Africa Inland Missions

APR-JUN 2015

MAGAZINE & PRAYER DIARY

04
WHY BOTHER
WITH BIBLE &
THEOLOGY?
16
BUILDING CONFIDENCE
THE IMPACT ON JOYCES LIFE
18
THE MWANI
GOD DOESNT GIVE UP
Christ-centred churches among all African peoples

04 WHY BIBLE &

THEOLOGY?
To continue our series examining the
ministries of our mission partners,
we asked Tony Swanson, why
theological training is so important.
Most of the Rendille are concentrated in the Kaisut Desert
and Mount Marsabit in the Marsabit District of Kenyas northern
Eastern Province. - www.aimint.org/eu/rendille | page 26

04 WHY BOTHER: WITH

BIBLE & THEOLOGY?

We look at the importance

of theological education in
creating disciple-making
disciples.

06 NEWS

News from the Institute

of Bible & Theology
in Tanzania and
opportunities to serve.

08 APRIL 1-4

Learn more about our

ministry to those affected
by Aids in the Democratic
Republic of Congo.

10 APRIL 5-11

Hear an update from the

team seeking to reach the
Samburu of Kenya.

12 APRIL 12-18

Mission partners working

in a Creative Access Nation
share their experiences.

14 APRIL 19-25

Ruth Box shares about

mobilising in Scotland.

16 APRIL 26 - 2 MAY

Learn how women in Arua,

Uganda are learning to be
disciple-makers.
2

18 MAY 3-9

This week we focus on

the Mwani, an unreached
people group in
Mozambique.

20 MAY 10-16

Family Focus and prayer

points from Madagascar.

22 MAY 17-23

We share news about a

new team going to the Digo
in Kenya.

16 THE IMPACT
ON JOYCES LIFE
Joyce is a church teachers wife who
has attended one of the workshops
that Lyn Cooke helps run. She shares
about the impact they have had on
her life.

24 MAY 24-30

News from the Baker

family as they head back to
an Indian Ocean island.

26 MAY 31 - 6 JUNE

Stories and prayer points

from the Rendille people of
Northern Kenya.

28 JUNE 7-13

Learn about the outreach

and evangelism work
happening on the Indian
Ocean Islands.

30 JUNE 14-22

This week we share stories

and updates from Lesotho

32 JUNE 23-30

Hear from our Short

Termers serving in Africa.

18 GOD DOESNT
GIVE UP
Tim & Bron Heaton live and work in
northern Mozambique amongst the
unreached Mwani people. They give
an update on the struggles, privileges
and activities of their day to day lives.
Looking for more prayer resources?
Visit our website:
www.aimint.org/eu/prayer

BE PATIENT
THEREFORE
by Lindsey Davies

atience maybe a virtue, but its not always easy

to obtain. The world were living in increasingly
caters to impatience. Fast food, even faster wifi,
instant messaging and easy credit, were not used
to waiting, and frankly, we just dont want to. While theres
nothing wrong with wanting efficiency, we often walk a fine
line between wanting things to work better and wanting
instant gratification. How often does impatience mean
that everything becomes about us? Respond to my email,
because Im the most important thing, and I am waiting
But the Bible teaches us a different way. James 5:7 states Be
patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how
the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient
about it, until it receives the early and the late rains.
The stories and prayer requests shared here demonstrate
clearly the need for Biblical patience. The team working
amongst the Samburu (page 10) have been there a year now,
and have already witnessed signs of God at work. But they ask
for our prayers for their patience as they continue to learn the
language. We share stories from mission partners working
in creative access areas, amongst unreached people groups.
Some, like those whom Heather works amongst, who remain
resistant to the gospel (page 28), some for whom we have been
praying for years and yet see little fruit. James (page 32) shares
news from Madagascar, of Christians who remain bound by
ancestor worship. Discipleship is not instant, which can be
hard to understand in our instant world.
Perhaps some of you reading Connect, will also feel those
pangs of impatience, the frustration that youve prayed for
a people group for years, and yet there is still no church
amongst them. We hope that youre not discouraged, that the
stories shared of lives transformed by the gospel will continue
to demonstrate what God longs to do for those whove not
yet received the good news. Most of all, we hope that this
issue of Connect will encourage you to keep praying, to keep
supporting and to fervently long for the day when at the name
of Jesus, every knee should bow Philippians 2:10

Courtney Bissell is
serving on the Samburu
TIMO team. She has
recently started studying
the book of Matthew
with her language helper,
Karale.

We hope that
the stories
shared will
continue to
demonstrate
what God
longs to do
for those
whove not
yet received
the good
news

WHY BOTHER:
WITH BIBLE &
THEOLOGY?
by Tony Swanson

TONY & CATH

SWANSON

ony & Cath live and work in

Morogoro, Tanzania. Tony
coordinates the Institute of
Bible & Ministry at the Sanga
Sanga Retreat Centre, under
the authority of the Africa
Inland Church - enabling,
mobilising and inspiring
church leadership. Cath is
Child Safety Officer for AIM.
Tony is also Unit leader for
Tanzania East.
To continue our series
examining the ministries of
our mission partners, we asked
Tony Swanson, why theological
training is so important.

CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT

f we take it that theology

concerns an enquiry into
the very nature of Gods
revealed self, together with our
subsequent questions, opinions
and actions resulting from this
revelation, then theology is at
the heart of what it means to be a
follower of Christ.
4

AIMs vision to see Christcentred churches amongst

all African peoples, is firmly
based in our theological
understanding of the God
whom we seek to serve. He is
a God who loves the world, so
much that he sent his only son
to seek and save the lost.
Theology therefore, is crucial
to the health, survival and
direction of church and mission.

RELEVANT TO THE
CHANGING NEEDS

Like many others, my call to

mission developed over many
years and cant be pinned to
a particular date. I originally
studied agricultural economics
with the idea that it may be of
use in countries where much
of the population are involved
in subsistence agriculture.
I spent ten years pastoring
churches in the UK (Fellowship
of Independent Evangelical
Churches) and then in Tanzania
which, together with further
studies at All Nations Christian
College in Hertfordshire led
me into a particular branch of
theological education.

For the last ten years I have

been coordinating an Africa
Inland Church Tanzania (AICT)
programme, grandly called
The Institute of Bible and
Ministry. It is a continuing
education programme of
around 140 pastors and their
wives who are already involved
in ministry and serving around
6000 church members. It is
proudly practical, distinctly
Biblical and hopefully relevant
to the changing needs of the
Tanzanian church in the 21st
century. The strapline of the
Institute is to Enable, Mobilise
and Inspire the pastors and
evangelists of the AICT to a
close vibrant relationship with
God and greater effectiveness
in ministry.
During three to five day
retreats and seminars, the
pastors are engaged in various
curricula including: Biblical
studies, spiritual formation,
missiology and pastoral
theology. Much time is given
to prayer and discussion
concerning on-going pastoral
challenges. In this respect, the

Institute provides a forum for

real-time theological discussion
and debate, and has the potential
of impacting the whole church
body in the following week! The
energy and enthusiasm to do
theology is demonstrated by
excellent attendance and local
commitment through financial
programme support.

It is proudly
practical, distinctly
Biblical and
hopefully relevant
to the changing
needs of the
Tanzanian church
in the 21st century.

URGENT PRAYER FOR

TANZANIA

Currently, urgent prayer

is being sought for the whole
country of Tanzania, as
discussions are being tabled
in parliament concerning the
recognition and instigation of
Sharia law courts. The Institute
has over the last year run a
number of courses raising
awareness and understanding
amongst the pastors concerning
this growing threat. I believe the
Institute has a strategic role to
play in helping mobilise the local
AICT to meet these challenges.
In partnership with AIM the
Institute acts as a catalyst to
see an ever growing number
of Christ-centred Tanzanian
churches engaging with
unreached Muslim Tanzanians.

ITS HELPED ME KNOW HOW

TO EXPLAIN MY FAITH
Deborah Sweya & her husband John are both pastors in
Tanzania. Deborah recently attended a seminar at the
Institute of Bible & Ministry. Here she shares about how
it has helped her.

hese seminars have helped me by building up my

ability in my area of work, especially when I am
managing various matters in the office. They have
built up my self-confidence. In addition, these seminars
have helped me to understand more about the different
environments of servants of God, especially those who are in
missionary areas on the coast in Tanzania.
It has been very
beneficial to build our
ability to explain our faith,
so we can discuss God with
people with different beliefs
in the various societies
where we are serving. It has
been good to learn methods
that we can use in reaching
a society with different
cultures and beliefs.
Through my time at the
Institue, God has reminded
me to pray without ceasing
for the Lords work, to witness to people the news of Jesus
Christ, to recognise and respect the traditions and cultures of
people and to be careful when reaching them with the news
of Jesus. The Word of God has reminded me and teaches me
methods which I can use to reach Muslims. When I want to
reach people with the gospel I should first understand them
and where they are in their culture.

It has been very

beneficial to
build our ability
to explain our
faith, so we can
discuss God
with people with
different beliefs

To find out more about opportunities to equip the African

Church with good theological and biblical training, visit:
eu.aimint.org/go/theology
5

 In an area representing
eight countries and over
eight million square
kilometres, spanning the
homelands of over 250
million people, AIM AIR is
a vehicle to help take the
Great Commission to the
ends of the earth.

AIM and several other like-minded organisations.

Some of the support services include Aviation,
IMs original call was to go to the Inlands Counselling, Hospitality and Media & Technology
services.
of Africa; to the places that hadnt been
There are currently a number of urgent
reached with the gospel and 120 years
later, that call remains the same. But one essential vacancies for pilots and mechanics, whose
expertise allows mission partners to more easily
area of ministry that often gets overlooked in
reach people like the Lopit in South Sudan or the
reaching the unreached is that of support.
Rendille in Kenya. Please pray for these positions
Africa Based Support (ABS), located in
to be filled and think about whether you could go,
Nairobi, Kenya, is a ministry of AIM. It exists to
coordinate and provide essential support services or share with someone you think might be able
to help.
to enhance the ministries of missionaries from

AFRICA BASED SUPPORT

If you want more information, contact Kathryn at

6

personneladmin.eu@aimint.org

NEWS: SANGA SANGA

DEVELOPMENT
The Institute of Bible &
Ministry in Tanzania was
originally a programme of
seminars in rented rooms, but
now has its home at the evergrowing site at Sanga Sanga.

Manager and assists in the

development of the Institutes
plans, including the construction
of a conference hall, seminar
room and library facilities, 100
bed accommodation, workshop,
demonstration farm and gift and
coffee shop.

WHATS HAPPENED SO FAR?

