February, 2015 Missionary Newsletter and Pictures of our activities.

Training in Yamoussoukro district, on leadership and church growth. “A church must disciple, and small groups are the best means to do this. Arrange, train, and lead your small group leaders to teach the Bible clearly, going beyond just discussing passages to applying it to their daily lives. Make sure these groups focus on prayer, allowing healthy interaction, so people feel free to express issues, ask questions, and discuss the concerns of life, as the leadership encourages as well as teaches.”

The United Methodist Church is bringing hope in Cote d’Ivoire. The way to stay connected to God’s power is to stay connected to Christ. When you partner with missionaries you receive the blessing of their ministries. Together, we are carrying God’s Love to the world. By Jean Claude Masuka Maleka. Dear Friends in God’s mission. Allow me once again to share some few stories and thoughts on what is happening in my work as assigned to do Evangelism and church planting in Cote d’Ivoire. I would like to thank you for your financial contribution and support which help us continue in our mission and to assist those in needs. The generous support of individuals like you makes it possible for our work to exist and to make the community a great place to live. Your support is a great vote of confidence in our mission. Please accept our most sincere thanks for your support.

During my visit at Diapoto2 village. I met these children, they were looking for food at our workshop. The elder sister is Jean Claude like my name. I was surprised to hear their story, and the difficult where they are passing through. I went to visit their father, I found him in bed very sick. Children told me while praying for their father, if I can go with them in Abidjan city. I have assisted the parents to buy food and medicine. They want to go to school but they cannot afford to pay school fees. Their names according to ages: Jean Claude, Aunora, Henri and André

As I reflect on my work as missionary, I have remembered the words of Jesus Christ in John 8:12-20; Jesus spoke to the people again, saying “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me won’t walk in darkness but will have the light of the life.” Because Jesus said he is the light of the world, I know that wherever I go, whatever happens, I have the powerful Light in the world with me and I need not be afraid of what the future holds. Christ is my source of light, and as his follower, I am to light up the world around me with love and grace. We are each different vehicles of the light of Christ. The global sending church and the missionary have responsibilities to bring joy and to light into a dark world.

Traveling with Rev.Marcel. K. Sachou the director of evangelism in Cote d’Ivoire. Go and make disciples of Jesus Christ. PLANTING CHURCHES Our target in 2015, in doing church planting is to offer 100 small temples to different communities which have been reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Since we launched this target last year, we are now counting 23 temples. One building temple in village is costing $12,000 US. Our church planting project isn't just about numbers. It's about the deep renewal of the church at its century age and the development of new ways of being the church that are biblically rooted and contextually appropriate. New Testament mission was designed to bring people into relationship with Christ and with other believers in responsible churches. New Testament mission was deemed most successful when churches were planted—churches like the church in Thessalonica, which itself became a missionary church reaching out to people near and far. The new planted churches are the primary means of continuing mission and the ultimate fulfillment of the Great Commission. The Great Commission is an organic law, much like the Genesis command to be fruitful and replenish the earth. It was the indwelling Holy Spirit who motivated those early Christians to obey the Great Commission. I am seeing the Holy Spirit as the Missionary Spirit. He works in and through believers individually and also corporately to continue planting churches. For each church that is planted, there is work that God has uniquely prepared for them in that community, that city, and that region. Discipleship doesn’t just happen through preaching and teaching, but through shared mission and the exercise of the body working together. Effective evangelism always begins with a burden. Some Christians don’t really care about people who do not know the Lord.

