July 15, 2003
FSM 376 CM/FM 8/01
Copyright © 2001 by The Family
First Steps into Southern Sudan1
Enjoying Africa9
The Angolan Harvest Field10
Facts on Africa18
Pioneering Homes in Dangerous or Sensitive Countries23
By Aaron Actor, Africa
Miracle visas and transport
The Lord opened the doors miraculously for a team of us to go to Sudan. While hitchhiking, we met someone who goes into southern Sudan often; he runs a trucking firm that hauls food there for WFP (the UN World Food Program). Two days later we called him and he worked it out so for us to go to the Southern Sudanese embassy and get a visa. [Note: Southern Sudan is at war with the federal government of Sudan in an effort to establish itself as a separate country, and as such maintains its own embassy of sorts.]
A Brief History of Southern Sudan
Sudan is the largest country in Africa. As unstable civilian governments alternated with governments installed by military coups after independence in 1956, the country slid deeper into economic malaise and social crisis, which has been accentuated by lengthy outbreaks of civil war.
Sudan is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in Africa. It has a population estimated at close to 28 million, with 19 major linguistic groups and nearly 600 subgroups. Those who identify themselves as Arabs make up the largest group (40%), followed by the southern Dinka (12%), the Bejas of the northeast (7%), and West African immigrants (6%).
The massive loss of life caused by the war in Sudan far surpasses that of any civil war being waged elsewhere in the world. It has been estimated (by the U.S. Committee for Refugees) that at least 1.9 million people in southern and central Sudan have died during the past 15 years as a direct result of civil war or war-related famine. It is believed that at least one out of every five southern Sudanese has died as a result of the civil war, and more than 80 percent of southern Sudan’s estimated population of five million have been displaced at some time since 1983. Some four million Sudanese are internally displaced, more than any other country in the world.
The Southern Sudanese embassy isn’t really an embassy at all. You’d never find it without being told specifically where it is, as it’s not listed in the telephone books and it’s in kind of a hole-in-the-wall place. Actually, they move every month because they’re worried about being bombed. The Lord did the miracle by touching the heart of the official there who gave us the visas. The Lord also touched the hearts of the management of two different airlines to take us there as a gift to our work.
The morning that we left, the Lord said: On this day I give you all a new anointing, a new and fresh anointing. I honor you with it and it will continue to be with you from this point on.
He told us that when we crossed the border, the spirit helpers of Sudan would greet us, that they’ve been waiting for us and praying for us, praying for all of this to work out so that we could come.
So our team left in two propeller planes and went to Arua, a city in northern Uganda. As we were praying on the plane, the Lord told us to read Matthew 9 and 10, letting us know we were to heal the sick where we were going-not just spiritually, but physically. Matthew 10:7-8 says, And as you go, preach, saying ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely ye have received; freely give. This would be our theme throughout the trip.
Witnessing in a new way
The Lord then said in prophecy:
You’re so used to witnessing in a way that is so organized. I am not leading you in this fashion now. I wish for you to witness with every step you take, with every person along your path, whether they come to you or you walk by them. In a place like this, time is on your side. You have a lot of it. So don’t feel like you have to rush anything. Take every moment you can to pour into each person that you meet. And those seeds of love will bear fruit, some smaller than others. But the more you pour out to each individual, the more fruit in their lives will grow and blossom. So do not underestimate even one little prayer, one little sign of My love. It can have a great effect in the lives of those here. A few minutes can change these people’s lives forever. Know this. Please, know this.
The realities of war
From the beginning you could tell the difference between Sudan and other war-torn countries we had been in, as where we were headed was not a country that had simply been affected by war, but we were actually behind rebel lines in an area where war was going on, in one of the most devastated areas. From the start we were aware that the regulations or rules of war governing the zone had to be adhered to.
One was the compulsory rule of being accompanied place to place, which though at first was hard to get used to, later turned into a giant blessing as it meant that we were able to be a sample of the Gospel in shoe leather to all the rebel soldiers that were assigned to escort us. Other guidelines were more the norm for this type of place, such as not taking pictures in public. It was also important to remember to stay discreet and not ask too many questions.
You might ask yourself why they have these guidelines. One of the biggest reasons is that they are being bombed regularly, and in the past some missionaries and NGO (nongovernmental organization) workers were informants for the northern armies. This resulted in specific locations getting bombed. A few months before our visit, bombing occurred every other day. The last time the area had been bombed was a few weeks before our visit. (The rebels only captured this area three years ago.)
Most properties have large bomb shelters on them, as what takes the biggest toll on human life is the shrapnel that is sprayed when bombs explode. The north has also been dropping chemical bombs, which cause all in the nearby area to itch for a few weeks, not really knowing what they’ve been afflicted with.
The north of Sudan is largely Muslim and the south is largely Christian. (Many are Catholic or traditional Protestants.) The northern military drops bombs—especially on Sunday— indiscriminately from high altitudes, killing any and everyone in their target zone, including women and children. The people here feel they have to fight for their lives to keep the southern part of Sudan, or else lose it to the northerners and be forced to become Muslims. There’s no other country they can escape to.
In many other African countries we’ve been used to making very large steps in pioneering the country, even at the very beginning. But the Lord did something very different this time. Since we had to go through the routine of registering in town and then meeting all the high-ranking SPLA officers in the city, we followed the Lord’s advice to take quality witnessing time with each one.
The guerrilla war in the south of Sudan is led by rebels known as the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) against the Muslim Arab government. By the mid-1990s the SPLA, led by John Garang, a former officer in the Sudanese army, controlled most of southern Sudan and a number of important towns. However, the government maintained control over Juba, a large city in the far south, and several key southern towns along the Nile and the main roads. Although several smaller rebel groups have signed peace agreements with the government, the SPLA has stated that it will accept nothing less than complete independence for southern Sudan.