A STRATEGIC PLATFORM

he development at
Sanga Sanga is designed
to provide a strategic
platform to encourage and
support Tanzanian pastors and
evangelists. The plan is that the
facilities will provide a place
where they can engage with
indigenous theological, cultural
and development issues that
confront them.
AIM mission partner, Matt
Dixon from St Davids, Moretonin-Marsh, is the Construction

DATES
FOR
YOUR
DIARY

The first task was to create

easy entry and provide access
to water via water wells and a
water storage tower. After that,
a house for the caretaker, was
constructed from shipping
containers, then storage
facilities, office, workshop and a
temporary classroom were built.
Then, work began in earnest
on the retreat house which has
been built from locally burnt
brick. The house accommodates
13 in en-suite twin-bedded
rooms. The surrounding area
has also been developed into
camping facilities, as a means
of generating revenue for the
Institute, as well as meeting the

needs of passing travellers.

All of this, plus establishing
a reliable electricity source, was
achieved by January 2015. The
team at the Institute are now
working on the next phase, the
development of the conference
hall and offices; this will be
a single storey building with
a separate canteen with car
parking outside. In addition a
gift and coffee shop and toilet
facilities will be constructed near
the entrance to the site.

MUCH TO DO

The Dixons share; Matt has

much to do in way of brooding
over plans and contractors
tenders and small matters like
ensuring the foundations for
the 20x40m conference centre
are more than sufficient to last
the years in African sun and
torrential rains. The annual
pastors seminar for the Institute
of Bible and Ministry was hosted
at Sanga Sanga recently, with a
record of 80 delegates. The pump
house could barely hold all these
people highlighting the need for
the conference centre.
For updates on the progress
of construction, visit the Dixons
website: mattamytanzania.
blogspot.co.uk

25 APRIL

30 MAY

19-21 JUNE

26 SEPT

SOUTH OF
ENGLAND
CONFERENCE

OAK HALL,
LONDON

BULSTRODE,
BUCKS

MANCHESTER

St Patricks,
Wallington

Local Church
Global Vision
Conference

AIM Into Africa?

GOFest
- exploring
mission
ministry in
focused festival Africa

For the latest information on each of these events,

see our weekly email, facebook or website:

eu.aimint.org

April 1-4

MINISTRY
FOCUS:
HEALTHCARE
Annemarie Boks from the
Netherlands serves in Adi,
Congo working with the
local church to support those
living with Aids.

THE PROGRAMME

he Aids Awareness
Programme started
in 1999 when
CECA(Communaut
Evanglique au Centre de
lAfrique) leaders realised
that Aids was prevalent in
the church. Since then the
programme has developed
through sensitisation
programmes, development
of teaching materials, work
with church leaders and
the involvement of medical
personnel. Now, medical
aspects will be integrated
into the medical ministry of
CECA (for example, testing
for HIV and the treatment of
people living with HIV) and
home based care, and care for
orphans, will be handed over to
the local churches.

A COMMUNITY OF
ACCEPTANCE

Annemarie Boks started

working with the programme
in 2002 when it was facing
multiple problems, lack of
funding being one of them.
However God was faithful
and between 2007-2010
the programme made huge

leaps forward: staff members

organised Support and Action
Groups in local churches
where volunteers were taught
how to care for people living
with HIV and how to teach
about HIV and Aids. People
living with HIV encouraged
each other in support groups,
lessons about HIV were
broadcast over the local
radio, given through films,
at teaching sessions in the
community, in schools and in
churches. Awareness about
HIV grew and stigma lessened.
Powerfully, when teaching
about HIV and Aids the love
of God was declared and a
community of acceptance and
of care grew in response.

when teaching
about HIV & Aids
the love of God
was declared
In January 2014 the
hospital in Adi started
giving antiretroviral drug
(ARV) treatment to people
living with HIV, following a
push by the Aids Awareness
Programme that meant
nationally accredited training.
Now 41 people receive ARV
at Adi hospital and more are
examined and seen regularly.

RECENTLY
ARRIVED
Caroline Bell has recently
arrived in Adi and is living
with Annemarie. She will
be working as a doctor in
the local hospital. So how
is it going so far?
started in the hospital last
week working alongside
the other doctors.
The hospital is fairly
small. It has a maternity
department, paediatric,
surgery and medicine wards,
an outpatient department
and small laboratory. There
is an ultrasound machine but
no X-ray. Some of the best
things about life in Adi so
far have been making new
friends, Sunday mornings
and French lessons with
Onzi, my language helper.

Read more about Caroline:

eu.aimint.org/
carolineApril2015

APRIL | WEDNESDAY

Pray for the integration of

the Aids Awareness Programme
into hospitals; pray that the
future assistance and financial
support for the treatment
programme will be given as
already promised. Pray also
that church leaders will accept
their responsibilities to care for
people living with HIV and for
orphans.

APRIL | THURSDAY

Give thanks for the video

being produced by Laura
Hickman (Short Term USA)
about the Aids Awareness
Programme. Pray for her editing
work and subtitling skills as she
translates it into English and
Dutch. Pray for Laura as she
adjusts back to life in USA.

APRIL | FRIDAY

Pray for Caroline Bell

(Short Term UK) in her work
as a doctor at Adi hospital.
Pray for her collaboration with
the staff, and for her as she
prepares a small booklet about
the work of a hospital in Africa.
Pray for Annemarie and her
involvement in all these things.

APRIL | SATURDAY

Pray for Margaret Badaru

that her health will be stabilised
on antiretroviral (ARV) drugs
and that she can continue to be
a powerful witness as part of the
Aids Awareness Programme.
Give thanks for the good
working relationship between
Margaret and Annemarie.

WEEKLYFOCUS

ray for the preparation

of workshops for
church leaders and their
organisation in the church
district of Adi. Pray that
after the workshops take
place that we will find the
finances to organise them
in the other church districts
as well.

MEET MARGARET BADARU

Margaret Badaru is HIV
positive and works alongside
Annemarie educating
and teaching in the Aids
Awareness Programme. She
shares her story:

SEEN AS LIVING DEAD

was born in a polygamous

family, and have four sisters
and two brothers; two have
died. In 2003 I started studying
at the Nursing School in Adi,
but my health deteriorated. It
was I who asked for an HIV
test, but the result came back
negative twice. Because I kept
being sick, one of my sisters,
who lived in Arua (Uganda)
suggested I went there to do
the test. It turned out to be
positive. Although it was I who
wanted the test, it was difficult
to accept the result and to have
to start taking antiretrovirals
(ARV). I was only 23 years
old, and there was still a lot of
stigma surrounding HIV. Being
infected with HIV meant to be
living dead already. Even my
brothers and sisters isolated
me. In the end I moved back
in with my mother in Adi. She
received me with love and joy,
but, although living only 30
metres from the church, I was
isolated and stayed at home
the whole time.

See People & Places p15

For the index of mission partners
working in healthcare.
www.aimint.org/eu/pandp

A CHANNEL OF HOPE

Eventually I joined a support

group for people living with
Aids and decided try and make
a difference for others in my
situation. I finished my studies
in Information, Education and
Communication at ISPASC
(Superior Pan African Institute
of Community Health) in
2012. This wasnt easy; my
family tried to discourage my
mother from letting me study,
saying that the money could
better be kept for my funeral. I
also had to go to Arua for my
ARV, a long way away. When
working on my dissertation I
stopped taking ARV for four
months. I was anxious a lot
during that time, because I was
struggling to pay the school
fees. I expected to have to redo
the year, but God provided. My
health deteriorated though
and during the graduation
celebration I became sick and
was hospitalised.
Now my health is slowly
improving. I live with my
mother in Adi and am
accepted in the community.
I participate in church
activities and am working
with Annemarie in the Aids
Awareness Programme. We
prepare workshops for church
leaders and teach at church
conferences. I am eager to do
more training to enable me to
be a channel of hope and to
teach church leaders as well.

April 5-11

PEOPLE FOCUS:
THE SAMBURU
Frazer Mayhew is part of a
multinational Training in
Ministry Outreach (TIMO)
team, working amongst the
unreached Samburu people
of Northern Kenya. They
have been there a year now.
So how has it gone?

SHARING SOMETHING OF
CHRIST

It is very early days for us,

despite being here nearly a
year. We are still in the swampy
mire known as language
and culture learning, still
trying to get to know our
neighbours, listen to them
WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?
and find out their struggles
nce Jesus asked his
and hopes for life. But in the
disciples who people
midst of all this we have also
said he was. If we were
had many opportunities to
to do a similar questionnaire
share something of the life
with the Samburu people, we
of Christ. We are blessed to
would usually get the answer,
have resources in Samburu,
The child of God. Great,
especially Lukes gospel, which
youre thinking, Theyve got
it. But probe a little more, dig a has enabled us to bring Gods
little deeper and you realise that Word to the people. Weve
this is the only thing they know shown the Jesus film several
times in our area to different
about him. They dont know
people which has excited them
why he came to earth. They
and helped them to remember
dont know why he died and
they really dont know how they some of the events of Jesus life.
can have a restored relationship On Sunday mornings, a group
of women and children gather
with the Living God. This is
under a shady tree to sing
simultaneously tragic and
songs, pray and hear one of our
exciting. Tragic, because, how
team read from the Bible and
can it be 2015 and people still
explain it to them. Weve run a
have no idea about Jesus?
Exciting, because God has put a couple of Holiday Bible Clubs
with the children. But often it
hunger in their hearts for him
is in the personal encounters
and we have the privilege of
sharing it with them.
that we can share Jesus. A

10

The team have run a couple

of Holiday Bible Clubs for the
Samburu children.

group of children sit on our

porch and listen as we read a
story. A woman asks her friend
on the team what God thinks
about certain practices. A man
asks a question to one of us
about the origin of evil. These
are examples of countless
opportunities to share little bits
of good news to people who are
hungry to know.

we have
also had many
opportunities to
share something
of the life of Christ.
But what about you? Who
do you say I am? Jesus asks
his disciples. It is our hope and
prayer that along with Peter,
the Samburu will be able to say,
You are the Christ, the son of
the Living God to understand it,
embrace it and give their whole
lives to him.

APRIL | SUNDAY

GOD HAS BEEN

WORKING
Joshua Mok, from the Samburu
TIMO team, shares how God has
been working in the lives of their
neighbours, the Lenkoyo family.

ver the past 10 months, we have

seen how God has been working
in the lives of our neighbours,
the Lenkoyo family. We have got to
know them really well, especially the
children who visit our home every day.
Many of them attended our Holiday
Bible Club in August.
We praise God for the way he
softened the heart of the husband.
He knew that we owned a childrens
Bible in the Samburu language and
approached us with a genuine interest
to hear these stories since he cannot
read. Despite our broken Samburu
proficiency, he was a great listener who
repeated our sentences as an indication
that he understood the stories. We
thank God for the amazing privilege
to read through the entire childrens
Bible with him. Pray with us that this
seed would bear fruit some day. Pray
for us as we plan to engage in more
storytelling within our community.

It is a privilege to
live among the Samburu
people in this area. We
praise God for keeping
the door open despite
several problems. Pray
that we as a united team
will be a strong witness
to the gospel of Jesus
Christ.

APRIL | MONDAY

In Samburu
culture information is
transmitted orally, and
only a very few people
are literate. Therefore
speaking their language,
hearing their stories
and sharing our own is
of utmost importance.
Pray for continued
progress and diligence
in language learning.

