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Tribute to Manuel Flimao Tshambe Chambo
Grieving and celebrating a life well lived!
 My Dad, Rev. Manuel Filimao Tsambe Chambo has passed into glory on 4 August 2016. He was 78 years old. I sure would have loved to have him around for many more years, but I know that he is home with Jesus. We will miss him dearly and my heart cries out for my mother, Rev. Bessie Luisa Tsambe Chambo, as she mourns and grieves the loss of her husband, friend, ministry partner and love.
My father was an amazing godly man, preacher of the Word, leader and, above all, a wonderful, excellent godly father. While I am saddened by his sudden death, I rejoice and celebrate a life well lived and the amazing impact that he made in my personal life, in the family, the church and the communities where he served and lived. Looking forward to see you on the other side, Dad!
--Dr. Filimao Chambo, Africa Regional Director
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Empowering Women in Liberia
 Liberia was ravaged by the Ebola crisis as well as ravaged by civil wars over the last decades. This has taken its toll on all the people, but the women have bore the brunt as their men have been killed in war.
Visiting the Nazarene Women's Project (NAWOP) in Ganta, Liberia, I was instantly impressed with the diligence of the girls who were busily stirring cornbread batter and who had already baked sumptuous potato bread muffins. They also had bread dough rising in pans ready to bake in the innovative round aluminium oven, heated with coals placed underneath and on top.
In partnership with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, this ministry has been in operation since 2001. Edith N'Boyou, a pastor's wife and the founder of NAWOP, whose slogan is "Empowerment from Productivity", explained that the aim of the project was, "...For the people to be empowered to help their families and community and to be a witness. . . to share their Christian faith with people in the area." Not only do the girls learn to make baked goods during the nine month program, but they also learn the process of batik and soap making. The program also includes a spiritual element, as the girls study the Bible during daily devotions.
NAWOP has helped countless girls over the years. Grace Daniels, 24, a student and the current class president of the group shared that the program, "[Has been] a big help. It helps me learn how to manage and set-up a business." Not only does the program benefit its students, but the baked goods that they make provide healthy snacks for the children of the adjoining church-run school, as well as providing goods (soap and batik) for the community.
When asked about her future goals for the program, Edith shared that she hopes to incorporate a showroom for her goods so that people in the community can more easily see and buy the products. I can personally vouch for the potato bread muffins, as the verse, "Taste and see that the Lord is good," comes to mind. (Psalm 34:8)
--Mrs. Monica Carr, Missionary, West Africa
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Six Churches Organized on the Zimbabwe West District
In 2002, Rev. Noah Sibanda graduated from Africa Nazarene University (ANU) in Nairobi, Kenya, with a Masters degree in religion (MAR), but also had a degree in leadership. In August of that same year, Rev. Sibanda returned to his home country of Zimbabwe, and he was asked by the DS of the Zimbabwe West District to move to Gweru. The DS asked him to take-over a small church in the city of Gweru, which is the 3rd largest city in Zimbabwe.
Although the city is large, there was only one church in the entire city. Realizing this, Rev. Sibanda knew that the first work he had to do was win souls for Christ and then train them so that he could have a team of "soul winners".
Phase two of Rev. Sinbanda's vision was to start an extension centre for theological studies. His first class had 12 students, all of them from his church. In 2012 after four years of class, 12 students from Mkoba Church of the Nazarene graduated with a diploma in theology at the Nazarene Theological College of Central Africa.
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Rev. A. Nyoni, DS Zimbabwe West
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The third phase of the vision was to plant new churches. The team in the Gweru Zone has successfully planted new church. Along with the soul-winning, they have been planting new churches and have, so far, planted 13 new churches on the zone. Six of those churches are large enough to have dedicated pastors, and also well informed congregates in holiness teaching and Nazarene doctrine.
