Good News from the South!

Transcription

1 AFRICA NEWS & PRAYER BULLETIN SCRIPTURE UNION AFRICA Volume 26, Issue 26 APRIL JUNE 2009 Our Vision: Children and youth following Jesus, filled with hope and transforming the families and nations of Africa. Good News from the South! SU Botswana celebrated their 40 th anniversary on 7 th February We congratulate them and praise the Lord for a fruitful 40 years of ministry with young people and encouraging people to meet with God through the Bible and prayer. SU Botswana started as and still has its major focus on youth ministry. It is currently serving in about 200 government secondary schools and it has over the years gained respect from the Ministry of Education because of a consistent and prudent service which respects school leadership. SU in Botswana has contributed a lot to church growth both numerically, financially and by providing the church with trained and tried leaders who are ready for service and have a good understanding of service and the need to support ministry. SU has raised men and women of high caliber in society and they now "boast" of one cabinet minister, four permanent secretaries and several heads of government departments and school heads. It is from this base that SU derives its voluntary and support base which is almost 100% local. We are also excited with the appointment of a new SU National Director in Mozambique. Mrs. Felicidade Naume Chirinda was appointed and commissioned on 1 st February She is a pastor s daughter and she too is an ordained minister with the Presbyterian Church. She holds a BA Honors in Practical Theology as well as a Masters degree in the same field. Prayers for Felicidade by Bishop Brian Mavone (Centre), Rev. Mario Nyamuxwe ( National Chairman Left) and Rev. David Gichung wa(right). She has served as a treasurer of the Presbyterian Church, has served as a minister in different parishes and is also in the leadership of various ecumenical organizations in her country. She is excited to work with SU because of her passion to read the Bible contextually and to work with children and young people who are normally marginalized in her country and especially in regard to HIV and AIDS. We trust the Lord for a healthy SU ministry in Mozambique. Please pray for the resources to revive the work in Mozambique as we are starting almost from scratch. We have an able committee which is determined to see the ministry grow. David Gichung wa (Rev.), Regional Director.

2 Staff Appointment: Children s Ministry: We are very excited to tell you that Beth Baleke has been appointed to assist me in the Children s Ministry Department of SU Africa. Beth was until recently the National Director of SU Uganda. Her passion for children s ministry remained the driving force in her life and after much prayer and discussion, the Africa Regional Council agreed to invite Beth to join the Regional Staff Team as assistant to the Children s Ministry Training Consultant. Those of us who have met with Beth certainly sense this call on Beth as well as her passion. Beth accepted the invitation and officially joined the team on 1 March We are so grateful to God for his leading of all concerned. In March, Beth was in the US raising her personal support as well as funding for the ministry itself. Her reports back to us have been really encouraging and indicate that God is indeed behind this move. Beth will operate from Kampala, to which she returns at the beginning of April. Please pray for her as she settles into a new role and also as a member of Regional Team. Mike Smallbones Congo DRC: Bible Use includes Braille: The SU ministry, called Les Pélerins (The Pilgrims), organised on Sunday 7 th December 2008 the launching ceremony of the 2009 Bible Reading Notes at the Grand Hotel in Kinshasa. This activity attracted a lot of people and many participants subscribed to SU/DRC membership. Our prayer is that all those who committed themselves will honour promises. The Evangelical Braille Ministry (MEB) together with SU DRC is caring for people living with eye disability by providing them with journals, books, and portions of the Braille Bible free of charge. This group recently received from SU a kit of 150 items including bags, pans, blankets, clothes and shoes. This act of generosity tremendously touched our dear brethren living in very pathetic conditions. This is part of what we do in our holistic ministry. We trust the Lord to provide more resources to help more of such people. Expansion of the Lifeskills Programmes: Scripture Union in Africa was a pioneer ministry in the Lifeskills trainings under the Aid for AIDS initiative which was aimed at the prevention of HIV/AIDS in the early nineties. The Lifeskills have since been expanded to cover other aspects of life and many other organizations have started similar programs, some of them with the help of Scripture Union. Mike Smallbones and Beth Baleke SU Africa Children s Ministry. Beth s main function is to be the training of staff and volunteers in children s ministry at national and subregional level. Beth and I will work closely together in providing quality training to equip our staff with all they need to be effective in ministry to children on our needy continent, enabling them to train others also. Other responsibilities are the provision of resources for children s workers as well as research in the area of children on the African continent which will guide us in what we in SU do and how we do it. Lifeskills training is a major initiative aimed at helping young people of all faiths with life challenges including social ills such as HIV/AIDS and community conflicts. The training covers diverse courses ranging from sexuality at different age levels to issues of diversity and tolerance. Lifeskills programmes are expanding in different national movements. The SU program in Southern Africa is highly rated by independent observers. In West Africa we have very encouraging testimonies from Togo, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Benin and Nigeria. For example Jean Adam, the National

