Lausanne World Congress 2010: AE's Involvement

Doug Birdsall (Executive Chair Capetown 2010) introduces AE reps
Michael Cassidy, Esme Bowers and others.

We have all arrived back safely from the Lausanne Congress in Capetown, though I think most of us are still reeling from the experience. It is very difficult to describe the magnitude and richness of this event, involving such a diverse gathering of Christians leaders from around the world. AE played a key role in many aspects of the Congress, both in presentation and behind the scenes. Below are some basic facts about our involvement in Lausanne Capetown 2010.

African Enterprise’s Involvement in Lausanne:

• Michael Cassidy (Founder of AE) both welcomed delegates to Africa during the Opening Ceremony and made closing remarks at the Closing Ceremony. He was also the Chairman of the Mission Africa Committee.
• Esme Bowers (Chair of AESA Board) is the Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Lausanne Movement and presented the final gift to Doug Birdsall, Executive Chair of the Capetown 2010 Committee
• Antoine Rutayisire (Chair of AE Rwanda) gave a presentation at a Plenary session to all delegates on Reconciliation. His comments regarding the situation in South Africa were quoted in a National newspaper (The Sunday Times) after a press conference. His session can be viewed at http://www.lausanne.org/cape-town-2010
• Songe Chibambo (Pan African Missions Director) co-directed “Mission Africa” with Scott Lenning, and presented to both the general gathering of delegates as well as smaller meetings regarding the fruit of Mission Africa
• Miles Giljam (AESA Team Leader) was the Communications Manager for Christian and secular “non-African” media covering the congress, as well as attending sessions as a delegate
• Leonard Kiswangi (DRC Team Leader) and Sindiswa Matyobeni (AESA Broadcast Director) assisted the Lausanne Media team with radio broadcasts and interpretation throughout the congress. Leonard also attended as a delegate.
• Team Leaders Samuel Asante (Ghana), Geoffrey Byarugaba (Uganda), Jean Kalenzi (Rwanda), Grace Masalakulangwa (Tanzania), Mel Mesfin (Ethiopia), Tom Otieno (Kenya), Enoch Phiri (Malawi), as well as staff members Janet Mwendwa (Kenya), Bernard Sachie (Ghana), Barbara Watt (AESA) and Enock Kagya (Tanzania) participated as delegates and a number of them held responsibilities as table leaders.
• AE Board Chairs and members Jennifer Musiime (Uganda), John Reyolds (USA), Zolile Mlisana (AESA), John Senyonyi (Uganda), Frances Mkandiwire (Malawi) participated as delegates. John Senyonyi also facilitated the Africa night for the general gathering as well as the regional gathering for East Africa.
• Thirteen indomitable foxfires and their co-ordinators served as stewards and IT personnel, working extremely hard to ensure delegates knew what to do and where to go! Hloni Letuka (AESA) also served as an assistant on the Mission Africa Booth.
• It was also wonderful to meet up with AE “associates” and friends Anne Coombes (UK), John Beckett (Aust), Stephen Mbogo (Kenya), Monica Chokhotho (Malawi), James Kato (Uganda), as well as many Mission Africa evangelists who we’d partnered with and Christians leaders from Liberia and Sudan whom we have worked with over the past couple of years.

During such a wonderful time of connections and reunions, sympathy started going out to the introverts amongst us – there wasn’t much “quiet time”!!

- Vanessa Khlentzos
(Pan African Communications,
African Enterprise)

[You can view more photographs from Lausanne by clicking here.]