In mid-1998 peace talks, the SPLA and the government tentatively agreed to accept an internationally supervised vote on self-determination in the south. However, no date was set for the vote, and the talks failed to produce a ceasefire.
(Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia)
In most cities in Africa, there are universities or streets and areas with businessmen or common folk you can approach and witness to. It’s not like that here. The military is everywhere. There are a few trained people who run aid organizations, but just about everyone else is simple folk from the bush. All are affected by the war, as most husbands or older sons are on the front lines or have died. There are many widows and orphans.
Each of the rebel officers that we took the time to pray with changed right before our eyes, including a high-ranking officer with a large area of responsibility.
Though the soldiers were very receptive to us to begin with, we did not fall into the category of normal visitors to the region, as they only allow some of the large NGOs in. So at the beginning of our visit, they wanted to send us out. But the Lord miraculously raised up the head of the Presbyterian Church for this part of southern Sudan to vouch for us. He said that he knew us and wanted to work with us. This was such a relief to the SPLA officers who we had prayed with and for, as they really wanted us to stay, even though the rules were making it difficult.
The attitude of every official we met was: We want the Word taught to us. We need to be instructed in how to become Christians. All the rebels were very happy to have us. The Sudanese man that vouched for us turned out to be just like an angel, feeding us and letting us stay with him for free. He was so precious, so gentle, always preferring us. His wife had been a soldier with the SPLA for about four years up until 1994, but now they are both trying to do their best to serve the Lord.
Promises for Pioneers
—Given for Our Visit to Sudan
(Jesus speaking:) This new phase of the new day, the era of action, is now upon you. This is the fulfillment of My Word, that I said that you shall do greater things. And as I have said, it is not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit. Stand back and see My salvation.
In this place you have to let Me do the fighting. You have to learn to take a step back and follow Me even more than you have before. I will send My angels before you to open the doors and spirit helpers to open the doors. Don’t think that you have to open these doors yourselves. You have to be open and in tune, receiving My checks, open to all that I have to show you step by step, moment by moment, staying permanently turned on and tuned in.
It is not your work; it is My work, and I will go before you to open the doors, to bring people to you, to set up the situations and the circumstances. All you have to do is step into My plan. You just have to follow Me. That’s why it’s important to stay tuned in, so that you can hear My whispers and listen to My leadings and My guiding, so that you can have the words to say, so that you can give the words that I would have you speak.
The words that I would have you speak are not your own words, not your own wisdom, not your own understanding or knowledge or experience. I would just have you be yielded vessels, tuning in and listening to the whispers, and then passing those whispers on as yielded channels. This is how My work will grow here.
You need to be faithful, be farmers, be plodders. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and these are the first steps to starting a new and exciting work here. But it takes time and it takes patience. In your patience possess ye your souls. (End of message.)
Ministry of healing
The Lord had spoken to us about a ministry of healing from the beginning of the trip, and He led us to the main hospital in the city we were visiting. By faith we went to meet the head physician who runs the hospital, telling him that the Lord had told us in prophecy to bring Jesus’ love to the patients by praying for them, praying for their health, expecting miracles, comforting them, and encouraging them with His Word. Upon hearing this, he was very excited and gave us the green light. He took us all around the hospital, telling each of the head nurses that we would be back to spend time with the patients.
After walking with him, seeing the hospital and hearing his stories of the Antonov bombings [the northern army uses Russian-built Antonov bombers] and how his life was saved, he gave us license to do our job.
In each ward of the hospital we had a very precious experience. We started with the children and mothers, and in every room found people who were hopeless-looking, destitute, despairing, and so sad. Many babies had malaria, heart problems, and other maladies. We went from bed to bed, asking the parents what was wrong with their children and then having desperate prayer for each child, laying on of hands, expecting the Lord to complete the work of healing them.
In each case the change was immediate. The children’s spirits were lifted, joy was brought to the parents’ hearts, and hope and faith was born that God did love them and that they would be healed as we prayed.
Only a few of the patients at the hospital spoke English. The nurses, though, spoke English quite well, so they were able to translate into pidgin Arabic or Bari, one of the local dialects spoken in that area.
On to the surgery ward: In this ward the men were on the right and women on the left, in a big open hall with beds lined up on either side of the wall. We found patients who were wounded by shrapnel from recent bomb blasts, or gunshot wounds. Some had had limbs amputated and all had war-related injuries. Some of the soldiers spoke English, but most were at first very distant in their minds and their hearts, especially when we began to talk about Jesus. But all responded thankfully when we talked to them, learned their names, asked where they had come from, and listened to them tell about themselves and their lives. This opened up their hearts to the Lord and it made them very warm and receptive to our fervent prayers for them to be healed. For those who had lost their legs or had other war-related injuries, we prayed they could make the transition to living normal lives despite these handicaps.
Then we went on to the medical ward, where we found patients with TB, bronchitis, stomach ailments, and many other diseases. Every step of the way souls were won, but in this dorm there were more people who hadn’t heard the Gospel before. The Lord provided a nurse who was able to help us do the job. She got right in there and helped us find out if they were Christian or not, and if they knew Jesus and had received Him. Then she proceeded to help us make sure that everyone in her ward was saved, prayed for, and strengthened through prayer. As people’s eyes brightened, others insisted on us coming to their beds and praying for them. In that ward we visited a patient who has had dysentery for the past nine months. He was very close to death and incoherent in his speech. We prayed for him earnestly, that the Lord would heal him immediately or take him right away out of his misery.
The head nurse and the SPLA soldier that accompanied us through the hospital were both so touched. During the visit, the soldier held our bag and helped translate when he saw we needed help. As we were leaving the hospital the nurse said, You have no idea how much the Lord touched those people today. So many lives were healed.
