News - Young Life Africa

September 17, 2009

"With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?" He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? - Micah 6:6-8

The above passage is lived out daily by the men and women that God has drawn together to lead Young Life Africa. They live out justice, kindness, and humility through their sacrifice and their service! Thank you for continuing to keep the Young Life Africa staff, volunteers, and kids in your prayers.

Moges Berassa - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia:

Praise God for the new baby boy that Alemtsehay and her husband Dr. Teffera had on Wednesday, August 12 at 9:05 a.m. They have named him Jonathan and he weighed 2.6 kilo (5.7 lbs). Mommy, Daddy and Baby are happy and healthy!

Steve Larmey - Dar es Salaam, Tanzania:

Pray that God would bless the upcoming S.A.L.T. (Senior African Leadership Team) meeting the first week of October here in Dar es Salaam as they focus on discipleship & fellowship at every level in Young Life Africa. Pray that God would raise up financial partners for country sponsors and staff sponsors throughout the continent so more kids can hear the Good News.

Benga Msoshi - Bukavu, DRC &

Alexis Kwamy - Arusha, Tanzania:

We are back home and really thank God for having taken us to Lubumbashi. While we were there, there were so many discouraging things that we easily thought we should not have gone and thought about giving up. But we really saw God working with us and in us, molding us for more trust, perseverance and surrender to Him. The outcome is that we have two committed servants ( Alphonse and Jean Jacques) whom we believe God will use to start YL in Lubumbashi (one of the largest cities in DRC).

We gave them the YL vision and shared a lot especially about contact work and discipleship. They feel ready to start and will have more training in Bukavu. We pray that God will speak more to us and to them for this commitment to start YL in Lubumbashi.

Please keep praying that we receive our passports as we still don’t have them but our new friends will send them to us once they are finally stamped.

Neal & Sarah Stanton - currently in the U.K.:

Please pray as Neal and Sarah are finishing their last commitments in the U.K before moving back to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania to re-start Young Life at the International School of Tanganika. Please pray that that they will be able to move as soon as possible, that they will be able to raise the rest of their funding, and that their newborn son, Joseph, will transition easily! Please keep them in prayer as they say goodbyes to loved ones and pack up their live in England.

Tiowa Diarra - Bamako, Mali:

The first Club started in Boulkassoumbougou three weeks ago. Ten kids are meeting there under the leadership of Deborah and two other volunteer YL leaders. A second training is planned in a couple of days. Another Club will be opened earlier in October under the leadership of Jekobed, Job Coulibaly and Joseph Ongoiba. To God be the Glory in kids coming to know Jesus in Mali through Young Life for the first time!

August 24, 2009

James Davis - Monrovia, Liberia:

Praise God for the 122 kids who went to camp and the 58 who accepted Jesus. We are so grateful for the Work Team that came from the US to serve kids and volunteers under the direction of Drew Voyles.

Martin Wamalwa - Nairobi, Kenya:

Mungai, Matilda and I are so grateful for the 600 kids who came to camp over the past three weeks from Nairobi, Mombasa, Malindi, Kakamega, Kakamega Rainforest, Nakuru, & Kilgoris. In the first two weeks, 268 accepted Christ.

Our third week of camp is currently going on...but we are hopeful that many will come to know their Father. We are grateful for Matt Santen and his Work Team who came to serve kids. Many of you may be familiar with the Masai Tribe in Kenya and Tanzania.

Although they are very aware and involved in the modern world, they have maintained their tribal customs in virtually every way. They wear red blankets for their clothing, they drink cow’s milk mixed with cow’s blood for food, they live in mud huts in polygymist settings, they herd cattle.

You have prayed for Laban who has a YL club for Masai kids started North of Arusha under Alexis Kwamy’s leadership. They are unique kids with unique needs but who need the hope and love of Jesus Christ like any other teenager. The 47 Masai kids and 4 Masai leaders from Kilgoris, Kenya who attended camp had the best week of their life. David and Agnes Lemiso (David is Masai himself) were introduced to Young Life through their friends Jon & Caren McCormack from the Bay Area in California. We are so grateful to God for what He has done.