APRIL | TUESDAY

The gospel of
Luke and the gospel
of Matthew have been
published in Samburu.
Pray that as people
hear Gods Words from
Luke at our Sunday
services, the Holy Spirit
will enable them to
understand. Pray for
ways to reach out to
the men and moran
(warriors) who do not
attend.

APRIL
WEDNESDAY

The team have also been able to show

the Jesus film several times in their area.

Read and see more pictures online from

the Samburu TIMO team:
eu.aimint.org/samburuapril2015

The Samburu have a very

limited concept of sin.
Some old people may
say that they have never
sinned. Pray that many
will understand that
their sin separates them
from God and that they
are in need of a Saviour.

APRIL
THURSDAY

We showed the Jesus

Film in Lchakwai at
Christmas, and have

since shown it in
Raragon and Moru.
Team Members have
shared it in several
homes as well. Pray that
the Samburu will desire
to know more about
Jesus and commit to
following him.

1O

APRIL | FRIDAY

We have been
thinking of telling Bible
stories in various homes.
There are some oral and
written resources and
pictures. Pray that this
way of communicating
the good news may bear
fruit.

11

APRIL
SATURDAY

Pray that each of us

will grow in our love
for God. Pray that the
Holy Spirit will enable
us, with our limited
vocabulary, to explain
about the God we
know and love. Pray
for endurance and
encouragement in the
hard times.

WEEKLY
FOCUS

ow can we
communicate
the good news
about Jesus to the
Samburu? Pray that
God will work in us,
making us more like
him and that the
testimony of our lives
and the words of our
mouth will bear fruit
in Gods kingdom
here in the Samburu
district.

April 12-18

MINISTRY FOCUS:
CREATIVE ACCESS
Knowing that at any
moment you could be asked
to leave the country youre
working in, means that
mission partners have to be
creative in how they share
Jesus. One AIM mission
partner working in North
Africa shares how they seek
to always have Jesus Christ
on their lips.

DARKNESS IN A
COLOURFUL PLACE

any think of this part

of the world as a dark,
hard place to be
desert, camels and heat! In fact
our country is colourful, bright,
vibrant, warm and friendly.
People here are incredibly
hospitable, and its not unusual
to be invited to someones
home within the first week of
arrival.
But to deny that there is a
darkness would be false. People
are blinded to the truth, bound
by rituals that control their
lives and culture in order to
gain favour with Allah. Every
day we hear the call to prayer
and are reminded that they are
lost thats why we are here!
12

GETTING CREATIVE

To be here, well, weve had

to get creative! We use the
skills and experience that
the Father has given us and
apply that to life here. Some
workers run businesses, others
are involved in charitable
endeavours. Whatever you do
for your job at home, with a
bit of modification you could
probably do here.
Whatever role we have,
we aim to be as intentional as
possible to have the name
of Jesus Christ on our lips
at all times. Whether it is
buying bread for breakfast,
meeting with a client to discuss
business, dropping off children
at school, or drinking tea with
a friend, we want to be ready to
share the truth.
It is very normal to talk to
people about religion. We try
to make a point very early on in
our relationships with people
to ensure they know we are
God-fearing people. We dont
want there to be any surprises
later on! So, talking about God
can be quite easy talking
about Jesus however, is more
difficult.

TALKING ABOUT JESUS

As such, we consciously
think about everyday
situations and consider how we
can introduce spiritual truths.
For example: on a beautiful
sunny day we might say: Isnt
God good to have given us a
beautiful day? Its like a gift
from him. When buying from
a busy shop owner we could
say: I can see God is providing
you with good business. Did
you know that the Bible speaks
of God being our provider?
With anyone even in a taxi:
I was reading in Gods Word
this morning and God showed
me When someone shares a
problem: Could I pray for you
right now?
Conversations about Jesus
though, are not without risk.
We know that at any moment
we could be asked to leave
the country with little or no
opportunity to pack or say
goodbye. We know that we are
observed and our activities are
monitored. So we are careful
with wording, who we meet
with and use common sense,
but at the end of the day we
serve a sovereign God.

12

APRIL | SUNDAY

Please pray for the

multiplication of believers.
We long to see new
believers boldly proclaim
the truth they have
received so that others will
join them and then also
pass on the message.

STRANGERS IN A
STRANGE LAND

eople here are amazingly

friendly and hospitable.
They appreciate very much
when we make efforts to learn their
language and are eager to help us
learn about their culture. But no
matter how much language we
learn or cultural adaptation we
do, we will always be foreigners.
This is not necessarily a negative
thing as being a foreigner
allows us freedoms for sharing
about Jesus that perhaps locals
wouldnt have. We are also able
to capitalise on the curiosity
factor of those who want to meet
us because we are from abroad.
Even this can open doors for
sharing the good news. Our status
however, can put others at risk.
There are a handful of believers
here, and some workers try and
meet with them periodically
to encourage them to gather
together. In doing this though,
workers have to be so careful, our
movements are monitored and
we could unwittingly highlight
the presence of believers to the
government. There is already a fear
of informants which discourages
Christians from gathering together.
Often the result of that though, is
a lack of fellowship and feelings of
isolation. Please pray for trust and
boldness for them and for us.

Download a prayer sheet to help

you pray for those in closed areas:
aimint.org/eu/creativeaccess

13

APRIL | MONDAY

The local body of

the church is small, so
please ask our Father to
raise up bold, pastorally
minded, outward looking
leadership. Please pray for
strong leadership across
the church in our region.

14

APRIL | TUESDAY

Most women are

undervalued in our region,
many are marginalized
through life circumstances.
Ask that the Father would
restore their honour and
draw them to himself.

15

APRIL
WEDNESDAY

God reveals himself

through dreams and
visions here. We often
hear stories of visions of a
man dressed all in white.
Ask that Jesus would be
recognised and glorified.
Many workers in the region
are reporting softening of
hearts and encouraging
conversations with friends,
neighbours, and business
colleagues indicating a
genuine seeking for truth

WEEKLY
FOCUS

here is a growing
anticipation and
expectation this year as
we wait upon the Lord
and prayerfully ask him
to move across North
Africa. Would you join
us and many around
the world in praying
specifically for the
nations across North
Africa?

17

APRIL | FRIDAY

Five times a day the

call to prayer rings out
across cities and villages.
Ask Father to touch
hearts and minds as many
literally kneel down.

18

APRIL | SATURDAY

Ask that workers

would be guided to those
whom the Father is leading
to himself and that we
would be granted wisdom
as we seek to introduce
them to our Saviour.
Among the worker
community, there is an
increasing sense that we
need to commit to earnest
prayer, seeking guidance
in every relationship and
conversation.

16

APRIL
THURSDAY

The main staple for many

across the region is bread
and yet, it does nothing to
fill their hunger or satisfy
their souls. As they strive
to please God through
rituals, ask that our Father
alone would be known as
the provider of the bread
of life, the true giver and
sustainer of life.

13

April 19-25

MOBILISING MISSION

Ruth Box shares with us

what its like being an AIM
Mobiliser in Scotland and
the role she plays in helping
churches send mission
partners to Africa.

sprung and I will be in the

midst of preparing a group
of Edinburgh students for
their summer mission trip to
Madagascar. Being a Mobiliser
is very much an experience
of seasons and showers. It
is a role that involves lots of
thinking and planning ahead,
whilst fulfilling day to day
commitments to speak at
events, have conversations
with enquirers and be available
for the pastoral needs of
missionaries on the field. There

SEASONS AND SHOWERS

ts January, the snow is

thick on the ground and
Im taking some time out
from a youth leaders training
conference in Aviemore to
write this article. By the time
you read this, spring will have

19

APRIL
SUNDAY

Please uphold our

entire mobilising region
team as they seek to
challenge Americans
toward mission and to
serve personnel on the
field and on homeassignment. Praise God
for the headquarters
team and the many
ways they support our
goal of Christ-centred
churches among all
African peoples.

20

APRIL
MONDAY

Pray for wisdom for U.S.

Director Wade Ewing as
he leads the U.S. team,
and for the various
departments as they
serve AIM candidates,
personnel serving in
Africa, and prayer and
financial partners. Pray
that staff effectiveness,
efficiency and unity
would be blessing to all
who pass through the
office.

21

I cannot stress
enough the
privilege it is to be
doing this each
day
are seasons of frenzied activity,
such as in the run up to the
Scottish Conference in March
and (fewer!) seasons of quiet,
like December, where one
has the chance to think and

APRIL
TUESDAY

Pray for mobilisers

serving in different
regions of the United
States. Pray for safety
over many miles
travelled, for divine
appointments as they
visit churches and
campuses, and for
creativity as they seek
out new ways to engage
those seeking to serve
cross-culturally in
Africa.

22

APRIL
WEDNESDAY

Praise God for the men

and women from the
United States who are
stepping forward to
serve him in Africa.
Pray for them in this
incredible journey,
which often entails
quitting jobs, selling
homes, saying difficult
goodbyes to family and
friends, and gathering
a team of prayer and
financial supporters.

plan a little for the year ahead.

Then there are the showers real
showers of blessing, when new
enquirers apply to serve longterm, or a flurry of students look
for short-term opportunities.
There are also occasional storms,
when the volume of work feels
like waves crashing relentlessly
over my sea wall threatening to
swamp me.

HELPING SEND
SHEONA

n the autumn of 2012,

whilst on a short term
mission trip in Kenya I felt
God leading me to AIM. So,
when I got home I googled
AIM and filled in the contact
form on the website. Very
quickly I received a response
letting me know that the
Scottish mobiliser would
contact me, if that was ok with
me? Help, what am I signing
up for? was my immediate
reaction! Thankfully I said yes,
and then got an email from
Ruth asking if I would like to
meet for a coffee and a chat. I
was very busy (as is Ruth), and
making every excuse not to
meet up. Time wore on, Ruth
was very patient, but then
she had a trip to Africa, it was
Christmas and still we hadnt
met!
Ruth then suggested I
attend the Scottish Conference.
I had just been on holiday,

THE PRIVILEGE TO SERVE

What do I think about this?

What springs to mind most
often is to marvel that God has
called, permitted and equipped
me to serve in my role with
AIM. I cannot stress enough
the privilege it is to be doing
this each day, and to have such
an important part to play in the
journey that God calls some of
his people to travel. I so very
much value your prayers as
I serve God through AIM in
Scotland, the financial support
of those whom God calls to
stand with me in this way and
the practical help that so many
volunteers, friends and family
provide on a day to day basis.
Thank you all so much!

