Missionary Renegade: Out of Africa from Africa Region Global Church of the Nazarene in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa for Monday, 13 November 2017 "Out of Africa November 2017: Living the Mission, Touching Lives"

Monday, November 13, 2017

Out of Africa from Africa Region Global Church of the Nazarene in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa for Monday, 13 November 2017 "Out of Africa November 2017: Living the Mission, Touching Lives"

Out of Africa from Africa Region Global Church of the Nazarene in Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa for Monday, 13 November 2017 "Out of Africa November 2017: Living the Mission, Touching Lives"

Church of the Nazarene Africa Region Newsletter | November 2017

Table of contents:

Nigeria Southwest District: A Recipe for Success

The Nigeria Southeast District, Church of the Nazarene, is the first phase three (self-supporting) district on the Africa West Field. An exemplary district, Nigeria Southeast stands out as a district big on giving. Members share their talents, time and resources, both in the local churches and in missions.

Rev. Okokon Eshiet
The following is an interview with Rev. Okokon Eshiet, District Superintendent of the Nigeria Southeast District.
How long has the Nazarene Church been active in your area?
The church started in 1946 when a soldier from Nigeria returned from Burma. In Burma, he met a Nazarene Chaplain who led him to the Lord. The chaplain gave him a tract and a Nazarene Manual. When the soldier returned to Nigeria, he found a church that was started in the southeast of Nigeria, and he showed the leaders the manual. They decided to call themselves the Church of the Nazarene and in 1988 they became a part of the Church of the Nazarene.
Can you tell me about your mission program?
The district has been involved in sending missionaries to Lagos, a city of 20 million and Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. There are 37 states in Nigeria and, step by step, we want to reach the different states. We are raising funds on the district to support missions.
We encourage each active member to give about .35 cents a month for their upkeep. We also pray for the missionaries we send. We are planning to send someone to start the church in Calabar. We want to start the church in the capitals of each state and then move to the "jungle." It is easier to go from the city to the "jungle" than vice versa. As we start churches in the new states, we have been using primary schools for a place of worship. Now, the government does not allow us to meet in primary schools, so we try to rent a small room for the church or buy land if we are able.
When we are starting a new church, we call an established church to come to be a part of a joint service, and we endeavor to support the new church.
The youth have been instrumental in planting new churches. They had a soccer match with a village and then had an outreach in that village and started a church with youth. We have also worked on supporting the youth through the Youth Church Initiative and youth empowerment.

How do you inspire people to be involved in missions?
We have National Mission Institution and a National Missions Council and they help us to focus on missions. There are workshops and seminars at the zonal level. Our NMI president visits churches and encourages them to be involved. At our district convention, there are many facilitators and they have different sessions for the youth, women, married, single, and widows. We would like to reach a new Nigerian state every year.
Rev. Friday Udofia, our missionary in Lagos, is now working in three states. When we go into a new state, we want to gradually develop a pioneer district and then develop a regular district. We encourage people who are called to be involved in Nazarene Theological Institute.
We have people who have expertise in various technical skills and they provide training to two or three others. For example, one man has carpentry skills and he taught three others and then each one of those trained at least one other.
How do you encourage people to give?
We teach and we demonstrate by example. Sometimes small churches can't support their pastor and the District Superintendent (DS) and others give to support the pastor until the church can support them. We have bought land for two new, rural churches, and the women built the house for the DS at the District Center.

Tell us something about the missionaries you have sent out.
David Okon graduated from Africa Nazarene University, and when he returned he shared that he wanted to go to Abuja and start the church. We have seen God open doors in Abuja for David.
What advice would you give to other districts on their journey towards becoming phase three?
1. Pray. Teach the people and mentor them. Encourage them to give and work to be self-sustainable and to be involved in ministry.

2. Train leaders and delegate to them. (Africa West Field)

Life Through the Eyes of MK's
We often tell stories here that are seen through the lens of missionaries or our African leaders on the field. Today, we will tell stories through the lenses of Missionary Kids (MK's).

Macy Fothergill, 10 years old, DR Congo

I want to talk about the big differences that there are between the United States and Congo. I like to be in Congo because I go to a very nice school that I've been in for 5 years, and I can speak French (although, this year I will be changing schools). I have lots of friends at my school. I have a best friend, and her name is Jessica. But, I also have another best friend, who does homeschool, and her name is Grace. Sometimes, I like to go shopping with my Mom or Dad at the grocery store and little markets where we buy fruits and vegetables. In both places, I play with my brother Connor. In the Congo, I don't have to share a bedroom with him, thankfully.

