Author: GCI Media

This update is from Kalengule Kaoma who is GCI national director in Zambia and missions director in much of Africa.

Starting in late October, I have traveled to Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Our national directors, their wives and church pastors and leaders send their greetings. Most of them are well and are keeping the faith with determination, love for God and love for our members.

Madagascar

When I visited Madagascar, the members were completing their annual convention, this year gathering in Antsirabe, which is three hours north of Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar. Angel Bodolalao Rafiringason, wife of GCI Madagascar’s national director Dr. Rigobert Rafiringason, gave an encouraging message about the promises we have in Jesus. I then covered as many topics as time allowed. The enthusiasm and desire of the members to learn electrified the meetings. There was lots of praise, worship and prayer. The Rafiringasons invest a lot of resources in their youth—many youth leaders were in attendance.

Kenya

James Henderson facilitated the conference in Kenya with me where we met with 28 pastors and other leaders in Nairobi. A week earlier, many of these leaders had met to discuss the future of the Kenyan church. It was good for them to be together to cement relationships, beliefs and to grow in leadership skills. From Nairobi, I flew to Arusha where I met with three church leaders interested in joining GCI.

Tanzania

I met with 26 Tanzanian church leaders in Musoma. The last conference we had together was in 2010. This year there was a lot of noise as we greeted each other. Many questions were asked about grace and its implications in our lives. These leaders are eager and thirsty for more. I also met with a group of leaders in Kalisizo. I’ve been working with them over the last three years in an affiliation process.

Uganda

In Entebbe, I met Pastor Joseph Mark Emeu-Oedo, who is seeking GCI affiliation. He trains rural pastors who have not attended Bible school. A lot of these “untrained” pastors oversee large congregations. He became interested in GCI when he visited our website and found that GCI plants “all kinds of churches in all kinds of places for all kinds of people.”

I then met another pastor in Kampala who had traveled 250 kilometers to meet me. He had many questions about our stand on grace. After the discussions, he invited me to visit him in his hometown.

In Eastern Uganda we met with 18 GCI leaders in Tororo. Pastor Edward Kagoro and his wife were not able to attend because of burns inflicted by thieves who had spread sulfuric acid on his shoulders. They also stole his motor bike. Thankfully, Edward is now better. His bike was recovered and his attackers were arrested.

GCI-USA’s SEP Rockies camp and Ground Zero Church recently hosted the annual Rocky Mountain Retreat in beautiful Estes Park, Colorado at the YMCA of the Rockies. There were 45 participants this year.

The retreat is designed as an informal leadership incubator for young adults who serve in camp and church ministry. Sarah Miles and John Egbert coordinated the retreat and Anthony Mullins, director of GCI Generations Ministries, was guest speaker.

Retreat sessions addressed loneliness and depression, Christian apologetics, and the strengths and weaknesses of social networking. Lots of fellowship, food and a roaring fireplace made it a special atmosphere for all, including the ten young adults who attended for the first time.

65 singles from seven GCI Philippines congregations and fellowships attended a year-end camp at Playa Calatagan, Batangas. The camp was held as part of the year-long jubilee celebration of GCI in the Philippines. The camp was designed to address the spiritual, emotional, intellectual, social and physical aspects of life as a single.

The camp site was located beside the white sand beach of Playa Calatagan Seaside Community. Everyone was grateful to God for the perfect weather. Inspiring presentations were made by Pastor Audie Santibanez, Pastor Gil Llaneza and Julian “Jing” Concepcion, Jr.

Following Christmas Day gang violence that left three innocent bystanders dead in Pasadena, California, several community leaders including GCI pastor Glen Weber (in the picture above at upper right) gathered with about 100 city residents to pray for peace. Rev. Kerwin Manning declared, “We’re here to declare peace over our community and our city.” The leaders asked the assembled crowd to take an active role in promoting peace.

Among the dead Christmas Day was Victor McClinton, a longtime Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department employee and founder of the nonprofit Brotherhood Community Youth Sports League. He was killed by a stray bullet from a gang-related shooting.

Read more at http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/news/ci_22285680/community-members-leaders-rally-peace-pasadena#ixzz2GerwdlNS.