Thought you might identify with this video prayer for Africa .  There is Hope!

JCfan Life Tip: “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men (humanity) always aught to pray and not lose heart…”

Luke: Luke 18:1  

The University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute hosts the 1st Pan Africa Trade and Investment summit on October 4th and 5th.  Perhaps, one of the key questions that should be asked by both potential investors and those marketing African countries for business should be, “How important are values to our process of investment and trade?”  Whereas the importance of African countries as investment and trade partners is increasingly acknowledged by both the West and the East, especially China, one thing the African nations must not allow themselves to be hoodwinked into is on the crucial front of values underguarding business practice.  They must bargain for values-driven investment and trade partnership, chief among them being the long-term good of the people.   

I am obviously glad that Africa has this opportunity to show-case its potential to the Minnesota business community.  I am glad that Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty is placing high premium on this event to be attended by at least eight African Ambassadors to the United States and will be officially openning the summit.  I am also glad that I have been asked to lead the participants in a moment of spiritual reflection and present on non-profit investment opportunities.  My friend, Cargill Executive Dan Dye who recently travelled with me to Rwanda and DR Congo for the Africa Great Lakes Region Leadership Summit will be a key-note speaker, joining governor Pawlenty and the various African ambassadors in a private talks  session (Cargill is Minnesota’s largest company and the world’s 2nd largest privately held corporation in terms of revenue. It operates in 63 countries among them several African countries).  

However, it is important to acknowledge that it is not the first time that Africa as a continent is viewed as a great place to invest.  Over the last 200 years many Westerners have gone to the continent with the intention of investment.  Unfortunately, most of the investment was not value driven.  It was largely exploitative of the local populations who were turned into squatters in their own land. 

Following independence, most of the investment and trade partnerships with the West remain largely lopsided, exploitative and can barely pass the ethics test.  Those that have watched the movie “Blood Diamonds” understand what I mean.  Yes, profit is important and is a key component in trade and investment considerations.  I hope, however, that we pay attention to process as being of greater importance if we are to create societies that sustain long-term development rather than behave as ’man-eat-man.’

That said, my travels through several African nations reveal an environment whose people are ready, or becoming increasingly so, for engagement with the world both in ideas and business.  Africa today has some of the intellectually sharpest minds at its helm.  Of course the question that lingers is whether there is character, institutional stability, and infrastructure to match the intellectual acuity.   Honesty demands we acknowledge the long way that remains to be travelled before achievement of environmental stability.  But we must equally acknowledge the interelationship between availing of the trade and investment opportunities and the subsequent stabilization of those institutions and of the growth of infrastructure.  Simply put, the responsibility goes both ways. 

There is great hope and cause for optimism.  In places like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), there is great opportunity and potential for meaningful investment inspite much publicised fracas (truthfully so).   I have met with leaders in South Kivu, for instance, including the governor, the senators and local businessmen who demonstrate great character and are working hard to ensure a stable environment for those that are interested in trade and investment.   I hope that many in the West begin to see beyond the basket-case image of Africa that the media has for so long propagated to the disadvantage and frustration of many hard-working African interpreneurs and leaders such as the afore-mentioned.  I hope that we see the glimmer of light and envisage the transformational power within it.  The next boom for world-trade is coming by way of Africa. 

Engagement with Africa through trade and investment underguarded by virtue is the right and best way for the world to benefit from and contribute to Africa’s progress.  It is also the best step for the world to redress past mulpractices, regain its’ own dignity and bestow a stable future to Africa’s children.  It is the most compassionate way when compared to the handout approach that is often demeaning to the receipient and self-aggrandizing for some of the givers.

The Summit

The main objective of the summit is to explore and expose trade and investment oportunities available in African nations.   Some of the goals of the summit are to recruit potential investors and interpreneurs for the African market, to strengthen trade ties between the American (Minnesota) business community and the African continent, and to encourage philanthropic investment in the many good causes.  The summit will conclude with celebrating Africa Day at the Mall of America (the largest Department Store in the United States) on October 6th.

