And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, “All power is given unto me in heaven and on earth. GO ye therefore and teach ALL NATIONS, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
–Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus Christ was the first missionary to come all the way from heaven to earth, to reach us with the love of God. His commission is our mission priority number one: to reach all nations with the gospel of Jesus Christ (God’s program for world evangelism and discipleship).
God’s Team to Zimbabwe & Angola
John, Peter, and Joyce Jere
Originally, Joyce’s background is that of the Lunda people who came from Angola. Her grandfather, Sambaulu Musona was a missionary to Zambia, where he settled whitest preaching and teaching the word of God in the following countries, Angola, Zambia, Congo (DRC), South Africa, etc. There are more Lundas in Angola. Joyce speaks Lunda fluently. Pastor David Musesi is also Lunda.
God willing, Pastor David Musesi and his wife of “Members in Christ Church” in Livingstone, Zambia and Joyce, Peter, and John Jere will drive all the way to Zimbabwe and Angola to minister the word of God and feed the orphans.
Pastor David Musesi has been going to minister the word of God to Angola for over six years.
History of Angola
Angola civil war began after the end of war for independence from Portugal in 1975. Following independence, three factions emerged: Communist MPLA (The Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola) led by Jose Eduardo Dos Santos UNITA (Union for the Total Independence of Angola) led by Jonas Savimbi and FLEC (Front for the Liberation of Enclave of Cabinda) based in Cabinda. Many people were killed in the war in 2002. The war was one of the largest, longest, and most prominent conflicts of Cold War.
- There are many thousands of orphans and many thousands of people have died. Also many are left crippled and maimed due to landmines
- There are more than 15 million landmines along the roads, walkways, and in farming areas of Angola
- There are millions of people living in shanty or shams around the capital city of Luanda, Angola.
- There is rapid urbanization of over 60%
- Population: 13.1 million
- Unemployment and poverty levels are very high
Trip to Angola & Zimbabwe
God willing, we shall step forward in faith by taking a mission trip to Zimbabwe and Luanda, Angola since they are in the same direction and it is cheaper that way.
Mission to Zimbabwe
Date: 1st-25th March 2010.
Distance: There are many pot holes and as such, we are likely to take four to five days to cover a distance of 5,430 (going and coming back), minus the local drives within Luanda.
Pastor Chuma and his wife were in Lilayi, Lusaka, Zambia in October 2009.
In Zimbabwe, we preach and teach the word of God
We train church leaders
We feed the orphans. This time, we would like to help the orphans with soccer
Prayer: Pastor Chuma recently suffered from two strokes which affected his speech and his left hand is completely paralyzed.
Mission to Luanda, Angola
Angola is our neighboring country endowed with a lot of minerals like gold, diamond, copper, oil, etc. But poor leadership has caused a lot of suffering and poverty levels are very high. The longest war in Africa was that of Angola which left many children without parents and HIV/AIDS has in recent years worsened the state of this nation. We need to take the full gospel of Jesus Christ in all areas of that nation. They do not need bombs but bibles and to apply the word of God in their lives.
There are still many rebels who are killing people in that country, like the recent Togo soccer team which was attacked on the 8th January 2010 by the rebels as the Togolese rode the bus to participate in the ongoing Africa tournament (Africa Soccer Cup 2010). Three people were killed in the bus and the Togolese Prime Minister asked the Togolese national team to go back to Togo. There are also many adults and children whose legs have been amputated due to landmines which blew off their legs.
Our mission
“Our mission is to minister the word of God to the people in the city of Luanda, the shanty towns namely, Kinashi, Masakarashi, Viena and we may preach in one of the rural churches which was badly affected by the war.
These shanty towns have millions of very poor people who migrated from the villages to the capital city of Luanda due to heavy bombs and landmines in the rural areas to seek protection from the government of Angola. Therefore, the result is unplanned settlements for the poor people who had no money to build better houses.
The large amount of landmines has devastated local farming. Many peasant farmers have lost their legs from landmines while they were tilling the land. This has resulted in hunger.
In some cases, families were displaced as they scampered in different directions, running from the war. It is very difficult for the elderly people to run away. Most of the elderly helplessly died either of hunger or were gang raped by the rebels in those small villages.
After the war, the deadly epidemic called HIV/AIDS has badly affected the nation in that there are many orphans who lost their parents to HIV/AIDS”
–Pastor David Musesi
By God’s grace, as blacks to our fellow blacks, we are able to go to such shanty places and serve our fellow blacks without major problems. We shall preach the word of God and feed the orphans in the shanty towns.
Prayer Requests
- Will you please pray for us regularly and earnestly that God may provide all our needs for the mission to Zimbabwe and Angola?For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?
–Romans 10:13-15a - Will you pray with us that God may change people’s hearts
- Will you please pray for Pastor Dennis Chuma that God may heal him from his stroke?
Will you please continue to pray that God may protect and give us wisdom to minister to the churches and orphans in the above nations?
Thank you for your prayers and support to the mission to Zimbabwe and Angola where we shall preach and teach the gospel of Jesus Christ and also feed the orphans in the above countries.
IN TOUCH MISSION INTERNATIONAL: Touching people with the gospel of Jesus Christ and practically showing the love of God by feeding the hungry orphans who either lost parents to the war or to HIV/AIDS.
In His Field and the love for souls,
Joyce, Peter, and John Jere
[email protected]