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Geoff Holder

From Kampala to Kamuli: Joining hands in Uganda

By Uganda

Dave’s recent trip to Uganda demonstrated the power of partnership, environmental education and economic development, highlighting the significant change that can be achieved through collaboration with other charities, organisations and businesses.

On World Environment Day, Dave (APF CEO), along with representatives from School Connect, Diamond Trust Bank and other partners, launched a pilot campaign in two Kampala primary schools. The campaign provided children and parents with exciting and creative educational workshops focused on reducing and recycling plastic waste and highlighted the crucial economic and environmental benefits of tree-planting.

Tree planting in Kamuli

Dave, representing APF, was invited to plant seedlings within the school grounds. It’s hoped that the initiative can be expanded to churches and Bible schools across Uganda and form part of Diamond Trust Bank’s citizenship and corporate social responsibility programme.

In addition to the Kampala school environment programme, Dave also conducted a monitoring visit to the Bulogo Women’s Empowerment Project in Kamuli district, acting on behalf of a donor who’d generously funded entrepreneurship training and a start-up loan scheme for small businesses.

The training, which covered essential skills like bookkeeping, budgeting, customer care, and emphasised how to add value to resources already available to the community, is directly benefiting over 150 women. The range of enterprises jump-started by the project is diverse, ranging from catering to quarrying and farming to firewood production. It has led to a remarkable 100% increase in average household income, from £1 to £2 per day.

Beyond Numbers: A Personal Testimony from the CEO

By Uganda

Dave Stedman shares a deeply personal story of faith, perseverance, and the unexpected blessing of a new life in Uganda after twelve years of prayer.

I first met Pastor Tom Patrick in 2019. He was an enthusiastic early adopter of eVitabu and generated lots of interest in the app through his connections in House of Transformation churches around Entebbe.

Since then, we have met several times at training workshops Pastor Tom has helped to coordinate and we met most recently at a conference where we were both participants in 2023. Chatting over lunch, Tom confided that despite having been married several years, he and his wife, Stellah, had not been able to have children.

Pastor Tom, Stellah and baby Jared

In any culture, childlessness can be hard but, perhaps, especially so in Uganda. Tom explained how he was being encouraged by some of his wider family to try to have a family with another woman, but he was not prepared to do this. I’m often challenged by the human needs I encounter in Africa.

Sometimes solutions are tangible: compost and mulch for crops, local language Bibles, solar power, a bike or a mobile phone. Other times the only option is to pray.

A few weeks ago, I received an unexpected WhatsApp message from Pastor Tom. His message read:

“I write to testify that after 12 years the Lord has blessed us with a bouncing baby boy. Thank you for praying for us.”

When writing these pieces for Impetus, I am often keen to emphasise numbers, the bigger the better, to indicate the impact and reach of APF. This time, however, it struck me that the most important number is one. What could be more valuable or precious than to have shared, and prayed, a small part in the arrival of this one child, Baby Jared, to faithful, loving parents – the blessing of a son to Tom and Stellah after many years.

I was so happy to receive Tom’s brief message. It did my heart good and I pray it encourages you also.

Beyond the Headlines: Faith and Conflict in South Sudan

By eVitabu, South Sudan

Daniel Deng Bol lives in Aweil, an isolated South Sudanese market town sitting astride the potholed dirt highway that connects Wau with the Sudan border. It takes Daniel several days of uncomfortable and dangerous travel south by bus to get to Juba, South Sudan’s capital city. But despite his remote location and the country’s desperately poor infrastructure, Daniel, and Saints Revival Committee, the para-church organisation he leads, are fast becoming one of APF’s most dynamic and enthusiastic partners. Daniel’s latest update paints a vivid picture of mission and ministry in the world’s youngest country, marked equally by encouraging achievements and formidable challenges.

Daniel Deng Bol

Lately, we have held eVitabu conferences in many places: Bhar el Ghazal state, Aweil, Warrap, Wau, Rumbek and even some parts of the Equatoria region. At these events many Christian leaders, government members, NGO workers and teachers learnt about eVitabu.

Now, pastors and bishops are using the app as their main library, reading theological books, evangelism commentaries and leadership materials. Because of this, other NGOs, schools, groups, and individuals have asked to have their organisations included in the eVitabu app.

This training has really inspired many leaders and given new hope to pastors who have been serving, some for many years, without any formal training.

Another exciting outcome from the eVitabu conferences is that the Christian Theological Bible School based in Juba has decided to use books on the eVitabu app to help teach their leadership and theology courses. This decision came after one of their lecturers saw the resources available on the app and appreciated the work, committing the school to teach from eVitabu.

The spread of eVitabu in South Sudan is good news but I need to also report to APF supporters that at this time the general situation in my country is very tense. Many parts are experiencing rising conflict. This has badly affected many ministry activities, with churches burned by rebels and government bombardments happening. Because of this, gospel missions and conferences cannot always go smoothly.

Young South Sudanese soldier
Attribution: CC BY-NC 2.0 Steve Evans

Meanwhile, I see several other new registrations being automatically approved on the eVitabu management system, but these new app users are from Christians living in Cameroon. As Victor is training on-campus in Kigali, Rossa Wanjiru, in Nairobi, Kenya, is delivering an online eVitabu induction for Baptist pastors in Cameroon.

