“What a privilege to be part of a children’s ministry seminar with Masai people in southern Tanzania! There may be travel restrictions but the internet is far-reaching these days!

Likewise 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

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!

Tanzania

This year we have continued further training of our summer 2019 UPG course participants virtually. Our third meeting of the year was in September, when the pioneers gathered in Dar es Salaam for a video conference.

The teaching of Raili and Mirkku emphasized a child’s value, and that they can come to faith too. Reaching children often opens up new areas.

A strong addition to the conference morning was brought by two mission veterans in children’s ministry, Raili Väisänen and Mirjami Ylenius-Kuosmanen. Their recorded teaching in fluent Swahili was about ‘The Value of a Child’, and ‘Can a Child be Born Again?’ After having heard of this additional part of our program, some pastors had brought their Sunday school teachers along with them. All up there were 48 participants from around Tanzania. Right after the conference, some Sunday school teachers went out reaching children in the Zaramo area and, two Sundays later, the church was full of children!

Pastor Jane Mbusa with children from an orphanage

Frontline Updates

December’s mission trip will be to Mikumi area in the southwest, where a “GNN Team” of ten pioneers will be traveling. Bishop Julius, who oversees some 30 congregations, will host the team’s visit to the Vidunda, Kutu and Masai tribes. Throughout this year similar mission trips have birthed several churches in the area.

In June, a smaller team travelled to Singida, interior Tanzania, where they gathered 30 pastors from the nearby villages to hear teaching on reaching the unreached tribes. Now the pastors of this area are enthusiastically preparing to visit two hostile tribes in a nearby woodland.

During the September outreach, people were healed and giving their lives to Jesus. Through prayer some of them were also released from the bondage of evil spirits. Thus, some Zaramo people from the area have come to faith and started coming to the church.

We praise God that our brothers and sisters in Tanzania are actively ministering amongst the unreached people groups.

Uganda

Evangelist Jordan Magaba teaching new believers

When the Corona restrictions closed the churches in Uganda in the spring, we increased our support of the radio ministry to include the broadcasting of Sunday morning church services. Since then, the studio has received phone calls at the end of almost every broadcast. Uncertain times have increased openness towards the message of the gospel, and people are looking for a more solid foundation for their lives. During the pandemic, 25-30 people have been led to follow the Lord on a weekly basis; one week in October even 43. These new believers are directed to churches in the area they live in.

Bishop John Magaba has shared of his gratefulness for such a harvest, for which he cannot take any credit. He also began inviting other church pastors to the broadcasts, and his Pastor wife Nasta and Evangelist son Jordan support him in the radio programs. The churches could re-open again in October, and John continues his ministry with the same joy as before.

March 15th 2020 | Pastor Ndegwa together with the baptizees

Vantaa International Christian Fellowship (VICF) is our domestic mission – a spiritual home for all nations. Just before Covid-19 restrictions closed all gatherings, we baptised six new believers! Luckily, from the beginning of VICF, we have collected visitors’ contact details with their permission in order to stay in touch with them. Now we can easily connect with our people through video meetings.