November 28, 2008 at 3:14 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: Christmas in Africa, Kenya, Tanzania
Furahaya ya Krismasi is Swahili for “Merry Christmas.” It tells us something about East Africa’s celebration of this holiday that “Furaha ya Krismasi” was only recently added to the vocabulary of East Africa.
The way that we celebrate Advent and Christmas is not the way that such things are celebrated and practiced in East Africa. While most East African countries now have lectionaries of readings for every Sunday of the year, the liturgical seasons are not as finely developed as they are in western nations.
For example, most people in East Africa never heard of Epiphany or Advent. Lent is new to the people I know. It is only in recent years that some few East Africans began to wash feet on Maundy Thursday. The early Anglican and Roman missionaries did not teach these things to the African peoples.
So, while we celebrate the liturgical season of Advent on the four Sundays preceding the day of Christmas, most East Africans do not have our understanding of the significance of that season. They may have readings, which point in that direction, but have not connected that series of Sundays into a season. I found no Swahili word for our English “Advent.”
East Africa does remember and celebrate the day of Christ’s birth. But, they are only now realizing that December 25 is not the actual date of Christ’s birth. There was no December 25 when Jesus was born as a human being. We do not know the actual date of Christ’s birth. For East Africans, it is not an easy lesson to learn that December 25 was the date that the early church picked to remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Incarnation, God made man.
East Africans do not celebrate Christmas with the massive giving of gifts, decorated Christmas trees, midnight services, and exterior lighting up of their huts! What do they do? They do exchange a few small gifts with a few of their family. They do gather as family for a meal together. They may go to church if a special service is offered. The service probably won’t be at midnight, an unsafe time to walk the rural roads of this land.
In seven trips to East Africa, I have only seen a Christmas tree once – in the Nairobi airport, a small, thin, and scrawny tree – with five lights on it..
East Africans look with amazement on the way that we celebrate this holiday. They see it as rampant consumerism without knowing the word. Most of them have no interest, no desire, no capability to celebrate the day as we do.
While I like some of the American ways of celebrating this holiday, it seems to me that the East African way is a purer, simpler way of remembering and celebrating the birth of Jesus. I am guessing that those of us with European descendents have some knowledge and memory of how our grandparents and great-grandparents celebrated the season and that such celebrations were purer and simpler than what we do now. I guess that it is very hard for us not to be caught up in the buy-buy-buy consumer oriented society that we live in today, much to the detriment of celebrating the holyday of Christmas. We are caught up in the American way of celebrating the holiday. “Black Friday” is a bigger day than is Good Friday. Sad.
What traditions of Christmas celebration have been passed on to you and what traditions are you going to pass on to your children and grandchildren?
So, depending on your choices, I wish you either “Happy Holidays” or Merry Christmas!”
Leave a Comment
November 18, 2008 at 4:30 pm (Uncategorized)
Tags: Anglican Church, Boniface Kwangu, Education in Africa, Foreign Missions, francis wardega, Tanzania
 Needed for Africa There are many ways to help our Anglican brothers and sisters in East Africa. An effective way, an important way, is to contribute to the education of those who would teach the Faith once delivered, to the people, who will lead the church of the next forty years. Here at OFM, we do that. We do that with the help of God, some parishes, and many people, all of whom support this ministry. We ask you to continue those prayers and to continue that financial support.
Now, we ask more. Currently, the ministry is working with two Bible Colleges that teach the future teachers and leaders: Nyakato Bible College in the Anglican Diocese of Victoria-Nyanza, and Buigiri Bible College, in the Capital Diocese. Both these colleges are rich in students and rich in potential. They are poor in library.
They need books for their libraries so that the students have reading resources to support their programs of studies. What kinds of books? Theology – church growth – Scripture study – pastoral ministry – church history – healing and deliverance – sermon preparation – Christian formation – Sunday School for children – personal spirituality. Can you help? Do you have older, used works available to send?