3 Director of Togo, reports that No other organization is running Lifeskills clubs in Togo and so the demand from the churches and schools is very high. This includes the running of peer education clubs which have opened many doors for ministry. Thu 2: Thank God for the holiday activities and for the children as the schools reopen. Pray for God s protection for them throughout the term. Fri 3: Thank God for the good development of Phiona UWIMANA, that she is able to take more responsibilities, Sat 4: Pray for open hearts among children to understand the story of Jesus when they are taught. Madagascar Sun 5 Since January 2009, Madagascar has gone through turbulent times socially and politically. Pray in the name of Jesus Christ against the works of the enemy, Satan, whose aim is to destroy that nation. Lifeskills Training in Togo. Parents and children are beginning to discuss openly sexuality issues and are asking questions. Testimonies from Pupils, students, youth, teachers and parents indicate that young people are benefiting from peer education. SU Togo has received requests from other organisations asking for Lifeskills training and the use of the SU Lifeskills manuals. SU Kenya had a massive campaign in February with rallies across the country with an attendance of over 15,000 young people. They are working closely with the government s curriculum development institute because Lifeskills has been introduced as a subject (non-examinable) in both primary and secondary schools. This new development opens door to reach over 11 million young people through the program. PRAYERS - APRIL 2009 Africa Region: Wed 1: Rwanda. Thank God for a blessed time with Sarah Marohn, 21 year old from Wetter, Germany, who served with SU Rwanda for a month the program with street children. Pray that the relationships that were established will last and be a blessing to those concerned. Mon 6: We no longer have people booked for accommodation at SU Centre. This is a big blow because the Centre is a major source of income for the movement. Pray for the staff that God will continue to provide for their needs. Tue 7: In spite of the political & social unrest, SU Madagascar has launched the project Bible reading promotion. Pray for the success of this project. Wed 8: Pray for peace and stability to be restored in Madagascar and for healing of broken relationships. FCS Thu 9: Our National Conference comes up from 9th- 13th April, 2009 in Gboko, Benue State. Pray for wisdom, grace, strength and direction for the Central Planning Committee and for God s manifestation to bless His people. About 10,000 participants are expected. Pray for resources, provision to meet the basic needs and requirements of the conference Pray also for the Guest Speakers: Bro. Gbile Akanni, Bro. Pic Onwochei and Sis Stella Unom. Mauritius Fri 10: Pray for the distribution of gift boxes and the booklet The Greatest Gift of All to needy children in 10 challenged regions of Mauritius in April. Pray that they will be touched by God s message of love. Sat 11: Pray for James Wong and his family as they move and settle in their new home and new responsibilities.