So often we prepare ourselves for helping people physically, and on the spiritual side we concentrate just on their salvation. But here we saw the power that prayer has and how we can pray for the healing of people’s minds, bodies, and souls. We can help people who already know the Lord to grow in Him, learn more of His ways and how to love Him more. We were opening the door what these people can become, to them getting well by faith and growing up for the Lord. Before going to the hospital the Lord had said to us:
This will be a new time and a new venture, with new decisions and new choices that you’ll have to make. I lay before you a new ministry, one to demonstrate My power and My love for My lost sheep, one that will be an instrument now until I return. Be not afraid, think not that it is you who must do these things, but know that it is only I Who can do it, for only I can heal the sick. Only I can raise the dead. Only I can do the miracles. But as you follow Me closely in prayer, praise, prophecy, loving Me intimately at every turn, I will empower you with the life-giving force that My Spirit brings and will impart that to your touch for those who are willing to receive it. You cannot understand it or try to figure it out. You must trust that it is My will, My purpose, My plan.
Relating to other missionaries
The missionaries that we met in Sudan—both Sudanese and those from different parts of Africa—were very sincere Christians. They have not received as much Word as we have or as much truth, but it was very convicting getting to know them. I could not help but take their sample to heart, and in turn look at my own effectiveness as a missionary and what I’m accomplishing for the Lord. I saw that some of these men have done so much to train others, teach them the Word, and make Christian missionaries out of them. To me it seemed that the reason they were able to accomplish so much with so little was their desperation of heart and their real love for the Lord above and beyond their own lives.
Oftentimes we get almost boastful about some of our accomplishments, but on this trip, I saw the importance of not patting myself on the back, but just getting in there and doing the job—thanking the Lord that He’s able to do it through us.
I think it would help us in our relationship with other missionaries if we related to them in a more humble way, respecting what they’re getting done, and showing more love and appreciation. I’m sure that’s the way the Lord looks at them—with appreciation and excitement at what they are accomplishing for Him with what truth they do have. By addressing them this way and with this attitude, we are more likely to show forth the Lord’s Spirit to them. Then they will probably want to be more involved with us, listen to what we have to say, and be open to our teachings, our experiences, and the spirit of David.
Plans for the future
We’ve organized two future projects in Sudan. One is a Discipleship Camp for training missionaries, and the other is a Christian Educational Program to train teachers in how to teach with Christian methods. At this point, because of the sensitive nature of the situation, Sudan is not a place for a Family Home. But please continue to pray for the projects and trips into the country, so that we can reach it in the way that will be most effective for now.
Your help is very needed. If you would like to be a support to the work in Sudan, sponsoring sets of Activated materials would be the greatest help, as there are so many people there who cannot afford the Activated series or books, but would greatly benefit from them. If you would like to sponsor one or more sets, please designate your gift to The African Activated Desk, Attn: Sudanese Work.
Thank you so much for your prayers, for your love, and for your sponsorship!
(Editor’s note: Read more about this pivotal pioneer trip to southern Sudan in FAR 161!)
By Aaron Actor
On the road to the border between Uganda and Sudan, there was a 12-mile stretch where we couldn’t get a lift. While we were praying about what to do, the Lord pointed out taxi bicycles that were riding around the small town we were in, but were also willing to take us the 12 miles to the border. So a few of us each jumped on the back of a bike and headed out.
At one point my driver was getting a little tired pulling me along, so I suggested that I ride the bike and he walk behind. So I got on and started pedaling away. At that moment I looked around me and reflected on Africa and the times I’ve slowed down to enjoy the moment. There was a beautiful view of fields and mountains nearby-you could see for miles. We rode past other village people, carrying animals or food to their village. Of course, everyone who saw us smiled or giggled, but it was so wonderful and special for us to take the time to travel like the average African.
I realized we miss so much by wanting to do everything in a hurry, even in our relationships with outsiders—wanting the quick win solutions for their souls, instead of allowing ourselves to really take the time to feed them thoroughly, to hear them out, hear their stories, and strengthen them in the areas the Lord needs us to. Going so quickly and so fast, it’s as if we’re just driving in a car to get from A to B quickly, but as I found on those 12 miles, we end up missing so much.
A couple of times it started to rain a bit, and then it started to pour. At that point we found shelter under a small roadside shack that was off the road where others had gathered to get out of the rain as well. There under the awning of this building stood ten other people of different types—children, mothers, workmen, farmers, and other people going to their village. We all stood there waiting for the rain to stop, smiling at each other, enjoying the moment. Then as the rain stopped, we were on our way again, until finally we came to the border.
I guess I just want you to understand how to get the most out of Africa. If you think that Africa is going to be conquered in a day, you’ve got another think coming. To really understand its people you have to enjoy life with them, to see things from their perspective, to love them as the Lord shows us they need to be loved, which is often very different from the way we think we should.
By Aaron Actor
In September and October of 2000 we went on a pioneer witnessing team to the fertile field of Angola. Our team members were Marc, Melissa, Matt, Lisa, Faithy, Marcos, my sons Jason (10) and Elias (8), and me.
I’d like to start by sharing with you a few important points to remember about Angola, and about Africa in general. Oftentimes, people think of Angola as a place that has been ravaged and war-torn for the past 25 years. In terms of African countries, they may imagine a devastated land like Sierra Leone or Liberia.
Well, after this testimony I hope that you throw those preconceived ideas out the window and give Angola a chance. Angola still is technically in the midst of a civil war. (Editor’s note: For background on the economic and political situation in Angola, please see the article in END 40, page 9, Angola paradox: awash in oil, mired in poverty.) There are smaller cities in the interior of Angola where there is more destruction, and much of the interior of Angola is not accessible at this point because of land mines buried years ago. But when we’re speaking of Luanda and also many of the other small cities along the coast and even in the interior, such as Lubango, there is another tale to tell.
Come with us as we share some of the special experiences we had in this wonderful land, as well as the challenges we encountered both there and in the struggle to get there.
Heaven’s view on Angola!