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty will officially open the summit. Among significant representatives expected to market African trade opportunities are the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the United States, Kenya’s Ambassador to the United States Mr. Oginga Ogego, South Africa’s Ambassador to the United States Mr. Welile Nhlapo, Ghanian Ambassador to the U.S Dr. Kwame Bawuah-Edusei, Liberian Ambassador to the United States James Minor, among others. 

JCfan Life Tip: “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?  … Can I justify wicked scales and a bag of deceptive weights?” 

Prophet Micah (Micah 6:8; 11).

After stalling for 16 hours at the airport in Lilongwe, Malawi due to Air Malawi aircraft technical problems, I finally made it back to Kenya in time to speak at Nakuru Christian Center, three hours’ drive from Nairobi last Sunday morning.  Air Malawi put us on Kenya Airways. 

Five years ago, our team held our second ever evangelistic festival and pastor’s conference in the city of Nakuru, coordinated largely by Nakuru Christian Center.  Many people came to Christ as a result of our ministry during that time.  Today, Nakuru Christian Center under the leadership of pastor Sam Owenga and his team is going strong and boldly declaring the message of Jesus Christ to the city’s residents. 

My younger brother Victor (pictured) has since assumed responsibility with the congregation as worship and youth ministries director.  During the ministry this past Sunday, several people came to Christ and many more recommitted themselves to Jesus Christ.  Most of my family also live in Nakuru, including my older sibling Ben Otube who serves as Bible teacher and elder at the church.  It was a great blessing to see them all and minister together with them.  On Monday I was able to visit with dad and mom near the town of Kitale about 400 miles from Nairobi, before proceeding to Minneapolis.

Inspite the 16 hour delay, my flight from Lilongwe ended up being a great blessing as I travelled on the same flight with Sharla Chinaiah, a World Relief worker from Baltimore who was on short term assignment in Malawi and had worked with me during the pastor’s conference.  The Seminars in Malawi were cordinated by World Relief Malawi. Being on the same flight gave me chance to fellowship with her and hear more on her involvement with World Relief and what God is doing in her life and that of her family.

JCfan Life Tip: Lose yourself in generous service and every day can be a most unusual day, a triumphant day, and abundantly rewarding day!
William A. Ward

Dozens of Malawian Pastors embraced the vision to be transformational agents for their communities and the nation of Malawi following a two-day intensive Leadership Seminar in the small town of Chitipa, 11 hours drive from the capital Lilongwe.  Participants came from different denominations, including the Roman Catholic, all with a common passion to serve our Lord Jesus Christ in their communities. 

We started the seminar with many of them resigned to the status quo.  However, by the end of the conference they were all exuding new hope and passion as they realized that through Christ, they can reshape their communities for good.  Drawing from Ecclessiastes 9:10-11 “…I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise nor wealth to the discerning nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all,” and John 8:32-36 which speaks to the liberating power of truth, I challenged them to think outside their limitations and embrace the possibilities and opportunities that God has already established for them, their communities, and nation through Jesus Christ. 

While presenting on the necessity of relationship with Jesus Christ during the openning session, 31 pastors realized that they didn’t have a personal relationship with Christ and prayed to receive Him as Lord and Savior of their lives.  Among the many highlight moments was during the second day of the conference. A female pastor sponteneously broke out in dance and song in assenting to the message to make a clear choice between following Christ or the traditions of men and was joined by another and then the whole assembly of pastors.  It was a welcome disruption to the flow of the seminar.  We give glory to the Lord Jesus Christ for the great work accomplished through His Mighty Spirit.

JCfan Life Tip: Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time.  Vision with action can change the world.
Joel A. Barker

More than one thousand people have come to Jesus Christ for the first time here in Bukavu after the two nights of the Festival of Hope.  On the first night we had about six hundred adults and about 150 children come forward in response to the altar call.  On Saturday we had another estimated three hundred and fifty people respond to the call of Salvation. This morning during the church services, several hundreds more came to Christ, at least 200 people at the church where I was preaching.  Team members reported several more dozens at their various stations.  My message was also being broadcast live on the local radio station and hopefully many more people came to Jesus through the broadcast.

