Out of Africa from of The Africa Region of the Global Church of the Nazarene for Monday, June 1, 2015 "Collaboration that brings change" - Issue 1

Out of Africa from of The Africa Region of the Global Church of the Nazarene for Monday, June 1, 2015 "Collaboration that brings change" - Issue 1


Local church's dedication to fund new building shows the value of partnerships

SWAZILAND - In January, Rev. Mashangu Maluleka, the field strategy coordinator for the Africa South Field, stumbled across a church project that inspired him. While driving through Swaziland, he noticed a church that was under construction. People were hard at work in the scorching sun, he said.
He saw a sign for a Nazarene primary school nearby and realized that the new building must be for a Nazarene church.
Touched by the dedication and commitment of the workers, Maluleka stopped by. He learned that the church, the Mafutseni Church of the Nazarene in the Swaziland Central District, had been raising money and working toward the construction of this building for almost five years. The congregation had outgrown the original church building, established by a missionary in 1968.
"What blessed me was instead of trying to ask someone to do something or write to whoever missionary who built them the first church, ... (the) pastor just mobilized the people to start fundraising," Maluleka said. "And it is that initiative, it is that willingness to giving what they could and trusting God with the rest, that's what I want to support. That's what I want to be part of."

The next step of construction is to build the church's roof. The congregation has raised 40 percent of the amount needed, and the Africa South Field has agreed to fund the rest using Alabaster funds.
"We give thanks to the Africa South Field for the help she is giving us to roof the church of God," said Pastor Zanele Mavuso. "We really believe that if God has opened the door, no one has the power to close it."
Maluleka encourages these type of partnerships between the region or field and the local church. When church members participate in raising money and working on the project, they have a sense of ownership of the building, he said. This inspires them to maintain the building, rather than feeling like it's the region's church and the region's responsibility to take care of it.
But more importantly, Maluleka said, partnerships develop a heart for giving within churches.
"After they have received and seen the power of partnership, their giving mentality to help others improves," he said. "So in that way you are building a stronger army towards the fulfillment of the mission of the Church."
TEAMWORK
The roughly 150-person congregation at the Mafutseni Church has doubled since 2009, Pastor Mavuso said. In 2009, they moved the Sunday service into the Nazarene primary school and started using the old church building for children's church. But they soon outgrew that space, too.

Mafutseni Nazarene Primary School

Mafutseni Church of the Nazarene, established 1968
The congregation started a fundraising campaign in 2010 for a new building that could seat 1,000 people, and over two years later they had enough money to pour a foundation. Then, after more than a year of more fundraising, they had enough to build the walls.
By the grace of God, the pastor said, two men from the Church of the Nazarene in the Swaziland East District offered to build the church at no charge.

Church members have come up with creative ways to raise money and help out. They hosted monthly Shisanyamas (a braai or barbeque), they donated farm animals for auctions, they brought bags of cement to church each week, and they asked for donations from individuals. Those who were unemployed donated their time by making bricks, helping with construction or preparing food for the construction workers.
CHURCH GROWTH
When asked why her church continued to grow, Pastor Mavuso highlighted its outreach to the community.
"The church membership is growing since the members are the ones who are doing the discipleship themselves," she said.
Each month, the church invites the men of the community for a time of fellowship in which they eat a cow's head together. Many non-Christians attend and learn about the love of God, she said.
In women's ministry, church members buy good secondhand clothing and invite the mothers of the community to come pick up clothes for their children.
"The church has become the place of refuge because the church provides (for the) physical and spiritual needs of the community," Pastor Mavuso said. "This has made the community see the church as a place of peace and love. So they join the church with all their hearts."
NCM human trafficking workshop creates collaboration

Point Loma Nazarene University professor Dr. Jamie Gates presents at an anti-trafficking workshop at the Nazarene District Service Center in Johannesburg on May 19. (Photos by Daniel Mutowa)
SOUTH AFRICA - A wide range of people participated in an anti-trafficking workshop co-hosted by Nazarene Compassionate Ministries and The Goal in Johannesburg on May 19.
The group of about 100 participants included Nazarene pastors and students, advocacy groups, visitors from California's Point Loma Nazarene University, and government officials from South Africa's social development department, justice department and police service.
This type of cross-industry collaboration is important in the fight against human trafficking, said Diane Wilkinson with the National Freedom Network, which unites the efforts of anti-trafficking groups in South Africa.
South Africa, where an estimated 100,000 victims are trafficked each year, is considered a highway for human trafficking. Recruiters use the country's reputation as an economic hub - a place with jobs, gold and money - to attract victims from other African countries with false promises of career opportunities, Wilkinson said during her presentation at the workshop.
Also presenting was Point Loma professor Dr. Jamie Gates, who spent much of his childhood in South Africa as a Nazarene missionary kid. Gate's is the Nazarene Church's lead human trafficking consultant in North America and is director of Point Loma's Center for Justice & Reconciliation. He has led Point Loma students on study abroad trips to South Africa every other year since 2005.
At the workshop, Gates gave examples of how Nazarene churches and universities can be involved in anti-trafficking efforts. The movement to train faith congregations about human trafficking is on the rise, he said.
"There's this growing awareness (about human trafficking), and now people are saying, 'What do we do?'" Gates said. "And yet, there's not a lot of good, solid research."
Point Loma is involved in anti-trafficking research and activism in San Diego, and it was the first university in the United States to provide a scholarship specifically for human trafficking survivors, Gates said.
South Africa is also seeing a rise in anti-trafficking collaboration among schools, law enforcement agencies, churches and nonprofits. For example, NCM's anti-human trafficking and gender-based violence coordinator Stephen Phillips has trained volunteers with The Goal, a South African organization that supports character development in youth, on how to talk to students about human trafficking. Nazarene Pastor Hubert Tiger is The Goal's co-founder and director.