4 FCS Sun 12: Resource Development. There is need for an Administrative Assistant in the Directorate of Resource Development to help with the increasing work in our Devotionals and Bible study materials development. Pray for that need. Togo Mon 13: Pray that the Lord sustains the Evangelism ministry that we have started among children. Tue 14 Pray for God s intervention on the deteriorating economy in Togo Africa Region Wed 15: Eastern Africa: The Orientation Course for new staff from Eastern Sub-Region will be held in Kampala, Uganda from 19 th - 25 th April Pray for safety as the participants travel to Kampala, and pray for valuable time at the course. Thu16: 16-18: Please pray for Janet Morgan and Pauline Hoggarth meeting during these days in Montreal, USA, with other members of the Forum of Bible Agencies International(FOBAI). Pray for the final plans for a conference on Bible interaction in October in Malaysia. Please pray for reliable internet access for the SUI team around the world. Fri 17 Mozambique : A new National Director was appointed in February Please pray for Felicidade Naume Chirinda as she takes over the leadership of this national movement which has had very serious difficulties in the recent past. Sat 18: Africa Regional Office: Critical decisions on the appointment of two full-time Sub-Regional Directors need to be made by August Pray for the people involved that they will know the leading of the Lord and that the process will lead to acceptance and support for the new staff. FCS Adamawa Sun 19: Pray for wisdom and grace upon the Gombe State Officials: Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and others to do the exact will of God for the State. The National Training on HIV and AIDS and Lifeskills, begins from today 19th-25th in Jos. Pray for the participants to have teachable hearts. Mon 20: Thank God for the smooth and good relationship between FCS and Adamawa SACA. Pray for its continuation. Togo Tue 21: We thank God for the impact of the message to pupils which was an eye opener to personal questions about sexuality. Pray for positive changes in their lives. Wed 22: We pray that the church members will be more interested in the activities of SU. Britain & Ireland Region Thu 23: Former Soviet Republics. We held a Bible Forum in March with Pauline Hoggarth. Please pray that the experience of the participants at the forum will have an impact on the quality of their ministry with children and young people. The annual conference for staff and key volunteers will be held in Moscow from April. Congo DRC Fri 24: Please pray for a large distribution of the 2009 Bible Readings Notes that are still in our stores. May God help the non-users of this material to be sensitive to how useful they are. Sat 25: Please pray for the impact of true witness to the word of God in the life of our fellow citizens and companions who devote themselves to the reading of the Bible. Sun 26: Please pray for all the people in our country to respect and honour marriage. Pray also for SU teammembers who are sick. Mon 27: Please pray for the concretisation of our income-generating projects (CEK, CJM, WA Mama wa Matumayini in Lubumbashi, Nyumba wa Ndosho Centre (NWN), Tumaini la Vijana in Kisangani) and many others. Francophone Tue 28:. French-speaking North Africa. In 2009, numerous copies of «Daily Bread» were printed and distributed in the North. We thank God for the big demand for the notes and trust that this will be a blessing to many people. Wed 29: Daily Guide on internet is the 2 nd year for the availability of Daily Guide on internet. May God be praised for the service rendered by SU

5 France. May this provide an avenue for many people to meet God and respond to His Word Thu 30: Daily Guide. Since September 2008, Daniel Besse has been a part-time Chaplain for the Conference Centre in France (Rimlishof). May the Lord grant him wisdom to choose his priorities so to efficiently allocate enough time for editing the Daily Guide (french Edition). Daily Guide 2011 Due to the need for quality notes, and the need to respect deadlines, the 2011 texts should already have been sent to writers with a dealine for 31 August May the Lord give wisdom to the writers to complete their work within the schedule. MAY Fri 1: French-speaking Switzerland: We are preparing 21 camps for this summer for all age groups from age 5 to adults. Please pray for these camps and for those responsible for running them. Pray for a profound desire for the participants to know God and His word even more deeply. Sat 2: Greece: Pray for this year s camps that we will organize for children and teenagers at Easter and Summer time. Pray that we will find the appropriate volunteers to help us with these projects, and pray for each child, teenager and young people individually, for these programmes to be a blessing in their lives. Sun 3: Poland: During the Spring SU Poland will be focused on children s clubs. The aim is to start up several new clubs in different churches. This will be for the project Eco Alfa, ecology clubs for children. Mon 4: Denmark: Pray for a Bible awakening in Denmark. It is very much needed. We are planning to publish new types of Bible Reading Notes. We need wisdom to see the way in this process. Pray that we will find new ways to address the Bible readers, new ways to inspire people who do not read the Bible. Tue 5: Pacific islands: Sam Emery (Pacific Islands Coordinator) and Mark Schultz (Director of SU South Australia) will travel to Fiji in May. Pray that they will be able to help increase the capacity of SU to raise and manage the finances so that the work can continue with its aim to be involved in every school in the country. Wed 6: Britain and Ireland Region: The Regional Council will be meeting in Northern Ireland on 7,8 May. Pray that it will be productive in terms of the business which has to be undertaken but also in strengthening relationships and enabling us to maximise our shared opportunities Thu 7: Botswana: Praise God for the success of the 40 anniversary celebrations. Thank God for the Youth ministry which has enjoyed respect from ministry of Education over the years. Fri 8 Thank God for good relationship with the churches and the impact SU Bostwana has made to the church growth. :. Praise God for men and women of high caliber in society raised by SU Botwana. Sat 9: Pray for continued strength in Bible engagement, School groups, and Christian teachers. Sun10: Republic of Ireland:. Due to the economic recession our three Bookshops are experiencing a downturn in sales. In our Dublin shop this has been dramatic over a three month period with a loss of over 30%. We are taking some corrective action. Please pray for continued support from the Christian community, more customers and improved sales to sustain our ministry in these difficult economic times. SU International Mon 11: 12-14: Pray for Terry Williams as he takes part in conference calls relating to the International Sports Coalition Conference over these 3 days. Pray for the continued expansion of KidsGames and other Global Community Games across the globe to reach and disciple children. Tue 12: 18-22: the 2 nd Global Children s Forum is taking place in Florida. It brings together leaders of agencies involved in the evangelisation and discipleship of children. Wendy Strachan and Terry Williams ask prayer for a strong sense of God's Spirit, uniting us in purpose and opening our eyes to the potential of what can be done in partnership to reach the world's children.

