In an attempt to communicate to
you the desperate need for your help in training young Christian
leaders, we want to share the following story.
My name is Franque Lamusse and I am an elder at the Madzimbawe
Presbyterian Church in Tete Province, Mozambique. During the
war years in Mozambique from 1970-1992, I fled with my family
to Malawi and lived there as a refugee. When my family and others
began to return to our native land, we practiced sleeping with
one eye open in case the soldiers came so that we could flee
to the bush and hide.
Try to imagine what our lives were like. As refugees, there
was no time for school. Survival was our only goal. Think about
how different our lives were from yours. You grew up surrounded
by order; we lived with chaos. You learned how organizations
and governments function; we were aliens in a foreign land.
You had a home; we had no permanent housing, for we were always
on the move. When we stayed in one place long enough, we could
grow our own food but never enough for the whole year.
Today life in Tete is settled and safe. We can freely grow
our own crops and raise livestock. Life is much more stable
now.
When pastors and leaders from the Presbyterian Church of Mozambique
came to our village and showed the Jesus film, I was one of
many who gave my life to Christ. As a result of this, a church
was formed in our community. For a long time, an elder from
the city congregation was our leader. The pastors rarely came
to see us because there were 54 congregations like ours and
only two pastors. Elders, in effect, were our “pastors.”
Over time our elder saw leadership potential in me and began
to spend time with me and invite me to attend training seminars.
Later, he told me that he saw in me what the Apostle Paul instructed
Timothy concerning discipleship: “and what you have heard
from me through many witnesses entrust to faithful men and women
who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim.2:2).
We need more trained Christian lay leaders in our congregations.
Without continued training our Christian faith will become diluted
and our old traditions of spirit worship and evil practices
will infiltrate our church.
Will you help us grow strong churches in Tete Province? Will
you help us train leaders for these churches?
Can you or your church identify one of the following seminars
to pray for and support financially? Some of the training seminars
that need support are; Elder Training, Child Evangelism, HIV/AIDS,
Health and Sanitation, Youth Ministry, Marriage and Family, Men
in Leadership, Women in Leadership, Sustainable Development, Evangelism,
Discipleship, Preaching and Teaching.
Our goal for this year is to raise $40,000. Whatever you can
give will make a significant difference.
Thank you for your prayers and support for our partnership in
the gospel.
In His Service,
Bob and Bobbi Snyder
Contributions may be sent to: Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Individual
Remittance Processing, PO Box 643700, Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700.
Write the title (Tete Seminars) and the ECO number on the subject
line (#404902) of the check and put it on your cover letter, too.
Send a copy of the cover letter to International Evangelism Office
at 100 Witherspoon St. Louisville, KY 40202-1396. Or click the
button below.
Or you can send contributions directly to The Outreach Foundation,
Tete Seminars, 318 Seaboard Lane, Suite 205, Franklin, TN, 37067.
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