Mission trip to East Africa

We went on a 2,5 week mission trip to Uganda and Tanzania mid-way through May. Our team consisted of Aki Miettinen (Uganda only), myself and joining us for the first time, Jonathan Lemmetti who began with the GNN team in February.

Our main purpose of visiting Uganda was a vision casting conference for 600 pastors and ministry workers in Kyengeza, as well as visiting our GNN-supported ‘Night-radio’ program in Mubende. At the same time we were able to see our long time friend, Pas. Wilson.

Together with Jonathan we continued to Tanzania. GNN Finland is supporting the ministry which Francis started four years ago amongst the Zaramo tribe. Francis is our Ugandan pioneer missionary who finances his ministry partially with a small ‘missions henhouse’ based in Uganda.

Pas. Jonathan Lemmetti is getting familiar with GNN missions one step at a time and can in this way be acquainted with the work in its full scale over time.

– Arto Sädeaho

Jonathan’s report

I had the privilege to go on my first overseas mission with GNN Finland ry. It was two+ weeks of intense ministry, but well worth it! While it was not my first time in Africa, it was my first visit to both Uganda and Tanzania.

Uganda

In Uganda, our time was spent in the Mubende area, three hours west from Kampala. There were a couple of early mornings as we shared the Gospel (between 5-6am) on the local radio station we support and over the airwaves the message was broadcast to a potential one million listeners in a region covering four nations.

We had the opportunity to speak at a conference where 500-600 local pastors, ministry workers and others gathered together to worship God, pray together and be taught the Word of God. This was a memorable experience for me personally as I felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit in the worship time leading into my speaking session to change the message I had prepared. One of those “stepping out of the boat” experiences like Peter had!

We also visited some of the various ministries run by the local pastors. On Sunday, the three of us separated to preach in different churches. I was so humbled to receive a love offering (including a bag of mangoes) after my sermon from a group of village people whose church meeting was held in a dirt-floor old school classroom. This was a good way to finish our time in Uganda.

Tanzania

We then travelled to Tanzania to see what our contact, Francis Tusiime, was doing. We were both pleasantly surprised to see what this young man of God has accomplished in the 4 years he has been here as a missionary from Uganda! He has learnt the language, made a lot of contacts, and even knows the short-cuts better than some locals!

We were able to make a visit to the Zaramo-tribe area where some believers have a school and a church plant, as well as sharing the Gospel to some Muslim kids in the backyard of a former Muslim. It was special to see two young boys give their lives to the Lord!

The 2-day leadership conference was a great time of teaching relevant issues as well as challenging the audience about the huge need regarding more workers into the harvest of the unreached people groups! Our final weekend was busily spent connecting with business professionals, challenging them and speaking at Francis’ church plus some other visits.

All in all, this mission trip has been eye-opening as well as ground-breaking in the sense that God has much in store for the future networking between GNN and the ministry of unreached people’s in Africa.

Thank you for remembering to pray for the unreached people groups, for our mission trips and for continually sharing in the vision through your giving.
– We are in this together!

– Jonathan Lemmetti