Moges Berassa - Addis Ababa Ethiopia:

We rejoice for the 973 kids that God brought to camp during this summer. Each of them heard the Good News of Jesus Christ and were loved by a Young Life Volunteer leader. 581 stood up accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior. We are tremendously thankful to God for the amazing team of staff and volunteers that He provides for us. He also provided incredible help through the 2 work teams (one from Alpharetta, GA and the other from Pennsylvania) that came to serve alongside the Ethiopian staff.

Irene Mwasanga - Dar es Salam, Tanzania:

180 kids from Arusha enjoyed camp in June. They were served very well by a Work Team that came together from all over in the US just to help with camp. 92 kids began their personal walk with Jesus. 170 kids from Zanzibar, Dodoma, and Iringa Tanzania, 111 began their walk with Jesus. This was an amazing work from the Lord as Young Life is new this year in all three of these cities. 172 kids came to camp from the Dar es Salaam area in which 128 kids began their walk with Jesus. In July, we began a very unique initiative reaching out and training Village Teachers. We have targeted several villages who have teachers who profess Christ. We brought them through a YL camp experience while also giving them specific Teacher Training. 82 teachers attended, 14 accepted Christ, and 17 said they want to be Young Life leaders. God blessed us with the Young Life Africa Committee and Friends from America who served as the Work Crew at this camp. Young Life Camp in

Uganda Simon Okiria - Pallisa, Uganda:

We are thankful for God bringing us 156 kids to Young Life camp and the 116 kids who accepted Jesus Christ. We look forward to discipling these new believers and continuing to reach out to all the teenagers in our areas. We are grateful for Marshall Jamison and the Work Team he brought to serve Ugandan Kids.

Patson Mpofu - Matopo Hills, Zimbabwe:

God blessed us this summer with 122 kids who went to Young Life Camp and the 15 who accepted Christ. We also were blessed with a wonderful partnership with Nkosi Sampindi and his team of volunteers from Bulawayo as it was their first time with kids at camp. The Work Team from Church of the Apostles in Atlanta was an amazing Gift from God once again!

Lusayo Mhango - Blantyre, Malawi:

There were two camps with a total of 130 campers, 58 accepted Jesus Christ. Eric Mixon’s Work Team from Young Life in Oklahoma did a tremendous job. I will finish by sharing a story of Kondwani Mtila. He is a 17 year old boy from Chichiri secondary school in from 4. Kondwani and his crew of about 4 are labeled as the trouble makers at the school.

I developed a friendship with this boy a few months ago and invited him to come to camp. On the day of arrival, Kondwani came drunk and he smuggled some bottles of beer into camp. We found 2 bottles of beer and 1 giant bottle of spirit that he and his friends brought to camp to drink. It was rumored that his group of boys sneaked out during the afternoon of the second day (during entertainment practice) but they didn’t bring anything at all.

However, after the response talk was given, I saw Kondwani standing up saying he wants to repent and believe in Jesus. I was amazed at the transformation that was taking place in his life, even though I had some doubts whether his conviction was genuine at all. 2 days after camp, he called me asking if he could join my discipleship/bible study group. He has been attending ever since.

This is one of the many stories of the lives that were changed because of Jesus in the just ended camp, all glory to Jesus.

June 22, 2009

Patson Mpofu - Matopo Hills, Zimbabwe:

Greetings in JESUS name and many thanks for all the wonderful and great things you have done for us as a family and for Young Life Zimbabwe. Be blessed. We are fine but still struggling to have our son, Remalia, operated as the hospitals still do not have the equipment to do so. We have been referred more than 5 times to empty hospitals in vain . Now I have to get him to SOUTH AFRICA for the tongue operation before its late otherwise he won’t be able to talk. Young Life is fine in Zimbabwe. There are many volunteer leaders and many kids living for Christ. We have a camp in july 24 to 26 at Shalom camp in the Matopos. Pray for us. Greetings to every one. John 3.16

Steve Larmey - Dar es Salaam, Tanzania:

Please pray for the 23 women & men who will be traveling to the Training Center in Dar to attend a 4 week Intensive Training.

From Sierra Leone Maurice Koroma & Patrick Lavahun.

From Liberia Roland Harris, Zinnah Yallah, & Rebecca Luogon.

From Mozambique Elvio Malawene, Lina Massique, Gusavo & Beatriz Fuentes.

From Zimbabwe Nkosi Sampindi.

