Physical and spiritual Doctors on the 2016 ACF Missions team.

 

More than 80% of the people who came for our medical missions most likely would not have seen a doctor all year if we weren't there. I say this not to shine light on ACF as an organization and emphasize the work we do but to illustrate the need for accessible healthcare in the rural areas of the world. Many people come just to receive free medicine, a check-up for their family and free food. And yes with how great the need is for medical help we could have set up shop and simply distributed medication to everyone who wanted it, but what makes us more than a humanitarian organization is our desire to primarily introduce people to Christ. This desire is fueled by our personal experiences with Gods love as well as a compassionate heart for the nations. For this reason we designed the medical missions days to be organized so that first patients would get their vitals checked, see the doctors, receive counseling, THEN visit the pharmacy to pick up their medicine. The counsellors played the role of spiritual doctors. Not every sickness that entered the school grounds could be healed by medicine alone and more times than could be counted, prayer was the best treatment. We have pictured here, our counsellors and translators. Amazing men and women of God who listened to, prayed for and encouraged everyone who came to their table. Since we are more than just flesh, it is our responsibility to address more than the flesh and what we see on the surface. We must pay attention to the body, mind AND spirit.

Pastor Emmanuel Ike one the counselors on the ACF 2016 missions team

Rev.Bolu Olowomeye counsels a youth in Totolim-Kumi, Uganda

Rev.Bolu Olowomeye during a counseling session

Brother Emeka Nwosu during a counseling session.

This year, in Uganda, we had six medical doctors and one ophthalmologist. It was so amazing to have them come from different parts of Uganda, the United States and even Spain. They were instrumental not only in diagnosing, but also in catering to the patients they saw on a personal level. It was and is more than just hearing the ailments, writing a prescription and sending them off to the next station. With more than nine hundred people waiting to see the doctors over the span of two days they could have easily succumbed to the pressure of those overwhelming numbers and rushed through the diagnosis' and to a degree we could have called that success but they didn't. Success is more than getting the maximum amount of people during the two days that we are there. Thankfully our team shared that sentiment and the necessary time and attention was given to everyone there. Pictured here are our doctors for this year's mission trip as well as the translators who equally played a role in helping both patients and doctors.

 Dr.Chibuzo in action

 Our ophthalmologist

 Mrs.Grace Bassey in the pharmacy

 Part of he Pharmacy team [Mrs. Ukwuani and Florence]

The team of ACF Missions Doctors and Nurses 

Kelechi Okpa

ACF 2016 missions Team Member

Join us as we share our mission experiences.

We will first thank you for all your financial and prayer support for this year's mission trip. All spectrum of ACF family including children, youths, young adults and adults prayed for the team while we were in Benin Republic and Uganda. The chapters made great sacrifices and held mission banquets to raise money to fund the programs.

I will confess we feltthe impact of all your prayers and that is why we had awesome missionexperiences this year with outstanding victories and testimonies. Your prayersfrustrated all the attacks of the enemy and the team remains eternallygrateful.

The team this year isa special bunch selected by God Himself to accomplish His goal in BeninRepublic and Uganda. More than 30 percent of the team members went on missionswith ACF for the first time. It was exciting and encouraging to have missionveterans and elders from ACF East Region to join this year’s mission trip toAfrica. The team was truly a combination of youth and wisdom of the elderly.

We will be visiting each ACF chapter in the Eastern region in the future, but I am excited to announce to you about the upcoming Re-Union meeting for the 2016 ACF Mission Trip to Africa. The meeting is open to every ACF member, but everyone who went on mission trip this year and in the past are expected to attend.

We stronglyencourage you to attend the re-union meeting if you are planning to go onmission trip with ACF East Region in 2017.

The meeting will holdas follows:

Date: SaturdaySeptember 17, 2016

Time: 10am-3.30pm

Venue: DC ChapterFellowship Center at 6706 Annapolis Road, Hyattsville, MD 20874

Please join us to share in our mission experiences, testimonies from the field,and the planning for the next year's mission trip

Bro Festus Ukwuani

Mission Director, ACFUSA, East Region

Dreams brought to life

Congratulations to our very own Dr. Odwar Lazarus. Remember the past, live in the present and look forward to the future! May your attained medical degree be just the beginning of a lifetime of fulfillment for you.

ACF Child Sponsorship program is well into its second decade of identifying high potential young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and circumstances and affording them the opportunity to realise their dreams. Through this program, we believe that we are indeed developing leaders for a better, stronger Africa. It is a noble and exciting mission.

HOW CAN I HELP?

You can become a Mentor

• Are you passionate about changing the up-and-coming leadership and future of this country?
• Are you keen to share some of your time with a high school student?
• Is there a part of you that would have appreciated some advice or guidance when you were younger, and would like to make that possible for a young person now?
• Do you have some life and work experience?

If you answered yes to the above questions, you would be ideally suited to become a mentor! Every year, the Child Education Sponsorship Programme (CESP) recruits committed individuals to serve as mentors for our students.