It was a joy on the 17th of July 2016 to witness six church plants being organised by the Zimbabwe West District Superintendent, Rev. A. Nyoni. The churches organized were Woodlands, Game Park, Riverdale, Mkoba North, Ascot and Quarry Churches of the Nazarene.
We praise God for the good work God has done through this amazing team of "soul-winners".
--Rev. Noah Sibanda, Zimbabwe West District, Gweru Zone
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Water Well--Bringing Hope to a Community
College View is a newly established community in Sanniquellie in the Nimba county on the Liberia Central District Church of the Nazarene. College View became accessible in 2011 and gained its name from the Nimba County Community College, the only government-formed institution of higher education in the Nimba province. The town of College View only has one road that leads to it, limiting its accessibility for a population of 10,000 people, which has been growing rapidly in recent years.
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| | A Typical Water Well |
Like most new and growing areas in Liberia, it lacks roads, schools, clinics and potable water. However, this new area has two major churches with one of them being the Church of the Nazarene.
Despite its natural beauty, College View suffers a water crisis every dry season, or winter. A standard borehole that goes down about 50-75 ft that accesses a poor aquifer only supplies water during the rainy season and costs $100 (USD). The water, however, is not drinkable. Digging a well that would access potable water from a hand pump costs at least $1000. This cost has made it difficult for a family or community to dig such a well due to poverty and the country's lack of infrastructure.
The people of College View get their water from two private pumps that both run dry during the winter, leaving residents with no option but to fetch water from the community college's hand pumps, which also run dry. The security agents at the college sell the water for 50¢ (US) per 20 liters. Since the dry season lasts from December through April, large families have to use more money--perhaps $50-$100 for the four months--to get water for drinking, cleaning, washing, cooking and bathing. In addition to the cost, fetching water is the job of women and school-aged children who then must wake-up very early to fetch the water and arrive late to school. One teenager named Layti, said, "During the dry season, I usually went to school very late, because I had to fetch water from the college about 20 minutes walk from my house."
Although Liberia is rich in biodiversity and groundwater, its infrastructure is weak and the people are too poor to finance a water well themselves. But in July of this year, World Hope in partnership with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries was able to drill a well down 167 feet that has brought clean, potable water for the first time for the people of this community.
The community has taken ownership of this project by helping with the drilling and monitoring of the project. There is also a committee in place to care for and maintain the pump. The community chairman, Chief Peter Vonleh, describes the hand pump project as a great relief given the community, adding, "We will do everything to maintain the pump and keep it running."
Chairlady elected for the hand pump, Madam Louban, speaking to women in community, said there is a need for the women to take full responsibility of the water pump because they and their children are the primary users of the pump.
Some in the community have noted the number of people using the pump and have expressed concern that the well will run dry. Engineers have confirmed that the pump was drilled into a porous aquifer that will never run out of water, no matter what season of the year. The community has placed open and closing times on the pump, but only to keep the pump from being damaged, not because of the water supply.
Madam Cooper Duo, who donated the land on which the pump sits, said the impact of the project is beyond significant. "We have suffered water crisis over the years, and we need to maintain this God-given opportunity, so that our children don't start suffering again," said Madam Duo.
The community of College View is thankful for this gift of water and hope for their community and the people of their community.
--Mr. Wellington G. Patrick
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PRAYER REQUESTS
- Remember the family of Dr. Filimao Chambo as they mourn the loss of Dr. Chambo's father, Rev. Manuel Chambo, who died suddenly on the 4th of August.
- Missionary, Rev. Friday Ghanda, was involved in a car accident in Tanzania. Rev. Ghanda is fine and recovering, but his vehicle took extensive damage. Pray for his continued recovery and quick and reliable repair of his vehicle.
- Continue to pray for the situation in South Sudan. There has been some renewed violence.
- Pray for the NYC Africa 2016 that will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 14-18 December 2016.
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ABOUT THE REGION 
 The Nazarene Church is in 42 countries in Africa, with more than 600,000 members in six fields.
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Mrs. Shelly Miller, editor
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