What a blessing our A.M.E. churches in Africa are to our denomination!! There is exciting ministry being done in Africa, and many souls are being won for Christ by our A.M.E. Churches in Africa.

I have been A.M.E. for two years, and I am trying to learn as much as I can about my great denomination so that I can be a better A.M.E. Pastor. I was formally United Methodists so Methodism is not new to me. One of the great gifts that I have received are mentors and family from my colleagues in Africa.

Rev. Albert Biwa, Namibia, Rev. Royd Mwandu Zambia, Rev. Hanse Namibia, and Rev. Ursula Higgins South Africa have taken me under their wings. They are mighty and powerful mentors.

One of the greatest challenges that are confronting our A.M.E. churches in Africa right now is Aids. We are losing, millions and millions of people to this disease. We must fight for indigenous leadership for Africa, but we also might fight to help our churches in africa financially so their will be churches to lead.

It is winter in Capetown and Rev. Higgins has a ministry with street children who have been orphaned by aids. Rev. Mwandu also has an orphanage and needs money and supplies. There are things we can do now to help.

Please contact Rev. Higgins or Rev. Mwandu and send them money. I cry when I think of all the money we spend to fly to conferences and the hotel expense, while children are dying in Africa. Please start a grass root program in your church, conference or district. Take a collection every month and send it to Rev. Higgins and Rev. Mwandu and Rev. Hanse, and Rev. Biwa.

They are a blessing to our denomination. For they are leaders in our church, they need our help now. Thank you.

-- Anonymous, June 24, 2003

Answers

You are answering my prayer! I will contact these pastors. We must be a real connectional church! We cannot sit and watch our people struggle to help those who are struggling. However, I do not want one issue to overshadow another. If there is no indigenous leadership members can become disgruntled and feel that there is a lack of concern. Losing numbers may hurt our efforts to help in areas such as AIDS/HIV. With that said, We MUST help in anyway we can. Timeless rhetoric and political walls will further increase the speed in which individuals will parish physically and spiritually.

-- Anonymous, June 24, 2003