WEEKLY
FOCUS

so (as a shift worker), I felt I

could only go if it fell on my
day off, but surprise surprise,
I was free. When the day
came I was unwell, but felt
I should go, went, and was
pleasantly surprised. The
Scottish conference is a very
friendly, non-threatening
day, I knew no-one, but went
home encouraged, excited and
scared, having made friends
who have since been a huge
encouragement.
After the conference Ruth
encouraged me to go to AIMs
Into Africa? conference in
Glasgow. Again it was on a
Saturday so I gave her the same
reply... and again it fell on my
day off.
After that day, I applied
for long term service with
AIM. Throughout Ruth has
been extremely encouraging
and helpful. She supported
me through the lengthy
application process, patiently
answering my questions.
Having her here on home
turf in Scotland is helpful
both to sending churches
and missionaries as we share
the journey from enquiry to
starting an assignment.

his week were

praying for the
U.S. mobilising region
in Peachtree City,
Georgia. There, about
30 men and women
serve to mobilise
new personnel
and to provide vital
administrative support
to those serving in
Africa. A team of seven
mobilisers serve in
different regions of the
United States, working
with prospective
candidates as they
seek their role in the
Great Commission.

23

APRIL
THURSDAY

Pray that God would

use our Short Term
programme to ignite a
passion for mission in
the hearts and minds
of those who serve.
Pray for life-changing
experiences as they
serve in a wide range
of ministries both
as individuals and in
teams. Pray that many
will return to serve
Long Term.

24

APRIL
FRIDAY

As we seek to have a
more strategic role
in reaching African
Diaspora, pray that
God would open doors
in the United States
for teams to serve in
communities with large
African populations.
Pray that God would
be preparing hearts of
Africans living in the
U.S. to receive the good
news.

25

APRIL
SATURDAY

Praise God for the

many donors and
prayer supporters who
uphold the ministries
of U.S. personnel
serving in Africa. Pray
that God would bless
them and give them
insights into how their
role as supporters
impacts men and
women for eternity.

15

MEET JOYCE
April 26 - May 2

MINISTRY FOCUS:
WOMENS MINISTRY
Lyn Cooke lives in Arua,
north west Uganda. She
shares with us about her
ministry amongst women,
opportunities that have
opened up and the positive
impact of the workshops she
helps run.

We seek to show them that

God has called them to work
in partnership with their
husbands and that there are
ways in which they can be used
to help their congregation and
community.

We regularly arrange
workshops at the
archdeaconries. Attendance
is very positive and we often
have around 100 ladies, many
who have walked for many
hours to get there. Some of
the things we teach are how
to lead a prayer meeting and
Bible study with the ladies of
their church, how to be a good
leader, and parenting. We do
a follow up later to see how
things are going and to answer
any question or deal with
any problems they may have
encountered.
The Ugandan Christian
University runs a degree
course for pastors. Alongside
this they run a course for the
wives. I teach Old and New
Testament studies to the wives
once a week. This has been a

SECOND CLASS CITIZENS

work with Alice, a Ugandan

pastor at Madi West Nile
diocese in the womens
office. We travel around the
diocese meeting and teaching
the women. Many of the
women feel like second class
citizens and are unable to
express themselves. Things
are gradually changing in
some areas but there is still
the feeling that the girl child
should be at home helping and
the boy child should be the one
educated.
One of the things we do
is train church teachers and
pastors wives. Many of them
have been at home until they
married and have not had
any training at all. They see
their role only as looking after
their husband and children.
16

A WONDERFUL PRIVILEGE

Joyce is a church teachers

wife who has attended one
of the workshops that Lyn
helps run. Here she shares
about the impact they
have had on her life.
wanted to share my
appreciation of the
workshops for church
teachers wives because
they have opened our eyes
to see how God can use us.
The topic of counselling was
new to us. We never thought
that we were capable of
doing anything like this. I
now feel confident to chat
and help people in need
particularly when they
come to the door and my
husband is not around. This
will enable me to help the
people in my community
and parish when needed
particularly to prepare
young people for marriage
and girls for motherhood.
Before attending these
workshops I feared getting
involved in ministry and I
just saw myself as keeping
home and caring for the
children. I did not see
myself in partnership with
my husband or that God
had called me as well. In
my home I did not know
about Christian parenting
properly. I actually gambled
a lot and this means that
some of my children have
not been able to attend
school. I wish I had been
challenged earlier about
these things but I know God
is able to change me now.

26

APRIL | SUNDAY

Please pray for the

ladies at the prison that
they will understand more
that God wants to be their
friend and draw close at this
difficult time. Pray that they
will understand that he can
change their lives if they will
look to him.

27

APRIL | MONDAY

Learning, for many

of the ladies we work with
at the university, is a new
experience. Give thanks that
they have responded so well
and are now excited to learn
more. Pray also that God will
help them as they cope with a
new environment.

28

APRIL | TUESDAY

One of the things the workshops

do is to help women lead Bible
studies with the ladies of their church.

wonderful privilege for me as I

see the ladies grow in confidence
and have a better understanding
of Gods Word. It is two way, as
they are also teaching me a lot
about culture and how they
cope looking after the family
while studying, which is a new
experience for many of them.

we often have
around 100 ladies.
many who have
walked for many
hours to get there.
About eighteen months ago
God opened up an opportunity
for us to do an Alpha course at
the local ladies prison. Our visits
have continued weekly and we
now go and share with the ladies
and pray with them.

Give thanks that

Alice and I work well
together and have become
good friends. Pray for health
and safety for both of us as
we travel around the diocese
often on unmade roads. Pray
for wisdom as we chose the
topics to teach.

29

APRIL
WEDNESDAY

MAY | FRIDAY

Once a month I meet

with two Ugandan ladies
for prayer and Bible study.
Thank God that he brought
these two ladies into my life
when I was asking him to
give me two Ugandan ladies
whom I could build a deeper
relationship with and pray
openly with.

This has been

a wonderful
privilege for
me as I see the
ladies grow in
confidence

MAY | SATURDAY

There are many babies

and young children in the
prison. This is not a good
start for their young lives.
They are in a confined space
when they should be out
running around in the open.
Please pray that God will
protect them from any harm
and keep them healthy.

Pray for the ladies who

attend the workshops that
they will come with open
hearts and ready to make
changes in their lives and in
the parishes. Pray that their
homes will be a good witness
to Gods love and care.

30

APRIL | THURSDAY

Thank God for

enabling me to build good
relationships with the ladies
and ask that he will continue
to give me a love for each one
of them. Above all may Christ
be the centre of my ministry
and life.

See People & Places p15

For the index of mission partners
working in womens ministry.
www.aimint.org/eu/pandp

WEEKLYFOCUS

here is a high rate of

teenage pregnancy
and defilement in the
diocese. This year Alice
and I are starting a new
programme in schools
for young girls dealing
with relationships and
incorporating a Bible
Study. Please pray for
wisdom and that it will
be effective in making a
change.

May 3-9

PEOPLE FOCUS:
THE MWANI
Tim & Bron Heaton live
and work in northern
Mozambique amongst the
unreached Mwani people.
They give this update on
the struggles, privileges and
activities of their day to day
lives amongst the Mwani.

GOD DOESNT GIVE UP

t night the whir of

generators can be heard
in one or two homes
but otherwise Pemba is silent
and dark. The rains, while
they bring the promise of new
crops, can also cause havoc
and devastation. Last year we
experienced a four day cyclone
and this year the floods brought

MAY | SUNDAY

In Pemba there are

currently two strong
Mwani believers who
meet regularly to pray
(there have been others
but they no longer join
to meet). Neither their
wives nor families have
supported them in their
decision to follow Jesus
and it is sometimes a
lonely road. Abdala and
Shikito need prayer to
remain steadfast in their
faith and for courage
to share the good news
with others.

there seems at
times almost a
stubborn refusal
to come out of the
darkness.
down four bridges and ten major
electricity pylons cutting the
electricity off from the north of
the country. It is a reminder once
again of the physical poverty and
lack of decent infrastructure in
this country but also of the lack
of hope and light of God that
the people around us have. Our
family have been in northern
Mozambique for ten years now
learning the language and

MAY | MONDAY

Pray for the Pemba

Mwani Team of six
AIM missionaries who
are reaching their
neighbours through
Bible storying, English
lessons, computer
classes and friendship.
Pray for divine
opportunities and that
God leads us to people
open to the gospel.

MAY | TUESDAY

Radio Nuru, based

in Macomia, has been
on air for five years now

Abdala is one of two strong

Mwani believers in Pemba
who meet regulary to pray.

allowing many Mwani

in remote villages and
towns along the coast to
hear worship and Bible
stories in their own
language. Pray for the
current radio presenters
to grow in their faith
and vision and for more
missionaries to join
them.

believers from the

local churches to
encourage them to
reach the unreached
people groups around
them including the
Makwe and Mwani.
A few have already
been sent out; pray
for more Mozambican
missionaries.

MAY
WEDNESDAY

A Kenyan missionary
couple in Mocimboa
have been teaching
a mission course to

MAY | THURSDAY

Despite the
arrival of large gas
companies the north
of Mozambique
still has some of the

culture of the Mwani who fish

up and down the coast. The fruit
among this people group has
been slim and there seems at
times almost a stubborn refusal
to come out of the darkness. But
God doesnt give up!

HOLDING UP THE POT

Last year we were joined in

Pemba by two AIM families,
one couple from Canada and
one American family with three
kids. The Mwani have a riddle
about a mother who has three
children; if one leaves everyone
goes hungry. It refers to the
three large stones they use
underneath their cooking pots
take one away and the pot falls
over hence no food! We have
come to appreciate the value of
not being a single stone but of
having teammates around us to
also hold up the cooking pot and
allow Gods fire to burn. This is
the second Mwani team we have

WEEKLY
FOCUS

ray for the

Mwani people,
that their eyes
would be opened
to the wonderful
joy of Gods grace
through Jesus.
Pray for growth
among the many
new believers in
Quissanga and the
few on Ibo island,
that the hunger for
Gods Spirit would
spread up and
down the coast.

had the privilege of being part

of and it has been exciting, as
leaders, to see them overcome
the struggles and connect with
the Mwani community.

EACH DAYS AN ADVENTURE

There is no typical day but
language learning has been the
main focus of the first year and
now, as we start the second year,
members have been involved
in a variety of activities such as
Bible-storying, teaching English
and computer classes, helping
neighbours erect canopies to
prepare for weddings, attending
funerals and generally being
involved in the lives of the
neighbourhood. Tim leads not
only the Mwani team but also
takes responsibility for the Unit
here in Northern Mozambique
and it has been a question of
juggling balls to deal with all
the finance, administration and
pastoral support needed for the
different members. Each day is
an adventure here and it is only
through the grace of him who is
able that we make it through and
we trust he will bring the work
with the Mwani to completion in
his time.

worst poverty and

infrastructure in the
country. The recent
electricity crisis (ten
major pylons were
brought down by the
floods) and the rise in
food prices (four broken
bridges meant less
goods being transported
up north) takes its
toll on those already
struggling. Pray for
Gods mercy and help.

MAY | FRIDAY

Pray for Tim, as

Unit Leader for the

North, for wisdom and

strength to encourage
and support the AIM
missionaries in Pemba,
Macomia and Nampula.

