Region / Country: English- and Portuguese-speaking Africa

Raising an Upright Generation

Ellen Napala has a vision. And, as General Secretary of the Student Christian Organisation of Malawi (SCOM), the IFES national movement, she also has many responsibilities. But she keeps the purpose for them all in clear sight. “I want everyone to feel the presence of God’s children, to see their light”, she says.  

The need for this presence and light is great – socially and morally. 

Although great strides have been made in tackling the country’s AIDS epidemic, HIV rates remain among the highest in the world. With the effects of global heating (e.g. cyclones), COVID-19, and pervasive social inequalities, students need a faith that will minister to these social realities – on campus and beyond.  

This conviction has been threaded through Ellen’s 20 years of ministry in SCOM. As staff, she headed up SCOM’s Social Development Department, particularly their engagement with HIV programs. In fact, when later asked to become General Secretary, she was somewhat reluctant, worried that this new role would take her away from grassroots interactions that empowered students and communities for holistic transformation.  

Sadly, due to funding shortfalls, some social action programs have ceased, but during her time in leadership the social development work has remained central. At the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, SCOM – with support from the Presbyterian Church in Ireland – is currently providing meals and accommodation for 21 less privileged students who would otherwise have to fend for themselves. And in February, two SCOM graduates donated 600 pine trees, subsequently planted by students at secondary schools – “a beautiful act of stewardship that spreads God’s love and nurtures the earth he has entrusted to us”. 

The moral need is also pressing. The ungodly behaviour of many professing Christians has undermined the witness of SCOM and the church in Malawi. So, Ellen’s hopes for revival stretch beyond students making a declaration of faith in Jesus – she wants to see SCOM students and graduates leading lives dedicated to him, full of godliness, bright with holiness. This is why SCOM’s ministry focus for the year is “Raising an Upright Generation”. Under this theme, Ellen and IFES regional staff led sessions on academic excellence, sex, and relationships across five educational venues in Ntchisi earlier this month. Through these and similar visits, students have not only been turning to Christ but also committing themselves to sexual purity. 

This is a life-changing and society-changing vision.  

Will you pray for Ellen and the staff and students in SCOM as they seek to raise an upright generation that demonstrates godly action and models Christlike behaviour? 

  • Give thanks for Ellen and her clear vision – and for the ways that SCOM has been engaging with social issues, climate change, and Christian integrity. The General Secretary role, however, can be physically demanding and emotionally draining; ask the Lord to give Ellen fresh strength and special grace.  
  • Since SCOM groups across the country tend to be quite independent, the staff team are seeking to develop a stronger sense of solidarity and common vision, as well as a deeper connection with IFES. Pray that more students like Lakina, who attended World Assembly last year (see here), will reap the benefits of wider fellowship. 
  • Pray that God will provide for SCOM as they work on mobilising resources. Since the pandemic, they have had to reduce the staff team from 17 to 11. Ask that God will meet personnel needs and supply the funds for social action programs, allowing more of God’s presence and light to be felt. 

God Opens the Door

“It’s an answer to prayer – God has opened the door!”

Lawrence Gomez was talking about Cape Verde (Cabo Verde). As IFES West Africa Associate regional secretary and pioneering lead in English- and Portuguese Speaking Africa (EPSA), he visited the island nation with EPSA Regional Secretary Zelalem Abebe last year. Years ago, attempts were made to start student ministry on Cape Verde, but they came to nothing. Then, after years of prayer, a door opened – and has continued to open ever wider.

In a scouting visit in July 2022, Lawrence and Zelalem shared the vision for campus ministry with students and church leaders, and connections quickly developed. The door was starting to open. A key contact they met was Isabel Ines, a lecturer at Universidade de Cabo Verde, who had encountered IFES ministry 25 years ago in Brazil as a student in ABUB (Aliança Bíblica Universitária do Brasil). With her positive IFES experiences and good standing in a local Nazarene church, she was able to credibly advocate for the ministry with various church pastors.

