AFRICANHARVEST

APRIL 2016

FEATURING:13% Church growth in Gondar, EthiopiaA policeman turns to Christ in KenyaKumasi Mission Movement - October ‘16A community in Ghana is shown God’s Love

INTO HIGHWAYSAND HEDGES

PREACHING TO PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE

GONDAR MISSION - ETHIOPIA

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eza *(false name used), a woman from Gondar in Ethiopia, was given a new roof for Christmas.

“As you can see, I am a poor person,” she said. “For me, the rainy season is the hardest time of the year. My roof is pierced and torn.

“But now the corrugated iron sheets have been changed with new ones and I give thanks to God for this wonderful kind work! Now I am not afraid of the rains.”

Beza is one of many in Gondar whose house was reconstructed as part of African Enterprise’s Ethiopia mission in December.

AE staff also visited a local prison and met with female inmates, leaving them with sanitary materials which are in short supply inside the jail. Some of the women had children with them.

“We gave a short introduction about why we do this as a Christmas present to them, in remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ, who is the gift of God to us all,” said Mel Mesfin, Team Leader of AE Ethiopia. “We also gave a little advice on how to be a peaceful person living and working in society.”

Gondar is one of the largest cities in Ethiopia and has a population of over 300,000. About 1% of this population is Protestant; most others are part of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

In partnership with local evangelical churches African Enterprise has been planning their Gondar mission for over a year. Their goal? To see church attendance grow by 10% in the city.

At the beginning of December, 2015, AE launched their mission with a meeting for 50 couples focusing on the sanctity of family life and marriage. Many of these couples were involved in church leadership.

“One of the primary challenges of the church in the 21st century is to do with family life,” said one of the participants. “Satan has waged a war to corrupt and disgrace the biblical meaning of marriage and to destabilize family, leading to family disintegration

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Cover Photo: AE Kenya’s Social Action Team visits families in slums where toilets and other important resources have been donated.

A NOTE FROMSTEPHEN MBOGOAE's CEO/ITL - Nairobi, Kenya

“... And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.”

Luke 14: 23

As we enter this season of joyful remembrance of the Resurrection following Easter, we also remember with joy what God spoke to Michael Cassidy over 50 years ago. Reaching the major cities of Africa with the Gospel has been the heartbeat of AE from the beginning and we are still marching to that beat.

Stratified Evangelism remains a key aspect of our missions whereby we take Christ to where people are: market places, schools, hospitals, street corners, etc. Like the verse above says, “Go out into the highways and hedges and compel people to come in…”. During AE missions, like the ones you’ll read about in this newsletter, thousands of outreaches are held simultaneously across the city which make it easier for local churches to follow up with those in their community who respond to the Gospel message.

As our sights move North and West to reach parts of Africa that are the most unreached, Stratified Evangelism is our greatest asset. Holding large boisterous meetings in Northern and Western Africa can cause complications but when neighbour speaks to neighbour in a “Jesus Movement” that is sparked across the city, we know that God will be glorified.

This October, we will be holding our largest

mission in Kumasi, Ghana which will see hundreds of local evangelists trained and equipped to preach the Gospel in their city. The preparation process for this mission is already ongoing with the local churches in Kumasi. The mission will take place over 10 days in October, 2016. During that time, the city will be saturated with the Gospel from top to bottom including local politicians, military and police, universities all the way to the streets. Please join us in this Jesus Movement into Northern and Western Africa. It’s only together that we’ll succeed - Together We Can!

In Christ,

GONDAR MISSION - ETHIOPIA

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YEAR-LONG EFFORTS AND PLANNING HAS RESULTED IN A 13% GROWTH OF THE

CHURCH IN GONDAR.

and divorce.” He said that AE’s seminar could not have come at

a better time.

“We as leaders and ministers of the church in Gondar are grateful to AE for focusing on such a relevant and timely topic. A strong family means a strong church, and a strong reputation for the church.”

From there the mission sprang into its proclamation phase and crowds gathered to hear the Gospel. The response was more than anticipated, with an overflowing crowds on Sunday at the end of the week.

“It is uncommon to get souls converted in big meetings such as the one we had in the mission,” said Mel Mesfin. “Often, after hearing the Gospel preached it takes long gestation and contemplation period before the people come to the Lord.”

However, 258 new souls came to Christ during the mission. AE’s yearlong efforts and planning resulted in a 13% growth of the church in Gondar.