Sponsor a child

You have the opportunity to create Africa’s next lawyer, doctor or scientist by being part of CESP programme. ACF CESP matches each Scholar with an individual or institutional sponsor who makes a commitment to fund his or her education.

Each Scholar’s sponsorship covers:
• Tuition fees
• School uniforms
• Textbooks
• Stationery
• School trips
• Sports equipment and uniforms

Being a sponsor is a deeply rewarding and enriching experience and you can sponsor a child from as low as $50 contribution per month. You may also make a partial contribution over five years towards a child’s education. Please consider sponsoring a child today.

Sponsors receive:
• Semi-annual reports from ACF CESP which include:
– Academic reports on your Scholar
– Letter from your Sponsored child
– Progress reports and feedback

A BIG THANK YOU to all our sponsors and projects partners.

Am a missionary......

Hello friends,

This is going to be an amazing month. I'm going to share a quick update and a few reminders. Remember GoFundMe isn't the only way to donate to this missions trip, all donations are tax deductible, and no amount is too little. Since donations can come offline, like last year, I'll reduce the amount shown via Gofundme by the amount received offline 

Thank you all again for all the support and encouragement. Feel free to contact me throughout. 

 am a missionary.  In some way, shape or form I believe anyone can play a role in mission work, whether you are a "goer" or a "sender".

It is my desire to be a goer, and because of that I am raising money for my 2016 missions trip to Uganda from Thursday July 21 to Saturday August 6, 2016. 

The funds raised will go towards airfare, local transportation, meals and accommodation. It will also support ongoing projects in Uganda as well as the materials and programs we take with us.

Although being a missionary overseas or in a different culture is not the calling for everyone, it is something that I want to do. By no means is it easy, but I love  both the joys and hardships of it. I want to love them, if only because they bring me closer to becoming more dependent on Him.

I'm excited to begin again on a journey that started in 2015, knowing that it may be the same country I go to but my experience and the turnout will be vastly different. I can't say how much I am grateful for and appreciate any support shown or donation given. 

I do pray God continues to bless you.

ACF Construction project in Kumi

We stand in awe each time we look at this building, for it is only through the Lord’s plans that this has come into existence. Now we look to the Lord for His plans in using the facility to bring many to Christ. His plans always exceed our wildest imagination! So we pray for God’s continued revelation regarding His will be achieved through us to the glory of The Great Visionary!

Lord, I have heard of your fame I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known in wrath remember mercy. Habakkuk 3:2

This Project stands as a vivid testimony of God’s faithfulness to us. As we have been obedient in following the Lord’s direction, He has poured out His blessings on us. We can’t wait to open the doors of this facility to the world around us! In the process, we pray fervently that all the activities that will take place over the years ahead will be a vehicle through which the world will come to know the gracious God whom we serve!

What our Father has started, he will see through to completion...in spite of the plans we have made! And during this waiting time, when we watch the rain with frustration, he will strengthen us and provide the encouragement we need! We, ultimately rely on the Lord to cover all of our expenses. As we can read in the Bible, he owns the gold and the silver.

For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

2 Chronicles 16:9

This would not be possible without the support of the many individuals who sponsor children through ACF Child Education Sponsorship program and projects funding. Change the life of a child in Africa. Support ACF programs, change a story and impact a nation. Go to http://www.acfusa.org/acf/donate 

Dear Sisters and Brother in Jesus Christ, who are far and unknown to us. We invite you to come and help us if God is leading you: first with your prayer, and if you can, financially as well!

May God bless you as you join this cause. 

Ndubisi Okeke..........ACF Missionary & Health Volunteer, Peace Corps.

Ndubisi Okeke

Health Volunteer, Peace Corps

"Hi! My name is Ndubisi Okeke. I’m from ACF Baltimore Chapter and I am currently serving in the Peace Corps in Uganda as a health volunteer. If we’re talking about my experience so far, we should discuss expectations. I came in with very few, but it wouldn’t have mattered anyway, because the way things played out, of course, was so unexpected. I could not have imagined the degree to which God would provide for me, yet utterly destroy me.

The things most in question, like, "Where I was going to live?", "Who I was going to work with?", and, "Would I have running water?" were totally taken care of, above and beyond what I could envision. Yet, everything that could be shaken would be shaken, including my perceived strengths, abilities, and motivations. I found that I couldn’t lean on my faith the same way I used to. Out of context, away from familiarity, I couldn’t depend on the people I used to, or look to a faith partially rooted in the good things God could do for me.

"What do you do when you’re supposed to be following God but so little 'good' is happening?", I asked myself why I was following Him. He took me back to square one and pointed to His Son. With fresh eyes, I was presented with Jesus. What He did for me is so incredible; it cannot be fathomed; it cannot be understated. A clearer picture of His great love and grace towards me was magnetic; it drew me in and sheltered me.

This all sounds simple, quick, and pretty; it’s important that you know it was not. When I think about it, I ask, "Why all the destruction, tears, pain, mistakes, etc?" It's all for intimacy--all for true closeness and honesty with God. I’ll be in Uganda for a while longer, but I’m excited to see what else is in store. My continued personal growth has truly been the greatest gift I've received from coming here."