So, when the IFES EPSA team returned in November, they were able to identify potential board members and conduct preliminary governance training with them. In some contexts, church leaders can be cautious about IFES ministry, fearful that it may take youth away from the local church. Not in Cape Verde; God was further opening the door with Emanuel Monteiro, pastor of the Baptist Church in the capital Praia. He provided his office for meetings, agreed to become a board member, and has been helping with the paperwork for registering a national student movement.

The churches’ support also helped to identify the first staff worker: Berenice. A recent graduate, she was recommended to Lawrence by Pastor Emanuele. The IFES team were impressed with her heart for student ministry – and her ability to speak English, Portuguese, and French, which will give her good access to the university’s 1,000+ students.

And the students? They can’t wait. Lawrence recently received a WhatsApp message from one of the students they met in recent months: “When are you guys coming?”.

As if all this were not enough, the university administration has also shown positivity towards campus ministry. Lawrence says that Christian students living in university dormitories can feel isolated on Sundays with no shuttle bus to reach the city for church. To address this, the administration is happy for an auditorium to be used for fellowship each weekend.

Truly, God has swung the door wide open in Cape Verde by providing supportive churches, enthusiastic students, high calibre staff, and an amenable university administration. Let us pray that God’s blessing will now flow through this open door.

Pray with us for student ministry in Cape Verde:

  • Praise God for all the positive developments of this past year and give thanks that the newly formed board had its first meeting in July. Pray that the strong links with churches will continue.
  • Pray for Lawrence and Berenice as they seek to train students in leading inductive Bible studies in October. Pray especially that God will guide and equip Bernice in her new role.
  • Pray for God to keep opening doors for pioneering work in EPSA – especially for São Tomé and Príncipe, where there are similar opportunities and openings.

God answers prayers for renewal

“Renew” was our theme for World Student Day last October, when we asked that God would bring fresh life to student ministry around the fellowship. One place we are seeing those prayers answered is in South Africa, where efforts to rebuild Christian student groups that died out during the pandemic have yielded signs of life and growth in the last few months. 

“The revival of student ministry in many universities and schools is going well,” shares Motseki Sosibo, National Director of Students’ Christian Organisation (SCO), the IFES national movement in South Africa. “Seeing the hunger of students to know and follow Jesus Christ is an encouragement. We continue to see God’s faithfulness.” 

The ministry at the University of Johannesburg was hit hard by the pandemic: all the SCO groups closed. Restarting them was complicated by the fact that to be registered with the university, student organizations must recruit a minimum number of participants, often 150 – 200 students. Praise God that in February, SCO ran a recruitment drive and signed up enough students to become officially registered.  

“This is a tremendous blessing as it will enable the Christian Union to have access to more university resources as they seek to spread the gospel on campus,” says Motseki. In a second recruitment drive, which took place on 27 May, SCO was able to re-introduce their ministry to more students and share the gospel with those who hadn’t heard about Jesus.  

At another university, Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), the Christian student group has been steadily growing in numbers. But campus life was disrupted in May when student protests, which were initially peaceful, ended in violent clashes with the police. All campuses were closed, and students were sent home – they were only allowed to return to campus on 5 June. “Please pray for peace to prevail on all CPUT campuses,” asks Motseki.  

He says that South African campus ministry is complex with lots of opportunities and challenges.  

“In general, students are open to hearing the gospel. The reception on most campuses is warm and welcoming. But the atmosphere on some campuses can also be very political. One of SCO’s aims is to empower students to be salt and light and bring a Christian voice into student politics. We need prayer in this space so that we can help Christian students bring meaning, hope, and a positive impact in the student politics arena.” 

Another challenge that the movement faces is lack of staff. There are only six staff members for a ministry that spans South Africa’s university and colleges and some high schools. But SCO has responded creatively and strategically, investing in student leaders, and starting a one-year staff internship program to provide an on-ramp for prospective staff members.  

