Christmas in October 2016

Christmas in October 2016

Strengthening the cause of Advent Christianmissions throughout the world.

Strengthening the cause of Advent Christianmissions throughout the world.

Sponsored by the WHFMS of the Advent Christian ChurchSponsored by the WHFMS of the Advent Christian Church

BERTIN MWANYA Democratic Republic of CongoI was born in Mulongo, a town located 600 kilometers north of Lubumbashi city, in the Katanga Province, on December 12, 1959, the oldest child of four boys and four girls.

Graduating from high school in 1979, I went on to graduate from the University of Lubumbashi in English linguistics, journalism and business administration with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1986 and graduated in Theology at the Lubumbashi School of Theology with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1994. I have also earned certificates in areas of adult literacy, youth ministry, child evangelism and community development.

My wife, Genevieve Mbuyu Mwanya, and I have three sons and two daughters, plus, we adopted two orphans, a six-year-old boy and a seven-year-old girl.

Before serving in a full-time position as church minister, I worked as a journal-ist at the DRC National Radio and Television Broadcasting Corp., a high school English teacher, and a business manager for the National Milling Company that manufactured and sold mealie meal (a coarse flour made from maize — a staple food for the poorest), bread flour and feedstock. Both Genevieve and I are ordained church ministers. Genevieve serves as advisor to the national Board of the DRC AC Conference Ladies’ Auxiliaries Department.

Having grown up in a Christian home, I attended Sunday school, then served as youth fellowship leader, deacon and church elder; then I became an ordained pastor, superintendent of the Lubumbashi district and the AC conference president. At present, I am also serving as pastor of El Shaddai AC Church. As conference president, I am involved in church planting, as well as training, equipping, encouraging and ordaining the leadership.

Each year the Christmas in October project has been such a big blessing to AC pastors in the DRC as the funds are shared among them. The pastors use the gift in many different ways, such as the whole family eating a Christmas meal as fel-lowship, paying school fees for their children, meeting medical expenses, or for the need of clothing for their families.

“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown” (Revelation 3:11).

YOUR CONTRIBUTIONSwill be used to provide financial Christmas gifts to: career missionaries and their children, our retired missionaries and national leaders. Remaining funds will be utilized for outreach ministries such as missionary pension funds, travel needs, special medical costs or health insurance for missionaries and gifts to national workers.

Please make all contributions payable

to:ACGC

PO Box 690848Charlotte, NC 28227

Designated for:CHRISTMAS IN

OCTOBER