Greetings from the Motherland of Africa & the Mid-Atlantic US!
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“Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites – everyone whose heart God had moved – prepared to go up and build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.” (Ezra 1:5)
Dear Kip, Elena, and FOMM Family,
Greetings from Johannesburg! This week we rejoiced at the place membership of Bruna Santos de Oliveira from our sister church in Sao Paolo, Brazil! Bruna will be training here in South Africa to be a part of the Maputo, Mozambique mission team that will prayerfully be sent out in June 2024. Our worship service was also bittersweet on Sunday as Tolani Abiodun, the Associate Evangelist of the Joburg Church, preached a powerful message with tears, entitled, “A Fond Farewell.” Please pray for Tolani’s precious family as they prepare to move to Lusaka, Zambia for the mission team planting this year! At our Leaders’ Meeting, Yuri Lauriano de Oliveira – another Brazilian disciple who moved to South Africa last year to train for Mozambique – asked Bruna to be his girlfriend, and she wholeheartedly said “Yes!”
Our churches in Uganda and Nigeria are working to bring in the harvest, and the Lagos Church celebrated their first Men’s Forum, entitled, “Stronger than Pain!” Please pray for their predictions next week to come to fruition. Our brother Blaise Feumba reports that with the 21 additions in French Africa this week, they are just six souls away from their goal of 100 additions for the month of March! We are excited for our respective Missions Conferences entitled, “Show Me Your Glory” from June 2-4th (Abidjan) and June 23-25th (Lagos) to inspire the saints and visitors from around the globe! |
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JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
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| The teamwork of God’s new movement is evident as we are grateful to the Sao Paolo Church for sending Bruna (center) this week, along with Samara (left) and Yuri (right) last year, to Johannesburg to train for our Maputo, Mozambique planting! Amazingly, Africa has the second-most Portuguese speakers in the world (behind the Americas), with over 41 million speakers in six African countries: Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe and Equatorial Guinea. To God be the glory! |
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| Patrique and the Joburg sisters are eager to prepare Bruna for the rigors of the African lifestyle as God strengthens her faith to win souls for Mozambique! We are honored that she would leave her family and friends behind in Brazil for Jesus’ dream of world evangelism! |
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| At our Leader’s Meeting after service, Yuri eloquently shared about Bruna in English and Portuguese before asking her to be his girlfriend! One comment from Yuri about their years-long friendship said it all, “I am grateful for you always guiding me back to God and not to yourself.” Congratulations to a powerful couple who are dreaming for Mozambique and beyond! |
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| It is a privilege to send another “mighty warrior” to conquer cities for the LORD as my dear son in the faith, Tolani Abiodun, leaves this week to prepare for the Lusaka, Zambia planting! I presented him with a traditional African spear, an overdue gift that I usually give to all appointed Evangelists on the Motherland. Tolani hadn’t received his spear because of immigration challenges that had delayed him in Nigeria for the last nine months, but he is now ready to “take the land” for God! |
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| Dr. Akintola Akin-Lewis, a former Evangelist in the ICOC and now a famous Nollywood actor, producer and filmmaker was the Guest Speaker for the 1st Men’s Forum of the Lagos Church! Akin previously served for ICOC churches in Lagos and Johannesburg, and also led a mission team to Conakry, Guinea-Bissau in our former fellowship. It was a privilege to help him join the new movement back in July 2022 as he also served to initiate the Ibadan (Nigeria) Remnant Group! |
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| A dear friend and brother in the Lagos Church, GoodHope Atason, shared powerfully at the Men’s Forum! After pursuing his career ambitions in England, he was eager to return to his homeland to raise up the next generation of Nigerian men to seek the LORD! |
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| The joy on the faces of the Lagos brothers were evident as they fellowshipped with each other and reunited with friends from ICOC who also attended their Men’s Forum! 84 souls were in attendance with another 213 online! Please pray for God to bring an abundant harvest in Nigeria, the “Giant of Africa!” |
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| Our 2023 African Missions Conference (AMC) will be held from June 23-25th in Ikeja, the capital city of Lagos State! The EventBrite details will be posted next week, but you can book your hotel reservations at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Ikeja now! This is going to be the best AMC yet!! |
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| Prayer request: Uganda’s parliament has passed sweeping anti-gay legislation with penalties for same-sex relationships and criminalizes anyone identifying as LGBTQ. While more than 30 African countries, including Uganda, already ban same-sex relationships, the new law passed last Tuesday appears to be the first to outlaw identifying as LGBTQ. While we understand the sin of homosexuality is clear from the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 6:9-11), this legislation is causing people to avoid studying the Bible and repenting of their sins because they fear being reported to the authorities and imprisoned. |
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| Please pray for God to give the saints in Kampala great wisdom and discernment, as this new legislation has already caused confusion and persecution. The Kampala Evangelist, Osas Atohengbe, was interrogated by campus security as some students reported him for “seeming suspicious with a homosexual agenda.” They finally realized that he was calling for all sexually immoral people, homosexual or not, to repent and be saved in the waters of baptism! Pray for the harvest! |
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| May God continue to strengthen the disciples around the Motherland as we pray for the Spirit to guide us in the midst of adversity. We are excited to “walk in step” with Him as we continue to proclaim the good news and baptize disciples only! Please keep us in your prayers as we pray for more workers whose hearts are moved to build the house of the LORD on the Motherland and beyond!
Much love,
Andrew & Patrique |
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