The two current interns, Thapelo and Sam, saw several fruitful ministry developments in April. Thapelo worked with the Tshwane University of Technology (Mbombela branch) to host their first outreach event since COVID-19. The students in attendance responded to the gospel with open hearts and the venue was completely filled. Meanwhile, Sam and students at Walter Sisulu University hosted an evangelistic event that saw more than 20 students come to Christ.  

Please pray with us for students in South Africa: 

  • Thank God for the student groups that have been revived and for the positive response to outreach efforts. 
  • Pray for the staff internship program, for program funding and for more graduates to get involved.  
  • Pray for the National Conference, being held from 30 September – 3 October: for the logistics and finances of the conference, for transformation in the lives of attendees, and that God would provide for students as they fundraise for the conference fee and transport costs. 
  • Pray for the fundraising efforts of SCO delegates attending IFES World Assembly in August, especially that student delegates would raise the full funds needed for their flights and registration fee. 

Fiery trials and powerful priorities

As you may have seen on social media, early September brought an unexpected catastrophe for ZAFES, the IFES national movement in Zambia. Their national office burnt down. However, ZAFES are continuing their ministry despite this setback. And as the English and Portuguese-speaking Africa (EPSA) Regional Secretary Zelalem Abebe confirms, in the last year the movement has made “amazing progress, in many aspects”. In this Prayerline, let’s thank God for how he has blessed ZAFES in 2022, and stand with them in prayer that God would continue to bring beauty, even out of ashes (Isaiah 61:3).

The progress made by ZAFES has been fueled by a clear emphasis on the crucial importance of studying God’s Word. At Kitwe Education College on the Copperbelt Province in the north of Zambia, ZAFES recently pioneered the Bible Exposition Self-Training Program, which prepares students to study the Bible and write study guides. As student Patricia says, “this program has impacted me in so many ways, in helping me find meaning in Scripture.”

For Christians across Zambia, far beyond university campuses, ZAFES may be best known for the Daily Nuggets. They have been producing this Bible reading devotional guide over the last four years, and it has become an essential tool for Christians in Zambia, even beyond ZAFES students, staff, graduates, and associates.

Besides the study of Scripture, establishing fellowship and partnerships with other believers has also been a key ministry priority. Approaching churches to make them aware of ZAFES has prompted 16 churches to pledge various kinds of support for the movement, thus providing new facilities and helping ZAFES become more financially stable. The movement is also mobilizing their graduates, who are responding enthusiastically; as a result, nine new associates’ branches were established across the country in the last year.

Pray for ZAFES and students in Zambia:

  • Thank God for this progress, which has allowed ZAFES to flourish despite the challenges they have faced.
  • Thank God for the blessing and joy of new and renewed partnerships with churches and associates.
  • Please pray for a way forward after the destruction of the office, as well as the offices of five other organizations. “Pray for grace”, asks Barnabas, ZAFES National Director, “that we will continue to look to God and trust him even more. But pray that this setback will not affect campus ministry.” Pray for wisdom and unity, and that through all these things God will continue to call students in Zambia who don’t yet know him.
  • Pray for the staff to be strengthened during this period and for a breakthrough in their stipend which has not been regular for some months.

Thank you for the support you show to ZAFES with your prayers. We’re also thankful for the financial support of those who have given to the movement in response to the fire. If you feel led to help in this way also, you can do so here.

Peacemakers in ethnic civil conflict

‘Bloodshed is nothing new for South Sudan’.

Denis locates current ethnic division within the young country’s past. ‘For 22 years before independence, a brutal civil war raged in Sudan between the government in the predominantly Muslim north and rebels from the south, where people are mostly Christian.’ Now, Isaac says he ‘personally terms ethnic conflict as political wrangling used to divide and conquer, splitting the nation’.