MAY | SATURDAY

Pray for the fruit

from the Bible teaching
ministries in Nampula
both at the Bible school,
INTENA, and informal
teaching through TEE
(Theological Education
by Extension), that
more leaders would be
equipped and sent out
to share the good news.

ALONG
THE BEACH

he Mwani
whose lives
are tied to
fishing and the
ocean, live along the
coast of northern
Mozambique.
Although fiercely
Islamic in name, the
Mwanis worldview is
strongly influenced
by the animistic
world of ancestors
and the use of
mediums such as
witchdoctors.
Witchdoctors are
often paid to protect
the boundaries of
the rice paddy with
beads, bottles, cloths
and bones.
Divorce is common
and many women
have been married
several times, so
family units are
difficult to discern.
There is so much
distrust between
husbands and wives
and the culture
does not encourage
faithfulness or open
communication. Our
oldest Mwani believer,
Shikito, is facing
serious marriage
difficulties and Tim
has been counselling
him. Please pray with
us, that God may
restore peace and love
to them.
Download a prayer sheet:
aimint.org/eu/mwani
19

May 10-16

COUNTRY
FOCUS:
MADAGASCAR

Photo: fandresena

VOICE OF THE GOOD

NEWS RADIO STATION
Stella is a presenter at the Voice of the Good
News Radio station in Mandritsara, part of
the Good News Hospital project.
adagascar is one of the poorest
countries in the world, with 90% of
people living on less than 1.50 per
day. In addition, a recent cyclone has destroyed
houses, roads and rice crops whilst huge swathes
of forest are burnt down for grazing land, or to
appeal to ancestral spirits. Sickness and diseases
such as malaria and plague are on the increase,
and swarms of locusts are eating up whole fields
of crops. Many people are in desperate need.
These challenges are not new, which is why
its so important that the country is governed by
those who are committed to helping Madagascar
grow and develop. Please pray that Madagascars
politicians would not seek to serve themselves,
but rather that they would seek to serve the
people of Madagascar and do what is right for
the nation. Pray also that Malagasy Christians
would act, the churches are always fullbut noone does anything. The people may be in church,
but their hearts are not; they are in church on
Sunday, and off to see the diviners on Monday.

20

MEET THE LINLEY

CHILDREN

he Linley family live and work in

Mandritsara, Madagascar. We asked
Phoebe (9); Jonah (7) and Barnaby (3)
their thoughts on living in Madagascar.

WHERE DO YOU LIVE? CAN YOU

DESCRIBE IT FOR US?
BARNEY: Here.
PHOEBE: In Mandritsara, Madagascar. It is
green in the wet season, brown in the dry
season. Its hot and often there is no water in
the taps.
JONAH: Its hot and at the moment it is very
muddy because there was a cyclone. I love
taking my clothes off and playing in the rain!
We drive in a Land Rover and the roads are
very bumpy. I hope Mummy doesnt crash
into any more motorbikes!

WHAT IS THE FOOD LIKE?

P: Most people here eat rice all the time but
we are able to buy other things too like pasta
so we eat similar things to in England. We
dont eat the pork here because we might get
worms. I like eating fried crickets, they are
really nice!

J: Nice. My favourite food is spaghetti

bolognese. The mangoes and lychees here
are awesome!
B: I love the rice!

WHATS IT LIKE LIVING IN ANOTHER

COUNTRY, TELLING PEOPLE ABOUT
JESUS?
P: I think it is
easier here for
me as I go to a
Christian school
and my teachers
are Christians.
J: I love living
in Madagascar.
When I am in
England I get
homesick.

DO YOU GO TO CHURCH?
B: Yes.
J: Yes. It is long and in Malagasy so I dont
understand it, but I am happy if I can sit
next to my friends. At the end of church
we shake hands with everyone there.
P: Yes. It is in Malagasy. I like the singing.
During the sermon I am allowed to read
something. I often read a whole book!
We also have Kids Church in English
on a Sunday afternoon with the other
missionary families, and we all eat a big
meal together afterwards.

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO LIVE IN

THE FUTURE?
J: I would like to live in a whole new world
called arakarauygj9hj
P: Im not sure yet.
B: Antarctica (Barney is a big fan of
penguins!)

DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVOURITE

BIBLE VERSES OR STORIES?
P: do not worry about tomorrow, for
tomorrow will worry about itself. (Matt.
6:34) I like this verse because it helps me
when Im worried about exams coming
up at school.
J: Moses before Pharaoh, and God saying
let my people go, and the 10 plagues.
For the full interview visit:
eu.aimint.org/madagascarmay2015

10

MAY | SUNDAY

Please join us in
praying for our mission
partners, from Diego Suarez
in the north to Tulear in
the south, and everyone in
between. Pray for Daniel
Zagami as Unit Leader, as
he and his wife Sarah seek
Gods will for their future;
for the new Focus team
working in Tulear, and the
new TIMO team on Nosy
Mitsio, a small island off
the northeast coast.

11

MAY | MONDAY

Pray for Hannah

Coggins, Pierre-Alain &
Emmanuelle Luder and all
the Betroka Focus Team
working amongst the Bara
people of south-central
Madagascar. Pray for their
literacy work, that in being
able to read the gospel in
the own language, the Bara
people would recognise
their Lord.

12

MAY | TUESDAY

Pray for Katy Linley

working as a doctor at
the Good News Hospital
in Mandritsara: please
pray for her and the other
doctors, for strength to
deal compassionately with
the many patients they see
each day, and for Malagasy
Christian doctors to join
the team.

13

MAY | WEDNESDAY

Give thanks
for Karin Mende and
the transformational
development work she is
doing in HIV/Aids ministry
in Antsirabe. Pray too for
the Hofmann family, raising
support to join a Focus team
in Antananarivo seeking

See People & Places p12-13

For more information on
mission partners working in
Madagascar

to help the Malagasy

Christians reach the
unreached in their own
country.

14

MAY | THURSDAY

Please pray for

the Mallett family in
Mahajanga. Pray for
Graeme and Eli as they
focus on learning Malagasy,
for good relationships
with pastors from the
local Union of Evangelical
Churches, and for the
children at school.

15

MAY | FRIDAY

Please pray for

Mat Linley heading up
the multi-agency Friends
of Mandritsara team at
the Good News Hospital:
pray for vision, patience,
and for Gods wisdom in
management decisions;
pray that he stays close to
Jesus as he seeks to help
others do the same.

16

MAY | SATURDAY

Please pray for the

missionary children in
Mandritsara who have local
French-speaking school
each morning and Englishspeaking home school
in the afternoons. Give
thanks for the provision of
a home school teacher from
next academic year.

WEEKLY
FOCUS

ray for Godglorifying leadership

in Madagascar, for
continued openness
to the gospel and
for peace. Pray for
Christians, that those
turning away from
traditional religious
practices would live
differently, and that
others would be
changed as a result.

May 17-23

PEOPLE
FOCUS:
THE DIGO

Sharing the gospel with an

unreached people group is
not easy. Here the Raychards
share something of a teams
preparation as they get ready
to live amongst the Digo
people of southern Kenya.

FOCUS TEAM

y wife Joyce and I

have been in Digo
ministry in Kenya and
Tanzania for 18 years; we left
the U.S. on 15 January for a final
two-year term before retiring
from the field.
During the next two years
we will lead a Focus Team
made up of one couple (with
six children) and four single
women. The couple and two of
the singles are American; one
of the single ladies is Canadian,
the other is Australian. We may
yet have another single woman
and another couple joining us if
they are able to raise sufficient
support.
To start with, Joyce and I
will work to orient and equip
the members of this team for
long-term ministry among the
22

THE DIGO
PEOPLE

Digo people through various

teaching sections. We will
be studying language and
culture, spiritual warfare and
prayer, local religions (the Digo
are Islamic and animistic),
evangelism through storying,
cross-cultural communication,
and other topics as time allows.

The goal of
course is to
cultivate not
only maize but
also meaningful
relationships
through which the
gospel can be
shared.
SHARING CHRIST

Adam & Heather are

hoping to begin an agricultural
innovation called Farming
Gods Way (see page 30-31).
Establishing a Farming Gods

he Digo are a Muslim

tribe living in northern
Tanzania and southern
Kenya. More than 100,000
Digo are concentrated on
the northern coastal strip of
Tanzania from the town of
Tanga to the border of Kenya.
They inhabit the fertile plains
of the Pangani River, between
the Usambara Mountains
and the Indian Ocean.
Islam is widely accepted
among the Digo though
only a few have studied it in
depth. Ties with traditional
practices such as animism
(the belief that non-human
objects have spirits) and
ancestor worship (praying
to ancestors for help
and guidance) still have
significant influence. Most
are unreached with the
gospel.
Download a prayer sheet on
the Digo people:

www.aimint.org/eu/digo
Way project has great potential
for the primarily agricultural
Digo people. The goal of course
is to cultivate not only maize but
also meaningful relationships
through which the gospel can
be shared. The ladies have skills
in nursing (Joanne), IT (Laura),
teaching (Samantha), and
evangelism (Kim). Through our
various skills we are seeking to
get alongside and support the
Digo, and through this, to share
the gospel of Christ.

LEARNING PRIORITY

For the last few months,

learning has been the priority, and
that has necessitated a fair bit of
travelling for the team. We arrived
in Nairobi on the 17th January and
then the team left for Africa Based
Orientation. Following that we all
travelled to Mombasa where we
spent some time learning about life
on the coast before moving out to
Kwale in the Digo tribal area. Before
getting totally settled into our new
homes, we were on the move again.
At the end of February the team
travelled to Tanga, Tanzania for a
three-month Kiswahili language
course. This is an important step;
its possible to learn Kiswahili
through a structured programme,
an easier stepping stone for those
used to Western teaching styles.
With that as a basis, Chidigo (the
Digo language) will be a bit more
accessible because of the similarity
in the structure of the verbs, noun
classes, and grammar.

They have come out

passionate about
sharing the gospel
with the Digo
This is a difficult time for
the team. They have come out
passionate about sharing the
gospel with the Digo, but now
are becoming more aware of the
ground work needed and the
volume of learning required.
Please pray for us all, that we
may concentrate on the goal that
is ahead, and run the race with
perseverance.

17

MAY | SUNDAY

At the moment the

team are undertaking a
three-month Kiswahili
language course in Tanga,
Tanzania. They are learning
Kiswahili before Chidigo
(the Digo language) as
this forms an important
stepping stone into language
acquisition. Pray that they
wouldnt be daunted but
would have enthusiasm and
perseverance as they learn.

18

MAY | MONDAY

Please pray for

vehicles for the team. They
need two vans, one for the
family of eight and one for
the others. Please join the
Raychards and the team in
asking God for reliable and
reasonably priced vehicles
that will serve the team over
the course of the next two
years.

19

MAY | TUESDAY

Please pray for safety

for the team as they travel
Kenyas highways. Rules
exist but seem not to apply,
at least in the minds of many
drivers. Pray particularly
for the family who will be
driving their own vehicle
but have no experience of
driving in Africa.

