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See the video:
REAL HIGH  |  REAL LOW  |  WINDOWS MEDIA

See the pictures:
CLICK HERE FOR AFRICA GALLERIES

Apply for 2008 Trip:
2008 Africa Missions Trip Application

Why Africa is So Important to the World Today

Africa can be a heartbreaking land.  In spite of its vast beauty, fascinating history, and rich culture, it is also a continent struggling with famine, poverty, debt, terrorism, child abuse, and an AIDS epidemic that has killed millions of people. U2’s Bono and other media stars, politicians, and journalists have helped raise funds and focus the world’s sympathies toward Africa. But lesser known are the countless, faithful missionaries and relief workers who have given their lives, time, and resources to Africa, long before all the media attention began.  They are the ones  who have laid the foundation for the work being done today.

The first time I went to Africa, I witnessed the dedication of these faithful workers first hand. I knew the Lord was pulling me into what I came to know as the River of Suffering, a place God was calling me to “go deeper” in my walk with Him, and to experience what so many ahead of me already knew: that Africa is a place of extreme suffering and heartache, and yet a place where there is unspeakable joy at the work God is doing.

Some vital statistics to remember:

• Over 17 million Africans have died from AIDS. Last year alone, 2.3 million died from the virus.

• At least 28 million Africans are infected with HIV; approximately 1.5 million are children.

• Studies predict there will be more than 15 million AIDS orphans in Africa by the end of the decade.

• Because of widespread poverty, infected Africans cannot afford medication or treatment for HIV/AIDS.1

Every time one of our teams visits Uganda, Kenya, the Sudan, or any of the poverty inflicted areas of Africa, these statistics are translated into individual human lives, bearing the pain and suffering of disease, famine and poverty.  It seems very “fashionable” to support efforts in Africa now, what with all the celebrity attention.  But you know, Africa has always been at the center of God’s work on earth.


The origins of Christianity are primarily associated the middle east, particularly Israel .  Unfortunately, many believers don’t realize the rich tradition of Christianity in Egypt and North Africa.  People sometimes forget that Egypt and Ethiopia are part of Africa.

•Ethiopia is actually one of the first countries mentioned in the Bible, in Genesis 2:13: “The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which goes around the whole land of Cush (Ethiopia).” 

• Abraham journeyed to Africa (Genesis 12:10).

•After the Flood, Cush (also called Ethiopia) and much of the other major nations of Africa were repopulated by the descendants of Noah’s son, Ham (Genesis 10:6). “Israel also came into Egypt, and Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham,” Psalm 105:23 tells us.

•Moses married an African woman and was used by the Lord, on the African continent, to stage one of the greatest miracles the world has ever seen.

• Joseph, the son of Jacob, ruled in Africa.
 
•Jesus visited Africa as a baby! “When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. ‘Get up…take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt…’” (Matthew 2:13).

•Simon of Cyrene, the man who carried Jesus’ cross, was from a port city in Libya in Africa.
 
•The book of Acts records that, on the day of Pentecost, Egyptians and Cyrenians were among the crowd, and heard the apostles proclaim the Gospel in their native languages.

• The very first Gentile convert to Christianity was African (Acts 8:26-27). Christianity spread rapidly to Egypt and North Africa in the first century. Indeed, Egypt, particularly the city of Alexandria, became an important center of this new faith.

But now, centuries of spiritual warfare, political uprisings, and the greediness of men have finally taken beautiful Africa down the road to the poverty and heartache we witness today. 

We are just one church, teamed up with a very effective organization in Africa, Far Reaching Ministries.  Today, 23,000 people per day are receiving Jesus as their Lord and Savior in Africa. A true revival is sweeping the continent!  This significantly impacts our war against radical Islamic terrorists, many of whom are based in parts of Africa. We have personally witnessed miracles and experienced the joy of ministering to and learning from thousands of dear people in Uganda and Kenya.

Pastor Ray Bentley

See the video:
REAL HIGH  |  REAL LOW  |  WINDOWS MEDIA

Report from Mission to Africa, 2007
(reported by Jessica Hawkins)

In July, 2007, 42 members of Maranatha Chapel traveled to four locations in Africa.  Below is a brief summary of what took place.  A few paragraphs cannot possibly capture the impact of this trip on the lives of the team members and those we met in Africa.  But here is a small glimpse…

KITGUM, UGANDA

Northern Uganda is home to the longest running civil war in African history, and the primary victims are children.  The children of northern Uganda walk for miles into cities and camps every night, looking for a place to sleep where they won’t be kidnapped or killed.  Most are orphans whose parents were lost to AIDS or war, and they are left to scrounge out an existence, running from horrifying danger, grasping at any small act of kindness or hope. The local people talk, telling us why they can’t go home, why the children run.  “They will kill you...they take your boys. They take your girls.” 