On May 20 (pictured), volunteers with The Goal and Point Loma students taught eight classes at Eldorado Park secondary and primary schools about how to define human trafficking and avoid falling into a trap.
They acted out skits to show students how easy it can be to fall into human trafficking. In one skit, a girl enthusiastically accepts a job offer to work as a model in England. The "agency" says if she gives them her passport, they will take care of all the travel arrangements. In England, the girl found herself enslaved in domestic labor, with her passport still in the hands of her recruiters.
Students at the school learned that human trafficking recruiters can be anyone, even a peer. They learned they can call human trafficking helplines, 08000 RESCU(73728) or 0800 555 999, if they sense danger. The students were encouraged to become advocates by sharing the lessons they had learned with friends and family.
GET INVOLVED

To learn how you or your church can be involved in anti-trafficking efforts, contact Nazarene Compassionate Ministries' regional office in Johannesburg at ncm@africanazarene.org.
Click here to learn about NCM's Global Anti-Trafficking Fund and the work that it supports.Learn more about human trafficking from the NCM workshop presentation and the National Freedom Network presentation. [By Holly Beech, news@africanazarene.org]
Africa South-East Field hosts wives of district superintendents in holiday conference[Submitted by Grace Shelby, field strategy coordinator assistant]

For some time, Field Strategy Coordinator Rev. Paul Mtambo and his wife, Beatrice, have desired to see the district superintendents of Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Malawi (the Africa South-East Field) come together in one place for fellowship. Their burden was not just for the superintendents but their wives as well. They wished to meet and become better acquainted with the wives who support our leaders of the Africa SE Field.
With this in mind, on April 23-26, Africa SE Field held their first retreat/conference for district superintendents and their wives. Meeting in Lusaka, Zambia, we traveled by bus the next day to Livingstone. There was much rejoicing, singing and friendships created during the seven-hour journey. Even when the bus broke down, which delayed our dinner and arrival at the lodges until quite late, most were laughing and enjoying one another. The group was hosted by Pastor Smoke Chewe and his congregation at Nazarene Church of Livingstone
Several conference meetings were attended during our time there. It was a perfect time to hold a woman's meeting and plan the woman's retreat to be held in August. Rev. Paul and Beatrice spoke about "Healthy Marriages in Leadership." David and Jodi Cooper joined us from the Africa Regional Office to speak on the "DS's Roll in Spiritual Leadership and Missions." They spoke about the structure of Nazarene missions and how to raise up and support missionaries from our districts.
Of course time was spent visiting the world famous MOSI-OA-TUNYA or Victoria Falls. A beautiful warm day as well as beautiful sights waited for us. Fellowship of God's wondrous and amazing creation was enjoyed by everyone, most of us were soaking wet and we did not care even one bit!
On Sunday, the group had the privilege of worshiping with Pastor Smoke's congregation. Beautiful songs of worship were presented and Holy Communion at the Lord's table was enjoyed. Our missionary from Malawi, Rev. Wellington Obotte (who is from Kenya), brought God's word to the gathering.
On the long ride back to Lusaka, the bus was full of tired people, many with another long journey to their homes the following day. Still there was much singing and rejoicing with new friends and promises to remain in contact in the future. The Africa SE Field trusts such a reunion can occur again in future years, God willing.
"A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life."[Proverbs 31:10-12]
JESUS Film training focuses on discipleship

The importance of following up with churches and new Christians after showing the JESUS Film was emphasized at a workshop in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), from May 3-8. Thirteen people (pictured) took part in the training, organized by Africa West Field JESUS Film Coordinators Larry and Donna Myer.
"The churches and leaders have always done their best to follow up with new converts, and it is their desire to lose not one," Mr. Myer said. "With that in mind, we try to equip them with what they need to constantly raise the bar in this crucial area."
Originally only men had signed up for the workshop, but Mr. Myer encouraged women to be invited. Two women accepted the invitation to attend. One of the women, a pastor in Abidjan, said she felt equipped after the seminar to help in the planting of new churches.
"Most of the areas we minister in have been more led by men," Mr. Myer said. "...Whenever possible, we encourage them to pray about women that have shown evidence of the call on their lives and include them in the trainings that take place. We need everyone to answer the call the Lord places on their hearts if the battle to win souls is going to be victorious."
Note: Thank you to Rev. Prao Kouakou for emailing photos and information about the training to the Africa Regional Office. If you would like to submit news, please contact us at news@africanazarene.org.
PRAYER REQUESTS

• Please keep the country of Burundi, located in the Africa East Field, in your prayers. In May, more than 100,000 people fled the country because of political protests, according to the BBC. 
• Pray for God to move powerfully through the Church's anti-human trafficking efforts. May he bless the collaboration between faith groups, governments and advocacy groups.
• We praise God for our leaders across the Africa Region. May he continue to bless and encourage them as they passionately serve. We ask for his protection over them and for his guidance.

ABOUT THE REGION
The Nazarene Church is in 42 countries in Africa, with more than 600,000 members in six fields.
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Holly Beech, editor
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Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
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