Displaying items by tag: Africa

Opposition leader Lazarus Chakwera has won Malawi's latest presidential race, defeating incumbent Peter Mutharika with 58.57% of the vote. Chakwera is a theologian, pastor and former President of the Malawi Assemblies of God.

Following his victory, the new president said the election — which was a rerun following last year's poll being scrapped due to voting irregularities — was "a win for democracy and justice". He is the first opposition leader in Northern sub-saharan Africa to win a voting rerun after a result has been overturned due to fraud or irregularity.

He said his heart was "bubbling with joy" at the result.

In his speech after being sworn in, Chakwera said: "Time has come for us to go beyond dreaming, time has come for us to wake up, to arise from slumber, and to make our dreams come true.

"With your help we will restore faith in having a government that serves; not a government that rules, a government that inspires, not a government that infuriates, a government that listens, not a government that shouts but a government that fights for you and not against you."

Mr Chakwera worked as an instructor at the Assemblies of God School of Theology from 1983 to 2000 before becoming the Principal in 1996. He was given the name Lazarus following the death of his two older brothers when they were infants -- convinced that his son was going to live, Chakwera's father named him after the Biblical character who was famously raised from the dead by Jesus Christ.

Speaking to the BBC after being sworn in on Sunday, Chakwera promised to unite the troubled African nation and root out government corruption.

He said: "There's no cause for fear because I will be your president and my policy for inclusivity means we are building a new Malawi for all of us. I'm not a president of a faction, I'm a president of everyone in the country. I want to provide leadership that makes everybody prosper, that deals decisively with corruption and theft of public funds and a leadership that will follow the rule of law."

The new president added: "I do feel like Lazarus, I've come back from the dead, it's been a long journey and we feel vindicated in a way."

Following his victory, on Twitter, he simply wrote: "Thank you, my Lord Jesus."

Praise God for the election of this Christian President who honours and publicly professes his faith in God.

Pray that President Chakwera will quickly win the trust and confidence of all of the people of Malawi.

Pray for God-given wisdom for Lazarus Chakwera as he appoints his government and implements his manifesto.

Pray that the President will develop and strengthen the Malawi economy so the country will not need to depend on foreign aid.

Watch a video of Lazarus Chakwera telling his testimony to God’s grace.

The original plan for Go 2020 Kids in Africa was to mobilize 1 million children across 31 nations where the Prayer Covenant for Children was active. Each child would be challenged to reach out to 20 students during May with a Prayer Covenant for Children Prayer Card that included the Gospel message, designed by the children, on the other side.

The Pandemic, of course, closed the schools and most to the actual “outreach” part of those plans had to be put on hold until the schools open again. But prayer was mobilized with current numbers showing 700,000 participating by praying for those they want to reach. And new doors opened for Go 2020 Kids to be active, like the radio stations that partnered with the All Africa Baptist Youth Fellowship (21 denominations) to allow daily “on-air” prayer programs across 19 nations in multiple languages.

Two days of prayer and fasting were observed on May 28 and 29.

Then on Saturday, May 30, children went to the streets to share the Gospel. Here’s one report from Elias about Go 2020 Kids. It represented the activity of just one church in Togo on Go Day.

The experience of children spreading the Gospel was very fruitful as 22,004 evangelistic tracts were distributed by the children in our church in Togo - during May 30 – Go Day!

It was an excellent experience for children to have the opportunity to be part of God’s mission by sharing the Gospel.

They were so excited as they first enjoyed praying for winning souls.

They see themselves no longer as useless people to God.

Many Christians, especially youth and adults, saw themselves as lazy as they saw children committed to share the Gospel

This morning I got a voicemail from one Christian brother who found my number on the outreach cards that children gave out during Global Outreach Day. He confessed that he was very touched to see children committed to evangelism and he was impressed and edified by the tool of the Prayer Covenant for Children evangelism card.

On 30 May, two days before ‘Global Coptic Day’, authorities demolished the only Coptic church in Koum al-Farag village, even though it served 3,000 Christians. The demolition was a punishment for the 'crime' of building rooms for Sunday school. When the extension work began, Muslims attacked the Christians by building a mosque next door (according to common law, churches are prevented from being formally recognised or displaying Christian symbols if a mosque is built next door). Police also imprisoned 14 Christians overnight. The nearest church is now ten miles away. Demolitions of churches are seldom reported in the West. Christians and priests are also randomly assaulted in Egypt’s streets - not by terrorists but by Muslim neighbours. See

‘The incessant killing is more dangerous than coronavirus’, said a community leader in central Nigeria recently. His reaction is one of several testimonies - frequently harrowing to read, let alone to have experienced - which feature in an Inquiry into the scale of death and destruction caused by conflict occurring along the Christian-Muslim fault line running across the ‘Middle Belt’ of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation. The inquiry, published on 15 June by the UK parliament, had been taking evidence since autumn 2018. Since the coronavirus pandemic, violence appears to have grown even as international media have been otherwise occupied. The report, Nigeria: Unfolding Genocide, said, ‘Violence has claimed the lives of thousands of people and displaced hundreds of thousands more, causing untold human and economic devastation and heightening existing ethno-religious tensions.’

