Africa update

This update is from Kalengule Kaoma, GCI’s missions director for central Africa.

LIBERIA

I arrived in Monrovia on June 4. My visit had two purposes: to meet with Pastor Robert Browne III about a GCI presence in Liberia and to meet several church leaders who have written to GCI to express interest in being part of our denomination.

I am pleased to report that Pastor Browne, who we met first in May, 2011, is still enthusiastic about working with GCI. In fact, he organized a conference attended by 80 local leaders on June 8-10. I then met with four leaders from other denominations that have asked to become a part of GCI. One of these leaders, Pastor Leo Boimah Brosius, expressed interest in becoming a GCI missionary in Liberia, Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire. He has left the church he planted, leaving it under the care of his brother. He and I agreed to wait on God for further direction.

RWANDA

Kimani Ndungu, Area Pastor for East Africa, met me in Nairobi on June 12. From there we travelled to Kigali, Rwanda. Last year, I started cultivating new ground for a GCI presence in Rwanda. On this trip, I wanted to see what the Holy Spirit had been doing since I last visited. A group of pastors represented by Benjamin Sibo-Muzi of Calvary African Ministries International, are interested in having GCI facilitate a pastors’ reconciliation conference. These leaders do not want to see a repeat of the genocide of 1994.

Kimani and I had further discussions with Pastor Eugene Munyampama who runs a youth skills training center in Rwanda’s second largest city. After the meeting, he felt more confident to do what the Holy Spirit will lead him to do. He knows there is a need for GCI to be planted in the city where he lives. Both Kimani and I are looking forward to a fruitful harvest of God’s work in Rwanda through GCI.

BURUNDI

We traveled to Burundi on June 15. Prior to this visit, I had been in touch with Pastor Eugene Sibomana by email. For several months, Pastor Sibomana urged me to visit because he considers himself and his church of seven congregations to be a part of GCI. I thank God for his provision that when funds where available, Kimani and I were able to travel and meet Eugene Sibomana and his leadership team.

Pastor Eric-Armie Niyindengera (General Secretary) and Pastor Sibomana and his family met us at Bujumbura International Airport. As overseer of International Revival Church of Life (IRCL), Pastor Sibomana planned that we travel on June 16 to Cibitoke where IRCL was first planted. In the board – church council meeting, we were given reasons for affiliation. The team is eager to be part of GCI. As soon as some funds are available, we plan to make another trip there to consolidate our relationship.

The following day, 550 representatives from most of the congregations joined us for a worship service at the church in Cibitoke. From there, we drove back to Bujumbura to attend a service with members of two city congregations with about 200 in attendance.

MALAWI

Leigh Smithson, from the Red Deer, Alberta, Canada church, traveled to South Africa, where he met Tim Maguire, National Director of GCI, South Africa. Tim and Leigh traveled together to Mozambique. After visiting churches there, they traveled to Malawi where they found me waiting in Blantyre. We shared time talking to GCI Malawi church leaders during the conference on July 14-15. We also visited rural churches in Mombezi, Naminjale, Mwanza, Kabanga and Dowa where our displaced members from the Democratic Republic of Congo live. We encouraged our brethren with the hope of the gospel.