23rd General Conference Session Special Report
The evangelistic work in the Northern African Region has been very difficult in some areas—yet we rejoice as we see souls thirsting to hear and accept the word of God and making their decision to follow Jesus Christ.
Tanzania has seen several outreach activities and a reorganized mission with 194 baptized members in Mbeya.
In Kenya, a recent project held was a humanitarian project together with the General Conference Welfare Department to help in some projects such as a boring a hole for well water in a community that had a problem with water.
In Rwanda, we faced great difficulties because 27 of our local chapels were shut down due to the many government’s need to use the facilities. This was a serious problem for the new Union which had been moving along well.
Many thanks to the General Conference which has given support and made great efforts to help the brethren in this situation.
Currently almost 18 churches are again worshiping in peace and we hope that God will also help those that are not yet restored.
When our churches were re-opened, it was a great miracle for us to see new souls. We don’t know how it happened, but they wanted to join our message, bringing our membership there to be nearly doubled. The brethren are working hard to see how we can divide into at least 2; already a new plot has been purchased, thank God.
Rwanda has plans to build a missionary school and the plot of land was bought for those speaking the Rwandese language widely used in large parts of the east African countries.
Togo was recently developed; we were able to baptize 15 souls and the mission was organized. An experienced minister was sent there with his family, and new souls are now being prepared to take their stand for the Lord. We are developing well because we have two rented places where people are worshiping every Sabbath. There are more than 30 interested souls preparing to become members.
The Reform Movement message has been growing steadily in Burundi, reaching almost the entire country.
Ethiopia was reached during this quadrennium largely thanks to our California brethren who organized a medical missionary trip there. This was a big help and the brethren were happy with people from around the world visiting and helping them.
Missionary work is growing well in Uganda, especially in Kampala, where we did not have any members—but now that is quickly changing.
North Kivu suffers from poverty due to the need of our brethren to move. They cannot stay home for more than one year and six months due to the military activities in the area as constant war is going on. Yet the membership is growing there. The Rwanda Union leaders are helping to visit them, and the Welfare Department is helping those brethren who don’t have anything to eat nor clothes to wear.
The places without war are where our members are moving to live, but one big problem has been that the youth moving with them have not had a school in which to study because of the Sabbath day. They cannot attend the schools attached to other denominations because those don’t allow them to keep the Sabbath; they even try to force them to do exams on the Sabbath day. But we thank God that a school has been built in one place and all our youth are using this school. We have many teachers in this Mission, so it was easy. About the poor members—especially those who are in refugee camps—the General Conference Welfare Department has provided food for them and the brethren are happy with this. To improve the situation for the future, 4 hectares have been purchased and the members are happy to cultivate this land themselves. In 6 months, the brethren will have enough food to eat and will also sell it, as this will help the Mission, too.
Sierra Leone is another new country added during this quadrennium. To establish this Mission on a solid foundation, a house was rented for meetings in Bo, a large city where most of the members are.
The Lord’s work is new in Madagascar, where we are soon to build a church in the capital city of Antananarivo. A baptism of 11 souls was recently held in May.
Ghana is an important center from which the Present Truth reaches surrounding countries. New people are coming to visit the new church building in the capital city of Accra.
The Reform Movement message in Nigeria faces challenges due to war; yet in some places there is good progress. The construction of the church in Abba has attracted many new interests.
The SDARM has been in Seychelles for a long time and seminars were recently held to give a boost to the work. Now there are interested souls awaiting baptism soon.
Liberia is a very new Field with great possibilities of growth. Public conferences have been held in this country with important subjects such as the need to reform; this deeply touched the hearts of many who decided to join the Reform Movement. Training seminars for members and organizational conferences have been held, two brethren have been ordained as pastors and now the work is moving well.
In Cameroon we have organized groups of members in the major cities of Douala and Yaoundé, where they are laboring to expand the work.
1. In North Kivu, our children were having a serious problem due to a lack of a school they could attend, but now both a primary school and a secondary school have been established to facilitate our children and the community in general.
2. In North Kivu, 4 hectares were purchased to give brethren who are refugees a place to cultivate and grow food for the time being.
In Domoma, the new capital of Tanzania, 9 hectares have been purchased for the headquarters and other projects for the future.
3. A printing office is much needed for printing materials such as Sabbath Bible Lessons, and in some cases items that need to be printed in the native language as well as for pamphlets and other missionary materials.
Until the return of our Lord and Saviour, there will always be precious souls on the African continent who hunger and thirst after the truth!