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Prayer requests and praises
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The church in Guinea-Bissau and the missionaries who are reaching out in creative ways. For people to catch a vision of ministry to 4-14-year-olds. For the people impacted on both sides of the Indian Ocean through the Work & Witness trip from Gautang District (South Africa) to Madagascar. May their passion only grow for making disciples. For the church in Angola
#Praise Swaziland East District report - Membership grew by 13.7% and financial giving increased by 8.5%. (For more tweets like this, follow us on Twitter) More prayer requests are on the website and Facebook pages.
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Explore the Africa Region
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| Gaining ground in Guinea-Bissau - by Irma and Mario Martinez |
We thank God that we have begun our work in the Portuguese-speaking country of Guinea-Bissau.  Saturdays we have the "Children's Club" with an attendance of over 100 children. Many come from families of another faith background. We thank God that we could start a meeting at our house on Sundays. We had an attendance of 22 adolescents, youth and adults and at the first meeting several people accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Irma also started adult literacy classes. A big surprise for us was that several of the students are men. In this, we see a big door of opportunity to reach them.
We are located in a neighborhood where the majority is of another faith. This involves a challenge, so we ask your prayers for wisdom to reach them with the love of God.
We thank God for allowing us to be a part of the missionary work of the Church of the Nazarene.
Read the Martinez's bio here.
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Equipping the 4-14-year-old Generation for Ministry - by Shireen Elliott
| Ministering to children is a very important aspect of ministry in the Church, we must accept, love, value and respect our children. Jesus ministered to children and He always blessed and befriended them. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these," Matthew 19:14 (NIV). 
The 4-14-year-old ministry in the Church is vital in fulfilling the Great Commission. This age group can pray, sing, and lead a worship service. They can invite their friends to services and be involved in ministry. They need to be incorporated into the ministry of the Church. Children should feel part of the Church and know that they belong to their Church. They should be taken into membership as soon as they acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and have made a choice to accept Him into their hearts and be a disciple and follower of Jesus Christ. They should also be given responsibilities in the Kingdom as soon as they understand their faith in Jesus Christ.
Our churches can flourish and grow when we see the importance of ministry to children. We need to reach the lost children, rescue children from oppression, root our children in Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith and release them to reap the harvest of souls.
Mark 9:36-37: He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."
Children grow, become young people and then adults. So invest in children and God will richly bless your ministry. Acts 2:47: "praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."
Our Church has many resources in assisting you to disciple children. Reach out to children and be blessed!
Watch a short Holiness Today video of Shireen here.
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Africa to Africa W & W: Gautang (RSA) to Madagascar - by Jodi Cooper
| On September 20th, a group of 20 people (3 Americans and 17 South Africans) left Johannesburg, crossed the Indian Ocean and began our adventure in Antananarivo, Madagascar
On Saturday, we began with introductions, a team orientation and evangelism training. The Malagasy Promotion Team demonstrated the tools (bright colored beanies). With those and excitement in our hearts, the team headed out to meet the neighbors and invite them to the JESUS Film showing that evening. Shopkeepers, passersby, and people doing chores outside welcomed us. Many came to see the film later.
Sunday we divided into 5 groups. Each group visited a different church and ate lunch with a local church family. We joined back together in the afternoon for a combined youth service with games, singing, drama, preaching, and fellowship. It was a great Sunday!
The annual outreach soccer tournament began early Monday morning on the field which is located on a military base. The Promotion Team trained us to be scorekeepers, line judges and referees. The teams arrived in their soccer best and played with all their hearts, elbows and cleats.  They played Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Next to the field was a basketball court. Tuesday and Thursday the ladies played in the basketball tournament. Our team cheered the champs on to victory.
Saturday morning was the grand finale - Kid's Day! The morning began with our team of 20, the Promotion Team of 12, a few local pastors and church leaders and a little over 400 children. We started as one group for songs and instructions. Then the smaller group rotations began. We had 6 stations - 2 for games, 2 for crafts, 1 for action songs, and 1 for a Bible lesson. The afternoon was set aside for field games and crazy games. At the end of the day we came together for more singing, one more lesson and a prayer. It was hard saying good-bye to the kids and to the field.
