While in Africa, Jeff and I will be working with Pamoja Ministries.
PAMOJA MINISTRIES provides leadership training in East Africa. It is a small ministry with a big impact. Pamoja is especially involved in:
~ Literature Production and Distribution
~ DVD-based Bible & Ministry Training (ISOM)
~ In-House Video production
~ Maasai Outreach
~ Help for the poor
~ Working with an extensive National Staff
LITERATURE
Although modern Africa is very open to video and TV, literature is still highly honoured and goes where TV does not yet reach. Pamoja Ministries partners with Hundredfold Ministries (www.hundredfold.org) and World MAP (www.worldmap.org) to distribute, in English and Swahili, free Church leadership books and a regular leadership magazine to over 50,000 Church leaders in East Africa alone. Pamoja Ministries participates in the writing, translation, and distribution of the magazine called "ACTS" (English) or "Matendo" (Swahili) and 5 excellent leadership books. Pamoja Ministries has also produced several in-house books.
ISOM - INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF MINISTRY
Pamoja Ministries represents ISOM (www.isom.org) to East and Central Africa. ISOM is a series of 160 DVD-based lessons focused on Bible and Ministry training. The DVDs, notes and exams are available in dual language mode with English plus Swahili, French, Portuguese, and soon Lingala. In addition to the excellent teachings in the main ISOM curriculum there are lifeskill teachings and resources available to allow the Church to minister to the whole community. There are already 80 centres training over 2,000 students, most of whom are untrained church leaders.
PAMOJA PRODUCTIONS
Africa is "ripe" for new forms of media, especially video! Although literature is still highly honoured, with the influx of the new technology, the time has come for the Church to fill the gap by producing appropriate videos. Pamoja has felt directed to "go for the heart", using the strength of Central African culture in music, dance, and story-telling, while not neglecting "the mind". They have already produced 4 children's videos and have a vision to produce many more. "Yoeli" is their Swahili animated video dealing with the conflict between faith and fear. They are also producing a full-feature musical drama DVD dealing with one of the toughest issues in Central Africa, the fear of the spirits of the ancestors.
MAASAI OUTREACH
Pamoja Ministries is working together with a Maasai-run organization called MAPED in the areas of Evangelism, Women's Rights, Health, HIV/AIDS Prevention, and Education for the Maasai. MAPED has formed a fabulous choir which is very effective in putting the message deep within the hearts of their people. Pamoja is partnering with MAPED by producing a music CD, a Documentary DVD and a beautiful Photography Book, all featuring their wonderful choir. The funds raised by marketing these products locally and especially in the West, will raise funds to build a school for the Maasai in their own area.
TOGETHER
"Pamoja" means "together" in Swahili. As well as working with the Maasai, Pamoja Ministries has been working together with Fredrick and Nasihi Mleli who minister to many local people with physical and emotional and financial problems. They have a special gift of ministry to women converts from Islam who have been rejected by their families.
Pamoja also works with an organization that drills wells in dry areas of Tanzania.
PAMOJA MINISTRIES IS COMMITTED TO GOD, THE MINISTRY AND THE AFRICAN CHURCH