During our first meeting in South Africa with the Angola team, among other encouraging prophecies, we got the following message from Dad which really inspired us:
Excerpts:) Hold onto your hats, folks! You’re about to go on a whirlwind tour, and one that’s going to be more than exciting! Don’t worry, the Lord is going to keep you and protect you every step of the way. We’ve been counseling and talking and praying about this trip, and we’re all so excited. You can’t imagine how many helpers up Here are so excited about this.
We’ve been waiting for a long time for the Family to go to Angola. We’ve been waiting for a long time for the Word to get out there like it should. There’s a whole host of helpers that the Lord’s assigned to you! You’ll find as you go forward that each one will speak louder and clearer to you. So please know that we’re really praying for you and we all have you in the apple of our eyes, excited, smiling, and radiantly looking down at you in awe at your faith and your courage and your initiative and your drive to make this happen. (End of excerpts of message.)
Formation of the team
Our team was made up of people that the Lord led to get together specifically for this first push into Angola—Melissa, who had been in Kenya and had helped us pioneer the Service Center Home in Uganda; Marc, who had been on the Sierra Leone team, as well as in the Ivory Coast for the past two years; Lisa, my faithful secretary; Matt, who is new to Africa and has been working in Europe; Faithy, whose mother is actually from Angola, who has lived in Brazil for quite some time, and whose greatest heart’s desire was always to come to Angola; and Marcos, who is Angolan and has been praying to be able to return to Angola for some time.
As with any new team, knowing each other and working together well was the most important asset that we could have—that willingness to work unitedly, as well as trust and confidence in one another and in each other’s love for the Lord. A few of us knew one another, but all in all we were a new team and we did go through ups and downs together. We found that the key to success was being honest and talking things out; communicating and not letting anything get under our skin, but getting it out in the open right away; staying in the Word and close to the Lord in prayer and prophecy. The team was founded on strong unity, with our major goal being preaching the Gospel and laying the groundwork for teams that would come to Angola in the future.
What can go wrong when pioneering?
Answer: Everything! Well, here we were still in Namibia after three weeks, instead of leaving immediately to Angola as we had thought we would. These were probably the most difficult first steps in pioneering an African country that we had experienced up until now. Just to get into the country took a long time and a lot of tests, with me being down for a week with malaria, and other members of the team getting tested with their health as well.
We weren’t able to get visas at the Angolan embassy in South Africa, so that’s why we went to Windhoek, the capital of Namibia. The embassy there was less than helpful but after awhile said that it was possible to get a visa, but it would take another two weeks for the paperwork to be sent to Luanda and okayed.
The Lord in prophecy told us again and again that He wanted patience to have her perfect work, and that the time it was taking was causing us to trust Him and look to Him much more. In the end, He said, it would bear the kind of fruit and make us the kind of missionaries that Angola needed.
Finally we gave it till Tuesday for the Lord to give us the visas or we were going to turn around and head back. That day the Lord came through miraculously, giving us the visas! The first consul even got saved and totally turned on to us and to the need for us to go to his country!
Each step of the way, the Lord was speaking to us, comforting us, and encouraging us that He was going to do it. But at the same time we were hitting brick walls, as He told us we would in the prophecies we received before beginning the trip.
At the beginning, it seemed everything was going wrong, over and over. Even the day when the visas were cleared, as we were leaving the embassy with some of our passports, we were told that my son’s passport was full with no pages left, so there was so space to record his visa. Thank the Lord, the American embassy was around the corner—but we got there only to discover that the consulate section was closed and would not open until the following day!
After shooting up a quick prayer, and the Lord confirming in prophecy that it was going to happen that day, we explained the need at the American consulate. So they decided to help us, even though they were closed, and they inserted 20 more pages in his passport. Thank the Lord! Then we popped back over to the Angolan embassy to get his visa.
The night before the Lord had told us in a dream that we’d all get the visas on that day—and He fulfilled that promise exactly! Thank the Lord!
The fight to victory
So many times in those first few weeks we were tempted to give up, but the Lord encouraged and inspired us in prophecy.
Jesus speaking:) I have My split second, My moment when I will open the door and you will be able to walk in. Trust Me and continue as if everything depended on prayer, as if everything depended on praise, as if everything depended on defeating the Enemy—both by rebuking him and then by continuing to fight him in spirit—because it does!
Angola has many spirits that fight against Me and My work of preaching the Gospel there. It is a very dark place with strongholds that the Enemy has in the hearts of many who live there. Because of this yieldedness on these people’s part to let the Enemy in, he has more sway and that is why it’s taking so long.
If you remember the story of Daniel and the angel, and how long it took—a few weeks—because the archangels of the Enemy were fighting him, the same is applicable to this pioneer effort. You have a lot more fighting you, and therefore you have to be a lot more on the attack.
One thing that you have to keep in mind is that I want you to be riled up in the spirit! I want you to be determined and driving! I want you to be filled up with desperation to win souls and preach and teach My Gospel! If I were to just give it to you on a platter, you would just take it for granted, walk into Angola, give out some posters and not really accomplish My will. (End of excerpts of prophecy.)
e said again and again that we could not lose as long as we didn’t give up. We also did Word studies on desperation and desperate prayer and discussed with the team the need to be desperate, as we realized that nothing would happen unless we were very desperate—first of all desperately seeking Him for the authorities to open up the doors.
Too often in our lives or our Homes, it’s just the casual a prayer here, a prayer there, going out here, going out there, and only when difficult situations arise do we get desperate like we should for things to happen. Then, of course, the Lord always comes to our rescue.
We discussed as a team how much more effective our lives would be for the Lord if individually and unitedly we took the time and effort to be desperate continually, on a daily basis. How much quicker would the Lord answer our prayers! How much more completely would He be able to work on our behalf!
The beginning of our trip was a platform for us to learn this principle—how to get desperate both because of events and more importantly, voluntarily, knowing that the end result would be so much more effective. So we fervently claimed His promises, looking Him straight in the face, and earnestly cried out to Him for the miracles that we needed to pioneer Angola.