One of those new souls is Ashenafi Shiferaw, a 5th year textile engineering student at Bahir Dar

University. He was recently baptized. “I am the kind of person who is full of questions;

I had an unsettled mind and often could not sleep because of it. I became so restless that I even thought of committing suicide. One day I went to a church by

myself. I heard the Gospel preached and I said, ‘this was what my soul was searching for’.” Ashenafi gave his life to Christ. “Now I am a different person. My questions are answered.

“When I go back home after graduation, I want to tell to my family about this new found life in Christ Jesus. I am so sorry that I wasted so many years of my life without Christ. I want to compensate it by talking about Jesus to as many people as I can!”

Praise God for each new believer that has found new life in Christ through the work of AE Ethiopia! Thank YOU for your support of AE’s missions – your faithfulness

ensure that the Gospel keeps moving through the cities of Africa.

I AM SO SORRY THAT I WASTED SO MANY YEARS OF MY LIFE WITHOUT CHRIST. I

WANT TO COMPENSATE IT BY TALKING ABOUT JESUS TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS I CAN!”

emboi’s father had three wives, and with two brothers and seven half-brothers, Kemboi struggled to find stability in his family. “Whenever

something good was done in my life the rest would say that I was the favourite,” Kemboi said.

As soon as he was able, Kemboi left home. “I bought some land, built a house and transferred from home because we had so many issues.” He said. “I just wanted peace.”

After many attempts, Kemboi was successfully recruited into the police force. He was not a Christian but one day he was assigned to be a driver for the police chaplain of his division for a 10-day mission. Little did he know this mission, AE’s mission to Eldoret ,Kenya, would change his life.

On his third day of driving he drove the police chaplain and some AE workers to visit an old man in a village called Golomani. The man was in his 80s and his wife had recently died. But he told them he didn’t feel alone; he had Jesus. Kemboi was touched by this man’s testimony. “It made me think. I really didn’t know what my life was all about but this man was rich. He knew Jesus, and he was left with Jesus when his wife died.”

Kemboi continued working as a driver for the rest of the AE mission. He even helped hand out tracts and fliers at some of the crusades, all the while watching and pondering. On the second last day of the mission, he made a decision. “I thought to myself that, this being the last day, maybe I won’t have a chance tomorrow.”

That day the AE Mission held a service for the police officers of Eldoret. At the end of this service, when the preacher asked if anyone wanted to give their life to

Jesus, Kemboi stepped forward. His chaplain was overjoyed.

“I was surprised to see Kemboi – who had been driving us all through the workshops of the mission – that he cried, he was crying!” the chaplain said. “The tears were falling and he came forward with others who surrendered their lives to Christ! Our visitors prayed for Kemboi, and he prayed too and he received the Lord Jesus.”

Kemboi’s life was changed because of that mission. “Before I went there my heart was so heavy,” he

said. “I thank God because after the prayer I was relieved. I remember I even shed tears because I reflected on what my life had been before.”

He has started going to the police chapel on Sunday

for church services. “I remember before, during the weekends, I would go out and have fun with other officers; we would dance, we would go to clubs. But I thank God that so far, those are forgotten things in my life.”

Kemboi is grateful for the AE missionaries and workers that brought him to Christ.

“Without them I would not know Jesus,” Kemboi said. “Also, our chaplain, my boss, has been there for me. Whenever I miss church – because sometimes I am assigned a duty on a Sunday and I must go – and when I miss church he comes he asks me, ‘What happened? Where were you?’”

Kemboi knows that now his life will be different, just like the old man he met.

“That old man, what he valued most was Jesus. Now I know that with Jesus, I’ll always be rich.”

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POLICEMAN TURNS TO CHRISTKemboi found Christ during the Eldoret mission in Kenya

BEFORE I WENT THERE MY HEART WAS SO HEAVY...“

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Search AE International on YouTube and find a brief video of Kemboi’s testimony! Share it with your friends and at your church!

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ith a population of over 2 million people, Kumasi is the second largest city in Ghana and is constantly growing. Located in Central Ghana,

Kumasi is seen as a gateway to the north of the country which is largely Muslim. Many people have come to Kumasi from the northern areas looking for a better life. This presents us with a huge opportunity to reach people who would have previously been out of reach. Kumasi needs to hear the Gospel and we are confident that now is the time.

AE’s vision is to share the Gospel in the northern and western portions of Africa where very few know the mercy of God. The Kumasi City Movement is one step forward in that vision. As we mobilise the churches in Kumasi toward mission we will be able to reach northern Ghana together, hand in hand.