But FOCUS, the IFES national movement in South Sudan, are working to speak into the nation’s problems. Isaac and Denis are ‘peace actors’ in the Acts 4 initiative, FOCUS’s awareness campaign about the impact of hate. An ethnically-based civil war has continued in some form since 2013. As Denis explains, ‘ethnic hate speech is rising among students across the country, and students are significant because they are influential in their communities.’ But the gospel is the foundation for FOCUS to be peacemakers. They held a three-month program of workshops for 45 student leaders, from different campuses and ethnic backgrounds, chosen to be ‘peace actors’. They also distributed anti-hate campaign posters in public places and campuses, and were even invited to speak on the radio. Finally, FOCUS invited 350 students to honest discussions in which many recognised that their hatred towards other ethnic groups originated in family attitudes, learnt at an early age.

Isaac and Denis are both students in Jonglei state, which was the epicenter of violence in 2013. Their studies continue to be severely impacted by violence in the town surrounding their university. Isaac explains that ‘students forget intellectual reasoning and argue that conflict will benefit their own tribe. FOCUS brought us out from this way of thinking and helped us realise what our leaders really need to focus on. I am so fortunate to be able to contribute constructively towards transforming South Sudan. This Act 4 peace initiative has changed my entire life from the perspective of this ethnic conflict and communal violence.’

Denis shares his experience of going to university in such a dangerous place:

‘It was so difficult for my parents to let me go to Jonglei state. It was really a challenge for me to integrate with local communities from a different region, not knowing the local language. While this had a real impact on my faith, it was the first step in my life towards advocating for peace. My parents started to change their attitude toward other ethnic groups after this, too.

‘The Acts 4 initiative encourages me to stand firm in my faith despite the challenges. Before becoming a peace actor, I was negative about other ethnic groups. But I learnt to embrace diversity and inclusiveness. Through this small initiative there was a great impact on our university. I want to thank God for the great work he is doing in different nations across the globe, and particularly in South Sudan for raising people who have the heart to work for his kingdom and for peace.’

It doesn’t stop here. FOCUS South Sudan are beginning a partnership with another IFES movement,  FOCUS Kenya. FOCUS Kenya National Director Simon Kande explains that they are planning to fund a South Sudanese staff member, and, if possible, send FOCUS Kenya staff to South Sudan. They are interested in helping FOCUS South Sudan in their peacebuilding work, too. A group of FOCUS Kenya graduates are working for community development and ethnic conflict resolution in NGOs and agencies in South Sudan. FOCUS Kenya plans to bring them together as an Associate branch – ready to serve the movement in South Sudan, and further the cause of gospel peace in the country.

Pray for Denis, Isaac and FOCUS South Sudan:

  • Denis and Isaac both ask that Prayerline readers continue to pray for peace, healing and reconciliation in South Sudan, that the country’s leaders would embrace diversity, and that God would give them strength as they work for transformation.
  • Isaac asks that we pray for the impact of climate change in South Sudan, which currently ranks in the top ten most vulnerable countries. ‘I really urge you of good faith to continue your support, spiritually, mentally and financially to relieve our beloved country from this critical situation.’
  • Pray for the gospel work of FOCUS, that students would be the Lord’s agents, that God would provide, and his kingdom will come. Pray that the planned partnerships with FOCUS Kenya would go ahead.

If you want to find out more or get in contact with FOCUS South Sudan, you can email them at focusssu@gmail.com. You can give to the movement here.

That the world may know

Inspiring students to love missions is just the beginning. After that it’s a matter of watching them use their passions and gifts to take charge. Commission, organized by FOCUS Kenya, aims to be that catalyst. It is a missions conference designed to help students, graduates, and churches discover the mission of God and their responsibility in it. This conference has been a formative time for many students: 

“I began missions after my experience at the Commission conference. I have been doing door to door evangelism to my fellow students on campus and the neighboring community. Ten people have so far made commitments to follow Christ.” 

Ilenji, student 

“Commission conference changed my life, and I really thank God. I was able to discover my God-given gift. It’s also during the conference I purposed to support missions financially.”

Brian, student 

“Since Commission, I have been sharing God’s word with my course mates, one of whom joined my Bible study group.” 

