More than being just an informational blog, exposing the country, culture, and opportunities for ministry in Angola, we want to begin sharing our personal ministry journey; telling our story. This is especially in relation to our return to assume another ministry assignment in Angola.
Though a series of events and apparent closing doors to a perspective ministry opportunity and assignment in Central America, it became evident during this year that God had been opening doors for us to return to ministry in Africa. Having spent almost 8 years serving with MAF in Angola during the '90s, I (Mark) enjoyed many exciting years of serving the national Church, NGOs and the United Nations efforts through our aviation service. Significantly, my ministry service there during this time was all while the country was embroiled in two decade long civil war; I have some great stories and adventures dealing with dodging bullets, landmines and dealing with heightened security of living and flying in such a situation.
Having realized many years of successful service in Angola, it was apparent that God was opening other doors of ministry for me. God opened the door to use all the skills and experience that I accrued during the Angola experience to develop another burgeoning program, as I was being requested to consider. After having invested so many years in ministry in Angola and in developing the program there, I had to ponder the wisdom of the new request, the potential regret, and my willingness to step out of my comfort zone into a new and unfamiliar ministry. People asked me, "How could you leave Angola when you had invested so much of yourself there?" I felt God's reassurance that this move from Angola was the closing of a completed chapter of my ministry journey and that God was opening new doors to minister. God fulfilled His promise to challenge and stretch Jana and me in a subsequent ministry in South Africa and in a prospective new ministry in Central America.
So fast-forwarding to this present day, the request to consider another ministry opportunity back in Angola caused me to wonder how Jana and I could be used to empower and minister to Angolans now. Instead of being mainly involved in aviation services with MAF, we have been asked to direct a newly built mission hospital which is expanding and in need of managerial supervision.
Back in June, I while on a survey trip to Angola to investigate this new ministry opportunity with the CEML Hospital, it became evident that God was calling us to return. I could not help but be convicted to respond when I witnessed the extent of physical and spiritual need that still afflicts the lives of many Angolans even after the civil war has ceased. How could we not respond? Additionally, it was interesting to see the real absence of missionaries. The missionary force has not noticeable grown. Though the evangelical church in Angola has prospered and grown mostly on its own during the war years, the need of spiritual guidance and empowerment provided by missionaries is especially essential now.
These two factors mainly compelled us to return to this needy land to be involved in multiplying the effectiveness of the CEML Hospital, Angolan churches, and growing Angolan Christians who are hungry for mentoring relationships.
But all this being said there is another reason for us to return; not a real spiritual, logical, ministry, or vocational reason. Anyone who has ever been to Africa have realized there is something about the dark continent (Africa) that really sticks with you; it is an unexplained draw, a pull within to return. The local people call it 'Africa getting under your skin'. It's an unexplained phenomenon that may be linked to the ruggedness of nature, the culture and country that is so different from our western perspectives. So, there is an additional excitement and pull to return and experience this again.
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