6 India: Please pray for improved financial support to meet staff salary increment. Pray for Council, State and Local Committee Members. Pray that we find two more suitable workers for the Hindi speaking area. Pray for Bible Readers' Workshop (May 14th - 16th, 2009) conducted by Mr. J. G. Jeevaraj at SU Camp Centre, Mahabalipuram. Wed 13: Please continue to pray for a research project to evaluate the impact of Faith Comes by Hearing audio Scriptures in Uganda schools. Thu 14: Clayton Fergie is in Malaysia during the second half of this month at the East and West Asia ON Institute for new staff. Pray for him and the regional team as they work with staff from around the region. FCS: Fri 15: Pray for divine guidance and favour to accomplish the vision, Operation 200 Associates Mobilisation, Training and Equipping within the first half of the year 2009 to be actualised in Kaduna Area. Sat.16: Kaduna Area has embarked on mobilisation, training and equipping of JFCS team workers. Pray for its success and its Coordinator Sis. Abigail Toro. Sun 17 Bro. Sunday A.U. Musa has been on study leave since 1st January, Pray for funds to cater for his academics and the family needs. SU International: Mon 18: East Asia. ON Institute 12: Please pray for this orientation course for new SU staff workers in the East and West Asian Region. Venue: SU Camp Site, Tapah, Malaysia. Date : Training: 18 th 30 th May, Field Work Exposure: 31 st May 11 th June, Pray for all the teachers and facilitators of this training. Pray for safe travel for all the delegates and facilitators coming from different parts of the region. Pray that it will be a great learning experience for all the delegates. Tue19: New Bible Reading Material for Children.Thank the Lord that in Taiwan, Special Moment and in Indonesia SUPERKIDZ Bible Reading materials for children were launched earlier this year. Pray that the materials will minister to many children in these two countries. Wed 20: Central Asia: Audio Bible produced by SU Kyrgyzstan is very well received. Another 50,000 copies of different portions of the Bible is ready for distribution. Pray that these CD s will reach many villages in Central Asia. Thu 21: Vietnam: Thank God that SU work especially in the Central Region has been very encouraging. Pray for the appointment of a 2 nd worker for the Central Region and the appointment of a new worker for the Southern Region soon, so that the work will continue Fri 22: Ghana: Pray for the effective marketing and sales of all SU Daily Bible Reading Notes. Pray that diligently use it and it will help them to know Christ better and to make Him better known. Pray that we will properly recoup the BRN Sales monies from the districts and regions. FCS Sat 23: Pray for resources to sustain Guys & Girls, FCS outreach awareness programme. Sun 24: Thank God for the team spirit of staff, associates/school visitors in Jigawa state. Pray that this spirit would grow, that many more will join them to move the work to higher heights in the state. Mon25:Pray for more committed associates/patrons/school visitors to replace those recently transfered. Pray for strength and vision for associates as they trust God to purchase some land. Ghana Tue 26: Pray for the drawing of the New National Strategic Plan for Pray for the Principal Consultant Prof. Sam Kofi Afrane, and other stakeholders in this process. Pray that they will keep to the timeframe. Wed 27: Please pray for adequate funds to support SU Ghana work. Pray particularly for young professionals aged years to get involved in this work. Thu 28: Pray for officers of the SU National Council and the Senior Management Team (SMT) for vision and wisdom; effective service; physical and spiritual protection; and safety in travel. Fri 29: Pray for SU Daily Bible Reading Notes (Daily Power and Daily Guide). Pray that readers will diligently use it to know them know Christ better and to make Him better known to others.

