2008 - Vol 4
COUNTRYWIDE OUTREACHES
ON WOMEN'S DAY
Every year, since 1995, Africa Christian Action has used National Women's Day on 9 August, as an opportunity for outreaches in shopping centres. This year ACA mobilised outreaches in shopping centres countrywide. Tens of thousands of leaflets and Gospel tracts were printed and 3,000 balloons with Scriptures and pro-family messages were produced for the event.
Over 100 volunteers took part in the various outreaches in Cape Town alone. Charl van Wyk, led 16 volunteers at the Sanlam shopping centre in Khayelitsha. This included American Evangelist Paul Young, whose Chalk Talk outreach attracted crowds as he preached for over an hour and a half. Boxes of World Missionary Press Gospel booklets in Xhosa were distributed, along with boxes of Frontline Fellowship and Christian Action tracts.
The Hammond family set up two ACA display tables at one of the busiest intersections at Somerset Mall. Numerous individuals expressed great appreciation for the work of Africa Christian Action and Frontline Fellowship. Many mentioned how they listened to ACA's Salt and Light radio programme on Radio Tygerberg every Tuesday night, others mentioned how much they enjoyed the Christian Action Magazine and all of the regular ACA and Frontline E-updates. Some were very enthusiastic about the articles in JOY! magazine. There was also a very good response from teenagers to The Way of the Master evangelistic tracts and to our Evangelism Explosion conversations.
We fielded numerous questions from passers-by and numerous evangelistic conversations ensued. It was clear that there is a deep penetration of the community from the various mediums of our ministries. Several of the people were on our mailing list, e-mailing list, listened to the radio and subscribed to JOY! magazine as well as having attended various of our meetings or outreaches, and having read several of our books.
From the testimonies we personally received from passers-by it is clear that the Gospel is “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes”, that “Faith comes from hearing and hearing from the Word of God.” That the Lord's Word “never returns void”, it always accomplishes what the Lord has sent it out to achieve.
The third outreach in Cape Town, was in the largest and busiest shopping centre, Canal Walk. John Leach, and volunteers from Waymakers, and from KwaSizabantu Mission, distributed many hundreds of balloons and thousands of Gospel leaflets. Many evangelistic conversations ensued, including with Muslims. There was much interest in the literature table and many of the children were plainly delighted to receive the colourful balloons. Soon the shopping centre was filled with children carrying balloons which declared: A woman who fears the Lord shall be praised;A family that prays together stays together; The Bible is the greatest Book ever written; Read the Bible everyday;Say no to porn;Whom the Son sets free is free indeed, and similar messages in other languages. It is very hard, even for an irate atheist adult, to take a balloon away from a child!
Throughout the twelve hours of the outreach, many conversations, discussions, witnessing and counselling opportunities came thick and fast, and at the end of the day, many of the volunteers had aching legs and swirling heads. Everyone who took part in these outreaches rejoiced at the opportunity to sow Gospel seed and to take a stand in the busy shopping centres, being Salt and Light in the community.
“Wisdom calls aloud outside; she raises her voice in open squares. She cries out in the chief concourses, at the openings of the gates in the city she speaks her word.” Proverbs 1:20-21
Should you be interested in starting, or joining, an Action Group in your area, please contact Africa Christian Action and request a Starter Pack.