Libya, a major oil producer, has been mired in turmoil since 2011 when Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in a NATO-backed uprising. In the first week of June the warring sides began new ceasefire talks in Libya. On 14 June the Turkish foreign minister and his Russian counterpart decided to put off the talks during a phone call; however, they said that it was important to prevent another failed ceasefire. Pray that there will be constructive positive talks for a lasting ceasefire without any more postponements. Pray for a spirit of unity to flow through all communication between the Iranian foreign minister, Turkish president Erdogan, and Russian president Putin. Pray also for an end to the heavy clashes that erupted recently despite a unilateral ceasefire proposal by Egypt.

As attacks on Christians continue in northern Nigeria, we can pray for Christians there, asking the Lord to end the killing and suffering for being a believer. ‘Father, may their witness be vibrant, as a lamp set on a hill. May their lives and actions demonstrate Your goodness. Give them hearts for reconciliation and forgiveness instead of revenge. Heal the broken-hearted. Comfort the mourning. Bind up the wounded. Be a father to the fatherless. Let our brothers and sisters know the love of Christ that surpasses all knowledge, that they may be filled with all the fullness of You. May they be rooted and established in Your love. O Lord, empower those who minister in the most difficult areas with new strength. Refresh their spirits and fill their cups to overflowing. May the gospel of Your peace that they share bring peace to this place of turmoil.’

Islamist violence against Christians has surged, causing thousands to flee their villages. Recently armed jihadists launched three attacks within 48 hours that left 58+ dead. Fifteen died when a convoy of Christian traders, including children, was attacked on 29 May. On 30 May, Islamists opened fire at random in a cattle market, killing 30+ people and injuring many more. On the same day a humanitarian convoy was attacked, claiming the lives of six civilians and seven soldiers. Another twenty were injured, and a number were reported missing. A survivor said it was clear that militants were targeting Christians and humanitarians taking food to a camp of mainly Christian villagers who fled jihadi violence. The vicious attacks targeting Christians began in April 2019 when a pastor, his son, and four members of his congregation were shot in cold blood for refusing to convert to Islam.

More than five years of conflict have left Yemenis hanging on by a thread, their economy in tatters, and their institutions facing near-collapse. The UN chief told a virtual pledging conference they needed to demonstrate solidarity with some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable in Yemen. Pray for UN workers to receive the funding to meet people’s needs in this staggering humanitarian crisis. Across the globe Covid-19 has halted economic activity and threatens social wellbeing. UNESCO says it is now coping with millions in extreme poverty. Pray for the UN to make wise decisions as it addresses the pandemic and mobilises the resources needed for a proactive recovery. In Africa it is addressing the ‘appalling impact’ of Covid-19 on minorities; the virus has a ‘disproportionate impact’ on racial and ethnic minorities, including people of African descent. Pray for human rights to be at the centre of coronavirus response.

A report from Elias Apetogbo – Prayer Covenant for Children Continental Leader and Fidele Zouma from Burkina Faso

While much of original plan to train and mobilize children to reach out to their peers in May was put on hold by Covid-19, training did take place and the vision and passion continues.

Fidele Zouma, Head of Children’s Ministry for Assemblies of God and Prayer Covenant National Leader for Burkina Faso shares the following. “In late February the Assemblies of God of Burkina Faso hosted 300 leaders from all denominations to take part in Prayer Covenant children’s leadership training.

We then provided each leader with more than 300 prayers cards to use within their children’s ministry. Each of the leaders was commissioned to train 10 children as part of the Go 2020 Kids strategy.

Those children were equipped to reach five others with the gospel. When we followed up, each leader had begun the training within their ministry. In order to help facilitate this, we started a television Prayer Covenant ministry due to Covid-19. The feedback from pastors is that the children are really responding well and liking the program. Children are praying for their friends to come to know and follow Jesus.

The pandemic has opened many new doors. One example was an invitation for children to do daily Prayer Covenant Online Radio Programs with the All African Baptist Youth Fellowship in 12 nations, including Togo, Rwanda, Ghana, Nigeria, Namibia, Malawi, Niger, Guinea, Gabon, Cameron, Benin and Sierra Leon.

All but one station gave separate airtime for the children and youth to reach out in two or more languages. Elias says, “We are really encouraged by the commitment of leaders that lead prayer meetings through radio program across the Continent.

I’m personally greatly encouraged by the way leaders use Bible quotation in their prayers for winning souls. It’s so fantastic and very inspiring. And that is helping us to trust the power in prayer."

On the ground outreach continued as well. Elias tells us, “Children are so joyful to be part of divine mission. In fact, they are always happy when time comes to go and share the Gospel. Children are very happy to know that the opportunity is given to them to be useful in the vineyard of the master. I can read the joy in their faces when they pray for the salvation of souls. They are very excited when they go out to display small beautiful and powerful words of evangelization. None of them like to miss such moments. To God be the glory!

This is the time to evaluate our impact and to motivate kids to hold on the zeal of evangelism.

More info at: https://theprayercovenant.org/children/

Kenya's government closed all churches in order to prevent further spread of coronavirus. So Rev Paul Macharia from All Saints' Cathedral has taken church services on the road. They travel to apartment blocks and provide sermons and music from the street below; allowing people to attend church while being able to maintain social distancing rules to tackle the new pandemic. This government-approved safe service is nicknamed B2B, ‘Balcony to Balcony’, taking place every Sunday, using amplifiers and loudspeakers. It has become popular, with large turnouts of families on their balconies.