How can they be sent? Please send them directly to Africa. Addresses are listed below. The most economical way to send them is through use of a US Mail “M Bag.” These “M Bags” and appropriate labels are available at some – but not all post offices. Only books may be sent – no vestments nor altar implements.
When the paperwork is filled out, value each book at fifty cents or a dollar. The Africans pay less customs duty that way upon receipt. Include your return address/e-mail address inside so that the Africans may express their appreciation. If you wish, please label each book with your name or the name of your church. This promotes unity and grateful hearts between all of us.
This is a good way to leave a legacy, to contribute to the growth of the Kingdom in far away lands. Any questions – please call me: USA-248-345-2651. Addresses to send books are listed below. Note that there are no postal zone numbers in Tanzania. Thanks so much.
Rev Capt Nestor G. Muheta
Nyakato Bible College
Anglican Diocese of Victoria-Nyanza
P. O. Box 278
Mwanza – Tanzania – East Africa
The Most Rev. Daudi H.Chidawali/Rev Eliah Mballaga
Buigiri Bible College – Gospel Catholic Church
Postal Box 3045
Dodoma – Tanzania – East Africa |
Leave a Comment
October 24, 2008 at 8:10 am (Uncategorized)
Tags: anglican seminary, extension studies, international seminary, Tanzania
Bishop Gerhard Meyer, REC of Germany
In late October of 2008, a group of priests and bishops from several lands met to discuss the formation of an International Theological Seminary for External Studies which could serve students on three continents, Europe (Germany and U.K.), Africa (Tanzania) and America. This meeting was held in conjunction with the General Council of the Reformed Episcopal Church in Victoria, British Columbia, in Canada.
The initial group included the chairman of the group, The Ven. Dr. Douglas B. Mills, Archdeacon, Missionary Diocese of the Central States, Dean, External Studies Program, Bishop Gerhard Meyer of the Reformed Episcopal Church in Germany, Bishop John Fenwick of the Free Church in England, Rev Fr Steven Rutt of Andrewes Hall/Cramner Theological House, and Rev Fr Francis Wardega, Canon Missioner to Africa for the Missionary Society of St John.
Initial discussions focused on a desire to improve certified education for clergy and catechist/church teachers in places where such education is hard to get. The goal is to carry out better the part of the Great Commission that directs us:
Matthew 28:18-20. “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the world. Amen.”
The focus of the group is on: “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
The group would work together to provide an Anglican extension seminary that could provide accreditation, leadership, coordination, curriculum, and assistance to already existing schools in Germany, England and Tanzania, to start.
First steps include examining existing curricula from the component institutions, analyzing needs, and the proposal of a common core curriculum for examination by component institutions.
The basic plan being discussed:
Certified instructors in each land would carry out the course instruction. The same instructors would also administer examinations and grading. Student data, course work, and grades would be recorded at the seminary offices in America, where appropriate diplomas would be issued from the parent seminary.
Having the diplomas come from an accredited seminary would offer more universal value to the graduate. As appropriate, both bachelors and masters degrees would be granted.
There was a sense of excitement at the meeting as we shared reports on the schools we represented and realized the potential for improving how we will do Gospel work in the future because of these efforts.
We pray for the guidance of the Lord and His blessing.
Leave a Comment
September 9, 2008 at 6:19 pm (Africa, African Renaissance, Bishop Chidawali, Bishop Kwangu, Dar es Salaam, Missions, Religion, Tanzania, fr. francis wardega, priest, priests)
Tags: Anglican Church, Anglican Church of Tanzania, Anglican Missionary, GAFCON, Interesting, Missions
Dispatch 5 – Last Dispatch for this trip From Station Dar es Salaam in Tanzania
Summer 2008 Fr Francis Wardega
I am at the airport, awaiting the flight that will begin my journey back to home in Michigan. The work here is finished for this trip. We heard so much, “Please come back. This was so good. Stay longer.”
