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Friends United Meeting |
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May 1999
Africa Quaker Vision
By John Muhanji
Africa Quaker Vision is a ministry to strengthen relationships with other Quakers in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa for Christ (Psalm 133, John 17:21,23 & 13:35). Our priority is to see that Quakers in Africa are actively engaged and involved in a massive campaign for Christ by the year 2000 and beyond.
Religious systems, like other aspects of society, are constantly changing. Africa seems to have unique problems that accelerate these changes. We are faced with wars, genocide, corruption, famine, poverty and political upheavals that threaten our very survival. The new cargo cults, prophetic and the "get rich" movements have added to the confusion that already exists in our denomination. This is precisely why Africa Quaker Vision was born two years ago with a concern that, as servants of Christ, we are under orders to evangelize the truth (Matthew 28:19,20).
Our concern is to try and seek the dynamic Christianity that is found in the pages of the New Testament. We also seek to participate with God in transforming contemporary cultural biases within the Quaker movement.
Lotan Migaliza: Little did Lotan know what God was calling him for when he received God's calling and decided to take early retirement from his well-paid employment of 25 years. Now, as the co-ordinator of Africa Quaker Vision he believes that "When God calls one to serve, God imparts understanding and guides one into ways of faithfulness. God encourages, builds and equips His servants for effective mission at the appropriate time." Lotan is currently taking a degree course in biblical studies at Day Star University. He is married to Emmy and they have two sons and one daughter. He is committed to serving and reaching people for Christ. His dream is for Quakers in Africa to rise up above "religion" and preach the gospel of Christ Jesus.
Samson Ababu Gimongo: Samson is an evangelist in the Friends Church Nairobi. He is the secretary to the Nairobi Young Adults Regional Planning Committee of Friends Church. He also serves as the secretary to Africa Quaker Vision. He and Leah have three sons. His concern is to see people evangelized, especially the Quaker community, so that they may also pass the same message to others.
John Afanda Muhanji: John is an evangelist in the Friends Church Nairobi. He has a call to serve and reach people for Christ. He is the secretary to Friends Pastors Conference (Africa) and the vice chairman of the Nairobi Young Adults Regional Planning Committee of Friends Church. He serves as the treasurer to the Africa Quaker Vision. He and Rose have two sons and one daughter. He loves the Lord and is devoted to serving and reaching people for Christ.
Jotham Kagota Lubia: Jotham is an evangelist in the Friends Church Nairobi. His dream has always been that if all people can know Christ, then peace shall reign everywhere. He is the chairman of Nairobi Young Adults Regional Planning Committee of Friends Church. He serves as a field officer to Africa Quaker Vision. He and Margaret have two sons and four daughters.
Africa Quaker Vision Involvement: In November 1998, the Africa Quaker Vision secretary Samson A. Gimongo participated in a four-day workshop on peace building awareness-the Change Agent Peace Programme (CAPP) held in Nairobi. This is a programme under the Quaker Service Norway with an aim of facilitating healing and conflict resolution in the war-torn countries of the Great Lakes Region (Uganda, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Kenya). The goals for the CAPP workshop were: (a) To establish opportunities for training and support for peace agents; (b) To assist reconciliation and healing through Bible studies at the grass roots level; (c) To understand better the cause of war, and what God is calling us to do individually and cooperatively.
Besides evangelization, Africa Quaker Vision is also committed to reaching the less privileged in the society. In Kenya, we are involved in counselling and assisting victims who were blinded in the August 7, 1998, bomb blast.
Where Africa Quaker Vision Is
Heading: During a visit last fall to East African countries by Retha McCutchen, the associate secretary of the World Ministries of Friends United Meeting, she encouraged Friends in Africa to get more involved in missionary work. That is what Africa Quaker Vision is committed to. We want to make our contribution towards the great commission under the command of the Spirit of the Lord. As of now, our goal is to reach our brothers and sisters in the countries of Southern Africa by May 1999. We plan to worship together, strengthen each other in the faith, share our experiences with them, and talk about challenges that commonly affect African Christian relationships.
Africa Quaker Vision is planning for a partnership mission to Uganda next year. This mission is meant to build links and encourage our Friends in Uganda to step up the rate of evangelism in the region for Christ. It is looking forward to participating in their projects and encouraging training in various fields of evangelism and community development.
We plan to create awareness of the Friends Theological College among Friends in the region as an institution that trains and equips Quakers in the ministry. This will strengthen the relationship of our partnership and co-operation in the ministry. We also aim to establish Quaker Centres in this region through the grace of God.
Africa Quaker Vision requests prayer and encouragement from Friends all over the world.
Copyright (c) 1999 Friends United Meeting