From Kenya Benson Tsuma, Sunny Afwayi, & Richard Odongo.

From Uganda Lawrence Erotu, Simon & Harriet Okiria.

From Rwanda George Bataringaya & Egide Ruzindana.

From Democratic Republic of the Congo, Benga Msoshi.

From Mali Mama Bagayoko, Elise Coulibaly & Jokebed Coulibaly.

From Burundi Simeon Sibomana.

Pray for James Kamau Mungai (Kenya), Kathy Conner (Florida), and Rip Gibbs (Texas) who will assist in the training. It will be 4 weeks of very diverse and intensive training on relational ministry, adolescent culture, biblical principles, Young Life components, and spiritual stretching.

Moges Berassa - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia:

How are you friends in Christ? The Ethiopian young life camps going to start in a few days! This time 840 lost kids from 5 towns of Ethiopia with 5 different groups will have new adventures in a place called Kuriftu. We all leaders are healthy and strong spiritually and physically to share Christ and serve them! We would like to ask you all to join us in prayers on the following camp dates:

June 22,23,24 June 25,26,27 July 16,17,18 July 20,21,22 July 27,28,29

The prayer of the righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16

May 18, 2009

Dear Friends of Young Life Africa,

Thank you for your consistent prayers of praise and intercession on behalf of the women and men who are serving Jesus through serving high school kids throughout the continent of Africa through Young Life. What a joy it is to hear their stories and share in their victories. It is even a joy to lift them up in prayer during their times of trial and challenge. Throughout Africa, Young Life staff continue to thrive in the midst of adversity.

‘Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is in the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.’ - Jeremiah 17:7-8

Thanks for partnering with us in the heat or drought or rains or harvest!

Blessings,
<><Dyan Larmey
Young Life Africa

Alexis Kwamy - Arusha, Tanzania:

Greetings,

Join us in thanking God for what He has been doing to us here in Arusha, thank Him for the hard trials and his faithfulness in keeping us safe and specially the ministry in Sokoni 1 which is keeping moving on.

YL Arusha has a soccer team composed mostly of young men from Sokoni 1. The team has been doing amazingly great. This week we played in a big league organized by Coca Cola company. ( Thank you Tampa YL for the jerseys...)

Sunday, May 17th we are having our first Banquet here in Arusha. The aim is to inform adults of what YL has been doing for the last 3 years here and we are praying that we might get people who will commit to pray for our work here, but also we will be trying to raise funds to help send kids to go to camp.

On 24th of may we are going to have a first ever car wash (not african thing at all :) ) to try to raise more funds. Kids are excited about washing cars.

Our out reach camp will be from 18th of June to 21st.

Thank you and Blessing from Above,
In Him,
Alexis Kwamy
Arusha Area Director

Alemtsihay Sahle - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia:

Please celebrate with Alemstihay and her husband, Dr. Teferra, for their pregnancy. Their first baby is due in August. Please pray for safe pregnancy, labour and delivery.

Hannah & Zac West - Arusha, Tanzania:

Praise God for Zac being able to get rabies medication after he was bitten twice by a street dog last month. He is healing well and says that the bite is barely visible now. Zac and Hannah were also quite sick over the past two weeks but are feeling better thanks to the support of many friends (as well as some good antibiotics). At Young Life Club yesterday, the kids from the three schools had many conflicts leading to a surprisingly small Club. That wasn’t only surprise! Two of the guys who attended decided to begin new relationships with Jesus Christ.

Joseph Madu - Dakar Senegal:

We bless God for what he has started doing in Mali through YL.

We have 25 potential leaders here, they have been showing a lot of interest in serving the kids and the Lord.

We have been meeting and doing Club in my home. God is amazingly working out things in Mali and We joined you in blessing His holy name.
Blessings,
Joseph.

April 22, 2009

Dear Friends of Young Life Africa,
There is so much amazing stuff going on with YLA that it is hard to keep up with! :)

I think that is a good problem????

I send out prayer requests as our staff and volunteers send them into me.

Thank you to each of you who faithfully lift these requests up to the Lord!

It is all His work!