On our way!
The Lord led us to go overland so that we could see different parts of Angola. So we went from Namibia to the border town, then on to Lubango, which is called The Garden City, as its climate and general nature is one where most anything will grow.
From the beginning we found people to be so receptive to the posters and to us coming to Angola. One man told us how thankful he was for us coming to spread this message of love in his country. He said he had spent the first 40 years of his life destitute from the war, and he was praying that God would change this place around so that the next 40 years would be a better life with more hope. He said it was an answer to his prayers that we were coming here with a message of love from Jesus and that it was proof that Angola can become a better place.
In Lubango, through a miracle the Lord had us meet Renato, a Portuguese-Angolan man who put all nine of us up in his house. He took really good care of us. Then the Lord led us to Pepe, a Spanish NGO worker who is in charge of one of the NGOs in Lubango, and he took extra good care of us as well.
Luanda beckons
After nearly a week in Lubango, the Lord led us to go on to Luanda, the capital. How to get a team of nine to another city a couple hours away by air without spending money? (We had money—we just needed it for other things!) Well, we prayed desperately and the Lord did miracle after miracle.
For Matt, Mel, and Marcos, flying to Luanda was no small event. Most of the pilots were Russian, so for Mel—who lived in Russia for some time and speaks Russian—it was perfect. The pilots were flipped and ushered them on to a big, old Russian Antonov plane that carries cars, trucks, goats, other animals, and of course humans, too!
The plane others of us flew on was a WWII airplane from the ‘40s, so you can imagine what it was like. We had our seatbelts buckled and we were desperately praying the whole journey. Everyone on the plane got tracts and a few people got saved. It was really special.
Promises about Luanda
And so we arrived in Luanda, the capital of Angola. It is one of the oldest cities in Africa, founded by the Portuguese about 500 years ago.
Jesus speaking:) Luanda is a city of many kings, dynasties, principalities. But where darkness doth abound, grace doth much more abound. For there be many generals and many mighty men of great wealth and many men of great poverty. Before thee I roll out a red carpet—a red carpet that will take you to the halls of power to bring My Word and Gospel to the highest kings of this nation.
Your team paves the way for so many to follow. My children from South America, from Portugal, from different directions and different places will come to bring My Word here. So remember, each and every person you meet is a steppingstone to the future work here in Angola. Each person that you meet is a key pivot in the mechanism of the initial work in Angola. Take no one for granted. Treat everyone equally, with the same love I would. Witness and bring My Gospel to each person that you meet equally and I will honor this in every way. (End of excerpt of prophecy.)
hen the Lord said the above, we got even more excited. We saw this prophecy partially fulfilled in our trip, and He told us that it would continue to be fulfilled for the teams that take up the torch for Angola.
The big surprise
Well, the big surprise for us was to land in Luanda. We had heard so much about this place, and we were so surprised to see that it didn’t fit what we expected, as far as being a rough African city, with lots of crime and other difficulties. It’s very similar to some cities in parts of West Africa. We felt very safe the entire time, including on the streets in the evenings, and we did a lot of walking. There is definitely petty theft once in a while, but as far as armed robbery or anything like that, it seems that is not so prevalent.
Luanda is a bustling metropolis. At night its skyline is bright and electrified with skyscrapers and many large, very developed business centers. It has nice hotels, and nowhere else in Africa do you see so many new vehicles on the road. Life is very expensive in Luanda, but these were some of the most hungry spiritually and most helpful people we’ve met in Africa.
The Lord provided hotels to stay in right away and supplied very good accommodations for the rest of the trip, from 5-star to 2-star to 1-star and then back up to 5-star! We were always learning to abound or abase—but the Lord never failed. Some times we missed a golden opportunity by our own delaying, but in His love He was always there to pick us up and take good care of us!
Focus on preaching the Gospel
For some on the team who had been used to clowning, doing CTP as a ministry, and were not so familiar with personal witnessing or bringing Jesus to people directly, there were a lot of new experiences in Angola, where people were so interested and receptive to us sharing Jesus with them. Often it is easy to hide behind a cloak of good works in our presentation, hoping for the sheep to begin to be interested in us. But here, with Angola being predominantly Catholic, everyone wants to pray with you, and everyone wants to hear about Jesus. A real mission field!
For lit—the sky’s the limit!
We got out about ten thousand Portuguese posters in Angola on this trip. If someone were to ask us, What are the possibilities of getting out the tools in Angola? Would teams be able to distribute tools and could people afford them? the answer would be a resounding yes! The posters were a giant hit and people were so receptive to them. The Activated magazines would go like hotcakes—videos too! All the tools would fly. People love music and they just loved our Portuguese lit. Angola is just looking for the team or teams that have a burning desire to see it won for Jesus.
Teams that come to Angola could immediately have a Church of Love, Bible studies, and all sorts of forums to feed different types of members of the community, both in the business world, political sectors, as well as the educational areas. We have not seen a main capital city quite so receptive, both in provisioning and in personal witnessing. It is definitely one of the most potential cities in Africa.
Meeting the top
One of the most exciting highlights of our pioneer trip in Angola was to meet a high-ranking political advisor, whom we had met earlier in Namibia. We went to his house and had dinner with him and his wife, sharing a very special evening with them and their friends and just getting to know them. They were very happy to meet us and very much embraced us and our goals. Both of them got saved, and we were able to pray for them. It was the beginning of what we feel will be a long-lasting relationship. This precious man has offered his services already to help teams get set up in Angola.
Along with this man, we were able to meet and have dinner with a lot of other top businessmen, some of the most influential business people in Luanda, all of whom were very receptive to our message of Jesus’ love, to the posters, and to what we had to share with them.
Meetings in the universities
Another incredible door the Lord opened to us was to be able to have meetings in universities. When Marc and Matt went to the universities in Luanda, they found that English speaking is becoming the in thing among the young people, so much so that they have rather large schools that are concentrating just on teaching students English, as well as other schools that concentrate on teaching teachers how to teach English.
