Church of the Nazarene Africa Region Newsletter | September 2017
Table of contents
Freedom Sunday, 24 September
On September 24, 2017, the general Church of the Nazarene will celebrate Freedom Sunday where our churches raise awareness about human trafficking and its many forms around the world. This is a time to encourage our members to acknowledge and take part in freeing those enslaved in this industry.
On the Africa Region, the various projects and ministries of Nazarene Compassionate Ministries is the conduit that the church uses to fight against human trafficking.
In one of our east African nations, human trafficking is rife. Because of its beautiful beaches and luxury hotels that appeal to
visitors, it has become a hot-spot for child prostitution. Outside of the fancy hotels and lovely restaurants, the country is struggling with poverty unparalleled in its part of Africa, as it struggles as one of the poorest countries in the world.
Recognizing the challenges in this country, namely that the authorities look the other way, the wealthy visitors who utilize the service and the parents who groom their daughters and supply them for this industry, the Church of the Nazarene has made a definitive step in the prevention of human trafficking.
In one particular community with child prostitution, the church has started a creche, or pre-school, so that it can intervene in the lives of children before it is too late. This creche is designed to introduce the parents and the children to the love of Jesus Christ and a better way. As the children grow older, the creche will turn into a primary school, all along the way offering an alternative to prostitution.
Compassionate Ministries has long recognized that developing children and helping to nurture and mentor them is the way that the world will change. Through their Child Development Centers spread around the African continent, this is one way the Church of the Nazarene in Africa is accomplishing the task of freedom in the lives of people--freedom in Jesus Christ.
(The photos used in this piece are NOT from the area mentioned above.)
Devastating Mudslides in Sierra Leone
On Monday, Aug. 14, heavy rains caused deadly mudslides on the outskirts of Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown. The floodwaters and mud have swept away entire communities, with almost 500 people confirmed dead-including approximately 150 children-and hundreds more still missing. Thousands have been left homeless.
News24
"The situation is really terrible," says Vidal Cole, district superintendent for the Church of the Nazarene in Sierra Leone. "As a church we want to do whatever we can to minister to the survivors and those who are bereaved. The entire nation is mourning, and we want to share the love and compassion of Christ with our people in any way we possibly can."
There is an urgent need for food, water, and shelter. The disaster has also created a high risk for disease outbreak, including cholera and malaria.
The church is responding, and they need your help.
In one particular community with child prostitution, the church has started a creche, or pre-school, so that it can intervene in the lives of children before it is too late. This creche is designed to introduce the parents and the children to the love of Jesus Christ and a better way. As the children grow older, the creche will turn into a primary school, all along the way offering an alternative to prostitution.
Compassionate Ministries has long recognized that developing children and helping to nurture and mentor them is the way that the world will change. Through their Child Development Centers spread around the African continent, this is one way the Church of the Nazarene in Africa is accomplishing the task of freedom in the lives of people--freedom in Jesus Christ.
(The photos used in this piece are NOT from the area mentioned above.)
Devastating Mudslides in Sierra Leone
On Monday, Aug. 14, heavy rains caused deadly mudslides on the outskirts of Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown. The floodwaters and mud have swept away entire communities, with almost 500 people confirmed dead-including approximately 150 children-and hundreds more still missing. Thousands have been left homeless.
News24
"The situation is really terrible," says Vidal Cole, district superintendent for the Church of the Nazarene in Sierra Leone. "As a church we want to do whatever we can to minister to the survivors and those who are bereaved. The entire nation is mourning, and we want to share the love and compassion of Christ with our people in any way we possibly can."
There is an urgent need for food, water, and shelter. The disaster has also created a high risk for disease outbreak, including cholera and malaria.
The church is responding, and they need your help.
The Guardian
If you are interested in making a donation toward the Church of the Nazarene's efforts to meet the immediate and practical needs of those in Freetown, Sierra Leone, please click here. (Compassionate Ministries Africa)The Horn of Africa Loves Their Neighbor
The summer of 2017 has had more than its share of natural disasters: Hurricanes Harvey and Irma; earthquakes in Mexico; mudslides in Sierra Leone; floods in India and Bangladesh; unprecedented property damage; and an ongoing loss of life. Human migration, driven by war, disease, disaster, and famine, has disrupted millions of lives. Aid-agencies, volunteers, and donors try to keep up with one calamity after another while anticipating the next crisis.
Feeling the fatigue of giving toward yet another disaster, I received a humbling and heart-breaking email from Rev. Don Gardner, Field Strategy Coordinator of the Church of the Nazarene in East Africa. It was a call for disaster-relief in response to mudslides in Sierra Leone that killed about 1,000 people. Katy Rodebush, Nazarene Compassionate Ministry Coordinator for the Horn of Africa, wrote to Gardner asking if the Horn of Africa could receive a special offering across of their districts in the Horn to support their brothers and sisters in Sierre Leone.
