Africa

“People think that all pastors have a good marriage. I preached and trained Christians, but after 12 years, this night was our honeymoon.” - Andrin

FamilyLife Madagascar is only one year old and they are already planning HomeBuilders Couples Series studies to use as follow-up with the couples who attended this event.

Tanzania and Kenya

Swahili is the national language of Tanzania. Dismas and Anne had translated the marriage manual and a HomeBuilders Couples Series study, Building Your Marriage but had no money or equipment to print them. Howard Ostendorff, director of FamilyLife Global traveled recently from the United States to Tanzania and Kenya to deliver the 200 pounds of Print On Demand (POD) equipment. It was exciting when they were able to print 70 HomeBuilders study guides in Swahili.

In Kenya, James and Chao Wanje also had training in using their printing equipment. They have plans now to launch eight HomeBuilders groups in local churches, even in the slum areas of Nairobi’s 4 million people. The team has hope, vision, and a plan because of this equipment.

Tanzania

FamilyLife partners, Anne and Dismas, live in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. They held a seminar in Dodoma. They started the conference with 60 people, mostly women. It was as if men told their wives to go and represent them. This is common in Africa because many men think that family problems are caused by women who should attend such seminars for their healing.

After attending for two days, the host, Bishop Peter Mwamasika made this remark: "This coming Sunday, the speaker will preach in all three services and continue with the seminar in the afternoon. We have seen at the seminar that it is mostly ladies. We want men also to know these things. I have postponed all my other activities because I value families. I want to learn so that I may practice what is being taught here. I have been in marriage for over 40 years, but I still think I have a lot to learn from others to make my marriage stronger."

Guess what! He was not joking! He meant business with his statement. Dismas had to find ways to present family life topics for the three services where children and young people also attended. The first service was attended by 2,000 people, the second by about 50 and the third service by about

1,500. He spoke about communication in family, and many people appreciated the message. As a result, the afternoon attendance increased to over 1,000 people in the family life seminar. This time everyone came with their spouse! The only huge challenge was having enough materials for the application projects.

The seminar was hosted by the Evangelistic Lutheran Church, but was attended by people from more than 20 Christian denominations in the city. A Muslim brother also attended the seminar. The information came from the registration sheets on which he had identified himself as Hussein from the mosque.

Dismas decided to call Hussein. The Muslim said, "We do not have things like this in mosques. Next time I will come with my wife. Thanks, brother, for calling. This shows how Christians care for people. Imagine, you do not belong to the same religion as me but you called me even after teaching me all the good things like those in the seminar." Hussein also mentioned that he would like to attend a seminar with his wife and that the arrangement should be made to have it in a neutral hall where he will also invite his other friends.

God also blessed this seminar by the attendance of the District Commissioner and his wife. There were other government leaders, pastors and bishops from different churches. When sharing the "Power of God for Oneness," ten people came forward to invite Christ into their lives openly.

Please pray that Dismas and Anne will have time to refine their translated materials before publishing again. Also pray for God to provide for their other needs including transport and accommodations for their FamilyLife ministry. They do not have any funds for this wonderful ministry and they desire to hold between five and eight couples seminars during late summer.

South Africa

Want a Rock-Solid Family? The Value of a National Website
Visit www.familylife.org.za for your family to be Rock-solid and so that you can help South Africa build strong families and a better future. This website has expanded their ministry all over the country and they are reaching people that have never heard of FamilyLife, and wouldn't have, if it weren't for the website.

They once received a call from a Presbyterian pastor who visited the website, read about HomeBuilders and decided to start a HomeBuilders study group at his church. He also invited South Africa's FamilyLife to present two seminars, one on marriage and one on parenting. They now have a growing HomeBuilders movement in their church as a result.

The most crucial part of this ministry is in working with couples through the marriage conference and small group studies.  Here is just one changed life story:

“We were not sure what to expect from this seminar but when the weekend was over, we felt informed, at peace and more open with one another. You must attend this seminar expecting to “glean” gold nuggets that perhaps you have heard before but never found the need or wanted to apply because you thought that there was nothing wrong with your marriage.
Don’t expect to get an answer to solve all your problems and a solution to “save” your marriage. Reconciliation comes from you. Be receptive. You must be able to compromise, forgive and above all LOVE your spouse unconditionally even with all his/her faults. After all neither of you are perfect but through communication and understanding you can get through those difficult times.
We are so grateful for the speakers graciously giving of their time to share their experiences and knowledge. We pray they will continue to bless many more families as they have blessed ours.
Very importantly –make the most of this time that you have to really enjoy each other’s company.”
—Credit Analyst

Malawi

Malawi is a country of 12 million people. It is one of the ten poorest countries in the world! It is small in size but the numbers of AIDS victims are very high. Malawi has over 1 million orphans because of HIV. The Minister of Education said in the last seven years they have lost 7000 teachers because of AIDS. This means that 1000 teachers die every year because of HIV/AIDS. It is a big challenge for Malawi.

It is a moral issue, a character issue, and an integrity issue.

How do you solve this issue from the family point of view? By using FamilyLife strategies. Ignatious Nyaga, the Expansion Ministry Coordinator for South Africa, said "It is only through FamilyLife strategies that we can present principles that can help a person with integrity to say no to sin."

Ignatious and his wife, Astrid have woven FamilyLife in everything they do including their vision to start HomeBuilders groups around the country. He uses the leaders of the HomeBuilders groups to show the Jesus film. These men become the core leadership for the regional areas for the Great Commission.

Ignatious says "We were trained to speak for Weekend to Remember conferences but we thought it was very expensive especially in a poor country like Malawi. We realized we had to do it differently in Africa. So we asked a pastor would he allow me to preach in his church. I spoke to the congregation one Sunday. 'Maybe you are here and interested in a FamilyLife seminar? Are you are wondering why one of you is talkative and one is quiet? Why is one of you organized and one is disorganized?' I could see it opened their eyes. 'I will talk with your pastor and your leaders about having a one day seminar. Let me know how many of you would like to attend?'

"Then on Sunday I asked the pastor 'Would you allow me to present a sermon and make it more of a Family Sunday where I will talk about all the ages of marriage, children, mother, husband; all those issues?' After 45 minutes of sermon, I teach some of those things, but before I conclude I say, 'Yesterday we had a seminar and we learned three to four things and this afternoon we are handling the topic of sexual intimacy. After the seminar you can take the projects and practice on a Sunday afternoon.'

"I found people coming in large numbers on these Sundays. They had to walk a long distance to attend. When I presented the project to the couples, I realized what do I do with the single men whose spouse is not there? What about the women who are there whose husband has not come? Most of the women come, and it is the husbands who do not come.

"So we have devised a plan. We divide these men into groups of three, men without wives and groups of three, women without husbands. When both husband and wife are together as a couple and are doing the projects, these groups of three discuss these principles that have been taught, how they affect them and they pray for each other. When the others are finished, all groups come back together.

"I make my conclusion and talk about salvation is necessary for families to be strong. Marriage institution is older than any region or country, older than the church. It is God's idea and for a marriage to work; God must be involved. I asked them 'How does God fit into your marriage? By allowing Him to be the Lord and your Savior. How do you do it?' Then I use the "Four Spiritual Laws" tract and my wife and I share how Christ paid the price, and then they accept Jesus Christ. It has been very exciting-- and we use FamilyLife to bring many people to Christ."