AFRICA SUMMER REPORT-2011-THE YEAR OF REVOLUTIONS

Dear Praying Family and Friends,

At the beginning of summer 2011, I reflected on the political revolutions that swept across North Africa and the Arab world.  In light of these revolutions, I promised and prayed for another kind revolution to take place in Africa in the summer, a spiritual revolution, and I believe the Lord granted it. This last summer, I stayed in Africa the longest (over 5 months), travelled the furthest (10 countries), and had the most productive summer ever. I do respect your time, and thus will not attempt an exhaustive report here. Please allow me to give you just a summary of all that the Lord did through me and my teams in Africa this past summer and fall of 2011.

IN A SUMMARY, my teams and I served in ten African countries, spoke to 80, 000 students in public schools, and conducted 24 leadership conferences/forums for pastors and church workers across the region. In addition, we finished the construction of a water well (now serving 10, 000 villagers); we finished the construction of Alethia Bible School (will begin training this coming summer), and we began the construction of an orphanage (nearly completed) that will serve 300 orphans in the region of Kenya most affected with HIV/AIDS. In addition, we ministered to a number of orphanages across the region, met several needs at Thika School for the Blind, bought a motor bike for a pastor, helped a pastor start raising chickens to support himself, helped build a church building, and partnered with 100 widows in DRC in trying to help them get sewing machines, so they can make a living and support for themselves and their children. These women lost their husbands to the on-going political/ethnic wars in Congo.

I. PUBLIC SCHOOL MINISTRY – 80, 000 STUDENTS

The population of Kenya and that of many African countries is 80% under the age of 25. Thus, reaching Africa and fulfilling Great Commission in Africa MUST include reaching young people. And the good news is that God has given me an unlimited access to public schools in Kenya and beyond. In the first part of my summer, my teams (US and African) and I passionately took the gospel to public schools throughout the region, sharing the gospel of Jesus with 80, 000 students this past summer/fall. And yes, many confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior for the first time! I am convinced that this opportunity to preach in schools will soon be taken away by some secular force in the near future, so I am going to as many schools as I can every summer, as long as this door remains open. I am convinced that if we win the youth of Africa to Christ, we will have won Africa for Christ!

II. LEADERSHIP TRAINING – 21^ST CENTURY CALL

Regarding missions today, I am convinced that if the “Macedonian Call of the 1^st Century and following was “Come and rescue us,” the Macedonian Call of the 21^st Century is “Come and Train us that we may rescue our own people.” Over 90% of African pastors will never make it to any Bible College of any kind. With thousands of people coming to the Lord in Africa daily, there is even a greater need for pastors to know their Bibles, so they can ground their people in God’s Word. In addition, Africa is a target for western secularism/materialism, Islam, and Oriental religions. It is also the home of animism with its natural tendencies toward religious/spiritual syncretism. If the African Christianity is to remain vibrant and sound, and if the African church is to remain relevant and missional in the face and midst of these grave challenges and spiritual hostilities, then the African believers must be grounded in the Bible in such a way that they can both proclaim and defend their faith. Along with Alethia Bible College, plans are underway to plant a church in/for the Kosele Community sometime this year—a missional and missionary church.

III. MAJOR PROJECTS – VISIBLE SERVICE

A. WATER WELL PROJECT

In partnership with First Baptist Church of Pelham (AL), we drilled a well of water, now serving 10, 000 villagers with clean water. The positive impact of providing clean water to a community replete with waterborne diseases is immeasurable. This is a huge blessing! Please see the slides on the right side of the blog page.

B. ALETHIA BIBLE SCHOOL

As I have alluded to already, leadership training is paramount if the African church is to survive the onslaught of Islam, western materialism/secularism, Oriental religions, and the persisting influence of its own homegrown animism. In every country I went to this summer, pastors were desperate for leadership training. In partnership with Walnut Street Baptist Church, we constructed Alethia Bible School to meet this need in some small way. Please see some slides on the right sidebar.