"What a tremendous relief it should be ... to discover that we don’t need to prove ourselves to God."
- Desmond Tutu

Blessings,
<>< Dyan Larmey
Young Life Africa

Matilda Kiumba - Mombasa, Kenya:

The Mombasa leaders and and key campaigners request your prayers this April we will be having our first ever soccer camp which will start on the 22nd to the 25th of April this year. These are our club kids who are involved in football and come to our neighborhood Young Life clubs. Mama Irene (from Tanzania) will be our camp Speaker. I will be the camp manager and Richard Odongo will be leading the Program team.

We have done a lot of preparation and all is going great. We have 250 kids coming to camp (plus all the kids coming to do Work Crew!). Let us all Pray that the LORD will be seen and the kids will be touched by the Lords Message and many will accept Christ since he is our only HOPE in this world. Please pray for the safety of the kids who will be using dala dala to the football ground, that the Lord will use Mama Irene to the fullest, that God will touch the innocent hearts of the kids, that the whole field will be covered by the blood of JESUS, that food will be well served and healthy,   for the catering department, the program team and the intercessors who have volunteered to pray for these kids daily.

Amen

Thanks Friends in Christ
Blessings
Matilda/Kenya/Mombasa.

James Davis - Monrovia, Liberia:

I am pleased to extend my thanks and appreciation to God and the entire Milagros Foundation for the assistance given to YL Liberia staff which has immensely helped us to further our education.

Accordingly, I am further delighted to inform you that as a result of scholarship assistance, Paul Kangar, one of my key staff persons will be graduating from the University of Liberia on April 29, 2009. Paul will be the first Milagros beneficiary to graduate in Liberia.

Thanks for your continuous prayers and support in helping us realize our educational dreams as we strive to serve lost kids for God's Kingdom.

Please praise God with me for Paul Kangar’s new education!

In Him,
James Davis
YL Liberia
Monrovia, Liberia
West Africa

Mungai Kamau - Nairobi, Kenya:

There are currently 250 teenagers gathered in Nairobi for Young Life camp.

Deo Kyara is the camp speaker and is doing a great job.
Please pray for relationships between kids and leaders and for soft hearts which have been hardened by years of protecting oneself.

March 24, 2009

Dear Friends of Young Life Africa,

If you want to go fast go alone.
If you want to go far, go together. (-African Proverb)

Our staff and volunteers are much like the apostles in the New Testament.

They go together.

In Young Life Africa we have a theme:
PAMOJA, PAMOJA.
In Kiswahili it means TOGETHER/TOGETHER.
That we not only go TOGETHER...
But TOGETHER/TOGETHER.
That we are all on the same page, in entirety.
That we are in the same heart with one another.
We are a team.
We are family.

Thank you for going with us, pamoja, pamoja through your prayers.
We know we are going far together, together with each of you!

Blessings,
<><
Dyan Larmey
Young Life Africa

Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo - Benga Msoshi:

Ministry is moving well at God’s sure pace. We are doing more contact work in Muhungu but also in Nguba, Labotte, and Pesage areas. After our training in Kigali, from which our leaders not only learned a lot from the simplicity of our ministry and our passion to help teenagers, but also were strengthened and motivated to do even more. Mathou decided to start meeting boys in Labotte and plays football with a group of boys on Wednesdays and Fridays. Mireille, Pascal and I are in Muhungu and Nguba, but Pascal focuses more in Cahi where he teaches in a primary school. Debaba is doing contact in Pesage. He already knew many teenagers there because of his participation in sketches and TV plays. So he started bringing them to club.

In Bagira(about 15 km out of town) we have Mupenda and Pascal doing contact for many months now but I have not felt we are ready to start club there. So they still come for our only club every Sunday.

Please pray for us, we are still looking for a good place for our club meetings. Our sitting room is spacious, but is now unable to accommodate more than fifty turn up. We pray for a good but strategic place, accessible for everyone since we still have one club.

Please pray for our leaders too, to keep the passion on, and to be effective in contact work.

Pray also that the parents of the leaders will give them freedom and support for ministry.

Bulawayo, Zimbabwe - Pierre & Rentia DeJager:

The Young Life Volunteer Leaders from town (5) and some of Patson's leaders from the bush invited potential leaders and campaigners for a weekend camp on Morning Star. Nkosi (volunteer leader) and his team arranged and organized everything. Patson and I each taught a session and the rest was been done by Nkosi and his team. All the existing leaders were the work crew.

