A Strong Start
The Kicukiro mission kicked off on Saturday, 17th of June with children taking to the streets to minister the Gospel! They gathered at a local playground where they performed the skits, games, and songs they had learned in to attract a crowd. They then shared the Good News with the crowd and 103 children accepted Christ! Praise God!
One mission organiser told us, “Children are so important to God and having Him at the foundation of their lives will make all the difference for them as they grow. We’re passionate about seeing children make decisions for Christ from a young age because we know that it will change their lives and also transform our society.”
We’re passionate about seeing children make decisions for Christ from a young age because we know that it will change their lives and also transform our society.
The mission continued on Sunday with the mission teams visiting local churches. In all, they preached to 1,100 people during local services and 45 committed or re-dedicated their lives to Christ.
Seeing is Believing
On Monday, the team visited two schools where they shared the Gospel. The team demonstrated how Christ can wash away your sins using a fun science experiment which was seen by 983 students. When the team gave a call to salvation, about 60 students raised their hands.
Teddy (10) was one of those students. He told the team, “I used to always be afraid of things like the dark or dogs, but now I know that when I have Jesus in my heart I can face all my fears!”
Olivia (13) also made a confession of faith. She shared, “I’ve heard the Gospel before but when I saw the experiment display how Christ removes our sin, it made me want to be clean again. Everything made sense for the first time. I think sometimes it is better to see than to hear.”
Everything made sense for the first time. I think sometimes it is better to see than to hear.”
Please pray for the Kicukiro Mission as it continues throughout this week. The team is working hard to reach the city and we know that many will be saved! Pray for us!
African Enterprise is passionate about commissioning Africans to engage in the call of the Great Commission by sharing the truth of Christ with their neighbours near and far. We believe this is key in spreading the Gospel effectively in Africa and beneficial for the African church as a whole.
AE Kenya’s recent Malindi Mission was an example that passion coming to life. During the mission week, AE partnered with over 83 local Malindi Churches and more than 103 churches from across the nation of Kenya and the world. In total, 903 volunteer evangelists hit the streets to minister in Malindi. One such evangelist was Paul Obiero from Nairobi.
As Paul’s college campus closed for the school holidays, his youth pastor approached him and encouraged him to take part in the Malindi Mission. While apprehensive, Paul agreed. He tells us, “This is my first ever mission. I really didn’t know what to expect when I came here and I was a bit nervous to evangelize, but I can tell you for sure that I enjoyed every bit of this experience. It was amazing!”
“I loved being encouraging people that I met and telling them about Christ’s love for them. I remember one day, in particular, I went to minister at the local schools with a group of other young people. I was nervous at first but as I shared the Gospel I gained more and more courage. When I asked for people to make a confession of faith, over 1000 students raised their hands! I’ve never seen anything like that before and I was ecstatic to be a part of it.”
“…As I shared the Gospel I gained more and more courage. When I asked for people to make a confession of faith, over 1000 students raised their hands!”
“It was so beneficial to have local Christians from Malindi ministering alongside us as well. In Nairobi, our Swahili language has a lot of slang and English words. In Malindi, they speak very pure form Swahili which made communication difficult at times. The locals within our teams helped us communicate clearly and the Gospel was furthered much more quickly.”
“I hope that many more Kenyans will take up the challenge of the Great Commission for our country. I will be bringing all my friends with me to minister at the next mission.”
The mission concluded on the 13th of June and African Enterprise passed the work that had been accomplished back to the 83 churches in Malindi. A symbolic key to the city which had been presented to John Shikuku, AE Kenya’s Mission Director, at the beginning of the mission was handed back and he mandated the church leaders and volunteers to continue the work.
Decision cards that had been collected throughout the week were distributed among the churches and the vast work of following up with new believers officially began! It was reported by local pastors that over 100 new believers were present in church on Sunday even without follow up! Praise God!
Because of volunteers like Paul and the other 900+ evangelists who attended the mission, over 93,757 people were reached with the Gospel and 10,126 of those made confessions of faith in Christ! Praise God! Without partners like you, this mission would not have been possible at all.
“…Over 93,757 people were reached with the Gospel and 10,126 of those made confessions of faith in Christ!”
Please continue to pray for the new believers in Malindi and that the churches will be diligent as they follow up with them.
We in AE are so thankful for our partners worldwide who desire to see Christ’s love impact hearts in Africa. Because of you, tens of thousands of people were reached last week alone in Malindi! Together WE CAN make a great impact for the Kingdom of God in Africa.