Early in 2015, the Deputy Director of The Lausanne Movement – Nana Yaw Offei Awuku – visited Kumasi and was struck by the quality of evangelists already there. He implored AE Ghana to draw on the city’s local missionaries who have a passion for the Gospel.

Since then, AE has accepted the challenge and initiated the mission. Approximately 500 men and women will be trained in stratified evangelism and local churches across the city are being mobilised to join the mission. AE is awakening mission-mindedness within Kumasi Churches, teaching them a simple yet cost effective way to spread the Gospel. Large local churches from several denominations are already involved, and Bishop Samuel Osei Asante, former AE

Ghana Team Leader who lives in Kumasi has partnered seventeen churches within the local districts which are under his influence as mission partners. They are ready to learn and grow with AE during this journey. Several pastors for neighbouring countries like Togo, Nigeria and Burkina Faso will participate as well in order to learn how to create mission movements like this one in their own countries.

This mission will also engage political, traditional and religious leaders, and will reach out the media, encouraging all to unite in peace. With Presidential and Parliamentary elections

coming in early November, Ghana is simmering. What better time for the church

to bring a Gospel of peace to the people? Targeting society’s policy-makers will have deep impact, especially in an election year where their actions could mean the difference between chaos and calm. Kumasi in particular has a history of volatility and is prone to conflict during elections; may God use this mission to instil and spread peace instead of violence.

This mission is a movement. It’s a call to the Ghanaian Church to wake up and engage their nation. It’s a call for the lost to come home. Join the Kumasi Mission Movement – help us spread the Gospel of peace through Ghana!

Visit www.africanenterprise.com to find out how to get involved!

THIS MISSION IS A MOVEMENT. IT’S A CALL TO THE GHANAIAN CHURCH TO WAKE UP AND ENGAGE THEIR NATION. IT’S A CALL FOR THE

LOST TO COME HOME.

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GHANA: GA EAST MISSION

he Greater Accra (Ga) East Municipal is known for its extensive commerce, for its prostitution and for its crime. It has a population of 259 668

people and in January, 2016, AE Ghana reached out to the city with the hope Jesus Christ.

In the months leading up to the mission, the committee was hard at work.

Part of that included running an evangelism training for local Christians and a seminar for pastors. Both were a huge success: 180 church leaders attended the seminar and 308 men and women from all parts of society attended the training to learn about stratified evangelism. Paulina, a civil servant for the Ghanaian government, said that she now feels equipped to reach out to her colleagues in the Immigration Department because of the training she received from African Enterprise.

Sampson Mantey, Evangelism Director for a local Presbyterian Church, commended African Enterprise for their willingness to partner with the churches of Ga East in evangelizing the city. Many from his congregation attended the training and, according to him, they were all inundated with fresh knowledge to do evangelism.

With such an encouraging start, the mission week was equally successful and though the team experienced some challenges (including illness of the main local coordinator!) they were able to reach 7,792 people. Out of that number, 1,816 committed their lives to God – 49.7% (903) of those were first time commitments.

One of those people was Mary; at the time of the mission, she was considering giving up her life until

she chanced upon an AE meeting and one of AE’s counsellors led her to Jesus. When Mary heard that He loved her enough to give up His life for her, she accepted

Christ as her Savior. Over half of the people who responded to the

Gospel during the mission week were youth. In one of the thirty private schools that were visited, Rev. Dr. George Nkrumah, a Psychotherapist, was able to help a girl who had intended to commit suicide. He spoke with her and then arranged to meet with her parents, to help them know how to love and support their daughter. Please join us in lifting that entire family up in prayer!

As well as feeding people’s souls by bringing the Gospel, AE took the opportunity to nourish their bodies: on Saturday, January 30th over 300 people,

7,792 PEOPLE WERE REACHED WITH THE GOSPEL AND 1,816 COMMITTED THEIR

LIVES TO GOD. 49.7% OF THOSE WERE FIRST TIME COMMITMENTS. “

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many of them Muslims, were assisted at a medical mission for one of the communities, Otinibi. The medical staff dealt with illnesses, dispensed medicine and gave food to any children that came. There was overwhelming need and the team worked hard to attend to as many people as they could – unfortunately, close to 100 people had to be turned away.

The entire community however, was grateful to God and to African Enterprise for this demonstration of love. Everyone heard the Gospel and saw it in action that day – they were all given tracts for more information. Ramatu Zakari, a Muslim woman from Otinibi, was amazed to be given medicine free of charge! May this be the first step in her journey to faith in Jesus.