The camp was big success. The 15 leaders and 15 campers have build new relationships and all been challenged to do YL in their respective areas.

Our goal is to start a club with Nkosi in their township by June this year.   In the mean time they do contact work and have some campaigners that meet in his house weekly.

Patson invited potential leaders from Gwanda 130km away and from Bulawayo as well as from Ntshavesi, a village 50km from Matopos.

Please pray in thanksgiving for all God is doing and for all God will do through Young Life Zimbabwe.

Love and blessings,
Pierre

Freetown, Sierra Leone - Maurice Koromo:

My wife will soon give birth to our baby. Please keep us in your prayers. We are very thankful for Steve’s visit to Freetown.

March 12, 2009

Dear Friends of YLA,

As many of us feel the worries of this world press down upon us, God’s Word challenges us to offer our concerns to Him through prayer. Thank you to each of you who bring the needs of Young Life Family to the Lord. Because of your prayers, we as a staff family are able to rejoice during our hardships and serve the Prince of Peace who makes Himself known to us.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:4-7

We are grateful.
Blessings,
<><
Dyan Larmey
Young Life Africa

Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo - Benga Msoshi:

Please pray for travel mercies on Benga, Alexis and Steve as they travel to:   Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, & Mali. Especially pray that the Lord will direct us to the right leadership within a country that is 99% Muslim. Steve’s Missions Pastor from his church in the United States, Pat Creech, will be joining them for most of the trip.

Arusha, Tanzania - Alexis & Jacqui Kwamy:

After a harrowing week of court dates and local discrepencies, Alexis was awarded his work permit and had his passport returned to him. We praise God for His provision. Please pray continued protection for Alexis, Jacqui and their volunteers as well as all the Young Life Staff and Volunteers as their profiles increase in their local communities. Alexis & Jacqui love the people of Sokoni 1.

Please pray for reconciliation between those who have acted out in jealousy and manipulation.

Nairobi, Kenya - Martin Wamalamwa:

Please pray for our outreach camp in the third week in April that will reach out to over 200 kids.

Arusha, Tanzania - Zac & Hannah West:

Please pray for our outreach camp the last week of March. It is the first International School camp we have hosted since we lived here. We will be doing the camp alongside Alisa Portman who has been heading up International School Young Life in Moshi for almost two years.

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania - Steve Larmey:

Please pray for meeting of leaders in Young Life gathered at the Young Life Service Center praying for the Lord’s guidance for Young Life as a mission. Mike Knowles, Young Life Africa Committee Chair, is a part of the Think Tank that has been assembled for this important meeting.

February 26, 2009

Dear Faithful Friends,

Although there is so much going on at all times throughout Young Life Africa...

We hold fast to God's strength and how He keeps everyone going through His strength...

He gives power to the faint,

and strengthens the powerless.

Even youths will faint and be weary,

and the young will fall exhausted;

but those who wait for the Lord

shall renew their strength,

they shall mount up with wings like eagles,

they shall run and not be weary,

they shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:29-31

Thank you for your prayers that call down His Spirit over this beautiful continent!

Blessings, <>

<><d
Dyan Larmey
Young Life Africa

Monrovia, Liberia - James Davis:

We finished our Young Life camp last week and what a week it was.

Attached is a picture of Alexis Kwamy (Tanzania) and his new friend Massaquoi. Massaquoi is a one of those former child soldiers who was given gun to fight during the Liberian Civil War. He gave his life to Christ at camp and has found a new path of life in Jesus, from being a small rebel soldier to a follower of Christ. He was so excited to explain his past to Alexis, a story that I only got to know at camp. Let's pray for Massaquoi and all the 194 kids who made a committed to follow Christ at our just ended 2009 YL Liberia Camp.

Also, some of you have been praying for Jeraline Johnson, one of our female volunteer leaders who was admitted to a local clinic for acute abdominal pain. she was diagnosed with fibroids. She had a successful surgery and the fibroids were removed. After five days in the hospital, she returned home on Saturday.

We thank God for such healing and praise Him for you all who have been praying for Jeraline illness. Thanks for being our partners in prayers.

