Report: Mission Africa - Sodo, Ethiopia (13-15th August)

Local youth comes forward to make a decision for Christ.

Summary Info & Stats

Type of mission: City-wide youth mission
Mission Theme: “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth” (Eccl 12:1)
Mission cities: Sodo, Areka, Boditi
Mission dates: 13-15th August, 2010
Speakers (Int’l): Stephen Lungu, Lincoln Badger
Total evangelists: 6
Number of Events: 19
Total Attendance: 38,000
Total Response: 305 new decisions and 42 recommitments

Testimonies

[From L-R:] Mamusha Liera, Betsegaw Daniel, Asefa Densa.

The 21-year-old young man at the middle is Betsegaw Daniel. He is among the Christian youth in Sodo who were actively engaged in the preparation of the youth mission. The picture below shows Betsegaw holding close some of the new converts as they were giving testimonies.

Mamusha Liera, 17

He comes from a family where his mother brews local alcohol at home and his father gets drunk daily and beats her. They always quarreled and the home is in a constant chaos. Because of this constant turmoil Mamusha left home and became a street boy. In the streets he started to practice what he “learnt” at home, quarreling with his friends and became restless. No connection with his family.

At the Sodo mission Mamusha received Jesus Christ as his personal savior and one of the things he did was to reconcile with his friends. He is also getting ready to go back to his parents and to tell them his testimony; how he was changed and to invite them to accept Jesus Christ.

Asefa Densa, 18

Comes from a non Christian background. His father is stanch drunkard and promiscuous. He beats his wife often and creates continuous disorder at home. Asefa left home and became a street boy. He joined a bunch of idle youth that crafts commotion and got involved in theft.

After receiving Jesus Christ as his personal savior, the first thing Asefa did was to go back home and reconcile with his parents. Now he is engaging himself in small/menial business to earn income for leaving. He wants to see his parents accepting Jesus Christ.

Betsegaw is doing a followup to their discipleship process. They have started to take discipleship courses in a local church.

The crowd in attendance at the Sodo, Ethiopia youth mission.

- Report filed by Mel from African Enterprise's Ethiopia field office

'Iringa Back to God' Mission - Report 2

The evangelists address the crowd.

Preaching at Gangilonga grounds in Iringa, American evangelist Scott Lenning said that we are saved by the grace of God and not because we have done any good things for Him. He said that, according to Ephesians 2:9, being a Christian or going to church do not make one acceptable to God. He advised the gathered crowd to understand that God has offered us Jesus to restore our relationship with him and nobody is forced to accept, but those who accept Him will get the grace of salvation.

Summarising the Bible in a few words, he said Timothy 3:16 says all Scripture is inspired by God himself. He added that the book of Genesis shows the creation and shows how God has beautifully created Iringa. He also pointed out that the book of Genesis talks about God's relationship with people and tells about Abel and Cain that Cain was the first murderer in the world. He said the rest shows how men and God's relationship are restored. He said the New Testament show how our relationship was restored through Jesus Christ.

Lenning cited Romans 3:23 where the Bible says we all hav sinned fallen short of God's glory. But Romans 5:8 says God has shown his love by giving us Jesus Christ as a sacrifice, and those who receive Him are assured of living forever and ever in Heaven.

On the other hand, evangelist Thomas Vuliva laid emphasis on John 6:37, which states that anybody who receives Jesus will not be rejected. He said Jesus accepts people of all races, religions and tribes. He insisted that regardless of how sinful you are, Jesus can forgive sin [Mark 5:21-24, 35-42]. During the altar call, about 50 people accepted Jesus as their saviour and others were set free from illnesses and evil spirits.

A woman from the local community receives an eye consultation.

Meanwhile, many orphans and widows came and were offered clothes. At the medical camp 57 patients turned up for eye consultation and treatment while 75 patients came for other medical treatment.

- Jimmy Kalugendo

(AEE Tanzania)

City Info Spotlight: Iringa, Tanzania

The location of Iringa in Tanzania, Africa.

QUICK FACTS

- Iringa is a city in Tanzania with a population of 112,900 (as of 2004).

- The name 'Iringa' is derived from the Hehe word 'lilinga,' meaning fort.

- Iringa is the administrative capital of Iringa Region. It has many established industries, including manufacturing and food processing.

- Most of its electricity comes from the nearby Mtera Dam.