As the AE mission in Malindi, Kenya continues, thousands of people are being reached with the Gospel. Yesterday, mission teams were sent into the city to minister door to door. The city was divided into nine sections, teams were then released into those sections in order to cover the city with the Gospel.
As one team ministered throughout a neighbourhood, they came across Sarah*
Sarah’s Testimony
Sarah is a Muslim and was raised in a Muslim family. “As I was growing up,” she told us, “I had several Christian friends. They spoke to me often about Jesus and I gradually felt more and more convicted and I needed to give my life to Him like my friends had explained. When I was 16 I gave my life to Jesus and I was so happy about it, but my family disapproved of my decision and that made things difficult for me. I wasn’t able to continue as a Christian.”
“When I was 16 I gave my life to Jesus and I was so happy about it, but my family disapproved…”
As Sarah shared her story with the mission team, they encouraged her in the faith she had once lost and reminded her of Christ’s amazing love for her. She accepted Christ into her heart and has Lord over her life with joy in the presence of the team and they took her details so that she could be connected with a local church for encouragement in her new faith.
Rain Brings Gospel Opportunity
Another ministry team had been assigned to an area where there is a heavy Muslim population. While knocking on doors, a downpour began and the occupants who didn’t want to have anything to do with the Gospel, graciously let the team into their home to avoid being soaked by the rain. The team seized the opportunity to share the Gospel message with the Muslim family while waiting out the rain.
“The team seized the opportunity to share the Gospel message with the Muslim family while waiting out the rain.”
The family did not make a decision for Christ, but the team felt that many good seeds were planted in their hearts. Please pray for this family and the others like them in this neighbourhood!
Simon – Saved from the Brink
“Simon was overwhelmed with the troubles in his life.”
Simon was overwhelmed with the troubles in his life. He had recently been diagnosed as HIV+ and felt that there was no future for him. He had made the decision to end his life. Thankfully he crossed the path of an AE team while they were ministering in his neighbourhood. He shared his story with them and they were able to encourage him and share the Gospel with him. After hearing about the grace that God extends to His children, Simon decided to give his life to Christ! His joy was clear and the team has put him in contact with a local church so that he can be encouraged in his new journey as a Christian.
Leader’s Dinner
In the evening, the mission turned its focus to the community leaders by hosting a Leader’s Dinner at a local hotel. Over 80 leaders attended and heard Rev. John Wesley, AE Kenya Board Chair, speak on the importance of good character and integrity as a leader. He challenged them to live a life that glorifies God and cares for those in need. The evening ended by asking the leaders to accept Christ’s leadership over their own lives.
The mission continues through this week and we’re excited to see what else God does in this city!
So far, 19,633 people have been reached with the Gospel and 2,939 of those have made confessions of faith.
“So far, 19,633 people have been reached with the Gospel and 2,939 of those have made confessions of faith.”
Please continue to pray for these local missionaries who are dedicated to sharing the Gospel amongst their own city. Please also thank God for those volunteers who have traveled to Malindi from the various parts of Kenya and beyond! We are thankful for those Christians in Africa who are dedicated to reaching their own countrymen with the Gospel.
Stay tuned for more Malindi updates!
*Names changed for protection to the individual
African Enterprise city wide missions for 2017 have begun!
The ‘Malindi for Jesus’ mission is reaching a predominantly Muslim region of coastal Kenya right now.
Eleven days of mission are running from 1st – 11th June.
After a preparation period of over a year, AE Kenya is ready. The church leaders and Christians in Malindi have begun the intense proclamation period that is the centerpiece of AE Stratified Evangelism. In preparation, church leaders and volunteers attended PTC (Preliminary Theological Certificate) courses, as well as church and committee meetings in order to be ready for the mission. Right now, around 800 local Christians and mission volunteers from Kenya and other African countries are proclaiming the message of Jesus to their communities.
Participants have to be particularly aware of cross cultural differences while on mission. They were trained on navigating the local culture before being sent out.
On Saturday, volunteers gathered to register and be commissioned for mission by a local Malindi pastor. He encouraged them to be diligent and humble in their ministry, sending out the mission volunteers with these words from 2 Corinthians 4:5:
“For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
Sunday brought the real start to mission work, with the customary city cleaning project. AE city wide missions commence with street cleaning. It helps people in the city to understand that believing in Christ bringing restoration to the heart. Locals in past AE missions e.g. to Accra in Ghana are frequently shocked and then intrigued by AE’s city cleaning. Missioners then have the opportunity to explain the Gospel. One mission volunteer put it like this,
“Once our hearts were as dirty as the rubbish in the streets – but Christ still loves us, and came to cleanse our hearts”.
