A very special opportunity presented itself while we were in Thailand. We helped our associates from the country where 41 were recently imprisoned. We talked about improving their security to help prevent any more of our associates from being sent to prison. We talked about email security, website security, and notebook computer security. We identified steps for them to take. It is a privilege to help protect our associates through helping with security precautions. These are very special people who risk much as they serve God. I am humbled to sit beside them and advise them on security issues. Please continue to pray for the 41 and their families.
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It was our first time back to sub-Saharan Africa since we returned to the U.S. in 1992. It was a chance to renew old friendships. It was a chance to meet a new generation of leaders who have come after us. It was a chance to reconnect with the people and cultures of Africa. It was awesome.
In 1977, Kay and I were privileged to be a part of the first-ever continent-wide meeting in Swaziland. In 2007, Kay and I were privileged to be a part of the second continent-wide meeting in Kenya. What a fantastic blessing. What a privilege to observe first-hand the growth and development that has happened over these 30 years.
We were part of a team of 40 people helping serve the largest gathering of Africans ever assembled by Campus Crusade for Christ. In addition, we led a smaller team to help train 300 African campus staff in using our Mobile ConneXion toolkit.
Austin Okomohwo was just beginning as a staff member of Campus Crusade in Nigeria 16 years ago when we left Nigeria. He now gives leadership to the campus ministry strategy for the entire continent. At Pamoja, he was the overall Conference Director. 16 years ago, he asked me, “How long have you been on the staff?” When I told him 14 years (at that time in 1992), he said, “Wow. That’s a long time. What have you done for all those years?”
This time it was my turn. I asked Austin, “How long have you been on the staff?” When he answered 16 years, I asked him with a smile, “Wow. That’s a long time. What have you done for all those years?” Austin and I laugh at how both of our plans have been extended by God as he continues to call each of us into fulltime service. Both are captivated by the vision of everyone knowing someone who truly follows Jesus.
Pamoja Africa was dedicated to building a new generation of leaders equally captivated by God’s call to build a new Africa, an Africa that moves from desperately needy to fully participating in God’s plan to redeem the nations.
“I’ve been looking for a good way to improve communication around our area. The Mobile ConneXion toolkit looks like just what we need.” Kennedy is the campus ministry coordinator for the 17 countries in French-speaking Africa.
Our team trained 300 staff and distributed 300 toolkits.
Our purpose at Pamoja was not to teach computer skills, but to enable staff to communicate effectively with each other. So many staff are isolated in their assignments and unable to benefit from sharing ideas, vision, and strategies. Our mobile connexion project addresses this need.
The toolkit is engineered to enhance communication across Africa. For those without computers who depend on internet cafés, the toolkit allows them to move from their homes to their offices to the internet café and work on their email, send and receive documents or presentations, keep their bookmarked locations, and connect to our Global ConneXion communities to share ideas with others.
But the part of our mobile office toolset that caused the eyes of the African staff to light up is the Skype software and small set of portable headphones. They are now able to talk with one another from computer to computer for no cost. They are so excited.
The overwhelming experience for us here, on the field, watching faces, hearing excited voices, tells me that our current tools are powerful, useful, and helpful. When we show the list of 300 communities that have already sprung up, African staff are excited that they can join other staff from around the world in communities of interest. Some women were signing up today for the ComputingWomen community for women wanting to learn basic computing. It is truly becoming a Global ConneXion for the staff here in Africa.
Our mobile office toolset and Global ConneXion communities are helping build a new generation of leaders for a new Africa. We are taking steps toward our vision of building local movements every so that everyone knows someone who truly follows Jesus.
Note: For more information on the Mobile Office Project, visit our website.
DOING WHAT WE LOVE TO DO
September found Kay and I spending 3 weeks helping lead 8 conferences developing leaders from around the world. Building into others is one of our greatest privileges.
When I was a student at Texas A&M University, Frank came by my dorm room one afternoon and shared how I could know God personally. Frank was a fellow student who loved to tell others about Jesus. I had already made the decision to accept Christ as a youngster through my parents and my church. Frank continued to meet with me and help me learn to grow as a Christian. During those months of growing as a disciple of Jesus Christ, I decided to invest my life helping others learn to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit every day, to live life abundantly, and to invest in the lives of others. When Kay and I married, we began to dream together of fulltime opportunities to disciple others and soon joined the staff of Campus Crusade for Christ.
For 30 years, we’ve had the privilege of helping build strong disciples and develop leaders.
So spending 3 weeks in beautiful Budapest, Hungary with 80 leaders from around the world was awesome. We love doing this. The greatest part about our time in Budapest was not the “touristy” opportunities (which we did thoroughly enjoy!), but rather the privilege of helping fulfill the Great Commission through growing our capacity to build and sustain movements of evangelism and discipleship in every location in the world.
What does building discipleship infrastructure look like? It looks like Ray developing training curriculum in computer skills and teaching staff throughout the Middle East so their computers become tools to create and distribute evangelistic and discipleship materials.
It looks like Oumar setting up email accounts for staff throughout French-speaking Africa so they can hold email conversations with young people who are seeking Jesus. It looks like Russ and Mark developing a flash drive of software that will run on any computer so that staff who do not own a computer can take their “mobile office” into any internet café to easily communicate ministry ideas with one another. It looks like Richard flying from Singapore to countries around the Pacific Rim helping them plan strategically and wisely.
Kay and I help develop these leaders who then multiply throughout their areas of the world. We love this! It’s not work, it’s a privilege.
MEETING WITH MINISTRY PARTNERS
During the next few weeks, Kay and I are doing another thing we love. We are meeting personally with many of you, our faithful partners. We can share more stories and answer your questions.
Kay and I continue to have the privilege of being your partners in this mission. Together, we are building leaders. Together we are building capacity for the Great Commission. We appreciate doing what we love with people like you.
SKYPE IS EFFECTIVE IN INTERNET EVANGELISM
Oumar Diagne, technology leader for French-speaking Africa, writes: S.D. came into my office very enthusiastically and told me “Oumar, I have a success story!” He told me how he had a ministry opportunity with a man using SKYPE (computer to computer communication). S. D. told the man that he and his wife worked with Campus Pour Christ. The man replied that it was hard for him to work with his wife at the office and that it was better that she remain at home. As the conversation progressed, S. D. discovered that his friend was actually divorced. S.D. agreed to keep everything confidential and continued by presenting the Gospel to the man while on-line. The man broke down in tears, which S.D. could see through his Web camera, and he led his friend in a prayer to receive Jesus as his Savior and Lord!
NOTE: Oumar is the technology leader for French-speaking Africa. He is a leader in using internet technologies for evangelism and discipleship throughout Africa.
DID YOU KNOW…
- that Campus Crusade for Christ staff maintain over 600 websites in almost 30 languages?
- that you can search these 600 websites? Click here to test it out.
- that over 300 communities of purpose have been formed in our Global ConneXion community tool over the past several months? (Visit here to learn more.)
You can download and print this prayer letter here: Doing what we love.
“Vacation” usually means going somewhere. This year, our vacation was hosting our family in Orlando. We’ve had a great time over the months of May and June as Daniel, Michelle and Abby visited, then Kermet and Novlee, ending with Jonathan, Meredith and Mallory. Jennifer joined us several times and even included her MK friends.
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