VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 10/5/06)-International Ministries has invited several African church leaders to come to the United States this fall, to strengthen their partnership with American Baptists, and to encourage giving to the World Mission Offering (WMO) http://www.internationalministries.org/wmo/2006/index.htm, by sharing what God is doing through their ministries.
"We are excited about this venture," said Rev. Charles Jones, acting executive director of American Baptist International Ministries (IM). "So often, when we tell the story of mission, only one set of partners shares-our missionaries," Jones said. He added, "While their stories are crucial, the ones with whom our missionaries work around the world have a valued and critical voice and vision that can encourage American Baptists who want to support God's work globally."
The following African church leaders have come to the U.S. at the invitation of IM, and will remain until late October:
* Rev. Gabrielle Kasa-Vubu and Rev. Emmanuel Kembo, who serve the Baptist Community of Congo (CBCO) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Rev. Kembo has served as the general secretary of CBCO since last September. He pastored and worked in denominational leadership in the Bas-Congo region of the country. Rev. Kasa-Vubu heads women's work for CBCO. One of the first women to graduate from the Theological Faculty of Kinshasa, she has pastored six congregations in Kinshasa, the nation's capital. Kembo and Kasa-Vubu are being hosted by Dr. Ivan George, former IM area director for Africa, and American Baptist Churches of New Jersey. This year's recently released mission study guide (Mbote!) focuses on the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
* Rev. Joao Kiasissua, who serves as general secretary of the Free Baptist Churches in Angola (IBLA). IBLA is a continuation of the ministry initiated by the then American Baptist Foreign Mission Society in 1882. After many years in exile in the Congo, and after Angola achieved independence from its colonizer Portugal in 1975, the Baptist work was revived in Angola in 1986. Rev. Kiasissua was educated in Congo and served in many capacities in IBLA, since Baptist work was renewed in his country. He is being hosted by American Baptist Churches of Ohio.
* Rev. Thomas Lumba, who serves as president of the Baptist Convention of Zambia (BCZ). Rev. Lumba has served BCZ for over 30 years, and was the organization's youngest recording secretary, when the group was formed in 1974. Since then, he has studied both at the Baptist Theological Seminary of Zambia and the International Baptist Seminary in Switzerland. He has served as executive director of the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia and as general secretary of BCZ. Rev. Lumba is being hosted by the American Baptist Churches of the South.
Rev. Eleazar Ziherambere said these leaders made great sacrifices to come to the U.S to be with American Baptists at this time, because the All Africa Baptist Fellowship will hold its general session while these leaders are in the U.S. Several IM staff persons, including Ziherambere and Jones are traveling to Limuru, Kenya for this event, October 8-13, 2006. "We believe this is an important exchange," said Ziherambere, IM's area director for Africa. "While these African leaders are here sharing with American Baptists about God's great work in Africa, we will be in Africa sharing with other African Baptist leaders about the American Baptist commitment to mission partnership and the continued growth of the church in Africa."
You can support the work God is doing in Africa through these dynamic partnerships-and the life-changing ministry God accomplishes through IM all around the world-by giving to the World Mission Offering. You can support these vital ministries online now <https://donatelinq.net/aslan-donate/abcusa-wm-donate.asp?mid=ABChurche s
. For more information about supporting the worldwide ministries of
IM, visit the 2006 World Mission Offering website <http://www.internationalministries.org/wmo/2006/index.htm> .
IM is a Baptist mission agency, established in 1814, which serves the more than 5,800 churches of the American Baptist Churches USA.
Globally, IM relates to more than 500 educational institutions and 125 hospitals and medical facilities. Missionaries work in partnership with some 15,000 trained national workers, who serve about 22,000 congregations and nearly 3,000,000 baptized members.
Andrew C. Jayne American Baptist Churches, USA Mission Resource Development http://www.abc-usa.org/