Abigail, student 

The eleventh Commission conference will take place this year from 30 October to 14 November. More than 5,000 delegates from Kenya and beyond will gather to discuss lifestyle evangelism, integral missions, and how to support mission work through their prayers and finances. Out of this conference will come robust evangelism initiatives organized by students to target campus communities after the conference. In past conferences God has also called some delegates to pray for, support, or to serve among specific unreached people groups.  

Organizers expect this year will continue a powerful legacy of students experiencing God’s heart for missions. With the event primarily being online this year there is the opportunity for more people from outside of Kenya to participate. Want to join in? Find out more.  

Would you pray with us for this event?  

  • Pray that God would raise many delegates to carry the burden of reaching others with the gospel. 
  • Pray for grace, strength, and wisdom for the planning team. 
  • Pray that the voice of God will be clear to every speaker as they prepare to share in the conference. 
  • Ask God to provide resources, materials, and equipment to make this conference a success.  

Managing talents

How will you make your talent count?  

This is the question that participants are being asked during the most recent training from the IFES Governance Development ministry, called the Matt.25 eForum. The program references the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, where an employer leaves bags of gold with his three employees and asks them to manage his assets while he is away.  

Though IFES board members are not given bags of gold to manage, they have been allocated great responsibility in caring for the organization of their IFES movement. How they handle this responsibility counts greatly. As the parable goes in vs 21, when all is said and done, the hope is that they will hear God say, “Well done, good and faithful… board member.” 

Most recently leaders in EPSA have been challenged by this thinking through the eForum. After more than a year of intense ministry change due to the pandemic, the eForum is helping them strategically re-imagine how they can adapt to challenging times. Participants were asked to consider topics like creating a culture of evaluation, caring for their General Secretary, and revising their vision, mission, and core values to fit the changing needs of their ministry. They were also given elements of refresher governance training like “Ten Top Tips for an Effective Board.”  

The hope is that this eForum will encourage them to press into creating and sustaining healthy governance structures, despite recent challenges.  

This week, let’s pray for leaders in EPSA and around the world who are seeking God’s wisdom in caring for the responsibilities he has entrusted them.  

  • Pray for board members in EPSA who have just completed this eForum. Pray that God would give them the discernment to implement the wisdom they have learned in effective ways.  
  • Pray for board members around the world as they shoulder great responsibility in leading ministry. Pray that God gives them the strength to honor and sustain this weighty responsibility to grow the “assets” they have been given.  
  • Praise God for the organizers involved in Governance Development programs such as the Matt.25 eForum. Ask for more leadership to become involved with these important resources. 

Want to know more about Governance Development programs from IFES? Read here.  

Keeping Bread on the Table

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2 
“Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” Romans 12:13 
“Encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 

Movements supporting movements. It is what Christ calls us to do, and it is what IFES is uniquely positioned to coordinate. With COVID-19, many movements have suffered economically. Some have given up their office space because they were unable to pay rent, and others have not been able to pay staff. That is why former Acting General Secretary Jamil and the Associate Secretaries implemented the Solidarity Fund in the early autumn of 2020.  

The Fund encouraged donations from movements with more financial resources, so that funds could be given to movements most financially affected by COVID-19. It is a way for IFES staff and national movements to show solidarity to movements, to ensure that they could continue ministry beyond the pandemic. Combined with donations to the COVID-19 global response fund, these gifts have been vital to sustain ministry in multiple countries. For SULTAM Lesotho, a grant from the Solidarity Fund meant that they could reinstate staff workers who had been laid off and keep bread on their tables. It also meant that their daily office expenses for communication and electricity would be covered to keep administration running smoothly. 

With these basic needs met by the Solidarity Fund, SULTAM could focus on ministry.  

“With more hands in place we will be able to cover more campuses at a go. Therefore, ministerial goals will be achieved,” 

says Metsing Waza Moholane, a SULTAM staff worker.  

Thanks to the grant, the movement was also able to put together a marriage seminar and coordinate graduates to conduct community outreach to kids. They also continued mentoring students in the Word of God. 

This week, thank God for a fellowship of movements who work together to support student ministry around the world.  