We also visited with the provincial Governor at his official residence and prayed with him and for South Kivu province yesterday morning before going to the stadium grounds.  He is an extremely humble man and recognizes how God’s hand has elevated him from nothing to being the Governor. One of his major requests was that our team serve as ambassadors for his region and nation so that people from other countries can be visiting DR Congo again.  Earlier we had visited with one of the local Senators who then accompanied us to the governors’ residence. 

The attendance at the Festival has been far much lower than earlier anticipated.  Overall, over the two nights we have had somewhere in the range of 15,000-20,000 people attend the stadium events.  The Sunday night event also got cancelled because the national soccer championships start Sunday night and they needed the Stadium for the matches.  Even so, I feel that we have fully accomplished our purpose in the city and touched every segment of the society.  The Good News of Jesus Christ has been proclaimed in the highways and byways, to the leaders of the community, and the church of Jesus Christ has been strengthened and gained visibility through our presence in the community.  The widows, orphans, and children have had the Good News of Jesus Christ declared to them.  To the glory of God, over one thousand people in Bukavu are now part of the Kingdom of our Lord for the first time. 

Our team is doing well even though I notice that they are getting warn out and tired. The roads here are extremely rough and dusty.  In addition, there are many overwhelming needs in the community and I can sense some of our team members feeling exhausted.  Pray that God continues to renew us for the remainder of the way.  Particularly Randy hasn’t been feeling very well and was very exhausted after he preached twice this morning. 

Tonight we are visiting the home of the president of the South Kivu province businessman’s association who is hosting us for dinner.  He wants us to pray for the business community of Bukavu and their entire region. Steve, the Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport Director, is visiting the airport facility as I write, to assess their needs and see if there is any way he could be of help in the future.  The director of the local Airport has also been here to meet with us.  Having Steve, Randy, Dan Dye and Rob on the team is such a great asset as they have engaged the business community so wonderfully.

Thank you for visiting and for keeping up with our adventure here in Africa.  Thank you for standing with us in prayer all the way.  We will only fully know the full impact of your labour in eternity. 

Tomorrow we head out to return to Kigali in Rwanda.  We will meet with some of the Rwandan legislators in the evening and then Tuesday morning we head to Kenya for a brief moment of rest and Safari. The rest of our team will return to the United States on Thursday.  I will be going on to Malawi to conduct a pastor’s conference with a team from Westwood Community Church of Minneapolis.  Please continue to pray for me to be renewed and to share the message of hope.

JCfan Life Tip:  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three… Apostle Paul

Hope is the word which God has written on the brow of every human being.
Victor Hugo

More than 450 pastors and Christian Leaders turned up for the Pastor’s Conference here in Bukavu.  They represented all churches, the military and key para-church organizations working in the city. 

I was struck by this great sense of unity as baptist ministers held hands with Methodists, Episcopals with Pentecostals, independents with Assemblies of God, all crying out in unity to God for the salvation of this city.  Veterans and young leaders, Bishops and street evangelists, women pastors and student leaders all humbly sort the Lord for the healing of the city of Bukavu and the DR Congo.  We forgot about ourselves and our denominational labels as we sung the Swahili song: “Wasitahili Bwana Yesu…” You are worthy Lord Jesus! 

This followed an all-day intensive seminar on leadership provided by our entire team.  We spoke on subjects such as prioritising for effectiveness, eight principles of leadership, the power of influence, the essential character of a leader, casting vision that succeeds, how Christian Leaders live well in the anxious middle, reconcilliation and relationships, the miracle of belief, and networking and partnering for recovery and restoration.

Today, Friday, we start the Festival of Hope in the city stadium.  There is great anticipation among the city residents.  My prayer is that hope being witnessed among the leaders will spill onto the city residents. 

