Persecution in the tourist hotspot of Zanzibar
The battered pastor and his wife standing in front of their burned house in Zanzibar
In December 2020, three of our pioneers in Tanzania visited Zanzibar, a former slave-trade island, where 99% of the inhabitants are Muslim. The team met seven local pastors, all of whom had been persecuted. One of them had been attacked just half a year earlier; in addition to being violently assaulted, his home and church were destroyed, the family’s goats and chickens were stolen, and he was thrown to jail. The court eventually denied him any compensation for damages and prohibited him from preaching. Upon hearing this, we sent some aid along with the GNN team to assist in his recuperation. The other persecuted preachers were also given some small support to encourage them to continue with their ministry.
• Intercessions are needed! Would you and perhaps your church take the work in Zanzibar as your special prayer challenge this year?
Training in Dar es-Salaam
Our latest video conference to the Tanzanian pioneer pastors and children’s ministry workers was held at the end of January. Encouraged by the on-field success after our conference last September, which included teaching for those in children’s ministry, we decided to expand this meeting to three days.
Young kids who became Christians in southern Tanzania
For the first two days, we focused on the secrets of children’s ministry through pre-recorded teachings, which the known mission veterans Raili Väisänen and Mirjami Ylenius-Kuosmanen gave in Swahili. We were delighted to have five children’s ministry workers joining from the island of Zanzibar as well. The third day was reserved for meeting with the pioneers, where, as usual, teaching was conducted by our multinational teaching team.
Opposition was experienced beforehand in a form of health challenges, and at the premises when a big truck broke the power cable going into the conference hall. But thanks be to God for health, protection, and the restoration of electricity!
Missions continue in the heart of the Zaramo area
A Zaramo family who became Christians with two of GNN’s team members
After returning from the visit to Finland about a year ago, our Ugandan missionary, Francis, had to stay at his home for a long time due to the country’s strict corona restrictions. In November he was finally able to travel back to Tanzania and resume his ministry amongst the local tribes.
In January, a team of 10 people traveled to Kisaware and Masaki villages situated in the middle of the 1,2 million Zaramo tribe area. With the rental vehicle they brought along a generator for showing ‘The Jesus Film’ in the Zaramo language. May the seed sown yield a bountiful harvest!
Challenge
/in News /by Tara MoralesThroughout the seminars, participants have raised a request to have concrete source materials for teaching. During their years in Kenya, the two missionaries, Mama Raili & Mama Mirjami, created practical Sunday school materials called Mwanga (Light) in Swahili.
A couple of years ago, based on an idea, I had video recorded these sisters’ teaching in Swahili. It proved to become enthusiastically received all over. After the Children’s ministry seminars held, child evangelism was awakened in churches. Starting at churches, they began reaching children even in the surrounding villages.
We plan to print the first 3 of this 6 book-series (the 1st tutorial and 2 workbooks). These will be a great help when preparing lessons. We are currently checking printing costs.
Would you support reaching Tanzanian children? Reference number: 3560
Here’s recent feedback from the course participants
Sis. Veronica (Elim-churches)
Ap. Elia (Evangelical Church)
Georg Mambiro (FPTC-churches)
Prayer Topics for 2023
/in News /by Tara MoralesA Review of the Past Year 2023
/in News /by Tara MoralesWE WISH YOU A WONDERFUL YEAR 2023!
Tanzania
In February, Pr. Jonathan had a mission trip to Dar es Salaam. He inspected the school facilities to be used for the June 2022 mission course. During that week, the local GNN team leaders also interviewed pastors applying for the course, over 30 of them registered.
Pr. Jonathan visited nearby towns. In one Zaramo village, he dedicated a well we had built. During dry seasons it gives access to water also for other villagers nearby. With the Tanzanian GNN team, Pr. Jonathan also visited the Maasai people in Morogoro for a couple of days.
He coordinated a follow-up seminar held regularly for the active pastors (25) who were part of the previous GNN mission course. Zoom enabled the rest of the teaching team to be present on live video streaming from their home countries. This way we can keep the UPG vision alive and strengthen our calling.
The Tanzanian GNN team arranged 2-day children’s ministry seminars throughout the country in order to equip workers to reach children that are often omitted. Since 2021, there are already 21 seminars held, with a total of 1,390 participants.
In June 2022, in Dar es Salaam, a 3-week mission course was held for 44 pastors, evangelists and bishops throughout Tanzania. The course focused on the unreached people groups, of course.
After completion of the course, participants inspired by the vision began to put words into action. In a new Maasai tribe inhabited area, 70 young warriors, women and children decided to follow Jesus. The local pastor there rejoiced because he had been praying for years for an evangelistic team to visit his area.
In 2023, we plan to arrange discipleship teaching for those new believers.
