In 2006, as a student, I had my first Pamoja Africa experience. I was in my final year of  my computer science university degree and it was a very tough year academically. God provided the funds for me to travel to Kenya for Pamoja. It was my first international trip!
What I experienced as a student in Kenya set me up for what I would do as a staff member in mobilizing digital missionaries at Pamoja events in 2010 in Cote D'ivoire and in 2012  in Nigeria. And today, I am flying to Lusaka, Zambia to be with 2000 leaders and young digital practitioners from all over Africa for the next Pamoja!

The word Pamoja is derived from the Swahili word meaning “togetherness”. Pamoja Africa is a vision and a movement. A vision to raise a new generation of transformational leaders for a new Africa and beyond. A movement that will build a network of Africans who are continuously engaged in connecting with each other through business, political, social and religious platforms to make a difference for the Lord.

I attended the previous three conferences helping in organizing the conference and focussing on the media and digital presence.

Would you please pray for travel mercy for me and for all participants to Lusaka, Zambia? Pray also that I will be an encouragement to the young digital practitioners I am going to interact with.

Serving with you,

Miheret 

I am the third born out of seven children [see picture above]. My parents love and follow Jesus. However, at the age of 9, my teacher punished me severely because I didn’t do my homework. He repeatedly beat me, and my legs bled. That day I decided not to go back to school again.
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My parents treated my legs for a couple of days and insisted I go back to school, but I refused. So my dad took me and left me at the school gate to enter. But I declined, and unbeknown to my dad, I ended up going to the market or sometimes to church. Finally, one day my dad found me at church during school time, and he realized that I was serious about not returning to that school.

My family decided to send me to one of my aunties in a very rural place to keep up with my education where they thought I might like the simple life and school environment. But after enjoying it for some months, both my auntie and I caught malaria, which nearly took my life. Moreover, the rural clinic was dysfunctional, and public transport was impossible due to the rainy season, and there was no way to connect with my parents.

We prayed for a miracle that a car would come to our village to be taken to a hospital. After a week, a truck came to the town to grab some agricultural goods from neighboring villages, and we were loaded as well. We were rushed to my parent’s home and then to the hospital. After examining me, the doctors told my mom to go back home as there was no hope for me to recover.

My mom refused to go back home and stayed with me in the hospital corridor as I was not given a bed to sleep on. She continuously said this prayer: ‘my son will not die but will serve the Lord’. I did. 

December 15, is my Birthday! A great blessing to reflect on God’s mercy and blessing in my life. I have great passion and I’m very committed to making Jesus known to all cultures and people around the world. I am truly looking forward for our ministry partnership and what God is going to do in 2017.
I am very thankful for you! The year 2016 has been a full year with many ministry opportunities. Through our partnership, we:

• Trained leaders from around the globe in using digital means to share the gospel
• Created access for people to find Jesus in multiple and easy ways.
• Helped churches, students, and organizations run with their digital mission by connecting people to Jesus through digital means.

Thank you!

​If you are missionary and living abroad, it is helpful to remember that you are not the first one to do so. About 4000 years ago, Abraham, with no GPS left his family and everything he knew at age of 75. He had one reason for doing that: obedience to God. Abraham believed God and pursued His voice for 25 years before he received the promised son, Isaac.
The writer of Hebrew said..
“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” Hebrews‬ ‭11:8‬ ‭NIV‬
Daily we act on faith. We sit down at our desk because we believe the chair will be able to hold us. We fly from place to place believing there is safety procedures in place to take us across oceans. These actions of faith comes easily because we have seen it done over and over. But that is not always the case. Sometimes we face a new adventure with no or little information or opportunity to see it in action. God usually leads us onto a new path- one that doesn’t fit our minds or imaginations. It’s always a faith stretching experience and the big picture only becomes clear once you have taken the step of faith. Have you noticed this as well?
Another great example from the Bible is Joshua. Joshua took the responsibility of leading the Israelites to possess the promised land. His new role started by facing the full Jordan river. He might have wondered “is this in my job description?”. It seemed impossible to try and attempt it. But I like the way God prepared the Israelites to cross the river because it was not something they know how to deal with it..
“….After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before….”
If you are in a new place, you are eager to get a guide. A trusted friend, co-worker or google/Siri. You name it. There are many reasons for this:

• Emotions goes up and down frequently
• Learning a new lifestyle and culture is tiresome
• Missing family, friends, and the good things you know in your country.
• Not everybody will understand you in conversations or vice versa.
• You are vulnerable to be taken for a ride as you depend on people and google about everything
• And you might experience worldview clashes and cultural shock

The list can go on and on. But as it was true in the past when God spoke with Abraham with the stars of the sky and sands of the earth, and the Israelites with signs and wonders, God is still alive and active guiding and caring for His children as we adjust and learn new places.
Faith is embracing God’s Word as it is and acting on it even if it doesn’t make sense. The last 6 months I have been exploring, learning and raising ministry support to live and do mission in Orlando, FL. It is not easy! But at the same time, it is great to see God always at work despite my challenges. I have learned these three lessons:

1. It’s okay if you feel homesick or have low emotions.
2. Stand firm with focusing on your purpose for being away from home, and do not depend on your feelings. Keep the purpose for your mission before you all the time and remind others about it constantly.
3. Embrace a new community: small groups, church, etc.!

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
How are you demonstrating your faith and obedience in adjusting to God’s call in your life?
This post was first shared on Medium.com

As Africans, we’ve long had a culture of storytelling and sharing experiences. For a long period of time, African cultures have already been “sharing”, “liking” and “posting” their experiences, richness of culture and treasured memories through storytelling, communal living and modelling the way; long before social media platforms were popular.
“Now the world is ready to embrace what Africa has known all along – having information is not enough we must experience it through each other.”

Read more about this story on iAfrikan.com