Dodoma Class Picture
The work finished with five days of teaching at Buigiri Bible School. The plan was that I would ride back and forth in Bp Chidawali’s Toyota Hiace minivan. The plan fell apart when the minivan fell apart. I ended up making the journey to/from the school in what is called a “dolla-dolla” a small bus. A small crowded bus with all seats and the aisle full.
My Bus
A small crowded bus with all seats and the aisle full that often included people and chickens and ducks! Thank God cows were so big that they required two tickets! Because the law prohibits standing in the aisle, the people doing so would sit on the floor whenever we were stopped at a police checkpoint.
Classes ran much better than the minivan. There were seven full time students, one child, and one frequent drop in student. Their names were Timoth, Rhoda (and her five year old son, Nicodemus), Leticia, Aloyce, Japheth, Sospeter, Enoch, and Eliah.
Final Exam Taking
Who were they? One person described himself as a part time priest and a part time peasant. (In Tanzania, every July 7 is a holiday called Peasants’ Day) Another person was a carpenter. Most lived in simple mud and stick huts with dirt floors, no electricity, and cooked outside over an open fire.
Buigiri School
Their Anglican faith was the bright light in their life. They learned the basic beliefs and practices and teachings of the historic Anglican Christian Church. They had many misconceptions. They also learned of the ethos of ordained ministry and how that is different from that of an independent minister. Their excitement grew every day. They sensed what was happening – they were learning new things and understanding them. It was making a differencein their thinking. The class on ordained ministry was especially moving to the priests, life changing. They were eager to return to the their parishes and deaneries and pass on what they had learned.
On Sunday Aug 31, I celebrated the liturgy and preached at Christ the King Cathedral in Dodoma, with Bishop Chidawali.
Bishop Chidawali
Actually, the Holy Spirit celebrated. In very clear ways, the Holy Spirit affirmed the complete love of the Father for the people there, poor, hot, struggling, people of God. It was glorious. Music here was different than in Mwanza – a different rhythm, mainly in minor keys, almost a mournful, wailing tone.
There was much contact with local Anglicans who were vitally interested in the details of the Jerusalem GAFCON gathering and in the details of the Lambreth Conference. We talked long about the future of the Anglican Communion and possible steps that they could take as faithful Anglicans in a diocese where the bishop was not faithful.
I would be remiss if I did not pass on to all of you who have supported this ministry and this mission trip the profound thanks and grateful hearts of the people who have been served here. Everyplace I have been told – pass on to the ones who sent you here how grateful we are to them and how much we appreciate what they have done for us. What we have learned will be immediately used and will have a long lasting affect on our churches and our people. Thank you so much!
Thank you for your support. God and you make this possible. Please keep on supporting this mission. Please sustain this good ministry. It works! Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord!
Fr Francis Wardega Office of Foreign Missions
Missionary Priest in Africa 18401 Canal Rd
Leave a Comment
September 1, 2008 at 9:50 am (Africa, Missions, Tanzania, priest, priests)
Tags: African Evangelistic Association, APA, Bishop Kwangu, Mwanza, SOMA
Dispatch 4 From Dodoma Station Tanzania
Liturgy team, St Peter Anglican Church Igogo, Fr Richard & Fr Francis and others
Summer 2008 Fr Francis Wardega
This week was a time of transition. The work finished for this year in Mwanza. There was a journey to Dodoma. Then the work for this year began in Dodoma.
For this trip, the teaching work finished in Mwanza, Diocese of Victoria-Nyanza. It has been well received. The eleven clergy students saw their ministry transformed not just by new knowledge, but also by new
Bishop Boniface Kwangu
values and attitudes and deeper ways of thinking and evaluating. Renewed priesthood. All from the Scriptures. The men witnessed to that renewed priesthood as we celebrated the closing of class in worship and song. One spoke of how he didn’t know how much he didn’t know. Another spoke of a journey from a ministry of laws and rules to a ministry of love and service. Another spoke of loneliness as a priest alone in a distant village and how he now had brothers to work with. Many mobile phone numbers were exchanged and many pictures taken. Over and over again, “thank you for coming. Come again! Stay longer! We will tell our brothers!” Handshakes were replaced by hugs.
