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THE HOPE OF AFRICA

UBF African mission began in 1990, when four missionaries were sent as Korean embassy workers to Kenya, Sudan, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe. Now 55 UBF missionaries including 8 from USA and 40 native shepherd families are ministering in 13 countries, having 460 Sunday worship service attendees. In 2017, Africa UBF had four regional Bible conferences—Eastern region in April and the other regions in August. I’d like to deliver African leaders’ gratitude for Korea, USA, and Brazil UBF for supporting the conferences by sending delegates, gifts, and CBF teachers (LA).

Eastern Region

Eastern Africa UBF consisting of Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia and Rwanda had a conference last April in Kenya with a theme, “Feed My Sheep” (Jn 21:17). 206 attended the conference, including 7 from Rwanda. The 7 students from Rwanda traveled 23 hours by bus, but they participated in the first day program sincerely. They were the fruits of one missionary with Uganda UBF who visited Rwanda once a month to teach them the Bible. After the conference, M. Daniel Yang went to Rwanda to shepherd them, and he is ministering there now with his wife M. Deborah. God raised 11 shepherd families in Uganda and Kenya. The key leaders are Steven Sebbale of Uganda and Juma Fuchingo of Kenya.

The Eastern region of Africa UBF prays to reach out to 5 neighboring countries shown in pink—from the top clockwise, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Tanzania, and Burundi. Please pray for M. Daniel & Deborah Yang to settle well in Rwanda, the small country bordered with Uganda, and raise disciples.   

Northern Region

South Sudan and Egypt UBF had a regional conference with a theme, “Participate in Jesus’ Suffering” (2Co 1:5) near Juba, the capital of South Sudan. The Catholic conference facility was the best building I saw in South Sudan. God comforted and encouraged South Sudan brothers and sisters who have been suffering due to the ongoing civil war by inviting them to this nice place with good food.

94 attended including 7 from Egypt. The 7 from Egypt were the fruit of Dr. Oyor Moses’ ministry during his Ph.D study in Cairo. Including two Egyptian families, God has raised 10 shepherd families in South Sudan and Egypt. The key leaders in South Sudan are Paidet Deng, Juba chapter director, and Dr. Oyor Moses, Malakal chapter director. Due to civil war, Malakal City is evacuated, and Dr. Oyor and shepherds with him have joined Juba ministry. Two shepherds in Egypt are Ayman Ghawy and Mamdouh Rezk. South Sudanese speak both English and Arabic. So the whole conference was proceeded in Arabic.  

Ayman and Mamdouh were ordained as Egypt UBF chapter directors in Cairo and Assuit, a city located 230 miles south of Cairo. Egypt is a Muslim-dominant country, but also a country that has the largest Christian population, up to 20%, among the Arab nations. Please pray for student discipleship ministry in Egypt by the power of God’s word and the Holy Spirit, overcoming the anti-Christian atmosphere of the country.

After the conference, there was a dedication worship service of the new South Sudan Bible House near the University of Juba. This Bible House was built by the 2014 UBF world-wide Christmas offerings. South Sudan UBF leaders are deeply grateful for the support from UBF North America, Korea, and the world.  Juba Bible House is the best building in the neighborhood that has electricity. The electricity is provided by solar panels that are installed on the roof. So the Bible House serves as a community center for people who come to charge their cell phones. You can see the humble streets and houses around.   

South Sudan shepherds are praying for restoration of Malakal, the northern center of the country. They are also praying for the reestablishment of UBF in Khartoum, the capital of the Muslim Sudan from which South Sudan gained independence in 2011. I believe that God has raised South Sudan and Egypt UBF as strongholds for evangelization of Northern Africa and the Arab world. Let’s pray that South Sudan and Egypt may be the power stations and missionary bases for the evangelization of Arab countries. Please pray for Christian campus missions in Northern African countries--from the top, Tunisia, Libya, Chad, Sudan, and Central African Republic. Let’s also pray for campus ministries in the Middle East countries, that are known to be the ends of the world. God will enable it, if we pray.  Please pray for peace to come to South Sudan. Let’s pray for powerful gospel work among the peoples of South Sudan in the midst of their sufferings by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Southern Region

Southern region—South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Botswana—had a conference with a theme, “Living Hope” (1Pe 1:3) in South Africa. It was winter in South Africa, but God blessed the conference with mild weather and a clear sky. 198 attended including 6 from Lesotho, a small kingdom in South Africa, and 4 from Portuguese-speaking Mozambique. God has raised 6 native shepherd families. The key leaders are Andries, Theo, Abia, and Desmond of South Africa UBF, Blessed of Zimbabwe and Moses of Zambia. Receiving scholarship from the South Korean government, two Zimbabwean shepherds, Chikura and Oversen, were sent to Korea as missionaries.

Southern Africa UBF is praying to reach out to the neighboring countries. From the right to the left, they are Madagascar, Mozambique, Malawi, Swaziland, Lesotho, Namibia and Angola. Shep. Paulo of South Africa and his wife M. Sarah Neusa from Portugal are preparing to go to Mozambique.

Western Region

Western region had a conference with a theme, “The Hope of Glory” (Col 1:27) in Nigeria. 160 attended including 7 from Ghana. Ghana UBF began when Mss. Truman and Maria Lee were sent from Nigeria in 2012. God raised strong Nigerian leadership through discipleship of Mss. Peter & the late Monica Park and Andrew & Rebekah Yoon. After these pioneers and another missionary family who returned to Korea, Nigerian shepherds are serving Nigerian campus missions in four chapters in Lagos, Nigeria. The chapter directors are John Fato (Lagos I), Abraham Owoeye (Lagos II), James Odejimi (Univ. of Lagos Medical School), and Duke Ekokoka (Yaba Tech College). Their families are sacrificially serving Nigerian students by offering more than one tenth of their income, their time and life. Praise God for raising such faithful men and women of God!

The photo above shows a huge outdoor rally facility, a mile long and a half mile wide, in the Christian camp where we had the conference. This shows the power of the growing church in Nigeria. As you know, Nigeria and South Sudan are located on the southern front of Islamic Northern Africa. I believe God has raised Nigeria and South Sudan UBF and churches to be missionary bases for evangelization of Northern Islamic Africa. I believe UBF missionaries should be the first who go to the north. For college students are the most open-hearted people, and the evangelization of the countries in Northern Africa should start in college campuses.    

Please pray that Nigeria UBF may reach out to the other major cities of Nigeria—Kano in the north, Ibadan and Benin City in the west. Let’s pray that Nigeria and Ghana may become the power stations and missionary bases for evangelization of all the countries in Western Africa. Countries to be reached out to are Cameroon, Gabon to the south, Benin, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Senegal to the west, Niger, Mali, Algeria and Morocco to the north.

Africa is the second most-populous continent next to Asia. It is also the youngest continent with her people’s median age of 20. Africa has abundant natural resources, but people are suffering due to corruption, poor education and healthcare, as well as strife among tribes. What is the hope of Africa? It is Jesus Christ and his gospel. Only the gospel of Jesus Christ can save African people and heal the lands. Let’s pray for the coming of a new Africa through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let’s pray that God may raise African UBF shepherds and missionaries who will reach out to 54 countries of Africa with the gospel. Please pray for establishing UBF Missionary Training Centers in Nigeria and Uganda for African campus missions. May God raise many short-term and long-term missionaries for Africa!