9 people accepted Christ during the Malindi streets clean up as a result!
Large markets often serve as a dumping ground for rubbish. In Malindi this is no different. People dispose of their rubbish anywhere without regard for the health and wellbeing of others. A local survey taken in early 2017 revealed that some parts of the city were lacking in basic hygiene facilities. AE sprang to action and constructed a toilet for a local community in need. This important gift will be followed up with community hygiene training and bedbug fumigation post mission.
On Monday, the mission volunteers will be sent out into the streets to minister in marketplaces, prisons, businesses and many more locations. There will also be evening rallies in various areas across the city. Please pray for the city of Malindi, that its people that will hear the Gospel this week and their hearts will be transformed by the power of the Gospel.
Follow the AE Australia Facebook page for more updates.
Kicukiro is a district of Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. AE Team Leader John Kalenzi and his Team are ready to launch a mission to this district in just 2 weeks!
AE Rwanda have been readying themselves for an intense week of Gospel proclamation from 18th – 24th June.
The AE Rwanda Team has moved the mission to two weeks later in June than originally planned, because of the upcoming Rwandan presidential election in August. However, this extra time will only benefit the mission, by giving the Team time for more evangelism and discipleship training.
In January, 35 pastors from Kicukiro district attended a planning meeting for the mission. 50 returned for follow up training in early May. These meetings have helped ensure all ministers are thinking seriously about the best ways to care for new believers in their churches, post mission. The meetings also serve to stir the hearts of Rwandan Christians to prayer, the most powerful tool we have. Please continue to prayer with us for a stable relationship between churches and the Rwandan government.
It is the hope and prayer of AE Rwanda and AE International for over 87,000 Rwandans throughout Kigali to be reached with the Gospel, and for at least 13,000 new believers! Evangelism will be carried out across 29 venues to all who are willing to hear. Events include:
- 10 days of prayer and fasting in preparation for the Global day of prayer and the mission from 25th May to 3rd June.
- Global Day of Prayer 4th June.
- National Prayer Conference 16th to 17th June 2017.
- University Students Leadership Conference 10th to 11th June, 2017.
- Training for Sunday school teachers 1st and 22 June, 2017
- Children’s Mission crusades on 10th and 17th June 2017 in different zones
- Children’s festival 24th June
- Pastors and Disciple Makers training 20th and 21st June 2017
- Training for Women 23rd June 2017
- Conference for Christ’s Ambassadors in the market place 1st July
Please pray with us, that the Lord will touch many hearts to become His followers.
You can follow the mission on the AE Australia Facebook page.
Going on mission in Africa is a complex and very challenging task in a third world environment. Our mission at AE is to break through with the message that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. This mission stands in stark contrast to a worldview in which money, power and survival are king over many lives. The saving, transformative power of Jesus will enable non-Christian Africans to get back in control of their lives, with God in the driver’s seat.
People stuck in poverty often feel sheer desperation, which can lead them to make poor life choices. We need to be there – to give them an opportunity to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. If they do not have this hope in Christ, where can they truly find rest? In some respects, it’s a similar situation to those most vulnerable in Australian society. Our media is saturated with self-centered messages about material wealth, which leaves many feeling their only choice is to turn to a foolish pathway. In anger and pain, these people often turn to drugs, prostitution and crime or waste time with false spiritual beliefs that lead nowhere or simply harm others.
One of the main differences between our Australian society and Africa, is that in Africa many more people truly have nothing. They are constantly looking for a way out, as you might expect. Many governments provide very little in assistance for those in need, neglecting even the most basic needs including water, sanitation and public transport. People are heavily influenced by prosperity doctrine, radical Islam, witchcraft and Christianity. They need to know the difference between right and wrong pathways.
So, when African Enterprise goes into the cities of Africa on mission, we go in partnership with local African churches who understand the needs of the people in that city, who can care for their communities, in Christ. We also provide a way out through social action programmes, such as the Ghana Street Children Apprenticeship programme.
Please take a moment to pray that we will all stand strong against the schemes of evil, that we will rejoice in the good news of Jesus and protect and enshrine God’s place in our society today. Rejoice in the love of Jesus and remember that we should also be conscious of the body of Christ around the world. African Enterprise has a an African focus because we have been called to witness there. Whether you choose to support mission in Australia or overseas, please take a moment to thank God for Jesus and to pray for those of us whose lives are fully dedicated to the Great Commission.
Article provided by AE Australia Executive Director, Ben Campbell.