Our final Sunday was a busy one. We had the Tournament Service in which all of the teams were invited and trophies were awarded. The young people from our team and the Promotion Team planned the service with special singing and drama. A farewell lunch and a time to share thoughts and experiences followed the service.
Monday, we spent the day at the Street Kid's Center. The children performed a bell choir number and gave each of us a gift. Then we  played and ate lunch with the kids. After lunch we cleaned and painted four rooms.
No trip is complete without sightseeing and shopping. Tuesday was all about lemurs and bargaining.
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A revolutionary change in my life - Tarryn Jody Nathan
| - another response to the Gautang (RSA) District's mission trip to Madagascar
When I first heard about this district missions trip, I already said there was no way that I was going to go. After much prayer and motivation from the team leader, Stephen Phillips, as well as a mission's workshop that first ignited the desire, I decided that I was going. However, I at that time only had two months to gather the amount of R10 000. Since, I already told my parents I don't want them to pay a cent; I knew that I then needed to totally depend on God like never before. I used Facebook as my main source of getting donations and had a campaign to get one hundred people to donate R100. Thanks to God though, people gave so much more and God showed me who He really is throughout this time. Whenever I felt like giving up God just stepped in just in time.
 | Tarryn and two teammates
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In terms of the group raising funds there was a concert where various churches performed special items as well as a soccer tournament. Local churches donated and took up offerings for the group in addition to overseas donations.
Since I joined a bit later, according to my understanding in the first meeting the group was given a package of guidelines, expectations, and more. We also had a missions workshop. At the workshop we went through the do's and don'ts when doing any sort of missionary task, and other valid information. It went over two days, so we were thoroughly equipped. We had meetings once a month and more frequently closer to the time to make sure everyone was on the same page.
When we arrived in Madagascar, we used the first day to just settle in and work began the next day. In the morning we had orientation with the missionary Ronald Miller. Then we were introduced to their Evangelism Team - mostly teenagers between the ages of 14 and 17- that we worked with for the 13 days that we were there. We started straight away with door-to-door evangelism sharing the gospel through the evangelism bracelet and the evangelism cube. That evening, the JESUS Film was shown and over 100 children and adults accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and  Savior. The first Sunday, we were split into five groups to attend five different churches where we preached and testified. From the Monday we were involved in helping with the soccer and basketball tournaments, cleaning and painting their Street Kids Center, hosting a Sunday School Day, and lastly working with their Evangelism team in doing a drama and a dance the last Sunday.
This trip has changed my life in a revolutionary way. I have learnt to appreciate what I have and even the things I don't have. I saw God in a new light; He has become so much more real to me than what I thought he was before. From what I saw and experienced, I know God can use anyone. You just have to be available. You don't need much to serve God; He will provide you with any and all tools needed for the extension of His kingdom
I would encourage anyone and everyone to go on a mission's trip once in their lifetime. You will not regret it. In the presence of God, your life can and will never be the same again.
--Tarryn Jody Nathan, from Cape Town, Western Cape District, is currently a second-year student at NTC (Nazarene Theological College) in Gautang.
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Giving cheerfully - by Danilo Soares de Carvallo
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 The Escola Nazarena Engenhiero Samuel Monteiro in Lubango, Angola has received recognition form the government. Student fees can now be at a minimum because they will not have to cover teacher salaries. They will still cover maintenance of the building and other expenses related to administration. The school which has 300 children was named for a Cape Verdean Nazarene and his family who donated the money to build it.  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Church of Mapunda (Angola) has already surpassed its target for the Alabaster offering. Praise the Lord for the faithfulness and generosity of its members. Thanks to those who have contributed with their offerings.
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7
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The Church of the Nazarene in Africa is busy building the Kingdom of God
- through giving, going and disciple-making.
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Thanks for the kind words and suggestions you sent when I asked for feedback.
Amy Crofford,Out of Africa editor
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rch of the Nazarene