Other service in Mwanza. Assisting in the eight day diocesan spiritual revival – the first one in sixteen years, led by retired Bishop Alpha Mohamed and Lay Canon David Hodge, both former Muslims. New blessings, new healings, and new freedoms of “Roho Mtafitika” – the Holy Spirit. Parish visits to St John in Nyamanoro and to St Peter in Igogo. Both parishes are searching for twin parishes in America – to become friends with. Any St John’s Parish or St Peter’s Parish out there want a friend in Africa?
At the APA Synod in Belleville, a deacon from St Stephen in Louisville gave his own pectoral cross to bless a brother in Tanzania. Rev Captain Nestor Muheta, secretary to Bishop Kwangu, now sports a new pectoral cross and says thank you!
The work of renewal in this diocese continues. SOMA-UK has arrived in this diocese in Mwanza to further clergy knowledge of Anglican ministry. We all met together to share, plan and pray – Bishop Boniface, Bishop Alpha, Canon Hodge, SOMA Team (2 Anglican Priests and wives from England, two Anglican priests and wives from Uganda), and me. (SOMA – Sharing of Ministries Abroad – international Anglican Mission
SOMA UK Team & Fr Francis
ministry)
Bus journey to Dodoma – 12 hours in the bus! Five hours on bumpy and dusty roads, the rest on paved roads. Many Africans on the bus wrapped themselves in special cloths they brought – wish I had known that – DUST! Arrive exhausted in Dodoma – met by Bp Chidawali and friends. Taken to hotel – a place of rest – very acceptable. Shower, eight hours sleep and morning devotions gave renewed strength! Met with Fr Elia, principal of Buigiri Bible School to plan course of instruction.
Class has started. Students included uneducated clergy and some others preparing for ordination and leadership and teaching. Seven full time students in the class, including the wife of a pastor who leads a church school and a young single woman who is preparing for a ministry in teaching. Initial classes went well and people were amazed at how much they learned. Their hope – my visit will give new life to the school. The school received with joy the donation from APA Holy Spirit Church in Alabama.
Thank you for your support. God and you make this possible. Please keep on supporting this mission. Please sustain this good ministry. It works!
Fr Francis Wardega Office of Foreign Missions
Missionary Priest in Africa 18401 Canal Rd
www.connectionkenya.wordpress.com Clinton Twp MI 48038
E-mail: jambofrfrancis@yahoo.com USA-248-345-2651
Leave a Comment
August 23, 2008 at 12:30 pm (Africa, Bishop Chidawali, Bishop Kwangu, Missions, Practices, Tanzania, priest, priests)
Tags: Bishop, Buigiri, Chidawali, fire ants, Sacramental Theology, St. John
Proud members of Class #1, Nyakato School of Theology
Dispatch 3 From Station Mwanza in Tanzania
Pastor Erasto puzzles about the deeper meaning of Ezekiel chapter 37. Notice the copious notes that he has taken in his notebook.
Summer 2008 Fr Francis Wardega
For many, mission ministry has a sort of exotic glamour to it. Such work includes large crowds, healing services, hospitals built, schools visited, and similar events. Such work is very good and very blessed. This ministry is different. We teach. We teach the teachers. We teach the preachers. We teach the leaders. We teach the ones who had no real prior opportunity to learn. There are many such people in Africa.
The bulk of the work is done daily. The schedule: teach 9 am to 7 pm. Teach ministry subjects to the depth that they are useful to the leaders of the parish. Do this every day, less an occasional rest day. The students quickly adapt to the schedule. They write down more notes than is needed. They listen and ask insightful questions. This is a two-week investment in a life that bears fruit in a parish for the next twenty to thirty years. Not glamorous – just effective.