I like to go and eat at Panda Express while we're in the United States. I also like to go to Mexican food restaurants and eat enchiladas, chips and salsa, and warm tortillas (flour, not corn). While in Congo, we mostly eat sandwiches, chicken, rice and fresh vegetables. I enjoy getting to see my grandparents and cousins. People notice me less, and I can fade into the background easier in the States. However, I do not like the automatic toilets because it flushes on you, and I can't get away fast enough.

When we're visiting the United States, I enjoy that church isn't as long as it is in Congo where a service can last 3 hours. I enjoy going to Children's Church and that it is in English, my first language. In Lubumbashi, we hear mostly Swahili and, sometimes, French. But, one thing I like about church in Congo is that choirs of girls, women or boys sing and dance up front.
What I also like about living in Congo is that we have four dogs, two males and two females. We have two German Shepherds, a Great Dane and a dog that is a mix of some kind. Their names are Nala, Bowser, Jupiter and Samson. We've also had different sets of puppies that we like to play with.
I hope you found this educational and funny.
Que Dieu vous bénisse.

Emily Carr, 19 years old, Senegal

I'm a huge soccer fan. However I generally refer to the sport as "football," not as soccer. I've developed this quirk over my ten years of living in West and North Africa. In these areas the closest thing to American "football" is rugby.

As I've formed these various quirks and habits I've realized that the places we live in and the people we meet there, inevitably shape us. No matter how many times I move, I always pick up a little piece of the culture around me. It becomes part of my personality and my broadened worldview.
Most missionary kids can relate to this, just as they can relate to taking bucket baths, saying goodbyes, learning new languages, having a fading excitement for candlelit dinners and never being able to answer the question "Where are you from?" I've been blessed by the amazing opportunity to grow up with a different perspective, and through that, learn how to be flexible and hard working. I've developed a healthy appreciation for adventure as well as creativity. When a motorcyclist stops by the gas station to fill up his milk jug (gas tank) or you pass by a taxi driver trying to stuff a goat in his back trunk, that's when you know you are in Africa. One of the most satisfying things, to me, is helping others reach their full potential.
While we were living as missionaries in Ghana, a pastor told us the story of a girl named Elsie that he had met in a village. She had run away from home to keep her father from marrying her off to an older man, to pay off debts. The pastor talked to the father and eventually an agreement was formed. If the church gave the girl a couple pigs to raise, for profit, she would be allowed to stay single. Elsie was overjoyed and became determined to go to medical school one day. At the time, I thought it was a nice dream, but one that would probably never be fully realized out in the village. Not long ago, I heard an update about Elsie. I was told she had eventually raised enough money to study medicine and was now working as a nurse in a new medical clinic (built by the Nazarene church) in her village.
It hit me how a little act of kindness could transform a life. It forced me to realize that I could be an impact somewhere on someone, and I had to choose to be intentional about living a life that was meaningful. Like Elsie, I have chosen to study nursing and am currently in a BSN program. I hope to possibly become a medical missionary.

DS and Pastor Die in Tragic Car Accident

On Friday evening, 10 November, Rev. Lepedi Mpusi, the DS of the Lesotho District, and Rev. Lebina Lebina died in a tragic car accident on their way to do ministry in the Lesotho mountains, and they have both gone to be with the Lord.

We ask that the families of these two servant leaders would be remembered in prayer. They both leave behind wives and children. The DS, Rev. Mpusi is survived by his wife and four children. Rev. Lebina is survived by his wife and three children.
Pray for the Lesotho District Nazarene family and for the Africa South Field family. These men fought a good fight and finished the race. (Rev. Mashangu Maluleka, FSC Africa South Field)
PRAYER REQUESTS

Pray for Rev. Dany Gomis and his family as they transition to this new position on the Africa Region.
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 millions of people worldwide who are currently finding themselves in the position of being a refugee--more than 3 million in Africa alone.
Remember the believers who are serving in Creative Access Areas whose lives and families are in danger on a daily basis.

ABOUT THE REGION