Region / Country: Francophone Africa

Clinging to God’s Word

In some countries it is illegal for local students to join Christian activities, so the movement is made up entirely of international students. Yacoub is a staff-worker in one such country in Francophone Africa. He’s been encouraged to see students built up in their faith here then returning to their home countries – often other sensitive locations – to pass on the good news:

“The mission of the GBU begins with international students who will finish it elsewhere. During their time here, students discover the love of our Lord and cling to His Word.”

One such student is Haady*, a friend of Yacoub, who came to know Christ more deeply while studying overseas. He has recently returned to his home country and has got involved in the local GBU group. Living and speaking for Christ in such a hostile environment will be hugely challenging.

Yacoub asked us to pray for student ministry in his country:

  • Pray that the Lord would raise up more faithful workers for the harvest field.
  • Pray that the Lord would give us effective strategies for getting to know international students and creating new cell groups, so that the work can advance.
  • Pray for those like Haady returning to sensitive locations. Pray that they would find fellowship and support in their home countries and pray that they would stand firm in the face of suffering and persecution, clinging to God’s Word.

*name changed

Thanks for praying with us!

Learning to pass on the baton

Sébastien got involved with the GBUSS Senegal movement during his high school years and became a cell leader. He was full of enthusiasm for the Lord and worked hard to make Him known. Two years later, he even started a new cell group in another high school, an 8 kilometre walk away. It was an exciting time.

But when Sébastien left school and went to university, the two cell groups he had led gradually dwindled away, and within two years, they had folded completely. Why did such a promising start fizzle out so quickly? Why does that happen so often in movements across the world?

Sébastien recently reflected on what he thinks was missing: the passing on of the baton. Training up the next cohort of leaders is critical for a group to survive. They need to understand and own the vision; they need to be active participants and they need to feel connected to other groups across the country.

Sébastien is now keen to re-pioneer in a way which, God-willing, will last. He asks us to join him in praying that a strong and lasting student witness would be established across the country.

  • Pray for Sébastien as he seeks to re-pioneer student groups – for wisdom, faithfulness and perseverance.
  • Pray for this current generation of Christian students in Senegal to understand the gospel deeply and to be bold in sharing their faith with their friends.
  • Pray that staff and students pioneering new groups across the IFES world would know how to pass on the baton effectively so that groups would not fold.

Thanks for praying with us!

GBEEB interns invest in campus ministry

Only 1% of Guinea’s population are evangelical Christians. Islam is the predominant religion. Evangelism is legal, and most people are willing to hear, but there are two big problems: most Muslims are afraid to convert; and most Christians are unwilling to share.

GBEEB Guinea are praying this will change.

They’ve developed an internship program for students who want to spend a year serving GBEEB after graduating. This year, six signed up. They’ve spent their year investing in younger students, encouraging them to share their faith and be agents of change on campus.

Moise explained his motivation for doing the program:

“I believe that when the university is changed by Jesus Christ, the world will quickly be reached by the sharing of God’s love.”

The interns’ responsibilities range from leading Bible studies and discipling individuals, to leading short-term mission trips and running a Christian library. Through all these things their prayer is that the students would catch the vision to be missionaries on campus, excited to share the good news of Jesus with their friends.

Do join us in thanking God for these interns and pray for campuses in Guinea to be changed by Jesus Christ:

  • Pray that Moise and the other interns would faithfully and effectively serve and disciple students this year.
  • Pray that Christian students would be excited to share their faith with their Muslim friends.
  • Pray that enough money would be raised to support GBEEB interns next year.

Thanks for praying with us!

Benin: Sports outreach

Students of GBEEB Benin have been using sports to reach out to students on their campus. The activities included familiar sports like football, as well as other more intriguing games. 250 students were involved, from different religious backgrounds.

Bibles and tracts were handed out to players and spectators, and several students professed faith. One of those was a first-year sociology student. Through studying the Bible and on-going discipleship, he’s noticing changes in his life. GBEEB students pray on for those who heard the gospel, that many more would come to know the saving and transforming power of the gospel.

The IFES Innovation Project supported this and many other student initiatives to share the gospel on campus in creative and innovative ways. Find out more about how IFES is supporting student evangelism around the world.

Pray for Rwandan students reaching their friends

It’s 5pm on Monday evening. Students of GBUR Rwanda make their way to a small room on campus. For 30 minutes they pray together. They pray for their campus. They pray for their friends. And they pray for courage to speak. Their prayers are particularly heartfelt because when the 30 minutes is up, they will each go directly to meet a friend and share the gospel with them. It’s scary, but exciting to see God open doors:

“We thank God that students are accepting the good news, and we are praying that God may continue to open up hearts to believe the Lord Jesus.”

This initiative is part of their evangelism focus this semester. They want to reach every student on campus with the good news of Jesus.

Two recent student conferences gave GBUR students the opportunity to discuss the challenges they face in engaging the university with the gospel. They discussed strategies to overcome those challenges and prayed that they might each have a lifestyle of evangelism.Four students professed faith at one of these conferences. One of the students, Angel, shared her story:

“I only came to the conference because my friend invited me, but I did not believe in Jesus. That week I opened the Bible for the first time. I heard Jesus explained as the way, the truth and the life, and I came to see that He is our only access to God. This conference helped me so much.”

Join us in praying:

  • For Angel and the other new believers, that they would be strengthened in their faith and keep walking with Jesus.
  • For GBUR students to continue in prayer for their campus.
  • For God to open doors for these gospel conversations, opening the hearts of many who don’t know him.

Thanks for praying with us!