Continuing Mission Ministries
Educating Future Leaders
Education is one of the greatest needs in Africa. We believe that by providing a Godly education with a focus on leadership and ethics, that Africa’s children can become the world changers of tomorrow.
Currently, we are working to complete the ADVOCATES SCHOOL OF LEADERSHIP in Rwanda.
The people of Africa who are called to ministry seldom have the opportunity to be adequately trained.Through our ongoing training conferences, Pastors and leaders are equipped with the tools they need to become effective in their specific roles.
Africa Oasis Project Impacting A Continent
In front of Grace School in Notsé, Togo, a crowd of nearly 500 people — many of whom were Muslim — gathered in 2018 for the distribution of heavy-duty water filters and buckets by the Africa Oasis Project, an Assemblies of God World Missions initiative that is responding to Africa’s ongoing water crisis.
As in many other villages across Africa, waterborne parasites and illnesses such as typhoid, cholera, salmonella and diarrhea routinely brought death to children and other vulnerable members of Notsé’s society.
AGWM missionary Tim Ligon gestured toward the buckets and filters, stating, “Someone loves you. A church in the USA has given you these gifts, so you can see their love for you today.”
Ministry team members then drew water from a shallow, hand-dug well nearby, and demonstrated the use of the filters.
“The difference between the filtered and unfiltered well water was shocking,” says Africa Oasis Project team leader Mark Alexander. “The crowd began to cheer and clap, telling us they did not realize just how filthy the water they had been drinking actually was.”
Notsé’s pastor quietly pulled Tim Ligon aside, “What you have done here today is saving lives.”
“The positive effect of good health is staggering,” says Mark, who along with his wife, Vickie, has served with AOP for 25 years. “These filters will last for years. In addition, the gift of Living Water will last for eternity. The results of this are too large to be understood.”
Far from Notsé, in the Pemba region of Mozambique, the Alexanders’ fellow AOP team leaders Steve and Glenda Evans experienced similar joy.
In partnership with Joel and Adrienne Charest, AGWM missionaries to Mozambique, the Evanses oversaw the drilling of a well beside a church in a remote, predominantly Islamic village.
“It was a delight to partner with our missionary heroes, the Charests,” Steve says. “When we arrived at the church and the new well, people were standing in the dirt road, singing and dancing. The joyful pastor told us no water had ever before flowed in their village. Buckets were given to 100 new believers that day.”
Steve and Glenda conclude, “We love what God enables us to continue to do for Him, bringing clean water and the Living Water to the people of Africa. To Jesus be all the glory!”
Guatemala AG, AGWM, and Convoy of Hope Respond to Volcano Fuego
by David Amsler – AGWM missionary to Guatemala on July 3, 2018
On June 3, Guatemala’s Volcano Fuego erupted, spewing lahars (water mixed with volcanic deposits to form destructive debris flow) pyroclastic flows (fast-moving mixtures of gas and volcanic substance), lava and ash that killed at least 114 people and left more than 192 missing. The eruption was one of Fuego’s deadliest in over 100 years.
The Assemblies of God of Guatemala’s National Emergency Committee (NEC) immediately leapt into action, receiving and distributing food, water, clothes, medicines, diapers and other supplies directly to some of the areas affected. In the weeks since the eruption, they are focusing on areas mostly overlooked by government efforts, and some nearly were caught up in a hot mud flow while bringing food and water to an affected area.
Convoy of Hope sent two representatives who connected with the NEC. They brought water filters, solar powered lights, masks and, to date, have distributed over 52,000 meals to 1,356 families in nine communities.
Guatemala’s government has set up several shelters for survivors, and is looking into building simple, basic housing. Many have lost everything: family, home, property and jobs. The government has declared the area uninhabitable. People are not permitted to return to their properties, which are likely buried under ash and mud. Search and recovery efforts for missing people has been called off.
CONRED (Guatemala’s emergency agency) continues to issue danger warning of volcanic activity. Continued explosions sending ash into the air continue posing problems to those living downwind. Many are suffering from conjunctivitis, something like pink eye, an irritation or inflammation of the conjunctiva, which covers the white part of the eyeball. Others have respiratory issues and something like bronchitis.
Individuals, businesses, and churches in Guatemala have responded with an outpouring of support with donations of food, water, clothes and other needed items for people living in shelters. It is expected that emergency relief donations will quickly be depleted, especially as people’s attention to the disaster dissipates. The Guatemalan Assemblies of God is trying to prepare for when that national response dries up.
One Way Guatemala – our ministry focused on outreach and ministry efforts to children 4-14 years of age – is meeting with NEC’s directors to consider longer term compassion ministries to those affected when donations stop. We are also looking to help the NEC with tools and supplies for their workers (transportation, fuel, masks, boots, etc.).
The Guatemalan church needs prayer regarding how best to serve hundreds of displaced and hurting people who have lost family, livelihood, property and hope. Join me in praying for comfort, protection, wisdom and provision, and for a mighty testimony of Christ’s love to prevail.