I feel pretty good about the message God has laid on my heart and I am continuing to maintain sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and to the people. The Festival Director has informed me it will be important to communicate hope and restoration as I preach the next three evenings. 

Because of the continuous political and economic turmoil that has characterized DR Congo over the last 200 years, majority of the people have lost hope and resigned themselves to fate.  The recent war and the current volatile situation in some parts of the nation create anxiety.  The pervasiveness of religious expression has sometimes been a form of escape from the reality around them.  The hope of the Christian leaders is that the message of the Festival calls people to practical living and embracing of life here and now as part of the Salvation that Christ has brought. 

Pray with us that many will receive this message of hope through Jesus Christ and rediscover their purpose for living.

JCfan Life Tip: “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached…as of first importance…that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins…but now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.”

Paul (1 Cor 15:1-20)

It has been quite a memorable experience arriving here in Bukavu to conduct the Arise And Shine DR Congo, Festival of Hope.  The residents are the most beautiful and elaborate in their welcome. A team of about 40 pastors lined at the border to receive us.  After we crossed the border, we were welcomed to music by an outstanding brass band of about 15.  The governor of South Kivu province had been on hand to welcome us. However, we delayed in arrival and he had to leave due to other official commitments.  We will be meeting with him tomorrow, Thursday.

While driving us through the city with the brass band blasting away ahead of the 15 car convoy, crowds of residents waved, shouted welcome to us in the local Swahili and French languages, and openly danced to music along the way on the streets.  Like Jesus, I feel great compassion in my heart towards these beautiful people.  I am praying, asking God to fill us a fresh and to allow us to minister to them from His deep well of love, compassion and hope.  We feel the least deserving to bare such honor of representing our Lord Jesus Christ in this part of the world.  Our team is upbeat, healthy and strong. Rob has been suffering from a rush he got in the U.S. from poison ivy.  He has been holding up fine but he has very visible marks. 

There is great anticipation here regarding the Festival.  Bukavu is a large city right on the beautiful shores of Lake Kivu.  It has everything it requires to serve as a resort city.  However, it is a visibly very poor city.  As you cross the border from Rwanda to the DR Congo, there is a very visible economic difference. It has been battered by war and has visible scars of bullets and neglect.  The wide boulovards are testimony to better days that are now long forgotten.  Yet the energy of the people as clearly seen through the buzzing activities speaks of the potential it holds for a good future.  The great huddle to be overcome and conqured is the spirit of apathy and despair because of the historical and existential issues that have plagued DRC for the last several hundred years.

Thursday, besides meeting with the provincial governor we are holding the Pastor’s conference and then will also be meeting with the local journalists to talk about the Festival.  From the welcome we have received and the crowds who were waving on the streets, I believe the venue will be full.  Please continue to pray for many to fully embrace the truth of Jesus Christ and for the recovery of hope for the residents in every respect including political and economic aspects. 

It has been a phenomenon time imparting hope and exchanging ideas on leadership, good governance and business interpreneurship with the Africa Great Lakes Region leaders.  The conference we held at the Serena Hotel here in Kigali has inspired one another to excellence.  I thank God for the presentations by our team of speakers both from the region and the SWIM team. 

Two hundred leaders have been equipped with fortune five hundred finese. Dan, Steve, Ron and Ebony were all amazing in their presentations as were our local presenters. God is continuing what He started during last year’s conference.  He is raising up Rwanda as the beacon of light for this region and the world.  Thank you for continuing to check in and to pray for us.  (Pictured- Steve Wareham and Ron Roberts confer with Rwandan Deputy Hon. Tuyisange Solange)

Tomorrow we head out to the DR Congo to begin the Festival of Hope and Pastor’s conference in Bukavu. 