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Estegenet Abraham:

Estegenet (or Segie/Tsegie as many call her) will be getting married to James Mullings in Addis Ababa on March 14. She is asking for prayer over their upcoming marriage as well as for the documents needed so she can move to DC sometime after they are legally wed. Please pray for Tsegie's Young Life Area as it will be taken over by her team of volunteer leaders. We are happy for Tsegie and we're thankful for how she has served so faithfully with Young Life in Ethiopia for nearly 10 years. She has impacted hundreds of kids in the name of Jesus. She will be greatly missed!

Matopo Hills, Zimbabwe - Patson & Sindie Mpofu:

we are fine in ZIMBABWE. We are enjoying peace and economic recovery which is taking place.

Pray for REMALIAH, our son who is to be operated next tuesday. He was born with his tongue stuck to his lower lip. if he is not operated , he won't be able to talk.

We are doing fine with YL but we certainly need your prayers to bring healing to the community we serve given that a lot of political violence took place last year during the election time.

We have a club of 200 kids at NSEZI HIGH SCHOOLS ONCE A WEEK AND 250 KIDS AT SILOBI HIGH. We are staring another club in Gwanda town in MARCH 2009.

PSALM 23:1, Jesus is indeed our Shepherd.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL

-FROM PATSON MPOFU--

February 12, 2009

Dear Friends of Young Life Africa,

Thank you for your faithful prayers for the YL staff of Africa.

As you know, they are the heart and soul of the ministry to kids throughout the continent.

Irene Mwasanga, the Women's Coordinator for Young Life Africa, has had a lot of rough times over the past year.

Many of you will remember that her husband, Jackson, had a heart attack and needed a surgery that could only be done in India.

Praise God, he is doing quite well now.

You may remember that a few months ago, the protection walls around their home fell down during a flash flood in their neighborhood, killing their three dogs, as well as human fatalities in the area.

Praise God, thanks to many of you who were able to financially help, they have a wall standing again.

Today, Irene and her family are in need of your prayers again.

Her 42 year old brother, Dickson, was found dead yesterday in his yard by his wife, Susan.

Apparently he committed suicide.

Along with his wife, he leaves behind, Joseph, his 9 year old son.

The family lives in a Southern Tanzanian town called Songea.

His funeral will be in Mbeya, another Southern Tanzanian town.

Irene left today to help organize the funeral arrangements as well as to be with her ailing mother.

Last year, another of Irene's brothers died, leaving behind three children.

Please pray for Irene.

She is clothed with strength and grace in the Lord, but will be depending on all of us to carry her through this time by prayer.

Happy are those who consider the poor;

the Lord delivers them in the day of trouble.

The Lord protects them and keeps them alive;

they are called happy in the land.

Psalm 41:1-2

February 10, 2009

Mombasa, Kenya - Matilda Kiumba:

Today, Thursday, is Phyllis' funeral. She was killed by a car last week while she was walking on the road. She was a YL Volunteer for 3 years and brought life & laughter into any situation. Phyllis died at 27 and leaves behind her 5 year old daughter, Cynthia.

Please pray for the Kenyan YL staff and volunteers who have traveled a long way for her funeral in her father's village. Matilda wrote a text saying, "we are all on a bus to the village singing praise and worship songs. The Lord is with us. Please continue to pray."

Monrovia, Liberia - James Davis:

Over 200 Liberian teenagers are experiencing Young Life camp this week. Besides our Liberian staff and volunteers, we have a great all African Assignment Team: Maurice, Patrick and three volunteers from Sierra Leone are here to learn, experience and serve as work crew. Alexis (Tanzania) will be our speaker, Martin & George from Kenya will be program team, and Moges from Ethiopia will be on the work crew and music team. Please pray for kids to have the best week of their lives and that many will accept Jesus Christ.

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania - Deodatus Kyara & Irene Mwasanga:

We are leading a 10-day Intensive Training for 15 new volunteer leaders from Dar, Iringa, Zanzibar, and Dodoma. They are a dynamic bunch with real hearts for kids and Christ. Please pray for them by name: Oscar, David, Kombo, Emmanuel, Rosemary, Donatha, Elizabeth, Agnes, Jane, Jenefer, Lilian, Charity, Robert, George, & Angelo.

January 28, 2009

Dear friends of Young Life Africa,

It is with great sadness that I ask prayers for those who mourn Phyllis Wangui's death.

She had been a faithful volunteer leader with Young Life Africa in Mombasa for the past 3 years .