Uganda
For nearly a decade now, we have been supporting evangelistic radio broadcasts from Mubende reaching even to neighbouring countries in East Africa. With the outbreak of the pandemic, we increased our support and there was a surprise in the number of calls that came into the studio, around 20 listeners are saved weekly.
At the end of May 2022, we arranged a Vision and Leadership seminar. 50 church leaders from various denominations in western Uganda and Bryan, a Christian police captain and intendant for the Kampala district, also attended.
He later sent an invitation letter signed by the Major General to Pr. Aki Miettinen, GNN’s representative, who went in November to teach Christian officers in the army, police and prison staff about spiritual leadership.
Southeast Asia
I travelled with Pr. Aki firstly to Singapore. We had arranged a meeting with GNN Missions Advisor, Dr. Paul Ng. He extended an invitation to Vietnam. Its realisation in Autumn 2023 is an important prayer topic!
There are still 68 unreached people groups living in that country of almost 100 million people. The church movement we cooperate with has a vision for the unreached peoples even to neighboring countries.
After the weekend meetings, we had our annual teaching week at the Bible school in Sumatra. Despite some blackouts, we completed 18 teaching hours. In March 2023, this course will send out tens of pioneers again. Last year, 22 pioneers were supported to new areas and 16 were among the unreached tribes.
The last pioneer alumni seminar was a 4-hour drive away from the school (inland Sumatra). They were the first students ever sent from the Bible school. They had already established their pioneer ministries.
Domestic Mission
Throughout 2022, Vantaa International Christian Fellowship (VICF) church has partially supported our missions and sending support for Jewish kids for their return migration (Aliyah) to Jerusalem from Ukraine.
The church also sent support to JCBT (Jerusalem Centre for Bible Translators). Students from around the world are initiated to original Biblical Hebrew and geography enabling them to make more accurate translations for languages amongst unreached peoples.
In October, we had visitors from HeliMission. Its international leader, Simon Tanner along with his wife Prikena, came from Switzerland. During the visit, I suddenly recalled having seen their helicopter standing next to the MAF hall in Wamena, Papua, in the late 80’s.
We learned about the importance of the helicopter ministry in the impenetrable areas of Indonesia and Madagascar. VICF sent a love offering to support their ministry. During our October mission in Jakarta, we also met the Indonesian leader, Pak Carter, from this organization.
During 2022, we held vision casting events in northeast and east of Finland. Our ongoing topic has been the urgency of reaching the unreached peoples.
GNN Leadership and Visionary Conference
/in News /by Tara MoralesFifty key leaders recently gathered at a hotel in Mubende, Uganda, for a two-day Leadership & Visionary Conference. The theme, “That they would hear!” (Romans 10:14), is also the motto of GNN Finland (Good News Networking). The GNN team was responsible for the teachings in partnership with local host, Bp. John Magaba.
Bishops and pastors alike were deeply challenged about the Ultimate Calling of the Church to reach all people with the Gospel. They were shown the current situation of world missions as well as the great need there is to still go and preach the Gospel. Out of every 100 missionaries sent cross-culturally, only 3 will go to unreached areas, although these people groups account for 42% of the current world’s population.
There was a lot of thinking going on after the teachings about Jesus-style servant leadership and the importance of character in leading. The price that needs to be paid to keep following Jesus and taking the Good News to all is big, but worth it!
Real-life powerful testimonies of pioneers reaching unreached people groups in South-East Asia also left participants in awe of what can be done when people decide to fully surrender and obey God’s call to fulfil the vision of reaching the unreached no matter their age or physical ability. Participants were reminded that it is about vision and not a program!
These two days helped stir up the vision of missions and get the participants out of their comfort zones.
Let us continue to work together to take the Gospel to the unreached!
Fruitful Night Radio
/in News /by Tara MoralesFor several years, GNN has supported our partner, Bp. John Magaba’s, nightly radio programs. During the week, we joined the radio programs early on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday mornings to proclaim the Good News being broadcasted to a vast number of households into the neighbouring countries.
Many phone calls and messages followed the preaching on Sunday and 17 people wanted to give their lives to Jesus that morning.
Clean Water for the Thirsty
/in News /by Tara MoralesIn the beginning of his trip, Jonathan, GNN’s representative, dedicated a well built for a Zaramo village. In October 2021, we had visited this same village where GNN Tanzania’s evangelist, Jeremiah, often goes to. Pastor Arto received a word to share about Jesus speaking to the woman at the well in Sychar. Upon hearing this, the village chairman rose to share that they have a challenge with water. They collect it at the foot of the hill from a quietly seeping pit and the water is dirty.
On the drive back, Arto had a thought, “Perhaps it is okay to build a well at least once in my life.” In the car, he considered how this could be done. Jeremiah, who is also a builder, came up with some solutions.