Church to be constructed at Fronobo village. Pastor Anderson Koudou is calling, friends to assist this poor community. He shared with me that: “it is very difficult to raise funds for church construction because the community is dominated by African traditional religions and the Muslims.” People don’t convert people—the Holy Spirit does. Our job as a missional church is to proclaim the gospel faithfully, lovingly, accurately, clearly, and understandably, and then let the Lord do His work with His message in His way. Our moto is every village must have a United Methodist Church. "3 Declare his glory among the nations,his marvelous deeds among all peoples." Psalm 96:3 (NIV) Build a bridge “Building Bridges of God’s Love”, we encourage you to personally reflect over the heart of this message and to honestly ask yourself, “Do I view myself as a Bridge Builder for God?” Thank you for your commitment to reach out with God’s Love near and far so that Christ’s Church can THRIVE everywhere. May the Holy Spirit ignite a passion within you and your church to be faithful to God’s mission, because the church is the hope of the world! Dear friends, you can build a bridge in God’s mission by being a volunteer; you can connect your local church in one of the projects where we are serving in Cote d’Ivoire. You can offer a clean water to communities which have not access to clean water. You can build a small temple to poor community that cannot afford. You can build connection with missionaries from everywhere to experience God’s blessings.

Young Girls Ministry by Francine Masuka

“The more I interacted with young girls, the more disturbed and heartbroken I became. Even though many girls I met came from church-going families, there was a noticeable lack of Christ in their home lives. I spoke with countless young women who were desperately crying out for their parents to protect them and guide them in the way of Truth. But in all too many cases, their parents seemed just as lost and confused as they were. After several months of speaking and ministering to young girls, I came to a heartbreaking but unmistakable conclusion - today’s young girls are not just in need; they are in crisis.” Francine Masuka. Teaching pre-teen girls between the ages of 8 to 12 how to enjoy Christ while they are young as well as grooming them for their next stage in life. Designed to reach unsaved and unchurched young people in the village with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Supporting the efforts of parents to train up their children through regular workshops, seminars and activities. The Vision • To see youth who participate in the Young girls Ministry programs reach their full potential in Christ becoming productive citizens and people of Godly character. • To prepare a generation of young people who stand for truth and make an impact in this present world. The Goal To provide relevant activities, events and relationships that will influence youth to know, love, and serve the God of the Bible and His Son Jesus Christ. 1 Tim 4:12 commands us to “...set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” It is wonderful to realize that God cares even more about the young women today than we ever could! If you surrender your life to Him and respond to the opportunities He places in your life, He can make you an instrument of hope and light among the many lost and hurting girls of culture. “…in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world (Phil 2:15).” Planting churches in Guinée Conakry

In a country dominated by Muslims, the United Methodist Church is growing rapidly but the challenge is to build churches to keep those who been reached with the Gospel. We need prayers and supports. Rev Grah Lazare is in charge of three new communities. (Many have been baptized. Thank you so much to all support concerning digging water wells. Our next newsletter will provide pictures of joy to communities which have been benefited a water wells. How to send support? YOU CAN DONATE BY CHECK: Payable to Advance GCFA and indicate the Advance number on the memo line. Mail to: Advance GCFA PO Box 9068 New York, NY 10087-9068 OR ONLINE: Links: Missionary Support # 3021390 http://bit.ly/1zZCMeq Project Support Advance #3021990 http://bit.ly/1AZXrk3 We appreciate the continued support each of you provides for us to continue in God’s work. We promise to honor God, your generosity and use your donation in the most effective way possible. PRAYER REQUESTS: Pray that the Lord will provide a 4x4 vehicle to enable movement throughout the seven missionary districts in the rural areas, for evangelism and church planting programs. Pray that the Lord will strengthen us with wisdom, physical and spiritual strength to carry out the many ministries; Pray that the Lord will provide the equipment, materials, and other resources for leadership development program. Pray that the Lord will provide the evangelism equipment and materials to provide clean water to communities in need. Pray that the Lord will provide supporting churches and those will enter covenant relationship with Jean Claude. PRAYER: “O Christ, our shepherd, guide us through each day. Keep us from straying from the path you set before us. Amen.” C/O Eglise Méthodiste-Unie 01 B.P. 1282 Abidjan 01 Cote d'Ivoire Cell: (225) 56282278 E-mail: jmaleka@umcmission.org or malekamasuka@gmail.com THANK YOU FOR PRAYER AND SUPPORT