C. TUMAINI ORPHANAGE

Southern/western Kenya is the area worst hit with HIV/AIDS. This area also happens to be rural and thus is not in the limelight. Orphans left with their old and poor grandmothers suffer in silence and many times die in silence, and no one knows about it. This orphanage targets these FORGOTTEN ORPHANS, with the goal of giving them TUMAINI (hope in Swahili). A Good Samaritan is working hard to ensure the orphanage construction is completed, which will house 300 orphans. I will share more on this in the near future.  Please see the slides on the right side.

IV. GOSPEL IN ACTION - GOOD DEEDS

In the same spirit of the preceding section, I need to report here briefly that my teams and I also met some other needs in the Name of Christ. First, we bought chapel benches for Thika School for the Blind and much more. Second, we bought a motorbike for a pastor, so he can visit his people and fulfill his pastoral work. Third, we helped one pastor start poultry business, so he can support himself in the ministry. Fourth, we helped with the construction of a church building. Fifth, we are currently paying school tuition for ten orphans in Africa. And sixth, we are helping 100 widows in Congo (DRC) get sewing machines, so they can begin small business to help support themselves and their children.

V. PICTURES- I HAVE HUNDREDS OF THEM

Just so you know, I plan to have a comprehensive website built in the course of this year that will allow me to provide you with more information that I cannot do with my current blog. With my current blog, I am not able to provide you with lots of pictures accompanying my reports. That said, feel free to ask me to send you more pictures directly. In the meantime, I have uploaded on the blog a number of photos for you from this past summer missions. I have placed them on the right side of the blog page. Please enjoy them and feel free to download them.

VI. WHAT IS IN STORE FOR SUMMER 2012?

The year 2012 just began, and my summer is already getting filled up fast. I have five US teams already, made up of various churches and individuals. This summer, my teams and I will plan to minister to 100, 000 students in public schools. A church plant building will be started this summer for the Kosele Community. It appears that leadership training will take us to, at least, 12 countries this coming summer. We will work toward training no less than 3000 leaders across northern, eastern, central, southern, and western Africa. Alethia Bible School will become operational this coming summer and will train its first students. Tumaini Orphanage will be completed sometime before this summer. There is still more to be done in order for the orphanage to become fully operational. I will keep you posted on this. A vision for a future community clinic will take place this summer. These are just a few of the 2012 summer highlights. I will give more details with time.

VII. THANK YOU! – I MEAN IT!

Until you are fully and well rewarded someday by the Lord of the harvest Himself, I wanted to say thank you! Thank you for holding the rope for me this past summer through your prayers, encouragement, and financial support. I am humbled and honored that you let me go on your behalf and on behalf of heaven once again. Obviously, God used your prayers and support beyond human imagination. Both Africa and eternity will never be the same as a result of your participation and contribution this past summer. Indeed, something happened- a spiritual revolution, touching and changing lives forever in His Name.

VIII. HOW YOU MAY PRAY AND HELP

The Year 2012 offers us another unprecedented opportunity to walk and work with Christ in His mission field.  Once again, I am ready to take the love and gospel of Jesus to the remotest dark corners of the Dark Continent- just one more time. Please pray and consider how the Lord might use you again to be a part of my work in 2012. Please feel free to call or email me with any questions, ideas, thoughts, or concerns. If you have interest in any particular projects mentioned, please let me know. For any/all tax-deductible donations, please send your check to the following addressed as instructed:

(i) Make the check payable to Walnut Street Baptist Church.

(ii) Designate the check to Juma’s/Africa Missions Account (important!).

(iii) Send your contributions to the following address:

WALNUT STREET BAPTIST CHURCH (FINANCE DEPARTMENT

1143 SOUTH THIRD ST. SUITE A, LOUISVILLE, KY 40203.

For Christ and the Nations,

Charles Juma Juma

“I preached, as never sure to preach again, and as a dying man to dying men.” R. Baxter.

“I will give you as a light to the Gentiles that you should bring my salvation to the ends of the earth” Isa 49:6