22

MAY | FRIDAY

Pray for the Digo

people that the team will
be living amongst in Kenya.
Pray that their hearts and
minds may be open to
receive the gospel.

23

MAY | SATURDAY

Pray for the

community development
projects that the team hope
to engage in as a means
of outreach to the Digo.
Pray that there would be
opportunities for all of the
team to use their various
skills and that through this
work relationships would be
built with the Digo and the
gospel shared.

20

MAY
WEDNESDAY

Please pray for the teams

security. There has been a
dramatic rise in the number
of terrorist-related attacks
in Kenya. Al-Shabaab is
a Somali terrorist group
carrying out some of the
attacks in Kenya. Operatives
are actively recruiting young
Digo men in several mosques
along the coast to go to
Somalia for militia training.

21

MAY | THURSDAY

Digo team leaders, Wayne & Joyce

Raychard deep in language study.

on forcing the secession of

the entire Coast Province
to form its own Islamic
state. They have attacked
churches in Kwale County
and assassinated chiefs and
others who dare to oppose
them. Please pray for the
teams security and that
they would be a support to
Christians living alongside
them.

The MRC (Mombasa

Republican Council) is a
Kenyan organisation intent

WEEKLY
FOCUS

lease pray for

Joyce & Wayne
Raychard leading a
Focus Team amongst
the Digo of Kenya. The
team started in January,
so please pray for the
new relationships built
amongst them, that they
may quickly establish
team unity, fellowship
and trust.

May 24-30

NEW MEMBERS
John & Alma Baker served
on a TIMO (Training in
Ministry Outreach) team in
the Indian Ocean Islands
from 2010-2012. They are
now returning to Mayotte to
continue sharing the gospel
with the Kibuishi people.
They share their story here:

from beautiful Donegal, and I

am from grimey East London.
We love both Donegal and
London and would happily
spend our lives in one of those
two places, but God has put a
third place in our hearts.
Alma had an interest in
Mayotte for a number of
years after praying through
Operation World. In 2009 we
joined AIM and went on a two
year TIMO team to Mayotte
from January 2010-2012. We
lived in a predominantly
Kibushi speaking village;
learnt their language; studied
the TIMO curriculum;
A THIRD PLACE
thought about and discussed
lma and I met at St
what long term ministry there
Helens Bishopsgate
might look like; and sought
studying Marks gospel.
to share the gospel whenever
At first we avoided each other
we could.
on a weekend away as we were
both tired of making small
FUTURE PREPERATIONS
talk with other primary school
Since returning to London
teachers! But eventually we
we have been members of
got to know each other and
Christchurch, Leyton. I have
were married in 2008. Alma is completed the Cornhill

24

MAY
SUNDAY

Please pray for us as

we learn French. Pray
we will get a place at a
college in France this
autumn. Pray that we
will be able to find time,
in between our jobs and
looking after Anya, to
learn even before we get
there.

24

25

MAY
MONDAY

Please pray for our

daughter Anya. Pray
that she will adjust well
to all the changes. Pray
that she will grow up to
love the Lord and not
to resent the lifestyle
we have chosen for
Jesus and his gospel.
Pray that we would be
good witnesses to her of
Jesus love and grace.

26

MAY
TUESDAY

Please pray for Alma as

she juggles being a new
Mum alongside all our
preparations for leaving.
Pray particularly for
time for her to learn
some French. Pray too
for the extra things we
need to think about on
this return to Mayotte,
now that we have Anya
with us.

27

MAY
WEDNESDAY

Please pray for John

as he works four days
a week as a primary
school teacher and
spends the rest of his
time learning French,
serving at church
and being a Dad. Pray
that he will be a good
witness at school and
lead the family wisely.

Training Programme (a
training course for preachers)
and Alma has been teaching
at a womens education centre.
More recently we have become
a Mum & Dad for the first
time with the arrival of our
daughter Anya in November.
Our time since TIMO has
given us good opportunities
to prepare for future service.
Alma has been teaching
Muslim women daily,
furthering her understanding
of what it is like to live as
a woman in their religious
culture. And I have had
opportunities to study and to
get experience of Christian
ministry with people from
diverse backgrounds.

THE KIBUSHI

he Kibushi (also
known as Shibushi
or Bushi) speaking
people of Mayotte have
their origins in the nearby
island of Madagascar. Since
the latter half of the 19th
century Malagasy people
have immigrated and
settled on Mayotte, and it
is these immigrants and
plantation workers that are
today known as the Kibushi.
Mayotte is divided between
speakers of Shimahore (the
language of the majority;
a Bantu based language
closely related to Swahili)
and Kibushi (the language
of the minority; a Sakalava
dialect of Malagasy).
Speakers of both Shimahore
and Kibushi identify
themselves first as Muslims,
and then as Mahore, that is,
residents of Mayotte.

WEEKLY
FOCUS

lease pray for us

as we prepare to
go back to Mayotte
in Autumn 2016. That
seems a long way
off but theres lots
of preparation to be
done! Pray for our
spiritual lives: that we
would love God, each
other, Gods people,
and those who are
currently outside his
kingdom and lost.

HEADING BACK

Since returning we have

been wrestling with if or when
we would go back to Mayotte
and over the past few months
it has seemed increasingly
obvious that the time is now!
Sometimes decisions are not
down to a purely rational
application of logic, but are
made with the heart and the
head together, and our hearts
are telling us to go back and
continue what we started, to
go back and continue based on
the call we felt five years ago.

28

MAY
THURSDAY

Please pray that we

are able to raise prayer
support and financial
support to enable us
to study in France and
then return to Mayotte.

29

MAY | FRIDAY

Please pray that

we would be led by God
in making decisions
about where to live

As we think
about heading
to Mayotte, we
are excited to go
back to people
we love
God willing, we will go back
a bit older and a bit wiser; a
bit clearer as to what day to
day Christian ministry looks
like; and a bit less nave and
idealistic, yet we hope not with
any cynicism or lack of faith in
the incredible things God can
do. We hope to go back relying
on him and not on ourselves.
As we think about heading
to Mayotte, we are excited to
go back to people we love and
got on well with. I regularly
have dreams where Im
chatting to people from the
village and think I see them
on the street sometimes! We
are excited about the possible
ministry opportunities
working alongside other
AIMers and expat Christians.
But of course there is a degree
of sacrifice involved and it will
be very sad to say goodbye
again to friends and especially
to see family say goodbye to
our gorgeous little girl.

in Mayotte and what

ministry opportunities
to pursue. Pray that
we would have good
relationships with the
international church
before we arrive and
when we get there.

See People & Places p10

For more information on
mission partners working
on the Islands
aimint.org/eu/pandp

30

MAY
SATURDAY

Please pray for our

families, especially our
parents, who make a
bigger sacrifice than
we do in willingly and
supportively letting
us go. Pray that God
would comfort them
and support them,
especially when the
time comes for us to say
goodbye for a while.

Photo LuAnne Cadd

May 31 - June 6

PEOPLE FOCUS:
THE RENDILLE

So why did short termer, Steve

Titterton bother to go and live
with the Rendille? He tells
us about Chulayo. Chulayo
is a teenager who is zealous
for Jesus, but has never really
been discipled. Thankfully,
he was more than happy to
read the Bible with Steve.

LEARNING AS I WENT

eep in mind that I am

far from being any kind
of discipleship expert,
I was learning as I was going
along. As we met every week to
search the Scriptures and pray
together, he began to grow in
his faith and share his passion
with others, in ways that I
never expected. The fire began
to spread.

Headteacher to lead assemblies

for the whole school. In
particular, I was struck by
Chulayos willingness to share
encouraging verses with his
entire peer group, including
many devout Muslims, before
the biggest exam of their lives.
Everyone else was thinking
exam and Chulayo was
thinking opportunity. Would
we think opportunity?

JUST LIKE GIDEON

Everyone always comments

on his smile; he has a face that
can light up a whole room. But
he has not had an easy start to
life by any means. Born into
the forgotten desert lands of
northern Kenya, he belongs
to one of the poorest tribes
in the world, the Rendille.
THINKING OPPORTUNITY
His own village does not
Great ideas seemed to come really even have a name, but
to Chulayo from nowhere. He
identifies itself with the nearby
joined with five other boys to
settlement of Nagan. It takes
meet before sunrise to listen
six hours to fetch water and
to the Bible and to worship,
another two for firewood. He is
and soon dozens were meeting the fifth of seven children. He
together. These boys also go out jokes that he is like Gideon, the
to the villages to preach. Also,
weakest boy, from the poorest
from Monday to Friday, during
clan. We have goats, sheep
a 30 minute break in lessons,
and camels, but they are very
he would gather some of his
few in number. Chulayo has
classmates under a tree and
virtually no possessions, apart
teach them from the Scriptures. from a few clothes and items
Chulayo even gets asked by the for school.
26

Adult classes in literacy are run

by the local church.

Chulayo wants to be a pastor,

because: People need to be
saved! He may only be fifteen
(and a three-year-old Christian),
but its hard to question his heart
for the Lord. I asked him what he
liked about Jesus: He died on the
cross of Calvary because of my
sins and he won the crown for
me and you. He overcame death
and he is alive.

31

MAY | SUNDAY

THE
RENDILLE

he Rendille live in the

desert of northern Kenya,
and the biggest settlement
is called Korr. They are seminomadic; those in the north
herd camels, and those further
south herd cattle. They practise
a traditional, animistic religion
which includes prayer to the
moon (which is considered
a god), animal sacrifices and
worship of ancestral spirits.

Give thanks for

Nick and Lynne Swanepoel
(South Africa). Since
starting work amongst the
Rendille in the 1980s they
have learnt their language
and developed it into written
form. Nicks continuing
work, alongside Rendille
helpers, means that the
Rendille have large sections
of the New Testament in
their own language.

JUNE | MONDAY

Give thanks for Short

Termers who have gone out
to support the Swanepoels
work, to continue literacy
and Bible teaching and to
work in the schools in Korr.
Pray for Steve Titterton
recently returned from
Short Term work amongst
the Rendille as he considers
Gods future call on his life.

JUNE | TUESDAY

Chulayo met with Steve Titterton

every week to pray and study the
Bible together.

Within every village there

is a place called nahapo. This
is a place of prayer where a fire
burns that is never allowed to
go out. Every night the men of
the village meet there at 8.00pm
and one man is designated to
lead them in prayer. The Rendille
believed that they are descended
from the Jews, and as such,
also have traditional religious
practices that resemble those of
Judaism. However, the Jesus film
has been having a great impact.
There are now believers among
the Rendille and even several
churches.

Download a prayer sheet:

www.aimint.org/eu/rendille

Give thanks for the local

churchs Tirrim Project. As
part of the Tirrim Project,
a team of local people run
adult classes in literacy,
basic health, numeracy and
animal care in the goobs
(villages). The primary
schools and the secondary
school are all part of the
local churchs Tirrim
Project.

from ailments, which we

in the West would class as
minor, such as tonsillitis.
Pray that Christian workers
would be raised up to live
amongst the Rendille and to
train them in medical care.