Well, both of these schools were the Lord’s open door for us, and we took over the classes. We started out doing a Dr. Chainbuster skit and got everybody saved. Then we had a question-and-answer period, discussing different angles of the Christian faith. In some of the classes we were able to come back again and again, touching on all different kinds of topics.
The Angolans are different in that they are very free, especially compared to the rest of Africa. Their women like to dress sexy and they are very free in many ways. One of our classes was on Sex in Heaven, and the Law of Love versus the 10 Commandments. This was a hit!—Everyone really loved this one. We found most people really were excited to hear the things we believe in and they had so many interesting questions. This class opened a lot of hearts that had been closed because of the established traditional religion.
We expect very good fruit from these classes and have gotten most of these students hooked up to e-mail follow-up and to the Activated program!
Other benefits in Luanda
There are some special fringe benefits of this African country. For you girls who like to be treated like ladies—this is definitely the place for you. In other parts of Africa, especially West Africa, it’s men first. The men always get served first and treated the nicest, but here in Angola there is a different way of thinking. If you’re at dinner at a restaurant, they bring the woman the menu and talk only to her. They treat her with real respect. In fact, women are more respected than men in Angola.
Another very special thing about Luanda and also other cities along the Angolan coast is that there is the most scenic coastline, including small islands along the coast that add to the beautiful atmosphere. There are miles of beach with great waves and an absolutely beautiful ocean. It’s a special perk that will make this incredible land that much more of a treat for those who lay down their lives for her!
All of us can testify that our trip to Angola was filled with some of the most exciting witnessing, and some of the most exciting miracles we had ever seen the Lord do with any pioneer effort in Africa! It’s a great mission field and we found people are hungry and very ripe and ready for the Gospel. Our whole team agrees that it’s a very potential and receptive field. We are praying for the right team, the right personnel, the right Portuguese speakers who are sold out, determined, and desperate in their heart, mind, and soul to take care of and feed the precious people of Angola.
Closing down shop in Angola
Well, closing down shop was no easy task, as Luanda is located a long way from anywhere. To leave takes just as much a miracle as getting there—or a lot of money—especially with our team of nine, half of us going down to South Africa and the other half up to West Africa.
The team to South Africa provisioned a ride on a Russian Antonov plane to Lubango and, after spending a couple days there, were driven down to Namibia. We had a car waiting there and they were then able to drive to South Africa.
Other French-speaking fields: Cabinda and Congo (Brazzaville)
As for the rest of us (Marc, Lisa, the two children and me), we went from Luanda on a provisioned flight to Cabinda, a small sliver of land which belongs to Angola but is surrounded by the DRC (the Democratic Republic of the Congo). It’s responsible for the majority of the oil reserves Angola has and has a lot of oilrigs off its coast and within its borders. It’s one of the biggest oil regions on the continent, and that makes Cabinda a very special place, with a few hotels, a lot of expatriates, and a lot of oil companies. It could support a Home or be the destination of many fantastic road trips. The people were very sweet, and it’s a peaceful place.
From there we provisioned a short flight to Pointe-Noire, Congo, and we spent some days in Congo (Republic of the Congo). It is very small and has two big cities—Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire. Pointe-Noire was a very chic French tourist haven at one time; now pretty much just the oil companies are there because of the large oil reserves in the region. There are a lot of hotels and restaurants and it’s a good-sized city. Brazzaville is much bigger, and is the capital and commercial center. People often get this Congo (Brazzaville) mixed up with Zaire, which was recently renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Congo (Brazzaville) is right next to the former Zaire, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
We found people to be very receptive. Homes could be started in either city. Tools would go out great there. It’s really up for grabs and a very potential place for French-speaking Family members who are willing to lay down their lives to get out the Word, and who want the exciting life of preaching the Gospel in French-speaking Africa.
More Information and Counsel
Dear ones,
As we prepared this FSM for you, the Lord checked us that it would be good to include more information about Congo (DRC), Sudan, Angola, and Congo (Brazzaville), all of which are experiencing war, civil unrest, or other difficulties. We found the U.S. State Department’s consular information sheets to offer concise and to-the-point information on the on the state of civil unrest, crime, and other hazardous conditions in those countries.
Aaron and Oli have given first-hand accounts of their impressions and adventures as they pioneered these countries. They have seen the good and possibilities that the Lord has opened up to them there through the eyes of faith. They’ve had His promises to go on and His angels surrounding them, ensuring their safety and protection.
On the other hand, the U.S. State Department takes an altogether different approach with their consular reports. Their main criterion in issuing this information is to keep U.S. nationals traveling abroad safe, and if there are any dangers, that is what they emphasize. They do their best to discourage people from visiting areas where they may become victims of crime or war. The downside of publishing these reports is that they present a vastly different picture and feeling than what our Family pioneers are sharing with you.
Please remember that when you go to countries like the ones described in this FSM with the Lord’s blessing, His commission, and His leading, you have His protection. Even if He allows you to live and minister to the lost in the middle of disaster, civil disturbance, or crime, He will keep you through it. However, we felt it best to advise you of the black picture presented by the consular reports, so that if you were to pray about going to one of these countries in Africa, you could take these possible dangers into account. The Lord doesn’t see as man sees; however, it is sometimes good to be informed of what man sees, so that you know what to take to the Lord, and what to ask Him to guide you through and protect you from.
Our Protector and Husband has certainly guided and protected our wonderful Africa pioneers. They’ve followed Him step by step, and have the fruits to show for it. God bless them! Knowing more about the dangers they face should cause all of us to keep them in our earnest prayers, and thank the Lord for their faith, willingness, courage, Godly wisdom, and great love for the African people that compels and strengthens them.
