NEWSLETTER FROM JEAN CLAUDE IN COTE D'IVOIRE

Dear Partners in Mission,   

           My name is Jean Claude Masuka Maleka and I am from the Democratic Republic of Congo.  I am a Global Ministries missionary serving in Côte d'Ivoire as a Church Developer, Planter and trainer.   I have been reassigned in Abidjan to respond to the needs of the church. I am grateful for your support of missions which enabled my response to full-time missionary service.

 

 My family and I have been introduced at Nazareth church,  80 km from Abidjan 

You are welcome to join us in Côte d'Ivoire, a linguistic tapestry of at least 60 languages and an ethnic composition which includes many indigenous groups as well as large populations of expatriate Lebanese and French. Although 40% of Ivoirians are Muslim, the nation boasts two of the largest Catholic cathedrals in the world. Evangelicals are now estimated at about 9.2% of the total population. The United Methodist Church is among the Evangelical Churches. Many people, especially the youth, are nonetheless open to the Gospel. Among 60 languages spoken, Jula (Maninke), the trade language, is spoken by most of the Muslims in Côte d'Ivoire, currently estimated at about 40% of the population. Among the 60 ethnic groups of Côte d'Ivoire, 26 are still unreached with the Gospel. Less than 20% of the population has any affiliation with a Christian church. There is no official state church in Côte d'Ivoire.  The government is very open to mission activity. 

                                                       offering in Bakanu village  A 

According to UNICEF 2013, the national HIV prevalence rate is 3.9 per cent; Côte d’Ivoire is the most affected country in Western Africa. The HIV/AIDS pandemic is the first cause of death for adults. 420,000 Ivorian children are orphaned and vulnerable due to HIV/AIDS. 52,000 children live with HIV, and over 16,000 are infected each year. Only 4,000 children are followed-up for HIV/AIDS and 2,800 benefit from Antiretroviral (ARV) therapy. With two women infected for one man (6.4 for women against 2.9 for men) the feminization of the infection is evident.  Among young pregnant women (15-24) living in Abidjan,  HIV prevalence is 5.2 per cent.  HIV/AIDS is a crosscutting component and interventions mainly consist of preventing HIV/AIDs and providing assistance to women and children affected by the pandemic.

                                        Children at Nazareth Church after church service in BAKANU A Village

 Are you feeling God's leading to serve in Côte d'Ivoire? We have many opportunities God can use you in his mission. Blessing the Children is pleased to offer you a variety of ways you can come to Côte d'Ivoire in person and give of yourself in ministry.  Some people are called to send, and others are called to go.  If you’re considering going, let us help you make your gift of service memorable for you and effective for those you are going to minister to. 

We need your support, we can enter in covenant relationship with your church, we have a wide range of ministry opportunities that will provide rewarding experiences for you as you minister to those less fortunate. You are welcome if you are an individual interested in serving on a mission trip.

My Call to Mission in Cote D’Ivoire

We are grateful to those who support our work.  We believe that every prayer said on our behalf, every gift made, and every friend who has made sacrifices to keep our mission alive, God will reward them.  The Cote D’Ivoire annual conference of the United Methodist Church has 17 districts and 7 of them are missionary districts. My role is to work alongside with those local missionaries who are planting churches; to provide leadership training and building capacities to impact the new areas with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and establish the United Methodist Church.

Most of the missionary districts are situated in remote areas and many people are poor. The population has limited access to basic services like schools, water and medical health centers. Women and children are the most vulnerable people in these areas. Most women did not have access to school due to cultural barriers where men dominate in the decision making.
 

Evangelization in these new areas is the most important mission of the Church. The northern part of Cote D’Ivoire is more influenced by Muslims and others African religions. As a church, we should act now. Lives are at stake. While we have windows of opportunity in places where many have not heard the name of Jesus, the church is called to “go into the entire world to preach the good news”.  As Missionary, my role is to proclaim the love of God in word and deed; many will find true hope for this life and eternity.

We are called to feed the hungry, heal the sick, and reach out to the outcasts.  We work in many cultures, languages and religious traditions. Our call to serve the Lord takes us to many places around the country.  By working side-by-side with the most needy, we actively proclaim the kingdom of God on earth.  Mission is not all about money. Mission is also about volunteering time and skill. Volunteers embody Christian love in action as we bring our diverse talents to mission programs.  

What we share is a desire to live our love of Christ and to spread God’s love to vulnerable population. Remember together with you, our Partner in Mission, it is a powerful force for love, charity and justice in the world. You are welcome if you want to put your faith into action by serving as a volunteer in Cote d’Ivoire mission. 

Share the gifts God has given you. Connect with the mission of The United Methodist Church and make a difference in the world.

"God’s not looking for capable hands, He’s looking for available ones."

 Many service opportunities exist for those who would like to volunteer in different areas like; construction, painting, sewing, farming, teaching, church ministry, water project, community outreach, medical services, etc. Remember, we are offering ourselves as an act to worship God. We can worship by giving. We can give God our whole selves, our time, our money, our talents, our bodies, our minds, our hearts. You and I give time to God by doing kind things for others. We give Him money by putting it in the offering at church to help people in need and support missionaries.

I invite you to prayerfully consider supporting me to raise funds to respond to our priorities:  

·A mission Car to help us to visit churches in rural areas where our presence
 is needed more.

·Funds for our program which will enable us to organize workshops, seminars and
 trainings with church leaders, church planters and support compassion ministries. 

For financial contributions, you may:

1.  Use Global Ministries' website: www.umcmission.org to send a donation for my salary support.  At the bottom of the page, click on "Missionaries".  Scroll to my name on the missionaries’ page and my profile will appear.  At the bottom of my profile is a link to make an online donation.

2.  Through mailing a check from your local church to your conference office.  On the memo line, write for Jean Claude Masuka Maleka, advance # 3021390”
  
Thank you so much for your support. You’re a huge part of helping us to spread the Good news around the world. 

 

  My contacts are: 

 Jean Claude MASUKA MALEKA

 CONTACTS: +225 56282278

EMAIL: malekamasuka@yahoo.com or jmaleka@umcmission.org

 My blog: http://hope2africa.blogspot.com  
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2014.