At the end of the mission week the work of the Gospel has continued to spread as a result of the mission; the local church has been inspired and is determined to keep the fire going. For example, Priscilla Naa Aklerh, a member of the Redeemed Baptist Church, was so encouraged by the success of the mission that she decided to use stratified evangelism in a small community about 150 km away from Ga East. Another local Christian, Joel Okai Ntow, has decided to do something similar and AE has helped him obtain Bibles and Gospel tracts for this.

Several church partners and leaders that worked with AE during the mission have begun organizing additional trainings in stratified evangelism, as well as follow-up meetings in Ga East. They have all expressed eagerness to keep partnering with AE and be part of the upcoming mission to Kumasi.

The Gospel has taken hold of people’s hearts. Rev. Emmanuel Amponsah, one of the mission

volunteers, shared his experience saying, “I must be grateful to God for this year’s citywide mission at Madina /Adenta in the Accra Metropolis. It

has been one of the most remarkable missions that I have ever seen.”

Staff member, Susana Aggrey said, “The program was well organised and well structured. Content-wise it was rich and has been an eye-opener for me personally.” She was eager to see more work done with the youth in Ghana.

Finally, Elliott Annang said, “African Enterprise mission has really given me a different perspective towards missions. In fact, I have admired all the various strategies and approaches adopted to share or preach Christ to the various segments in the society. My desire for evangelism has been whipped up. There is no better time than this. God bless AE for granting me this opportunity to be a part of the whole mission work!”

THE GOSPEL HAS TAKEN HOLD OF PEOPLE’S HEARTS.

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ngelique is a Rwandan water-seller. She lives in a dusty village more than an hour’s drive from Kigali, and

each month she would stand in the middle of town, selling precious water to the people. But she could never record how much water she had given to her customers, and how much money she had made. When the Water Board called for their payment each month, all her money would be gone. Nothing was left for food or living.

Then she heard of something called a Transformation Group. Angelique was skeptical but she knew some women who had joined the group and decided to watch them carefully. Something about them seemed different.

Angelique decided to give it a try: she joined a Transformation Group and within a month, had a new way of thinking. She had never before understood the concept of saving, “I used to think it was just for rich people and I used to be afraid of loans,” she said. Now she realizes that she can actually make a profit in her business! “I had a complete change of mindset,” she said. “I was transformed.”

Angelique’s group is just one of 9,500 Transformation Groups in Rwanda. These groups encourage autonomy, teach responsibility, and provide opportunity for innovation and entrepreneurship. But more than that, they are about friendship and community. AE Rwanda is part of making these groups happen and reaches out to those in the community that need them, bringing the Gospel in the form of deeds.

A year after joining her group, Angelique is a new woman with a flourishing business. She has worked out how much money she can use each month before payment is due, and has put some of that into short term loans to community members. Recently, Angelique took out a large loan of 50,000 Rwandan Francs from the group (about $70; a large sum in a country where the average worker earns about 450 RwF an hour). With the money she built and stocked a small shop that sells basic, everyday items to the customers that come to buy from her water point. With the profit, she has bought and sold

products for her shop, now pays an assistant and even took a literacy and numeracy training course to improve

her business savvy! Angelique has become a reputable business woman

in the community and among the women in her group.But she didn’t stop there. She has now become a leader

and governs 10 Transformation Groups. She also voluntarily teaches literacy and numeracy to other women in the community. She has bought a plot of land on the main road and is building a house with a shop-front. She is still devoted to her own Transformation Group and the women.

“I would never take my money and leave this group,” she says. “If even a few of us were to take out our money, the group might collapse and that’s the last thing I would want. We all help each other. We are convinced that unity is our strength.”

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“A WATER - SELLER TRANSFORMED TRANSFORMATION GROUPS - RWANDA

WE ALL HELP EACH OTHER. WE ARE CONVINCED THAT UNITY

IS OUR STRENGTH.

Above: Angelique in her shop which she was able to build with the help of AE Rwanda’s Transformation Groups

The AE Rwanda Transformation Group model is based on two very important principles:• Every person has tremendous, God-given potential which

can be realised if they are given the right opportunity and environment. Some have been marginalised because of social or economic status and have been labeled ‘beyond help’. Transformation Groups help these people to discover their potential step by step and helps them realize that they are worthy citizens who can achieve much in life.

• Often, individuals in difficult circumstances like these are voiceless, powerless and vulnerable. By bringing them together into a community, they gain tremendous strength and support which can help them to take control of their situation to better themselves.

WHAT'S A TRANSFORMATION GROUP?