Out of Africa – Global Church of the Nazarene – January 2014 –
Issue 1
In This Issue:
Award for ANU's Prof. Leah Marangu
Message without Borders
NTC (Manchester) partners with NTC (South Africa)
Passion for the Written Word
Prayer requests and praises
Please pray for Prof. Marangu and all the heads of our Nazarene
Institutions. They play an important role in society as well as academics.
Please pray for the radio ministry in Africa. It opens doors for
the church and changes lives.
Please pray for partnerships. May they be enriching for both
partners. We have so much to learn from each other. An important educational
partner is EDU Foundation.
Please pray for the literature ministry. Pray also for our
literature partners including Christian Literature for Africa.
PERSECUTED CHURCH
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Out of Africa directly. Thanks!
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Explore the Africa Region
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Chunullrch of the Nazarene - Africa Region
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Noticias Nazarenas
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Award for ANU's Prof. Leah Marangu
Africa Nazarene University celebrates and congratulates its Vice
Chancellor, Professor Leah T. Marangu for recognition and deserved mention at
the Global Peace Convention held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Global Peace
Foundation honors individuals and organizations whose exemplary efforts have
substantially improved the lives of others.
Prof. Marangu was recognized for her outstanding leadership as
an educator in advancing the welfare of the family as the primary social
institution, supporting responsible parenting, strong marriage and a healthy
nurturing environment for children. Also noted was her role as a Chairperson of
the Character and Creativity Initiative Council in Kenya.
Prof. Marangu was among global lifetime achievers recognized for
their work for humanity. The 5th Global Peace Forum was watched by delegates
from over 40 countries.
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Message without Borders by Rev. Prao Kouakou
Africa West
Field held a seminar for radio production from December 9-12 in
Accra, Ghana. Participants studied from 8 o'clock in the morning to 9 o'clock
at night. OFI-TCHADIE, a participant from Ghana Costal, testified to learning
much during this training.
As the World Mission Radio Coordinator for Africa West Field, I
organized the event. We were privileged to have Rev. Peet Voges, the regional
coordinator for radio ministries as the lead instructor for the seminar. Rev.
Tim Eby, assistant to the AWF Strategy Coordinator in charge of mobilization of
resources, assisted.
The participants came from Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone and
Ghana. The distinctiveness of the seminar was that there were twelve
English-speaking participants. The majority were lay people who have a passion
for communication media and especially radio ministry. The training focused on
teaching the basics of the computer program Pro Tools and how to record and
produce a radio program.
Rev. Marie Kamara of Sierra Leone thanked the Lord for the
seminar. She recorded a sermon to be transmitted with her production equipment.
Last July in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, a similar seminar for
radio production was held for the French-speakers of the Africa West
Field.
Editor's note: For Rev. Kamara's faith story click
part one:
Pastor Marie Kamara of
Sierra Leone, Part 1 - by Paul Dayhoff
Pastor Marie Kamara was born on May 16, 1959 at No. 3, White
Street, Brookfields, Freetown, Sierra Leone. As a youth she attended the Young
Women's Christian Association Vocational Institute where she completed the
fifth form (Matriculation). As an adult, she became a third grade clerk as a
civilian employee for the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed forces.
Marie was brought up as a Christian from childhood and was a
member of the West Africa Methodist Church; however, she never knew about God's
redemptive work that He did for mankind through His Son Jesus Christ.
Marie has five children: Aveil, Umar, Msu,Victoria and Matilda.
She tells how during the war in their country everyone that came to work one
day was trapped. There was an air raid and the doors were all closed. She was
afraid she was going to die as there was no way to escape. She thanks God who
always makes a way for escape. He sent a cleaner who helped her to jump over a
wall and find her way out. Immediately after she left bombs fell and the
building was brought down. One of her work mates, a soldier, died in the
building. Marie wrote: "I will never forget that day, ever in my
life."
Her husband deserted her, leaving her with the five children.
Everything turned upside down, for she had felt that her husband was everything
for her.
Pastor Mary from Sierra Loone
She tells about it:
I forgot about my job and about even thinking about my children.
I felt as if I had lost my life. All hope was shattered and I was left alone,
but thank God a friend named Gloria, who was a believer, came to my rescue. She
told me that all was not lost and took me to her church, the Wonders Church
International, to meet her pastor. There I met another challenge and I did not
know about God's prevenient grace that was guiding me. I thought the pastor was
the answer and I wanted to explain my ordeal with my husband to her. She
refused to give me an audience. My only option was that if I wished to talk to
her I should start attending their weekly church services. I was hoping to see
her for my deliverance, truly since that time we never talked. But thanks be to
God who loved and cared for me.
One day during one of the weekly services a message was preached
about God's salvation plan. The glory of God came down mightily and everyone
felt the presence of God. By the grace of God I gave my life to Christ that
day. From that day, that very moment, I felt an inner peace knowing how Christ
had died that we could be restored, I experienced a change. The feeling and
thoughts about my husband, and what he did to me, disappeared. There I got all
of God without knowing it. He forgave my sins and I became His child. Thanks be
to Jesus Christ for His death on the cross.
Marie began enrolling in NTI (Nazarene Theological Institute)
classes in March 2009. Her first course was in Evangelism and Church Planting
with Rev. Frank Mills from Ghana as the instructor. She was taught how to plant
churches and train leaders. She never knew that she had a God-given ability to
plant churches.
Pastor Joseph Jalloh reported that during July two new
fellowships were begun on the Peninsula/West Zone-one at Gbendebu and one at
Goderich. These two locations are fairly close to each other down the coast
(southwest) from Freetown 3 - 4 miles. Marie Kamara, had started these
fellowships through contacts she had in both villages. Each of these
fellowships had ladies leading them.