This week, we finished up the class on Ordained Ministry and moved into Fundamentals of Sacred Scripture. Then we ended with Sacramental Theology. These eleven students are different. They have absorbed so much. They talk about different things. They have a whole new and deeper appreciation of the Bible and their personal Bible. Everyone preached once and was affirmed and critiqued. They want more. “Can you stay for three months?” Sorry. They were very proud to pose for their class picture.
As available, I go to local churches to meet the people there and celebrate the liturgy. Last Sunday, I visited St John in Nyamanoro. I preached in both Sunday liturgies. Each service had a 25 person choir, a different choir for each service. They worship with contemporary African worship music, choreographed. It is Motown gone Jesus! Such music keeps the young people in the Anglican Church instead of being attracted to other, more seeker friendly churches.
The work this trip will soon be finished in this diocese, until next year. Next on the schedule is a ten hour bus journey to Dodoma, the national capital in the center of the country where I will be working with Bishop Daudi Chidawali again. I will be teaching at his Bible College in Buigiri where I taught last year.
One unusual experience. I was invited to dine with Bishop Kwangu and a visiting bishop. As we sat and
Fr Francis preaches at St John Parish in Nyemanoro, Sunday Aug 17
talked, I realized that somehow, many red fire ants crawling on me. I tried to be a good guest as long as I could but the others noticed my discomfort. I ended up trying to stand still while two Anglican bishops and one bishop’s wife killed so many ants that were feasting on me! That was my lesson in humility that day.
Thank you for your support. God and you make this possible. Please keep on supporting this mission. Please sustain this good ministry. It works!
Fr Francis Wardega Office of Foreign Missions
Missionary Priest in Africa 18401 Canal Rd
www.connectionkenya.wordpress.com Clinton Twp MI 48038
Africa e-mail: jambofrfrancis@yahoo.com
Leave a Comment
August 14, 2008 at 12:14 pm (Africa, Missions, Practices, Religion, Tanzania, priest)
St. Nicholas Cathedral
Dispatch 2 From Station Mwanza in Tanzania
Your mission support is beginning to bear fruit again in East Africa on the southern shores of Lake Victoria. People here in Mwanza, a part of the Anglican Diocese of Victoria Nyanza, were excited to start this mission.
The mission started with liturgy on Sunday Aug 10, at St Nicholas Cathedral, one block away from the lake. The lake breeze made the temperature most comfortable. I preached and assisted the bishop, Rt Rev Boniface Kwangu, at the service. The bishop asked me to distribute the Holy Eucharist to his people. One young woman was confirmed at the service. This liturgy, one of three liturgies every Sunday, was the English service – the other two services are in Swahili.. It was very powerful to hear the Words of Institution, prayed by the bishop in his British accented, East African English. “Thees ees my boudy, brrroken for you.” Different and the same. Holy.
Our ministry is primarily a ministry of teaching. The need here fits precisely what we do. Here, there are
many priests ordained over recent years with little or no ministry or priestly education. Here, education is hard to get. Bishop Boniface brought eleven priests together to receive the teaching that God has called us to give.
Who are these men. All but two are in their fifties. The other two are in their sixties. All are ordained priests and are pastors of parishes in the diocese. Two came from the island of Ukerewe in Lake Victoria. Here in East Africa, they are addressed as “pastor.” Their names sing an African song, grounded in Scripture, colored by British history. Their names: Japheth, Erasto, Stafford, Zephania, Julius, Boniface, Jesse, Solomon, Iohanna, Abednego, and Josiah. Josiah has a bible school diploma and an M.Div from Cambridge in England. Solomon will be beginning studies at a bible school in Uganda. The rest have a 7th grade education at best, some less.
They bring to the class many good qualities. A daily prayer life, ministry experience (some have been ordained for over ten years), a desire to learn, and an ability to work. Good investment for your prayers and for your donated dollars. These men will be here for two weeks. These classes are a major step in their lives, and an answer to their prayer.