Love, WS
Consular information sheets
Democratic Republic of the Congo—Consular Information Sheet
April 24, 2001
WARNING (Issued April 11, 2001): The Department of State continues to warn U.S. citizens against travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), due to security and political uncertainties. On April 11, 2001, the Department terminated the authorized departure status of U.S. Embassy personnel in non-emergency positions and family of Embassy personnel from DRC. However, minor children are still not permitted to accompany Embassy personnel. U.S. citizens living in the DRC should continue to review their personal security situations, exercise caution and, if appropriate, depart the country.
DRC government-imposed curfews are often in effect and may be imposed or lifted with minimal warning. Security personnel have been known to enforce DRC government-imposed curfews with gunfire.
U.S. citizens, English-speaking individuals of other nationalities and travelers who appear to be members of military or missionary groups have sometimes been specifically targeted for arrest, detention, deportation, increased scrutiny and difficulties at the airport and other ports of entry, or other forms of harassment.
Travelers entering the DRC with visas and/or entry/exit stamps from Uganda, Rwanda or Burundi may experience difficulties at the airport or other ports of entry, including being detained for questioning or refused entry into the country. Anyone who wishes to travel outside of Kinshasa must obtain advance written permission from the Ministry of the Interior.
Extremist groups continue to make threats of violence against U.S. citizens and interests in the Great Lakes region. While operating out of northeastern DRC in March 1999, a rebel group specifically targeted and killed U.S. citizens and other English-speaking people in southwestern Uganda.
Unofficial armed groups operate in parts of the country, and are responsible for pillaging, vehicle thefts, car-jackings, extra-judicial settling of differences, ethnic tensions, and continued military/paramilitary operations. Travelers run the risk of attack or detention. Travelers should avoid any area where demonstrations are occurring or where crowds have gathered. Consular access to arrested/detained U.S. citizens cannot be guaranteed.
COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to be faced with a deep political and economic crisis, partially inherited from the previous regime which was deposed in the spring of 1997, and an ongoing war in the north and east involving national armies from Central and Southern Africa and rebel groups from neighboring countries that affects approximately half the country. There has been a dramatic deterioration of the country’s physical infrastructure and basic security environment. Urban crime remains a problem. There is occasional official hostility to U.S. citizens and other expatriates, periodic shortages of basic items such as gasoline, a chronic shortage of medical supplies, high inflation, and in some areas, corruption and serious malnutrition.
SAFETY AND SECURITY: The security situation in the Congo is unstable. DRC is at war with its three eastern neighbors, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, several thousand of whose troops are present in the country. Rwanda and Uganda are supporting different Congolese rebel troops against the Kinshasa government. Their forces have fought against DRC government troops and, on occasion, against each other. Congolese rebels or foreign armies occupy about half of the DRC’s territory, and the Kinshasa government exercises only nominal control over many areas in those parts of the country under its authority. Although armed soldiers and police are common in urban areas, including Kinshasa, the multiple and competing security forces are unable to maintain order. Ill-trained, ill-paid, well-armed, operating in a system with little effective command-and-control, the security forces often act arbitrarily and may, themselves, pose a threat to the population instead of protecting them.
Large numbers of security forces remain stationed in all urban areas, notably the capital, Kinshasa, where government-imposed curfews are often in effect. The DRC government has imposed curfews in the past with minimal warning; please check locally before traveling to DRC to confirm current curfew status. Entry by car or boat after 6 p.m. is prohibited.
Travel in the downtown parts of Kinshasa and Lubumbashi [an industrial city in southwestern DRC] is generally safe. The outlying areas, including Kisangani, are less secure due to the ongoing war, lack of adequate training/supervision of the security/rebel forces present and high levels of criminal activity. Tension in the capital is further heightened by the influx of refugees from the civil conflict in the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville), across the Congo River. Civil disturbances may occur without warning in all urban areas and have the potential to turn violent.
There are numerous, often poorly marked, military roadblocks, especially after dark. Vehicles are often searched for weapons, and travelers checked for identity papers. Troops regularly seek bribes and transportation. If confronted with such a situation, it is suggested that U.S. citizens not question the individual’s authority, remain as courteous as possible and report the incident to the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa as soon as possible.
REGIONAL TERRORISM: One of the many extremist rebel factions in the Great Lakes region has committed, and continues to threaten, violence against American citizens and interests. This rebel faction was responsible for the March 1999 kidnapping and murder of several Western tourists, including Americans, in Uganda. An extremist rebel faction was responsible for the kidnapping of four foreign nationals in August 1998 in the DRC. Rebel factions are known to operate in northern and northeastern DRC and the surrounding areas, including sections of Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi.
When driving in cities, please keep windows up and doors locked. At roadblocks or checkpoints, documents should be shown through closed windows. In the event of a traffic incident involving bodily injury to a third party or pedestrian, please do not stop to offer assistance under any circumstances. Proceed directly to the nearest police station or gendarmerie to report the incident and request official government intervention. Attempting to provide assistance may further aggravate the incident, resulting in a hostile mob reaction or stoning.
Angola—Consular Information Sheet
(September 18, 2000)
WARNING: The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to Angola because of continued military conflict in the interior provinces and increased violent criminal activity, including kidnapping and the threat by criminals and rebel insurgents to kidnap foreigners. Travel within Angola remains unsafe due to high intensity military actions, bandit and insurgent attacks, undisciplined police and military personnel, and land mines in rural areas. Foreign nationals, especially independent entrepreneurs, are subject to arbitrary detention and/or deportation by immigration and police authorities. Travel outside Luanda is inadvisable.
COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: Angola is a large, developing African country that has been engulfed in war and civil strife since independence from Portugal in 1975. A peace accord signed in 1994 brought a temporary halt to Angola’s civil war, but in late 1998 fighting returned the country to war, making travel to and within Angola extremely unsafe. Facilities for tourism are non-existent. Severe shortages of lodging, transportation, food, water, medicine and utilities plague the capital city of Luanda and other cities. Shortages cause unsanitary conditions in many areas, including Luanda.