Editor's note: The continuation of Marie's story including her
sanctification experience and an exciting recent development will appear in the
next issue of Out of Africa.
part two:
Pastor Marie Kamara of
Sierra Leone, Part 2 - by Paul Dayhoff
Editor's note: For the beginning of Marie's story, click here.
In January 2010, Marie Kamara began starting home cells. Early
in June, she assisted a young man, who had also attended several Nazarene
Theological Institute classes, to start still another cell among some soldiers
in a military compound. God helped her to plant churches in Lumley,
Pastor Mary from Sierra Loone
Juba, Gbendenbu, Goderich Laka, Hamilton, King Tom and Congo
Town. These are all in the West Peninsula Zone of Freetown. Each of these
fellowships has a leader. She was still (in June 2011) depending on God to do
more and raise more leaders there.
Pastor Marie Kamara is an emerging leader who is working with
and reporting to Pastor Joseph Jalloh. Marie received her district minister's
license in October 2010. She was elected to the district advisory board and is
now in training for the work of the treasurer. She continues to be an
inspiration to others and boldly enters new places to spread the gospel.
Marie continued her testimony:
I want to thank God for allowing me to attend NTI classes - for
His grace, strength and divine enablement. I never knew what it meant to be
entirely sanctified - to experience the second work of grace. I was struggling
in my Christian life until I had the class on the doctrine of holiness. There
was unconfessed sin in my life such as anger and unforgiveness. Our district
superintendent, Rev Paul Martin, taught us in a way that I felt the Holy Spirit
pointing out these things to me. Then I decided to go to God; I took a day
quietly with the Lord in prayer and fasting. There the Spirit of God dealt with
me. I repented of those sins. I bore malice toward my husband and was unable to
forgive him for what he did to me and the children. Through the witness of the
Spirit light filled my heart and love filled the whole capacity of my soul. It
was through my complete surrender in obedience to God. I asked Him to take
total control of my whole being - my family, job, money, emotions, actions,
everything. I said, "Lord, all of this that I have; take it all."
Then I knew that my heart had been cleansed. My desire changed and the love for
God and others increased. My desire for self was gone and I am walking in the
light by the Spirit of God. I am depending on the blood of Jesus to keep on
cleansing me unto His glorious appearing. I know I am empowered for life and
for service.
In June 2011, Missionary Sharon Martin reported that Marie had
started working with a great group of young people at Lumley and the first
group of members had just been received. Marie had just begun a theological
education center in Lumley with fifteen students.
Editor's note: October 2012-- Sharon Martin adds this recent
development: Pastor Marie Kamara will graduate from the Nazarene Theological
Institute in January 2013. She has just received approval from the Africa West
Field to receive a scholarship for Bachelor of Theology studies online from
Nazarene Theological College-South Africa! She is a straight-A student in NTI and
one of our teachers-in-training. She is also in training to become the National
Education Coordinator for Sierra Leone. The church she pastors was recently
officially organized, and she has started several other church plants the past
2-3 years. This is a huge answer to prayer for her further leadership
development, as well as for the future of theological education in Sierra
Leone!
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NTC (Manchester) partners with NTC (South Africa) by Dr. Greg
Crofford
The African proverb observes: "You can't pick up a grain of
rice with just one finger." Nazarene Theological College (South Africa) is
now benefiting from a concrete expression of that kind of solidarity, but
coming from another NTC, Nazarene
Theological College of Manchester, United Kingdom.
Concerned that the educational level of our Nazarene pastors was
falling behind that of our church members in southern Africa, Principal Rev.
Mashangu Maluleka discerned God's intervention when Dr Kent Brower of NTC-Manchester
contacted him and Academic Dean Cathy Lebese in late 2012. Brower's question:
Would the campus of NTC be interested in hosting NTC-Manchester modules leading to a Master of Arts in
Christian Holiness? The answer was a resounding
"Yes!"
So far, two intensive modules have been held (May and December
2013), with NTC-Manchester sending professors to guide the two-week sessions.
Nine students - including both NTC faculty and area Nazarene clergy - are
enrolled and on-track to complete the four required modules preliminary to the
writing of a capstone dissertation, typically related to the student's
ministry.
As Coordinator of Education and Clergy Development for the
Africa Region and an M.A./PhD graduate of Manchester, I am profoundly grateful
for NTC-Manchester's commitment of both financial and teaching resources that
are making this dream a reality.
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Passion for the Written Word by Sal Munedzimwe
One late afternoon, as I was about to leave the regional
literature office, the phone rang. It was Pastor Andrew calling on his cell
phone from the Horn of Africa. At first I did not believe it and almost
dismissed the call as coming from one of the scam artists trying his luck on
me. It was when he started telling his story that I began to sense his passion
for sharing the Gospel.
Pastor Andrew called to say he was grateful for the literature
resources his country received and that they were making a big difference in
his community as he shared the Gospel. The local churches have materials that
help them in their Bible studies. They have Bibles and resources for
evangelizing their communities.
I shared with Pastor Andrew that the literature resources they
receive are made possible through the work of selfless contributions of many
people whose passion is for the salvation of our people in Africa and beyond.
He said he would continue to pray for the Literature Ministry
and that more people would get saved and grow spiritually as they read the
Gospel.
Pastor Andrew's call made my day as I thought of the sacrifice
of the cost of making that call to share what literature meant to his
community.
Editor's note: Sal Munedzimwe celebrates 10 years this month as
the Regional Literature Coordinator.
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Thank you for reading the stories of the Africa Region as we
seek to inform, encourage and inspire. Feel free share them through social
media, e-mail or print.
May you sense the presence of God in a fresh way this year.
Amy Crofford,Out of Africa editor
Africa Church of the Nazarene
17 Botes Street
Johannesburg Gauteng South Africa
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