JUNE | FRIDAY

Give thanks for the

Christian teachers at
the Tirrim primary and
secondary schools. Pray that
as they teach the Rendille
children from a Christian
worldview, that the children
would learn of Jesus and
develop their own interest
to explore and examine the
Christian faith. Pray that
many would turn to the
Lord.

JUNE | SATURDAY

Please continue to pray

for the ongoing literacy
work amongst the Rendille.
Pray particularly for men
seeking to learn to read. Pray
that these men who have
grown up with traditional
beliefs would encounter
Jesus through their reading
and become disciple-making
disciples.

JUNE | WEDNESDAY

Life for many of the

Rendille is extremely hard.
Many have a six mile walk to
water. Pray for development
projects seeking to improve
conditions for local people
through the creation of
boreholes. Pray that this
community work will
demonstrate the love of
Christ.

JUNE | THURSDAY

There is no hospital or
doctor amongst the Rendille.
This means that people die

WEEKLYFOCUS

ray for the young

church amongst the
Rendille. Pray for wise,
servant hearted leaders
to guide and disciple the
new Rendille believers.
Pray too that the Rendille
Christians would be
evangelists to their people
group and in doing so,
reach the unreached with
the gospel.

June 7-13

MINISTRY FOCUS:
OUTREACH
& EVANGELISM

Heather works amongst the

women on an Indian Ocean
Island, seeking to share Jesus
with them and the freedom
there is in knowing him.

BEYOND EVERYDAY LIFE

hat is the key to

reaching the island
women? What keeps
them from responding to the
good news, or even showing
an interest in it? These are
questions weve pondered and
prayed through many times.
Weve developed deep
relationships over many years,
but its often hard to get beyond
conversations about everyday
life children, work in the
fields, physical needs. These
are huge preoccupations for
them, but there is a much
deeper bondage through the
influence of the spirit world.
Their culture and families also
discourage them from asking
questions beyond what they
know.

BEING VALUED

With increasing technology,

there is greater access to the
outside world, and many
women are attracted by soap
operas dubbed into French,
from Europe, the US, India and
28

health, literacy
and numeracy
classes have
been a great
way to build
relationships
South America. Is this their
idea of a better life? Some
women work outside the home
as teachers or shopkeepers,
and some want a greater say
in political life too. But many
are just seen as child-bearers,
they are known as the mother
of (their first child), and
polygamy is common. A lot of
the ministry among women
has been through health and
education, mother-tongue
literacy and numeracy classes
have been a great way to build
relationships, as in the past
many women didnt have the
opportunity to go to school.
These ministries help women
to grow in confidence, realise
that they are valued, and can
achieve. A lot of time is also
invested in visiting women,
and spending time with them
and their children.

TRANSLATING GODS WORD

A recent exciting
development has been to
move into more language
development, and translation
of the Word. This comes with
challenges, given the need for
integrity in a creative access
nation, but also in trying to find
reliable and capable mothertongue speakers as language
helpers. I have a friend who
has helped me with language
projects over many years, but
her husband wont agree to her
doing this translation. However,
he seems happy for her to help
with testing translated portions,
which is also essential for
ensuring a clear, accurate and
natural translation.
Were grateful for the favour
shown us as our visas are
renewed each year, but dont
want to take it for granted. We
want to be wise in how we
use the time we have here,
discerning where the Lord is at
work.

JUNE | SUNDAY

Pray that relationships

built through classes
and clinics will lead to
lasting friendships and
deeper conversations.
Give thanks for all the
friendships developed in our
neighbourhoods and village
communities too.

JUNE | MONDAY

Pray for my language

helper, that she would reflect
on all she has heard over
many years. Give thanks for
her little girl, born last year
after many years of marriage,
and ask that Yolande* and her
husband would come to know
the giver of all good gifts.

10

JUNE | WEDNESDAY

Pray for materials

being prepared, and
especially for the translation
of the Word. Pray for reliable
and capable mother-tongue
translators who will be able
to produce a clear, accurate
and natural translation in
their heart language, and
that they themselves will
understand and respond to
what they are translating.
Pray too as scripture is
shared orally.

11

JUNE | THURSDAY

Pray for all the workers,

that our lives will be a
testimony to those among
whom we live and work.
There is also a family from a
JUNE | TUESDAY
neighbouring country, and
Give thanks for the
an African couple here as
resources which already exist tentmakers. Pray for wisdom
in the heart languages of the and good language skills in
Islanders, and pray that those conversations, and that our
already distributed will be
lives will point to the one
read, watched and listened
who is the way, truth and life.
to, with understanding. Pray
for those who have received
JUNE | FRIDAY
them, that the truth would
One local couple who
sink deep into their hearts.
responded to the good news
in France, and returned here
a number of years ago, have
recently had a lot of health
issues. Pray for restoration,
and a strong witness, even in
difficult times.

12

WEEKLYFOCUS

ray for those on

the Islands who
have heard the gospel.
Response is sometimes
seen among single young
men, but they dont
always follow through
consistently. Pray for
heads of households,
and family units to make
commitments. Remember
too the women in their
spiritual bondage, asking
that they will have a
desire for truth and
freedom.

13

JUNE | SATURDAY

One local man has

worked for different team
members, working in their
homes for about 30 years. He
made a decision a number
of years ago, but often
struggles to understand, and
his reading ability is limited.
Pray that he would grow in
his faith and share with his
family.

See People & Places p15

For the index of mission
partners working in outreach
& evangelism.
www.aimint.org/eu/pandp

SEEKING
THE TRUTH
Amy who is also involved in
outreach and evangelism on
the Islands shares this story
about Abdul*, a man seeking
the truth...
ecently I went to visit
my good friend Mama
Alia and on arrival was
introduced to a family member
about her age. We began
chatting and on finding out
that I was a Christian he started
telling me how much he loved
the Bible and that he had read
it several times. In reality I
think he had read Genesis, but
his enthusiasm was genuine
and he recounted the creation
story and parts of the story
of Abraham. He commented
how the Quran has a summary
of the stories but that the full
stories are right there in the
Bible! It turns out that he had
read the Bible whilst studying
abroad, when he had first met
people of different faiths. Their
questions made him realise that
he wasnt really a Muslim, and
so he began learning about the
different religions and made a
decision to be a true Muslim.
Please pray that his journey
wouldnt stop here, but that this
would prove to be the first in
a series of steps towards God.
Pray that just as he realised
that following God isnt just a
matter of going to the mosque
on Friday so would he realise
that his good works are not
enough and that God wants to
transform his heart.
*names changed

29

June 14-22

COUNTRY FOCUS:
LESOTHO
Working on an agricultural
project in Lesotho is hardly
where you would expect to
find a photographer and an
accountant, but this is where
the Lord called Barry &
Heather Mann to serve.

GROWING NATIONS

e have been with

AIM since 2012
and are working in
partnership with Growing
Nations in Lesotho, having been
supporters of their work, and
that of August & Anita Basson,
since 2005. Heather is the CEO
of Growing Nations, responsible

14

JUNE
SUNDAY

Praise God for the

many stories of
lives transformed
through the work of
the Growing Nations
team. Pray that those
trained by Growing
Nations not only
experience physical
change through
increased crop yields
but a long lasting
spiritual change too.

15

JUNE
MONDAY

Chris Klompas &

Tobias Reuff are part
of the five strong

for the overall running and

strategy of the project whilst
Barry is the communications
and media specialist. Both
of our roles are primarily
focused on the mentoring and
equipping of the Basotho staff
at Growing Nations, including
spiritual leadership and
understanding, to empower
them to run Growing Nations
without outside help.
In addition to this Barry
took over the Lesotho Unit
Leader role in February,
whilst Heather takes care
of all the units finance and
administration.

team ministering
to the shepherds in
the mountains of
Lesotho. Praise God
for the great team
spirit theyve shown
and how theyre
adapting to the
extreme conditions.
Pray for them in
relationship building
with the shepherds,
language learning
and health and safety.

results of the recent

elections. Pray that
the new government
will be focused on
taking the country
forward and that
there will be reduced
tensions between the
police and army.

17

JUNE
WEDNESDAY

Pray for Barry &

Heather Mann as they
mentor and equip
the Growing Nations
JUNE
TUESDAY
team in Maphutseng
Praise God for the
and as they run the
current peace in
AIM Lesotho Unit,
Lesotho. Please pray
having taken over
that all will accept the the role from August

16

Through the Farming Gods

Way programme Growing Nations
teaches and trains farmers in a
Biblical worldview that leads them
to see themselves as stewards of
Gods creation.

WEEKLYFOCUS

griculture & Farming

Gods Way has the
potential of being a key tool
in helping AIMs mission
partners reach the unreached
across Africa. Pray for the
team at Growing Nations as
they look to develop a vision
and strategy that will allow
future teams to be trained in
Lesotho before being sent
out to the unreached.

PALAMANG &
PHETHISANG
RANKU

our years ago,

Palamang & Phethisang
Ranku, brothers from
the village of Ha Lelinyane,
were taught about Farming
Gods Way by the Growing
Nations extension team.
Following the training, they
implemented what they
learnt and have continued to
learn from follow up visits.

They now work together

with other farmers
supporting each other and
are proud of the yields that
they are getting which equate
to 2.2 & 3.7 tons/hectare
respectively, significantly
above the average maize yield
in Lesotho of 0.5-0.8 t/ha.
Members of the
community who commented
that they were making work
for themselves when they
started with conservation
agriculture (CA) have now
seen the results and are
coming to learn from them.
It is wonderful to see the
community not only getting
higher yields and having
improved food security, but
they are also giving the glory
to God for the transformation
that has taken place in their
lives and are passing it on to
others.
Watch a film about the project:
eu.aimint.org/growing-nations

UNDERPINNED BY
BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES

REACHING THE UNREACHED

Growing Nations is
teaching Farming Gods Way
(Conservation Agriculture-CA)
to farmers in Lesotho and in
other African countries. Farming
Gods Way not only teaches CA
farming methods but more
importantly is underpinned by
key Biblical principles which
bring spiritual transformation.
The project works amongst
pastors, evangelists, farmers and
runs a two year resident student
programme training up to 12
students each year. In addition
a considerable effort goes into
research and development work
to establish best practices.
It is amazing to see the impact
that the work of Growing Nations
has had amongst individuals and
whole communities. It is often
a slow process getting people to
adopt CA due to perceptions of
increased time and effort needed.
The results of a few are starting
to influence those around them
and gradually people change
their mindsets and adopt CA
practices.

Basson in February.
Pray too that they
will have a time of
spiritual refreshment
and relaxation
during their home
assignment between
May and September
2015.

There are so many stories

to tell about transformed lives
in Lesotho through the work
of Growing Nations, but AIM
has started looking beyond
the reached within Lesotho
to establish whether Farming
Gods Way can be used to reach
the many Unreached People
Groups (UPGs) across Africa who
are dependent on subsistence
agriculture. Farming Quest, an
annual three week course, is
designed to train missionaries in
the principles of Farming Gods
Way, allowing them to teach
others in their own ministry
areas. Beyond that AIM &
Growing Nations are working
on a vision and strategy that
could see teams being trained in
Farming Gods Way and church
planting before being sent out to
live & work alongside UPGs with
the aim of bringing the gospel to
them through agriculture.