JCfan Life Tip: Government teaches the whole people by its example.  If government becomes the lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto hmself; it invites anarchy.
Louis D. Brandeis

On Sunday August 5th morning our team held an evangelistic service for convicted prisoners at a facility situated about an hours’ drive from Kigali.  After presenting the Gospel Message to about 2600 prisoners, an estimated 500 of them prayed to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (see the many hands raised in picture).  These were first time respondends.  During the altar call I insisted that only those who were doing so for the first time should keep their hands up.  We are very thankful for this amazing response to the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ.  We also donated a few bibles that we had brought with us for use in the prison.  One of the many great needs they have in Rwandan prisons is lack of reading material.  The Bible is the preffered book.

One of the remarkable things was how the prison director was candid to the fact that inmates finding Jesus has been one of the most reforming things for the Rwandan prisons. Because of the impact of faith, many prisoners have been allowed to leave and be reintergrated back into the communities.  Whereas this facility started with 6500 prisoners, today they are running just under three thousand, largely due to the transformation the prisoners experience after they come to Jesus Christ.  Later as we were debriefing, I liked the perspective that Grace brought, how these prisoners who are largely genocide convictees after finding Jesus are now part of the God’s Kingdom and therefore part of our identity.  Their problems and issues are our problem and issues as the Church of Jesus Christ.

Our team also visited a childrens center here in Kigali ran by Denis.  Randy and Mike Galbraith were amazing with the kids as they put on a magic trick show to illustrate Biblical points.  They stole their hearts as much as the children stole our own hearts. We ended the day by ministering to one congregation here pastored by Denis.  Team members dropped their Scandinevian selfs and engaged in beautiful dancing with the people.  I wish I could post some more pics for you but I gotta get ready to speak at the governance conference which starts in three hours time. 

JCfan Life Tip: There is no revenge so complete as forgiveness.
Josh Billings

Our team arrived here in Rwanda to a very warm welcome.  We had our host and events coordinator Denis Ruhorimbere along with a huge entorauge of children, teenagers, several adults, and pastors waiting for us at the airport. It was quite an elaborate yet authentic welcome they had reserved in store for us as they handed each of us beautiful roses.  All our bags had arrived safely except for Ebony’s (she still had a great smile as you can see below).  We are guesing it wasn’t reloaded in Nairobi or Armsterdam.  Kenya Airways have told us that they will be getting it to Kigali later this evening or tomorrow, Sunday. 

In the afternoon we visited the genocide memorial, a reminder to a very sad past.  One remarkable thing about Rwanda, however, is how different the country is today.  The Rwanda of today is not the same as the Rwanda of ten years ago.  The people co-exist beautifully inspite the on-going healing process that will take a long time to be complete.  There are signs of hope all around as new construction around the city of Kigali is visible.  Recently I was reading a New York times article that took note of this new reality of Rwanda as the beacon of Hope for Africa.  The economy has been growing at an annula rate of 8%, a testimony to the hard work and resilience of the people and their leaders starting with President Paul Kagame.

Following the memorial visit, we held a press conference and media interviews with Rwandan Newspapers, TV and Radio journalists.  They asked questions related to the conference starting Monday.  It is quite amazing how this media conferences give great insight on the issues the churches in the country are dealing with.  Journalists raised questions on issues like homosexuality in the church and how we are going to address that with local leaders, family planning, the distrust of the church due to participation of some leaders in the genocide 12 years ago, the role of the church in meeting the educational needs of the thousands of genocide orphans, etc. 

It also gave us a chance to engage the journalists as an important segment of the Rwandan community responsible for good leadership and governance.  I challenged them to reflect on the role played by media to fan hatred and massacres thirteen years ago, to dig deep inside themselves and to find truth in the person of Christ.  They seemed to repond well.  Earlier I had held a live interview with a couple radio stations.

JCfan Life Tip: Beauty is the adjustment of all parts proportionately so that one cannot add or subtract or change without impairing the harmony of the whole. Leon Battista Alberti

Beauty, the eternal Spouse of the Wisdom of God and Angel of His Presence through all creation.
Robert Bridges