HOPE FOR AFRICA – 2.0

Transitions and Change are always a challenge. And so, has the past year been for us. Moving the AFnet office from California to Texas, reimagining our administrative and organizational structure, rebuilding Team, and reconstructing the Africa Field base, has been a major challenge for us to work through. But the one thing that has remained a constant is our slogan: There’s “Hope for Africa!” It’s what’s kept us focused on the task for over three decades.

The Apostle Paul points out in Colossians 1:27 that: “we have been chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious richness of this mystery”, that “Christ in me, the Hope of Glory!” Our goal has been to bring that message of hope in Jesus Christ to the people of our Continent. Yet, after 3 decades of active ministry, there remains multiple thousands of communities, villages, and regions that are still unreached. Vast expanses of Africa yet remain to be impacted by the transformational hope of the Gospel, needing to result in visible societal and personal change. Still, everywhere, there are People Groups hidden behind natural, cultural and religious barriers. For them, the Gospel still remains impenetrable and foreign.

We believe that in order to break through some of these barriers, our message needs to provide for the needs of people, both physical and spiritual. Our Gospel message needs to be a source of encouragement, while offering also transformational upliftment for those living beyond a reasonable scope of Hope. Therefore, our message consistently includes that Jesus has the power to change lives, even if things seem hopeless!

I like to think that “Hope” might be an acronym for: “Holding On with Patient Expectation” I like that! From Scripture also it’s clear that Hope functions like an anchor in the life of a person. Hope in God anchors us in tumultuous times, and God can bring beauty out of the ashes of an otherwise hopeless existence. The Hope that we proclaim is found only in a relationship with God through Christ Jesus.

While things across Africa may still look bleak and impossible, the situation is not unlike the story of Lazarus in John’s Gospel. Following Lazarus’ death, things looked bleak and impossible. But Jesus changed everything. He raised Lazarus from the dead. And so, because Jesus still is in the life-changing business today, there is Hope for Africa!

Therefore, as we strategically reposition the Mission towards an even more dynamic transformational impact on the remaining Task before us, we implore you, our friends and supporters to continue upholding our arms in the thick of battle through your ongoing prayers and financial support. We are fast getting to a position where we henceforth will be able to keep you more regularly and personally informed on real-time developments in our lives and ministry.

Johan-portrait

A word from Johan

Thanks to the support and contributions from you, our friends and supporters, AFnet has been able to provide quality, ongoing pastoral training, to thousands of African Christian leaders, while directly contributing towards a mass multiplication of churches and centers of Hope across the continent. But we’ve also enjoyed the privilege to invest into the lives of countless numbers of destitute orphaned children, providing food, clothing, educational opportunities – all the way from pre-primary through Tertiary College, university and post high school skills development programs.