Gardner's response: "Absolutely!"
Katy wrote sometime later giving the specifics of the districts who gave, bearing in mind that every one of these areas are experiencing the worst drought in recorded history. These districts and areas were able to give a grand total of $2,021.
The email-chain continues with an incredible message from Rev. John Yual, District Superintendent for the Church of the Nazarene serving refugees in the Horn of Africa. Rev. Yual wrote, "Now, the church of the Nazarene in Area 1 has contributed $517. Some of the collections were made in maize (food allocation in the camps) in refugee camps, and we sell them and to come up with that amount...Many of our members in refugee camps have tried their best."
Africa Review
Yes, you read that correctly. Church members in refugee camps in the Horn of Africa, where there is severe famine, sold their maize allocation so they could donate to help survivors in Sierra Leone.
Perhaps one of the more compelling messages from the field was from leadership in Addis Abba who wrote, "There are several small, remote local churches in Ethiopia Area II that have collected some money, but have not been able to wire it to us yet; the nearest bank is 1-2 days travel away from them."
These emails focus on one of the poorest regions of the world, where its people regularly experience the trauma and loss associated with war, civil war, drought, famine, and disease, but this region collected a total of $2,538!
What is it about people of faith that takes them to such levels of sacrifice and compassion that they give from their meager means to help people who have lost all means?
This sacrifice of our African brothers and sisters giving up their meal to help people thousands of miles way - people they will never meet - is truly humbling. They are prepared to "come alongside" the suffering of strangers and, from their poverty, give encouragement and hope. (James Copple)
If you would like give toward any of the tragedies mentioned above, please click here.
Books, Glorious Books!
Recently, Nazarene Bible College in Colorado Springs, USA, went to a fully online format. This change meant that there was a library full of books that needed to find a new home. Some were kept at Nazarene universities in the USA, but 50,000 books remained without a "home".
Prof. Rod ReedChristian Literature for Africa (CLA) and the Education Development United Foundation (EDUF) volunteered to sort, pack, and ship the remaining books to Southern Africa Nazarene University (SANU) in Swaziland and Africa Nazarene University (ANU) in Kenya. The shipment to ANU was received with great jubilation on September 6th.
Prof. Rod Reed, Deputy Vice Chancellor - Academics, said, "This is a tremendous gift to ANU. It will greatly enhance the collection of books that support our School of Religion and Christian Ministry. Thanks to all the partners who made this possible."
Dr. Greg Crofford, Dean of the School of Religion and Christian Ministry, pointed out that some of the books will be distributed to other Bible Colleges in East Africa while the rest will remain on the main ANU campus.
Andrew Ntabo
Rev. Gift Mtukwa, chair of the Religion Department, said, "The library resources we have received have not only doubled our physical book collection, but they have greatly enhanced the quality of our library. I want assure NBC that the books are in good hands and will certainly be used by our students and faculty. Thank you."
Andrew Ntabo, student and leader of the Religion Student Association, "Wow. I cannot wait to hold and read them. God bless NBC and CLA." (Mrs. Amy Crofford, Africa Nazarene University)
PRAYER REQUESTS
PRAYER REQUESTS
- Pray for our Global Leaders as they work toward appointing a new Regional Director for the Africa Region. Pray they will be led to the correct individual.
- Pray for the Chambo family as they transition to their new position and this new chapter in their lives.
- Please remember to pray for the millions of people in the Horn of Africa and East Africa who have been effected by the recent drought and extreme famine. If you would like to give toward famine relief, please click here.
- Pray for the country of Mexico as it is currently recovering from two very strong earthquakes in the last 1.5 weeks.
- Pray for the millions of people worldwide who are currently finding themselves in the position of being a refugee--more than 3 million in Africa alone.
- There has been catastrophic flooding in Bangladesh and the United States. Please pray for those who are effected by these catastrophic event. If you are interested in giving toward any of these disasters, click here.
- Remember the believers who are serving in Creative Access Areas whose lives and families are in danger on a daily basis.
The Nazarene Church is in 42 countries in Africa, with more than 600,000 members in six fields.
What would you like to see in Out of Africa?
Email us at news@africanazarene.org.
What would you like to see in Out of Africa?
Email us at news@africanazarene.org.
Mrs. Shelly Miller, editor
Africa Region Church of the Nazarene
Out of Africa news@africanazarene.org
Africa Region Church of the Nazarene
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