- Iringa is a minor transport hub, with regular bus service and trucking to Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, Songea, and Dodoma.

HISTORY

Iringa was built during the 1890s by the German Army as a defensive base to be used against the Hehe uprising lead by Chief Mkwawa. The fortress and headquarters of Chief Mkwawa was situated in the nearby village of Kalenga. The town stretches along a hilltop overlooking the Ruaha River to the south, and spreads along ridges and valleys to the north. The altitude for the town's environs is more than 1550 meters (5000 feet) above sea level.

Hilltop view of beautiful Iringa.

The months of June, July, and August can see low temperatures near freezing. The Tanzam Highway passes through the valley below the town; the highway distance from Iringa's limits to Dar es Salaam is 502 kilometers (312 miles), via Morogoro. The Isimila Stone Age site, which lies about 20 km (12 miles) to the southwest, contains archeological artifacts, particularly stone tools, from human habitation about 70,000 years ago.

Iringa Urban Municipality is the administrative designation of the Municipality of Iringa.

In Iringa nowadays you'll also find several institutions for higher education, among them Tumaini University – Iringa University College, Mkwawa University College of Education and Ruaha University College.

[View the full Wikipedia entry on Iringa by clicking here.]

'Iringa Back to God' Mission - Report 1

AE Team Leader Grace Masalakulangwa introduces evangelist Scott Lenning.

African Enterprise Tanzania sent about 60 evangelists from all corners of Tanzania to Iringa for the 'Iringa Back to God' mission as part of Mission Africa activities. The team was joined by Ev. Scott Lenning, accompanied by his wife Tammy and their three kids Jonathan, Brittany and Scott-Marie; all from Alabama, USA.

The mission was also graced by the presence of Ev. Eliot Winks who came to attend the Change Your Destiny Conference in Dar es Salaam, but decided to travel nine hours by public bus transport to Iringa. Both Scott and Eliot are part of the international organisers of Lausanne 2010, which takes place later this year in Cape Town, South Africa.

"It is very refreshing," Scott said, "for us to get a feel of what Mission Africa is like." Eliot agreed, "Of course yes...and remember those who pray about the mission. They'd love to praise God for what happens here on African soil, and we are privileged to be eyewitnesses."

The mission launched on Sunday, the 1st of August 2010. Evangelists visited different churches in the Iringa Municipality to minister and create awareness for Mission Africa. Many people in those congregations gave their lives to Jesus, as indicated below:

• Kihesa Lutheran Church - 140
• Moravian Church Kihesa - 3
• Ipogolo Lutheran Church - 3
• Pentecost Holiness Mlandege - 15
• Mkimbizi Lutheran Church - 9

Procession marking the launch of Mission Africa's 'Iringa Back to God.'

In the afternoon, processions of people led by brass band and choirs marched in various streets of Iringa Municipal to Gangilonga grounds. Here people celebrated, cheered and danced as they sang praises to the Lord.

In his opening speech, Chairman of the Organising Committee of 'Iringa Back to God,' Pastor Fedson Mwashilindi shared the word of God from Titus 2:11, which is a message for the mission. He gave a warm welcome to all the evangelists who came for the mission and said Iringa will cooperate with them.

Addressing the gathering to introduce the mission, African Enterprise Team Leader Grace Masalakulangwa thanked all evangelists, individuals and all churches that gave offerings for the success of the mission. "Without this assistance, it would have been difficult to accomplish the mission," she confessed. She introduced the guests and Mission to the audience. She said that the last time AE conducted 'Iringa Back to God' was way back in 1989 and this year God has favoured Iringa's people and that God has a purpose.

Iringa Back to God chairman Rev. F. Mwashilindi opens the mission.

In his brief remarks, Scott said that Iringa is among 50 cities earmarked for Mission Africa. He said that his family was happy to be in Africa despite the risks the family had to encounter. He was referring particularly to his son Jonathan who escaped unhurt in a recent bombing tragedy in a restaurant in Kampala, Uganda, where he went to help with mission activities.

Scott urged evangelists to preach honestly while looking for guidance from God himself. He shared a word of encouragement from Genesis 24:42 where Abraham's servant had to seek guidance from God to get a wife for Abraham's son Isaac. "We also need to pray that God guides us not only to reach everyone in Iringa, but also to meet the challenge of being trustworthy in God's work."