She leaves behind her 5 year old daughter, Cynthia, a serious boyfriend, Peter, her father, and her vibrant ministry of Young Life in Mombasa.

Please pray for her Young Life kids whom are grieving her death as well as the other YL staff and volunteers of Mombasa.

YL Staff woman, Matilda Kiumba, has been at the helm in the planning and sharing of information.

She herself is grieving deeply.

And yet, as only God is able to do, there are the blessings that are already flowing and Romans 8:28's Truth is alive once again.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." -Romans 8:28

Thank you for your prayers.

Blessings,
<><d

January 22, 2009

Dear Friends of Young Life Africa, We can only imagine how God will bless us in 2009! There is so much to rejoice from 2008!

We are still basking in the wonderful All Africa Staff Conference that took place in December.

It was an amazing experience as staff, key volunteer leaders, and both new & old friends of Young Life Africa, gathered together to learn, share, and dream about reaching kids all over the continent.

What a wonderful way to start the new year!

Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land. -proverbs 25:25

Nairobi, Kenya - Martin Wamalwa

Thanks a lots for love you have in the ministry of kids!

May you:

Be focused

Lead with a specific plan

Engage in activities that builds GOD's kingdom

Speak encouragement; hope healing and sense

Seek God's guidance before doing any thing

Evaluate, admit your mistakes ,ask for forgiveness

Direct your resources to the support of worthy ministries

THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS TO BLESSED THE YEAR 2009, GET THOSE BLESSINGS

Arusha, Tanzania - Alexis Kwamy

Dear brothers and Sisters,

Happy new year 2009. Thank you for your faithful prayers for YoungLife Africa. we all know that there is a lot that have happened because of your prayers. May God bless you and fill up your cups.

Please pray for Eugyn's mother ( Eugyn is one of my new leader) His mother had a bad car accident. Broke her leg and couple of her back bones. lets pray that God will heal her.

From 19th January we will be having training for our new leaders and old leaders. We are hoping to have a total of 30 people. Pray for that as well.

Finally I just want to thank you all for your love to jackie and I

We Love you, In Him, Alexis Kwamy

P.S. Thanks to those who prayed for the community leaders in Sokoni One. The meeting went as well as it could have gone.

Matopos, Zimbabwe - Patson & Sindie Mpofu

Bulawayo, Zimbabwe - Pierre & Rentia DeJager

While the media shows the bleak side of things, life is full of God's miracles here in Zimbabwe. Our own families are safe, well fed, and joyful. Our leadership teams are growing both in numbers and in depth. The orphan feeding program is up to three meals a week at three different feeding stations where over 350 children eat regularly. Farming God's Way continues to bless families with the tools and knowledge for subsistence farming. Kids are coming to club and growing in their faith. Please pray for the schools of the nation as most teachers have left so that classrooms don't have educators much less resources. Thank you for your hearts for our country.

Monrovia, Liberia - James Davis

(from a report written about visits he took to Ghana and Senegal)

What a joy to report that I met with some incredible men and women who are passionate about Jesus and committed to sacrifice in reaching lost kids in Senegal and Ghana. Lord, let your will be done, but is it possible for Senegal and Ghana? Certainly, it is possible in Senegal and Ghana. Yes, it is possible because amazing things happen when we pray like Christ, "Father, let your will be done," and it shall happen! Let the Lord's will be done in Senegal and Ghana because the needs are so great there and so many kids are hungry for the Gospel of Jesus and thirsty for adult friendships which will help them grow in their relationship with Christ.

There are so many lost kids in Senegal and Ghana. They are struggling to find adults who will love and help them follow Jesus. For so many of them, they can't imagine when they will ever find an adult who will help them know Jesus. All they continue to experience and witness are injustices, brutality, the lack of love from adults, a distant relationship from Christ, etc.

Pray for Joseph from Senegal and Michale from Ghana that they might be encouraged to reach kids in their countries for Christ through love and sacrifice.

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania - Dyan & Steve Larmey

Please pray for the WyldLife Leader training we will host this weekend for the young but enthusiastic team at Haven of Peace Academy: Dorothy Mrema, Stephen Armstrong, Kyung Ho Rhee, Jamie O'Dwyer, Michelle Aishi. We are grateful for these leaders and for the impact that they are already making on the middle schoolers at Haven of Peace Academy!