7 Sat 30: Pray for more persons to answer the call to full-time service as Training Secretaries, Administrative staff or volunteers. Associates Think Tank begins from today 30th May- 3rd June in Adamawa Area. Pray for God s strength, wisdom and enabling grace on all participants. Sun 31 Mauritius. Today is the Global Day of Prayer. Prayer gatherings will be held in 3 regions. Pray for the success of this occasion. JUNE 2009: Mauritius Mon 1: Pray for God s wisdom as the writers of Daily Bread 2011 prepare the notes which need to be ready by 31 August Tue 2: Pray for God s provision of funds so that we can meet the demands for Christian literature. FCS Wed 3: Pray for couples who attended the Be faithful workshop. Pray that lessons learnt will be used to strengthen relationships with their spouses. Thu 4 Because of victimisation of Christian teachers in Sokoto Area, they are unwilling to commit themselves as patrons of fellowship in schools. Pray for bold volunteers among the Christian teachers who will be patrons in secondary schools in Sokoto Area. Fri 5 Praise God for the lives of all Council members who have been contributing sacrificially to the growth of FCS Ministry. SU International: Sat 6: Pakistan: We have a school and hostels ministry in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Karachi city. Pray for its effectiveness. Pray also for the appointment of a suitable new staff worker in Peshawar. Pray for enough funds to continue ministry in Sun 7: Pakistan: Please pray for the safety of our field staff as the law and order situation is getting worse. Vacation Bible Schools will be held in the Summer Vacations. Pray for the preparation of the teaching and the impact on the young people involved. Mon : Please intercede for meetings of the SUI team and Executive Committee at Rimlishof, France, from 8-12 June. Remember Colin Sinclair, our chairman, as he provides leadership. Swaziland Tue 9: Praise God for the smooth running of the lifeskills projects. Wed 10. Praise God for additional staff member. God really does answer prayer. SUI: Thu 11: Pray for political and economic stability in Madagascar and Zimbabwe Fri 12 Angola: SU is in the process of buying an 11 hectares piece of land along a lagoon on one of the big rivers in the country. It is strategically placed for a camping, retreat or tourist centre. Please pray for the needed funds. Americas Region: Sat 13 Haiti: Praise God for open doors to transport literature to the country. Please pray that Pastor Galilee Perilus will be successful in working with local churches in presenting this Bible reading material. Pray for God s direction and wisdom. Sun 14: Peru: Thank God for the gift of a piece of land from the local authorities. Pray for plans to build a home for abandoned boys. West Central Mon 15: The Sub-region is planning for a Staff Consultation meeting to be held in July 2009 in Jos, Nigeria. Please pray for Emmanuel Todjo, the Subregional Director, as he organizes for this meeting. Tue 16: Aid for AIDS: Scripture Union Africa Region initiated capacity building workshops and mentoring exercises aimed at strengthening the francophone countries to be more effective in responding to HIV and AIDS pandemic and to strengthen their organizational systems. Pray that this initiative will bear lasting fruits in Rwanda, Congo DRC and Cameroon. Wed 17 Give thanks for the GAFA (HIV & AIDS intervention) curriculum development that is going on in India. Pray for Clayton Fergie as he continues to work with a national team on this project as well as the

8 training and support systems that are being developed alongside it. Thu 18 SU USA: Please continue to pray for God s leading on partnership with the American Bible Society. Pray for good relationships with other Organizations. Fri 19: Scotland: Pray for staff that they may effectively communicate the Christian message to school children and their teachers. Sat 20: Pray for the 1000 Words art exhibition taking place in New South Wales in the last week of June. This exhibition will showcase the creativity of Scripture Union volunteers and will help raise funds for the ministries. Sun 21: SU Australia: We are developing a new Strategic Plan for the working together of the State and Territory movements. The aim is to have this Plan approved at a General assembly in August. Pray that it will give focus and draw on the corporate strength and resources within SU across Australia. Mon 22: SUA Resources For Ministry: Together with the local Resource Centres it provides Children s Church Program materials and Bible Reading Notes. Pray that more people will be encouraged to use these materials. Especially pray as the E100 challenge program is trialled in Australia and New Zealand. Tue 23 Finance: Pray that people will continue to give generously, and for the Finance Managers as they have the responsibility for managing the limited resources. Wed 24: England & Wales: Pray for Lifepath, an SU event for primary school children in which they are invited to explore the Christian faith through the life path of a well known Christian from history. Thu 25: SUI: Please pray for reliable internet access for the SUI team around the world for effective communication. Fri 26: Togo: Pray for recruitment of camp leader for children and young people, 25th July 2nd August 2009, and from 5th 9th August Sat 27: Benin: We thank God for the production of young peoples Bible reading Notes for Sun 28: Give thanks for the launching of Biblical Guide project for Francophone Africa. This will allow the annual production of young people s Guide called appointment with God Mon 29: Pray for God to inspire notes writers for adolescents and young people. Tue 30: Thank God for the worldwide SU family. Scripture Union Africa, PO Box , Nairobi, KENYA Tel: admin@su-africa.org Website: su-africa.org

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