As many of you might have known, our mission work in Africa with the guidance of Pastor Lance and Belle Wolter has been growing well, especially in 2024. This year, as God’s Word spreads throughout the continent, they would like to share with us some of the pastors who have been faithfully working the harvest for God’s Kingdom in Africa.
In northwest Mozambique, Ps Alberto oversees over 300 churches, spread all over the land until Malawi and Angola. He is such a powerhouse of faith, which makes it a privilege to serve alongside him. Adapting a rapid church planting strategy, he has helped to raise up many leaders and plant multiple churches. In 2024, Ps Lance and Belle brought a team from Australia to visit and minister to these leaders in Mozambique. While they were there, Ps Lance felt the leading of the Holy Spirit to share about and challenge those who were willing to go into a province called Cabo Delgado.
Now, for context, Cabo Delgado is the most dangerous province in Mozambique, where Islamic terrorists have taken control of a significant portion of the area. The police and the army sometimes have no power to intervene. In fact, even police stations are sometimes burned down by the terrorists. And this was the location that God let Ps Lance to encourage the local pastors to plant churches in. Ps Lance admits that he would have been happy to see if just one pastor responded to this calling, and two would have called for a celebration.
As Ps Lance finished his sharing that day, he invites those who are willing to come forward for a prayer of covering to start this journey and training. To his surprise, over 30 leaders came forward, willing to literally lay down their lives for Christ by going into the dangerous mission field. Both Ps Lance and Belle were so touched by this show of faith, and later told Ps Alberto to only train those who are not married to be sent into Cabo Delgado, as those who are married have a responsibility to their families. To their amazement, the first church planting mission team was ready in six months, ready to bring the Gospel to Cabo Delgado. And since then, many have been planted in the region, coming up to almost 32 churches!
Ps Alberto now travels from church to church on the back of a motorbike with his wife. Together, they impart wisdom, training, and encouragement, personally visiting many of the church plants to support and strengthen them. Ps Lance and Belle also would like to thank Brett and the mission team that came from Brisbane and Gold Coast, Australia. The spiritual seed that was planted is now producing real, lasting fruit for God! And the literal seed that the team gave out during that conference also helped the pastors in Africa, providing much-needed relief during the difficult famine and drought they’ve just been through. It truly has made a difference.
Another faithful servant of the kingdom is Ps Sonny, who serves mostly in Liberia and West Africa. Despite some challenges in 2024, God has been faithful to the people there. They were able to have a women’s conference in Lofa County, gathering all the women together and teaching them how to run with the fire of God, with a vision.
Another wonderful testimony that Ps Sonny shares is of how they managed to get back one of the churches that the enemy had taken from them two years ago. By the grace of God, they were able to get the church back through crusades and training, bringing the people back to God. Similarly, Ps Sonny and the church were also able to get to Freetown, to a place called Sambuya in Sierra Leone. They were blessed with an opportunity to start a church there, and even have a crusade!
However, in the midst of all of this also comes some challenges. Ps Sonny lost one of his strong leaders due to old age. And a month later, lost his son’s wife. Three months later, his mother in law passed away. Oftentimes, we cannot see what the enemy is doing, but we have to keep praying for protection and strength from God.
It’s truly been amazing to see God moving in Africa. Ps Lance and Belle extend their gratitude to those who sponsored and donated for the missions work in Africa. They are planning to produce more teaching materials for the community, and they invite all of us as HIM Family to come along on this journey with Hope Africa.