This week, they learned the basics of the faith – they learned new things. Things like Jesus is both God and man. Things like Jesus died on the cross to forgive our sins. Things like the liturgy that they do is a 20th century version of what the apostles did.. They are like sponges continually soaking up the waters of new life. They also learned the meaning of what it is to be a priest – a calling from God, not a weekend job. They learned that God calls them to higher standards – the highest possible by grace. Their priesthood is being transformed. Their bishop, who sits in on many of the classes, is excited. More is happening much quicker than he expected.
Thank you for your support. God and you make this possible. Please keep on supporting this mission. Please sustain this good ministry. It works!
Fr Francis Wardega
Missionary Priest in Africa
www.connectionkenya.wordpress.com
Africa e-mail: jambofrfrancis@yahoo.com
Leave a Comment
August 11, 2008 at 12:08 pm (Africa, Missions, Religion, Tanzania, priest, priests)
Tags: Anglican Province of America, Boniface Kwangu, Dar es Salaam, Frederick G. Fick, Julius Nyerere, Lake Victoria, Mwanza, Tanzania, Valentino Mokiwa, Walter Grundorf, Zanzibar
MISSION DISPATCH NUMBER ONE: Mwanza, Tanzania, Saturday, August 9
The mission trip has started. I landed yesterday, Friday, in Mwanza, a city on the southern coast of Lake Victoria, after a journey that started very early Wednesday morning in Detroit, and took four airline flights. It is hot-90 degrees-and humid, normal life in Mwanza. Rt. Rev. Boniface Kwangu, bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Victoria-Nyanza (DVN) was there to welcome me personally.
Today, I rest and accommodate to the time change – eight hours ahead of the time in Detroit. Tomorrow, I celebrate and preach at the English service at the downtown cathedral. Monday, I begin teaching at the theological school. In Tanzania, there are two official languages; Swahili and English. There is often a third language – a local tribal language – also. I teach in English and it is interpreted into Swahili.
Tanzania is normally a peaceful land. Its first president, Julius Nyerere, called Mwalimu – the teacher – taught the people that they are family, ujamaa in Swahili. He taught a spirit of cooperation that transcended tribal animosities and history. It worked! It has stood the test of time.
Tanzania is a union of Tanganyika, old German East Africa, and the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba (clove capital of the world). It is approximately evenly split between Christianity and Islam. The largest Christian group is the Anglican Church. Rt. Rev. Dr. Valentio Mokiwa, the Anglo-Catholic Bishop of Dar es Salaam, was elected primate of Tanzania in February of this year.
I will spend the next approximately 19 days teaching clergy and lay leaders. I will teach basics of the faith, introduction to liturgy, introduction to ordained ministry, fundamentals of sacred Scripture, and sacraments to those who are the main teachers of the diocese. Every student will receive a copy of every lesson plan, building up personal ministry libraries in a land where there are very few libraries at all.
So the work begins. I thank you all for sending me here. I will work hard to make the most out of what you and God have given. I give thanks to God for overcoming all obstacles to get me here. I give thanks to all of you, the donors of the years, friends, who have been faithful supporters through all the fitful journey of church in recent years. I give thanks to my bishop, Rt. Rev. Frederick G. Fick. I am also grateful to Most Rev. Walter Grundorf, Deaconess Tina Jenkins of the Missions Office, and the people of the Anglican Province of America who have supported this trip mightily also.
May the blessing of God Almighty be with all of you.
Fr. Francis Wardega, MSJ
Leave a Comment
March 27, 2008 at 10:54 am (Africa, Missions, Religion, Tanzania, fr. francis wardega, priest)
Tags: Africa, African mission, Anglican Church, Anglican Church of Tanzania, Anglican Province of America, Boniface Kwangu, francis wardega, Lake Victoria, missionary, Tanzania
Insignia of the Diocese of Victoria-Nyanza
The Rt Rev Boniface Kwangu, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Victoria-Nyanza in Tanzania, has invited Fr Francis to come to his diocese and teach clergy and lay leaders. Details are being worked out but the trip is tentatively scheduled for August of 2008.
