Year: 2018

Crossing Borders, a GCI Generations Ministries’ mission organization, recently returned from a trip to Mexico, where they distributed about 1000 shoeboxes full of gifts to needy children. Crossing Borders’ director Lee Berger noted that the children responded with “broad smiles, tears of delight and giggles of glee.” He also mentioned that the parents’ faces lighted up upon seeing their children being blessed with boxes full of “necessities and fun stuff.” Besides the shoebox gifts, Crossing Borders also presented handmade blankets and quilts, totes full of supplies for infants, bracelets and other special presents.

In his report on the trip, Lee stressed that Crossing Borders’ goal is to help each shoebox recipient understand “that they are special and unique to God… innately worthy of his personal touch.” Though it may seem that distributing shoeboxes assembled prior to the trip by various congregations and other donors is impersonal, Lee pointed out that each shoebox is unique, being assembled individually with a personal touch. One group of shoeboxes even included a picture of the donating congregation (see picture, above left). Each shoebox is prayed over by the senders, then put into the hands of a specific child in Mexico. “We’ve come to realize,” Lee noted, “that, even with 1000 boxes, God can direct each one to go exactly where it needs to go—and he does!”

Lee gave an example: On one occasion, a girl opened a box that was labeled to be for a girl, but it was packed with what were obviously boy’s items. Noticing this “mistake,” they tried to trade out her box for a girl’s box. But it turns out that the girl’s father was out of work and depressed, and the little girl had been wanting to find a way to cheer him up. She told us that this box of boy’s stuff was the perfect present she could give her dad. God knew and provided!

Here are reports on recent GCI activities in Africa.

Malawi

With help from a member in France, a much-needed bicycle was provided recently to Mr. Chafa, who takes care of the GCI congregations meeting in Bunda and Ntuwasweka, Malawi. Mr. Chafa had been walking over six miles each week from his home in Bunda to Ntuwasweka to serve the people there.

South Africa

GCI-South Africa recently conducted a youth camp (SEP) with assistance from GCI congregations and a camp in Canada.

Kenya

GCI pastors in Kenya gathered recently for a conference where they had a time of refreshing apart from their pastoral responsibilities. The group exchanged stories of the successes and challenges encountered in their respective mission fields. Presentations were given on themes relevant to their calling. Following the conference, they joined GCI’s Nairobi congregation for a worship service. Finances permitting, the group plans to meet at least twice a year.

Here are GCI prayer requests from three nations in Africa:

• Ghana: Please pray for God’s intervention in our favor regarding three cases in court. People are trying to take over several parcels of land we acquired several years ago. We have documents covering each parcel, yet people are invading and trespassing.
• Burundi: Please pray that God will give us favor so that we are not discriminated against because we are a small and relatively newly registered church in Burundi. The Government of Burundi appointed a new commission in charge of denominations. The commission consists of Bishops from denominations that have existed for a long time in Burundi. These denominations have modern church buildings and large development projects. The commission is requesting that the government close denominations that do not have these things and that request will be reviewed soon by the National Assembly. Please pray that God intervenes.
• Zambia: Please pray for our jubilee celebrations.