Thoughts became a reality and the construction of the well was agreed upon. On Saturday, 19th of February, the 23m deep well was dedicated to begin its use. Next to the well is a plaque with Jesus’ words,
Pastor Jonathan reports:
Jonathan continues:
Children’s Ministry Seminar Amongst the Masai
/in News /by hacusuuronenLikewise the message of the Gospel is also far-reaching. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost, including children. I’m glad I heard this Good News also when I was a child. It changed my life!
A big thanks to Ps Tusiime Francis, Ps Jane Yaledi and the team on the ground for all your hard work, as well as the teachers, Mirjami Ylenius-Kuosmanen and Raili Väisänen, for exceptional teaching, and the man with the vision, Ps Arto Sädeaho, who keeps on going forward!”
– Jonathan Lemmetti
Updates from Indonesia, Uganda and Finland
/in News /by hacusuuronenIndonesia – Sumatra’s 36th Year Course Held in Exceptional Circumstances
We have kept in touch also with the Indonesian pioneers and arranged training days by utilizing Zoom. Due to travel restrictions, which have hindered the weekend church visits, this year’s course has been taught also on Saturdays. Thus, they will graduate before May. At the graduation, 27 new pioneers will also be blessed into ministry.
Uganda – An Abundance of Fruit from Radio Ministry
Bishop John Magaba Faces Backlash
In Autumn 2020, John lost a relief load sent to the south, as the truck slid down a slope, and robbers arrived and stole the food aid. Later he got fever and severe pains and was diagnosed with a tumor in his liver. After this, armed robbers broke into John’s storehouse but, thankfully, the robbery failed.
Recently, one Sunday he was traveling with his family from the radio station to their morning service. One of the vehicles was full of children. The driver lost control of the vehicle and it ended up on its side in a swamp. Thankfully, no one was injured. But the generator used for the church service got damaged.
Let’s pray for our brother’s health and work!
Domestic Mission – Vantaa International Christian Fellowship
VICF’s 2020 theme was “Living in Victory”, and the year began with great expectations. Then the Covid-19 pandemic struck. It was understood how important it is to look up to Jesus and realize how to live a victorious life with such uncertain circumstances around us!
Five people were water-baptized earlier on before the lockdown. There are now 100 blessed members in the congregation. We are grateful to God for the continuation of VICF in this season. All practical needs have been adequately met.
Prayer Challenge and Report from Tanzania
/in News /by hacusuuronenPersecution in the tourist hotspot of Zanzibar
The battered pastor and his wife standing in front of their burned house in Zanzibar
In December 2020, three of our pioneers in Tanzania visited Zanzibar, a former slave-trade island, where 99% of the inhabitants are Muslim. The team met seven local pastors, all of whom had been persecuted. One of them had been attacked just half a year earlier; in addition to being violently assaulted, his home and church were destroyed, the family’s goats and chickens were stolen, and he was thrown to jail. The court eventually denied him any compensation for damages and prohibited him from preaching. Upon hearing this, we sent some aid along with the GNN team to assist in his recuperation. The other persecuted preachers were also given some small support to encourage them to continue with their ministry.
• Intercessions are needed! Would you and perhaps your church take the work in Zanzibar as your special prayer challenge this year?
Training in Dar es-Salaam
Our latest video conference to the Tanzanian pioneer pastors and children’s ministry workers was held at the end of January. Encouraged by the on-field success after our conference last September, which included teaching for those in children’s ministry, we decided to expand this meeting to three days.
Young kids who became Christians in southern Tanzania
For the first two days, we focused on the secrets of children’s ministry through pre-recorded teachings, which the known mission veterans Raili Väisänen and Mirjami Ylenius-Kuosmanen gave in Swahili. We were delighted to have five children’s ministry workers joining from the island of Zanzibar as well. The third day was reserved for meeting with the pioneers, where, as usual, teaching was conducted by our multinational teaching team.
Opposition was experienced beforehand in a form of health challenges, and at the premises when a big truck broke the power cable going into the conference hall. But thanks be to God for health, protection, and the restoration of electricity!
Missions continue in the heart of the Zaramo area
A Zaramo family who became Christians with two of GNN’s team members
After returning from the visit to Finland about a year ago, our Ugandan missionary, Francis, had to stay at his home for a long time due to the country’s strict corona restrictions. In November he was finally able to travel back to Tanzania and resume his ministry amongst the local tribes.
In January, a team of 10 people traveled to Kisaware and Masaki villages situated in the middle of the 1,2 million Zaramo tribe area. With the rental vehicle they brought along a generator for showing ‘The Jesus Film’ in the Zaramo language. May the seed sown yield a bountiful harvest!
Blessed Turn of the Year
/in News /by hacusuuronen