The general plan is for Fr Francis to go to several selected locations within the diocese and teach smaller groups (less than 20 people) of the clergy and lay leaders in the diocese for four-five days each.
The Anglican Diocese of Victoria Nyanza covers the regions of Mwanza and Shinyanga in northwest Tanzania and is essentially, the southern shore of Lake Victoria. The diocese encompasses an area of 7,373 square kilometers. Mwanza is the second largest city in Tanzania and one of the major ports of Lake Victoria.
Bismarck Rocks in Mwanza Harbor
The Diocese is divided into 6 achdeaconries, 8 deaneries and 50 parishes. It has 208 churches, 55 Pastors and 208 Evangelists.
Please note that American usage of the words “parish and church” may mean basically the same thing. That is not necessarily true in Africa.
In Africa, a parish will usually have a pastor. A church may have a pastor or more often it may have an evangelist or church teacher as a lay leader. Churches may be under the coordination of a local pastor from a different parish or may be under the coordination of an archdeacon or a dean.
Priests and deacons are ordained ministers. Evangelists and church teachers are commissioned ministers. It is rare for Eucharist to be offered every Sunday in most places.
We ask your prayers and financial support of this mission. Estimated costs of this next mission are:
Air travel to Africa: $2500
In country travel: $1000
In country expenses: $1000
Classroom materials: $ 750
Total: $5250
Not all can travel to Africa for Gospel work. Yet all can share in the work and the graces by being a part of the mission through prayer and financial support. As a mendicant missionary society, we beg for your support.
Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health; I know it is well with your soul. 3 John 2
Fr Francis Wardega
Canon Missioner
Missionary Society of St John
Anglican Province of America
248-345-2651
jambofrfrancis@yahoo.com
Leave a Comment
March 11, 2008 at 3:44 pm (Africa, Missions)
Tags: kingdom ministry, Missions, OFM, senegal, Shirley Williams, team ministry
Shirley Williams missionary in Senegal
The Kingdom of God is bigger than and includes more than any one denomination. The people of OFM desire to serve in the Kingdom of God. OFM serves in Anglican churches and in other churches, which desire to learn of the historical Christian church. Denominational boundaries then become doorways to ministry.
An example.
Shirley Williams, a member of Anglican Church of the Most Holy Trinity in metro Detroit, is an experienced missionary. In the past, she has served God in Africa and in Serbia. More recently, she served on a mission team that went to the West African country of Senegal, a former French colony, which is largely Muslim. She joined a team of people from an Independent Baptist Church and from a Pentecostal Baptist Church. They served people in Senegal from similar churches. OFM was a major financial supporter of this mission trip.
Her almost four weeks in Senegal were split into two separate mission tasks. The first half was devoted to visiting six different villages and giving open-air concerts on the village squares in an effort to lead people to Christ. There she met people from many different African lands including Nigeria, Ghana and the Congo. The people learned gospel songs and together offered worship to the Lord.
A special memory from those first weeks was the visit to Goree Island, the historic outward-bound depot for slaves being shipped to the western lands of North and South America. The still blood stained rock floors gave witness to this tragedy of history.
The second half of the trip was spent in a poor village in the interior of the country. There she lived in a little hut with no running water, and no electricity. She assisted in the operation of a medical clinic and loved the people who came.
Their stories were heart wrenching and touched all the missionaries. Poverty, sickness, starvation, and death were daily visitors. There, she listened to the women who came; they told their stories of abuse, rape and murder, grateful just to have survived. It was unforgettable.
Special memories included caring for and holding a newborn baby girl while her mother recovered from difficult childbirth. The local tradition is not to name the baby until it is four weeks old. Maybe, God will tell Shirley what name was given to the baby.
God blessed this work and this team of His disciples from several churches. This is an example of mission work in the Kingdom of God. Denominational boundaries have become doorways to His service.
Leave a Comment
« Older entries Newer entries »