One of the displaced persons camps, called Mucwini, is located about 12 miles outside of Kitgum, and is home to over 20,000. Far Reaching Ministries and Maranatha Chapel are working together to provide for these children. In 2005, we built a security fence around a compound, Maranatha Children’s Sanctuary, which holds a church, a primary school, a secondary boarding school—and a place for children to sleep without fear.

One of the great needs of these children is clothing and basic supplies.  In August 2006, Maranatha, Far Reaching Ministries and Fashioned Forward Ministries joined forces to raise funds for “Love Packs” for 1700 children, each of which contain two school uniforms, underwear, one play outfit, a blanket, a fleece jacket, personal hygiene items, a toy, and a Bible storybook. These children are not only without adequate clothes, but most don’t have even a ragged blanket to wrap themselves in on a cold night.

A team of sixteen from Maranatha, two from FRM, thirteen pastors who graduated from the FRM Bible College in Nimule, ten members of the Children’s Comfort Ministries (in Kitgum), plus the long term missionaries of FRM who live in Kitgum, all diligently worked toward the goal of distributing the Love Packs when our team arrived in July.

On July 5, 2007 our children’s ministry pastor, Doug Drake, preached his heart out during the Vacation Bible School we helped put on. The children had been learning about Bible heroes, like God the Father, Noah, Joseph and John the Baptist. With great enthusiasm, Pastor Doug told the children, “This is the day you can be a HERO for Jesus.” He taught them the simple meaning of salvation and asked them raise their hands if they wanted to invite Jesus into their hearts—and hundreds of little hands went up, asking for prayer.  This was an awesome sight that will be forever be in the hearts of those who labored the long hours just for this very moment in time … it was all worth it.

The children were then directed back to their classrooms where the team members distributed 1700 LOVE PACKS. It felt like Christmas, as grateful, smiling faces glowed all over the compound. When the children put on their red Love Cover t-shirts and came out of their classrooms beaming BIG smiles, it was an amazing sight, “a sea of 1700 red shirts coming together.” CLICK HERE FOR KITGUM GALLERY

ENTEBBE, UGANDA


Pastor Craig Linquist and his wife, Loren, have worked the ground (literally) for several years to plant a church in Entebbe, Uganda. They and their three children are raising up a church body of believers reminiscent of Maranatha Chapel.

During this trip, a team of ten from our group served this church in their widows ministry, and daily literacy program (six women volunteer everyday to teach about 60 children whose families cannot send them to school… all but two can write their full name now). Pastor Gary Lawton spent four days two hours a day teaching the church leaders the responsibility of being a leader. Pastor Doug Drake taught 50 Sunday school teachers the essentials of Sunday school; the whole team helped teach Vacation Bible School for 450 children.

Please keep this family and the church leaders in your prayers!
CLICK HERE FOR ENTEBBE GALLERY


KAMPALA, UGANDA
 

Vicki Bentley and daughter Annie Stone taught at CC Kampala’s women’s retreat for about 65 ladies, on the subject “The Word Became Flesh” from John 1:14. Ten of our ladies from Maranatha spent time with the women, listening, praying, and offering encouragement at every opportunity. They kept telling us what blessing we are to them, but the truth is, these women fill our hearts with an indescribable love … they have lived such hard lives, yet they are filled with such joy!  It is hard not to reflect back without being overwhelmed by the joy we experienced with them. CLICK HERE FOR KAMPALA GALLERY


NAIROBI, KENYA

Our team of sixteen was privileged to work with those who so faithfully serve the body of Calvary Chapel Nairobi.
 
CC Nairobi has been able to consistently visit three different schools in the area.  We visited each school for two days sharing with the kids about Bible "hero" characters and the gospel of Jesus Christ.  One of these schools is in Kibera, is in one of the largest slum areas in Africa. To see the poverty and dire conditions that people live in daily is eye opening.  Yet, the joy and love that emanated from these people far outweighed the destruction in which they live.

Pastor Glenn Hirashiki taught at the Wednesday and Sunday services, plus a two hour church leadership study.  Our team members also assisted with a two-day Children's Ministry Workshop for Sunday school teachers. What a blessing it was to hear the feedback of the teachers and to be able to encourage them!
 
During our evangelistic efforts, many received the Lord. It was encouraging to see some of the faces of the new believers at the service the following Sunday!
 

Please pray for each of these ministries, for their families, for all their faithful workers, and for the people of Africa.  God is doing a great work.  In the midst of devastating heartbreak, there is indescribable joy over every small victory, every child rescued, and every soul saved. CLICK HERE FOR NAIROBI GALLEY

Apply for 2008 Trip:
2008 Africa Missions Trip Application

1. Cited by Bono on the Oprah Winfrey Show: (http://www.oprah.com/tows/pastshows/tows_2002/tows_past_20020920_c.jhtml)

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