See People & Places p12

For more information on mission
partners working in Lesotho
www.aimint.org/eu/pandp

be able to balance
team responsibilities
with family life. Pray
for Sams safety as
he travels weekly to
visit the team in the
mountains.

a new generation of
missionaries that will
take the good news to
more in Africa.

20

JUNE
SATURDAY

Praise God for the

amazing Basotho
staff team members
JUNE
Lesotho is a reached
who have been called
THURSDAY
country with
to work at Growing
Please pray that
many different
Nations. Please pray
Sam & Leanna
denominations;
that they will be able
Williamson, team
however missionaries to inspire others and
leaders of the Extreme have not been sent
bring about spiritual
Shepherd TIMO
out from Lesotho for transformation
team, would continue many years. Pray that through their
adjusting to life in
the AIM members in Farming Gods Way
Clarens, South Africa Lesotho will be able to teaching.
and that they would
inspire and mobilise

18

19

JUNE
FRIDAY

31

June 23-30

SHORT TERM

James Hookham is in Madagascar, helping at

Creafor Center and Hosanna English Chapel.

James Hookham is a recent

Mathematics with French
graduate from Imperial
College of London who is
taking a year out to serve in
Madagascar. Here he shares
how he has been getting on
so far:

EVERYTHING ID HOPED

m writing this at the start

of my fourth week of an
seven month period here
in Madagascar as a Short
Termer with AIM. It is already
proving to be everything that
I had hoped it would be and I
can already feel God working
in everything I am doing here
to change both my life and the
lives of the Malagasy people.
As a recent Maths and French
graduate, I felt God strongly
calling me to spread his Word
as a teacher here in Antsirabe.
Inevitably, the hopes that
I had for this Short Term
mission came with their
own complementary set of
fears. Firstly, the Malagasy
culture has its own nuances
which take time to discover
and, furthermore, although
French is widely spoken here
in Antsirabe, Malagasy is by
32

far the dominant language.

It is not an easy language to
learn either (the longest word
I have found has been the
Malagasy Presidents name
which contains 37 syllables in
total!) which, despite all of the
language help given to us here
by AIM, makes integration
very hard.

SPREADING GODS LOVE

It is good that there are four

of us Short Termers teaching
here in Antsirabe, as we can
share experiences together.
Matthaeus (Paraguay), Holly
(USA), Susana (Colombia/USA)
and I have witnessed our fair
share of attention being the
local vasa (foreigners) and
also of bad weather during
the cyclone season which has
impacted the lives of many
Malagasy people across the
country. Following a political
crisis here in 2009, poverty

FROM RAP TO
THEOLOGY

have started teaching

English at the Antsirabe
Baptist Bible Seminary
to a group of very motivated
individuals (of all ages) all of
whom are studying theology.
They love to ask about the
Scottish culture and pick
my brains to discover how
different life is back home
for me. It is truly amazing
to see relationships forming
in this way. In particular,
there is a younger guy there,
called Victorien, who I have
connected with. He comes
from a non-Christian family
and used to be a semi-famous
rap artist in Madagascar (and
he showed me his videos on
youtube). He told me that this
took him down a lot of very
dangerous paths, getting into
trouble with the police and
leaving school having failed
his Baccalaurat exam. I found
it amazing the way that God
lifted him out of this dark
period in his life as he became
so curious by why things were
going so badly for him and
why God appeared not to help
him that this actually brought
him to faith. Thank God for
tests and problems!

23

JUNE | SUNDAY

James Hookham
began a seven month
assignment in Madagascar
in January. He is helping
at Creafor Center and
Hosanna English Chapel
where he will be facilitating
language conversation
classes and assisting with
outreach. Pray that by God
working through James he
would be able to inspire
and encourage the students
he meets with.

JUNE | MONDAY

Please keep
these thoughts
in your prayers
as we continue
to spread Gods
love through
a country that
has desperate
needs
is very noticeable with
the average person earning
just $1 a day. There is also
an apparent lack of passion
for mission in Madagascar
resulting in a sort of spiritual
malnourishment alongside
the physical malnourishment
of the people. Please keep
these thoughts in your prayers
as we continue to spread Gods

Anna Wilmshurst
is out in Madagascar where
she is assisting Malagasy
teachers, developing
relationships, and helping
with ways to reach
childrens hearts and their
families at Madagascar
Christian Academy. Pray
for good relationships
with the teachers, children
and families allowing for
opportunities to share the
Word.

25

JUNE | TUESDAY

love through a country that

has desperate needs during
these arduous times.
Please pray for a deepening
faith amongst the Malagasy
people. So far, it seems to
me as though the Malagasy
culture is largely driven by the
superstition based on ancestor
worship, all bad things that
happen to them are seen as a
sign of their ancestors being
angry and sometimes people
use going to church as a way
ancestor appeasement and do
not really have a heart for God
or know what it means to be a
Christian.

Julia Howarth is
also out in Madagascar
where she is involved at
ALPHA school, which runs
conversation classes where
they seek to creatively
speak about Christ during
the classes. Please pray for
Julia as she continues to
share her knowledge and
faith with the students.

26

JUNE |
WEDNESDAY

Caroline Bell is working

as a medical doctor in Adi,
DR Congo. She is working
in a hospital alongside
two permanent doctors
who treat those living with
Aids. Pray that Caroline
would be a good support
to the doctors and for
opportunities for her to
share her faith with those
she meets.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

24

Opportunities to serve

BUILD TIMO
TEAM HOMES
AMONGST THE
UNREACHED
IK PEOPLE

IM are seeking to place a Training in

Ministry Outreach (TIMO) team amongst
the unreached Ik people in an idyllic spot
along the north eastern corner of Uganda.
The TIMO team will live amongst the Ik for
two years, seeking to share the glorious gospel of
Christ with them.
For the team to do that, they need houses.
And this is where Short Term can really help.
We are looking for a team of people willing to
work together with nationals and the TIMO team

leaders to build houses. These houses will not

be plush and luxurious, they will be simple and
appropriate to the community they are living in.
We dont need experts but servants with open
hands and hearts. Alongside construction, there
will also be opportunities to engage and build
relationships with the Ik community. We pray
that the impact of construction will be much
deeper than houses built with mud and brick,
leading to the development of spiritual houses in
the hearts of the Ik, where Christ can dwell.

Were looking for people to join this team from the beginning of 2016 and at various points throughout
the year. So if youve got any time to give, get in touch with Tom at
stc.eu@aimint.org
34

 LEFT: Lydia with the third year

Physiotherapy students .

I can see
how much my
confidence has
grown
PHYSIOTHERAPY
IN UGANDA
Lydia Morrell had just
graduated from the University
of Ulster with a degree in
Physiotherapy when she
left Northern Ireland to go
on Short Term mission to
Uganda. Here she shares her
experiences:

y typical week in
Uganda was spent
at Mbarara Regional
Hospital at the physiotherapy
department working mainly
with the inpatients, seeing lots
of different conditions; strokes,
HIV, TB, fractures and burns.

27

JUNE
THURSDAY

In July a team of
students from
Edinburgh University
Christian Union are
heading out to the
island of Saint Marie in
Madagascar to go and
help, teach and train
people in outreach. Pray
that God would prepare
each one of them for
the challenges they will
face.

28

JUNE | FRIDAY

Bethany, Sarah
and Gunter are about to
return to the UK having
taught English at the

I also worked alongside the

physiotherapy department at
Mbarara University and built up
relationships with the students,
especially the third-years as
they were on placement at
the hospital while I was there.
Getting to know them and spend
time with them was probably one
of the highlights of my time in
Mbarara, as they are such great
young people.
Now Im back in the UK, I can
see how much my confidence
has grown with this experience,
in treating patients, but also with
communicating with people of
a different culture, and with a

University in Bunia, DR
Congo since October
2014. Pray for their
adjustment back to life
in the UK and that the
Lord would lead them
on to their next steps.

29

JUNE
SATURDAY

Paul and Di Allcock

continue to faithfully
serve in Mbarara,
Uganda. Pray that the
Lord would continue
to strengthen them in
the work that they do,
particularly as they
have taken on the duty
of unit leaders. Pray
for wisdom to support

language barrier as well. I have

learnt that you can never take
for granted the use of actions in
trying to explain to people what
you mean.
I would definitely encourage
anyone to go on a short-term
mission trip. You will get to
experience another culture,
learn new things, and grow in
your relationship with God as
he challenges you to step out in
your faith. At the beginning of
my journey back home, on the
bus trip to Kampala, I was asked
to stand up and pray for the
safety of our journey before the
bus departed. I thought this was
amazing it really challenged
me of what we take for granted
back home.

and encourage team

members.

30

JUNE
SUNDAY

Please pray for Tom and

Rosemary who work in
our Nottingham office
as they seek to support
Short Termers, from
initial enquiry to debrief
on their return from
Africa. Pray for wisdom
and discernment
as they seek the
right placements for
individuals. Pray too
that they would be
encouraged through the
stories Short Termers
share.

WEEKLY
FOCUS

lease pray that all

our Short Termers
would know the
presence of our Lord
and Saviour as they
serve in Africa. For
some of them, this
is the first time they
have been in Africa
so pray for them as
they learn to adapt
to new cultures and
new experiences.

See People & Places

for the current shorttermers in Africa:
aimint.org/eu/
peopleandplaces

Opportunities to serve

TEACHING
AT WELLSPRING
ACADEMY

Africa Inland Missions

APR-JUN 2015

MAGAZINE & PRAYER DIARY

Christ-centred churches among all African peoples

European headquarters
Aim International
Halifax Place
Nottingham NG1 1QN
United Kingdom
0115 9838 120
admin.eu@aimint.org
@aimeurope
fb.com/aimeurope
Scotland
0115 8242202
scotland.eu@aimint.org
South England/Wales
0115 8242205
south.eu@aimint.org
Ireland
0115 8242203
ireland.eu@aimint.org
North England/Wales
0115 8242204
north.eu@aimint.org
French speaking
france.eu@aimint.org
Netherlands
netherlands.eu@aimint.org
Editor | Lindsey Davies
communications.eu
@aimint.org

et involved at Wellspring Academy,

Chad and help reach the unreached

Teachers play a vital role in helping mission partners

reach the unreached. If you are a qualified teacher
(including retirees) and know some French, or know
someone who might be interested, email:

PERSONNELADMIN.EU@AIMINT.ORG

Design | Joe Morgan

graphics.eu@aimint.org
AIM Europe | April 2015
Africa Inland Mission International, a company limited by
guarantee (04598557), a registered charity in England
and Wales (1096364) and a charity registered in Scotland
(SC037594) Registered Office: Halifax Place Nottingham
NG1 1QN.

eu.aimint.org