  • Praise God for providing through the Solidarity Fund. 
  • Pray with us for the many movements who have suffered through financial struggle over the past year and ask God to continue to provide for them. 
  • Pray for SULTAM Lesotho, that God would open doors for finances and give them more financial partnerships. Pray also for their wisdom as they continue ministry during the pandemic. 

Toppling Idols

Aliou* was in trouble. She could see it in her mother’s face as once again she placed the idol back on the shelf. Aliou was insistent.  

“I follow Jesus now. Only Jesus.” 

With a swift movement Aliou knocked the idol down again. With a thud it hit the floor and rolled out of sight. Her mother and grandmother shrieked, scrambling to find it.  

“You are in danger!” her mother screamed. 

For students in Guinea-Bissau who choose to walk away from the traditional spiritual practices of their ethnic group, life is never the same. Aliou says, 

“Being a Christian here is much more difficult than you imagine, not difficult because of political or governmental persecution but because of your own family.” 

Aliou says that this familial persecution often comes from fearing the consequences of not maintaining their routine spiritual ceremonies. People believe that when a person does not follow their traditions, calamity will follow. Yet, Aliou is not afraid. 

“By using the word of the Lord, I show people that God is greater than these things.” 

After the death of her father, Aliou’s community pressured her to practice a traditional religious ceremony to prevent any harm from coming to her. Still, she refused. She says, 

“Jesus assured me that in his hands nothing can happen to me.”   

Though she faces pressure to uphold traditional spiritual practices, Aliou finds encouragement from meeting with other Christian students through her GBU group. Together they open the Bible and pray for those who do not believe. Aliou even had the opportunity to meet Christians from around the world at World Assembly in 2019. She was amazed to see so many people from different countries, races, and languages seeking the same God. She was struck by their desire to transform their cultures.  

“God has shown me important people with their degrees, postgraduate studies, specialties, ages, money, who… seek God. People who use their positions to transform society and to glorify God. This challenges me for my country.” 

This week lets pray for Aliou and for the GBU in Guinea Bissau.  

  • Pray for students who face persecution from their families as they refuse to take part in traditional spiritual practices. 
  • Though growth has been slow since Guinea Bissau joined the Fellowship last year, they are seeing some progress. Pray that their GBU groups would continue to grow amid the social challenges of their country. 
  • Aliou says that their greatest need is financial. Pray for financial provision so that they can bring on a full-time staff worker.  

*name changed 

Equipped to Engage

Joseph could still hear the laughter echoing down the hall as he rushed out of the classroom. The words of his classmates rung in his ears.  

“If God is so powerful, why would he let you fail the module?” 

“Guess you should have just partied with us anyway since you ended up failing the class.” 

“Look who isn’t so perfect after all!” 

Joseph had done his best to respond to their jeers, but he did not know what to say. He loved God and wanted to serve him, but he had never been in a situation like this before. Going to university had changed everything. He had no desire to participate in the heavy drinking culture that was so pervasive on campuses in Zimbabwe. When he did not join in, his classmates responded by constantly challenging his faith.  

The dilemmas he faced on campus led Joseph to sign up for the IFES Engaging the University e-course. Through this course, Joseph became connected with other university students from around the world who wanted to take a more active role engaging with issues on campus and in society. The course encouraged participants to think biblically and critically about their university context. They were also challenged to consider how they could use their discipline of study for the gospel.  As a result, Joseph was equipped to be salt and light when engaging in tough conversations with his classmates. 

Many students like Joseph encounter challenges once they go to university. Not only do they face opposition to their faith, but they must also confront difficult issues on campus and in the wider society. This week let’s pray for university students like Joseph who are starting classes in the next few months. 

  • Pray for students entering university to use challenging circumstances to grow in their faith.  
  • Pray that students will be salt and light as they engage with tough issues on their campuses.  
  • Pray for the new cohort of students taking the Engaging the University e-course, beginning in September.  

Do you want to be equipped to engage the university? There is still time to sign up for the Engaging the University e-course. Send an e-mail to engagingtheuni@ifesworld.org  to sign up or learn more.