CRIME INFORMATION: Violent crime occurs regularly throughout Angola. Street crime is common in all areas of Luanda, at all hours. Foreigners, including U.S. citizens, have been the targets of violent robberies in their homes and hotel rooms. Because of the high incidence of armed robberies and carjackings, travelers are cautioned against airport arrivals after dark. Before arrival, please ensure that you have arranged for reliable transportation from the airport. Only unregulated taxis are available at the airport and in Luanda. They are unsafe, a high crime risk and should not be used.
City streets are patrolled by soldiers and police who normally carry automatic weapons. The soldiers and police are unpredictable, and their authority should not be challenged.
Travelers should be alert to a number of scams perpetrated by Luanda airport personnel. Immigration and customs officials sometimes detain foreigners without cause, demanding gratuities before allowing them to enter or depart Angola. Airport health officials sometimes threaten arriving passengers with vaccinations with instruments that have not been sterilized if gratuities are not paid.
Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville)—Consular Information Sheet
WARNING (issued May 3, 2000): The Department of State warns U.S. citizens to defer all non-essential travel to the Republic of Congo (Brazzaville) due to the uncertain security situation in some regions. Although the 1998-1999 civil conflict has largely ended and a peace process has begun, security is still unsettled in some isolated areas. The capital, Brazzaville, and economic hub, Pointe Noire, have experienced no recent incidents related to the conflict. The U.S. Embassy in Brazzaville suspended operations on June 18, 1997, and there remains no resident U.S. diplomatic presence in the Republic of Congo to provide consular assistance to U.S. citizens.
COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: The Republic of Congo is a developing nation in central Africa. Civil conflict in 1997, late 1998 and early 1999 damaged parts of the capital and large areas in the southwest of the country. Peace accords were concluded in November and December 1999 that have largely brought an end to the conflict. Restoration is now underway in Brazzaville and other cities; however, facilities for tourists remain limited.
SAFETY/SECURITY: The capital, Brazzaville, and second-largest city, Pointe Noire, are typical small central African cities. Disorganized bands of armed former militiamen and rebel elements remain a security threat in areas of the southwest of the country. Travel to these regions is not recommended. Night travel outside of Brazzaville should be avoided. U.S. citizens should avoid political rallies and street demonstrations and maintain security awareness at all times.
INFORMATION ON CRIME: Petty street crime, targeting foreigners is relatively rare, but nighttime mugging sometimes occurs, especially in Pointe Noire.
From EURCRO and Your African Shepherds:
Africa is full of contradictions. It is true that terrible things happen, such as are described in the U.S. State Department’s consular reports. We hear about them and sometimes also experience them firsthand, as you have read in the pubs. But then there is the other side of Africa—the openness and receptivity of the people, their appreciation for us, their deep hunger for the Word and the Lord’s love and the Spirit. Many people here have spiritual depth and understanding that is rare elsewhere, and the continent is very beautiful as well (although not always having the infrastructure and accommodations some prefer), so no wonder the pioneer reports are glowing in spite of problems one may encounter.
The consular reports show the difficulties and dangers in some African countries, which will help anyone seeking the Lord about moving to such fields to be prayerful and realistic, especially if they have a family to consider and care for. The reports also inspire faith, because they show how wonderfully the Lord takes care of His children. What a miracle His protection and care is! His help and intervention in Africa can give us faith for the future, for the Endtime, or for any difficult situation we might find ourselves in. If the Lord has done it for our Africa pioneers, in what is often called the darkest place on Earth, He can do it for us also!
At the same time, it’s important for anyone considering going by faith to one of the more unstable or war-torn countries to proceed prayerfully, as due to a lack of knowledge of the situation a team may arrive only to discover that maybe they didn’t really have the faith for it after all.
The Lord has told us in prophecy that the best way to go about entering countries such as those mentioned in this FSM as being war-torn or in war zones would be to take a scouting trip first. It’s best not to come straight from the West to such a very unique and different situation as this without foreknowledge of the field, and knowing what to expect.
In several instances when teams came to see for themselves what the area was like, they had an instant witness of the Spirit as to whether it was the place for them or not. Some on scouting trips have fallen in love with the field right away and the Lord confirmed that it was His spot for them. There have been others who were very sure they wanted to go to a certain place, but after having seen it firsthand realized that it wasn’t really what they had the faith for—and the Lord used this venture to help them find their calling and ministry elsewhere.
Please also note that the people writing the articles in this FSM have all been in Africa for quite a few years and have learned a lot about relating to the people there, as well as how to get around in very different cultures, climates, and conditions. They are also following the Lord according to their faith, while your faith might be different.
With this in mind, we asked the Lord about some new teams from the West wanting to go to more challenging areas in Africa, and He said for these teams to first settle in a more peaceful neighboring country, and from there to take road trips to these more unstable countries. This would give the team time to familiarize themselves with the country of their final destination, learn dos and don’ts, and have their ear to the ground and antennas up as to the right timing for opening a more permanent Home in the country. These road trips can be used to witness, to establish local groups of believers, teach them, and provide the tools they need to reach their own people, as in the Congo testimonies from Oli.
We would also advise this approach when larger families with young children are contemplating going to such fields. Adequate preparations need to be made to make sure the young ones are well cared for and schooled. If the children join you in a Home in an unstable African country, you will need contingency plans and the tickets/finances/escape route and plan to get them to safe ground should civil unrest suddenly break out.
Seen from this angle, it can be more practical to have a base or sister Home in a stable, peaceful neighboring country to start from, and then expand into the other country as the Lord leads and opens doors.
We pray this counsel will in no way discourage the efforts and faith of anyone who truly feels the Lord is calling them to some of these difficult fields. Rather we pray this is a help in prayerfully and realistically considering how to go about following the Lord’s leading, knowing that where He guides He will always provide.
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