Around the World: Helping widows and orphans, corn pays tuition, and Christian women meet in the UK

FEATURED IMAGE (above): As students take exams, a lone chicken strolls through the Rwenzori School of Preaching in Kasase, Uganda. 

UGANDA

KASAE — Minister Justin Hopkins (that’s his shoe at far right of the feature image) traveled to the East African nation to teach courses on evangelism and marriage and family at the school, founded in 2016. Hopkins worked with Gregg Knight of the Manna Project during the trip, providing food for widows of a Church of Christ in the mountains near Kasase and support for orphans taken in by a congregation in the village of Kitswamba. “Also, a group of Ugandan preachers is forming a coffee-growing co-op, with the goal of supporting their ministries, feeding orphans in their villages, and employing local brethren to lift up the community,” Hopkins said. The visitors hope to import the coffee to the U.S. to assist the new co-op.

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AUSTRALIA

BRISBANE — “Passing the Baton” was the theme of the recent Asia-Pacific Elders, Deacons and Spouses Conference, hosted by The Point Church of Christ. More than 60 Christians attended from across Australia, Singapore, India and the U.S. Speakers included Evertt Huffard of Harding School of Theology in Memphis, Tenn., Jay Jarboe of Missions Resource Network and ministers Steve Wilson, Benny Tabalujan and Stuart Penhall.

“It was a fruitful and inspiring time,” said participant Craig Holyoak, “which left attendees with a common sense of mission and shared purpose.” See more news from Australia in InterSections magazine, www.intersections.com.au.

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CAMEROON

NGONG — Tuition for a new ministry training school in this West African nation is a bag of corn.

Actually, the corn is more of an investment in the school, L’Institut Biblique de l’Afrique Francophone de Ngong, overseen by the Church of Christ. Albert Djoksia runs the school, which has seven rooms for dormitories and a classroom for its first 12 students. The church also plans to open a health center to serve its community in Cameroon’s predominantly Muslim north.

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FRANCE

LYON — Street interviews conducted in this once staunchly Catholic nation show that French people today know little about Jesus, church members report. So coordinators of a recent family retreat for French-speaking Churches of Christ chose “Faith: From Assurance to Proclamation” as this year’s theme.

Speakers discussed historical evidence for Jesus, the New Testament canon, materialism and suffering during the retreat, hosted by the Lyon Church of Christ. About 110 Christians attended.

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UNITED KINGDOM

LONDON — Christian women of British, African and many other national origins practiced “Love in Action” at the Wembley Ladies’ Day, hosted by the Wembley Church of Christ. Speakers included Athena Theodotou and Amanda Appiagyei of the Wembley church and Esther Chikurunhe of the Thamesmead Church of Christ.

This item appeared in the latest issue of Christian Worker, which also has extended tributes to British Christians Jack Strachan and Beryl Nisbet. Read the tributes at www.churchesofchrist.co.uk.

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SPOTLIGHT:

ITALY

PADUA — In northern Italy, Churches of Christ comprised of immigrants from the West African nation of Ghana “actually outnumber the Italian churches in both size and number,” said missionary Jeremy Korodaj. “Most of these congregations don’t have any qualified men who have enough Bible knowledge or experience in the Word of God to help guide and mature them through preaching, teaching, ministry.”

Four years ago the Church of Christ in Padua launched the Latreia Bible School, named for the Greek word for “service” (which appears, appropriately enough for Italy, in Romans 12:1). Korodaj and Ghanaian Christian Eddie Dadzie teach classes on weekends and during a “Blitz Week” each summer to allow for students’ work schedules. Six students, representing Ghanaian congregations in Vicenza, Zoppola, Reggio Emilia, and Modena, graduated recently from the three-year program.

“Their commitment is commendable,” Korodaj said. Most work long hours on weekdays and some work half days on Saturdays before traveling at least an hour to Padua and attending class for five hours.

The missionary gave each graduate the apostle Paul’s charge from 2 Timothy 4:1-5, the same charge he received from minister Guy Orbison Jr. when he completed a preaching internship in Durango, Colo.

“The charge is to preach the Word of God in all circumstances,” he said, “good, bad, when it’s popular, when it’s not.”

Filed under: Africa Around the World Europe International Missions News People