Warrap state is one area that has seen many deaths due to fighting in the community. In the Upper Nile region, civilians faced a deadly attack by rebel groups allied with the Vice President. Children have been killed, and others died from diseases. There are even reports of chemical weapons being used against civilians.

Churches are being burned by rebels, and many pastors and evangelists are even now held as hostages in the bush. I am ashamed to report that many rapes are also being carried out by rebel groups.

Outbreaks of diseases like cholera and illnesses linked to malnutrition are big challenges for displaced people and host communities alike, especially affecting children, women and the elderly.

In recent weeks, this conflict has stopped our plans for two eVitabu conferences in Warrap state. We turned back on the road because it was too dangerous to continue.

We are asking all APF supporters to pray with us that God would bring lasting peace in South Sudan. We also ask for prayers for those who lost family members in this terrible situation. Some Christian members and their churches are being threatened, killed, tortured or held in the bush by rebel groups. We need to pray together for them so they are freed and reunited with their families.

South Sudanese women
Attribution: CC BY-NC 2.0 Steve Evans

We would love to start a peace project, bringing Christian youth from all ten states for peace training and teaching about how peace helps communities meet their needs without fear. Strong missions are needed, especially in Upper Nile and Warrap, so people can hear that God’s way is one of peace not war.

Congregations with burnt-out churches especially need our support in these two regions. If village chiefs, youths, pastors and local authorities are trained together on peace, they can become peace ambassadors in their areas.

In South Sudan, we are asking partners and donors to keep supporting APF. Both the eVitabu app and APF Bible grants have truly changed many lives, especially now that Bibles are hard to find and very expensive – one copy can cost 60,000 South Sudanese pound (about £10).

Also, the APF bicycle grants are so helpful for pastors here. They use the bicycles to reach ministries far away and to help their families. Since 82% of people don’t have good transport or roads, bicycles are vital for pastors to do evangelism, get to farms and take people who are sick to the hospital. We really pray for continued partnership so we can keep sharing eVitabu and providing bicycles and Bibles.

July 2025 newsletter

By Impetus

July 2025 Impetus.

Welcome to the Summer edition of Impetus.

As the summer season unfolds, we’re excited to share our latest news and updates with you all. Don’t miss the powerful article from our partner, Daniel Deng Bol, detailing the opportunities and challenges of ministry in South Sudan.

Enjoy, and thank you, as ever, for your generous and prayerful support for APF.


Revd Dave Stedman
CEO

University of Rwanda eVitabu induction

A good day at the mobile office

By Cameroon, eVitabu, Kenya, Rwanda

Imagine watching the spread of digital ministry unfold in real-time across Africa! Dave offers a glimpse into a typical Tuesday at APF, where new eVitabu registrations from across Africa demonstrate the app’s growing influence and vital role.

University of Rwanda eVitabu induction
eVitabu workshop at the University of Rwanda

It is Tuesday 25th February and I login to the eVitabu management system (EVM) on my phone, while I prepare a funding application, sup coffee and answer emails on the laptop. I can see dozens of new eVitabu registrations from Rwanda and remember that Rev Victor Imanaturikumwe, our most active training partner in Rwanda, is leading an in-person eVitabu induction seminar at the University of Rwanda Education Department. By the end of the day, more than 70 students from the university downloaded and registered accounts on the app.

eVitabu is exceptionally valuable to the church in Rwanda where strict government legislation around leadership training, organisational governance and building standards has resulted in thousands of church closures. Where a lack of resources makes compliance with the government regulations impossible for many congregations, APF’s digital teaching and training solution is a great opportunity and enables churches to function. Throughout 2025, Victor is receiving an annual grant so he can plan as many similar training events as possible.

Victor Imanaturikumwe

Meanwhile, I see several other new registrations being automatically approved on the eVitabu management system, but these new app users are from Christians living in Cameroon. As Victor is training on-campus in Kigali, Rossa Wanjiru, in Nairobi, Kenya, is delivering an online eVitabu induction for Baptist pastors in Cameroon.

As an IT specialist, Rossa has provided eVitabu support in Kenya and Uganda for several years. She is now developing a portfolio of online training options for eVitabu users from across Africa. Next week, she will gather a cohort of leaders from Reverb Network when delegates from Burundi, Malawi and Uganda will also gather online.

Returning to the eVitabu management system, a couple of new registrations catch my eye. One is a pastor from Angola and another is from Eritrea. These represent ‘organic’ growth in uptake of the app. Perhaps these leaders have had a recommendation, done some online research looking for training tools, or have simply happened upon eVitabu while searching online for something else.

Rossa Wanjiru

People who discover eVitabu in this way often turn out to be some of the most engaged and innovative eVitabu users, perhaps because they are motivated and already digitally literate when they first install the app.

Being able to offer eVitabu to dedicated, but under-resourced Christian leaders like these from Rwanda, Cameroon and elsewhere is a unique privilege. It is an expression of ministry I would never have imagined pioneering. Being able to clearly track activity (not just in terms of new users but also see how users are engaging with the resources on the app) makes it relatively easy to monitor the app’s impact and offer additional ministry support when it is sought.

This approach is also revolutionising how APF operates. We now have an exceptional and highly motivated network of African training partners whom we are releasing to serve their peers with training both in-person and online. While there will always be a need for UK-based APF staff to visit Africa, building on this growing network of training partners rather than delivering training ourselves is proving wonderfully effective.

As I got on with some other charity admin tasks, it was very special to see in realtime on my phone the spread of the Word of God, potentially reaching thousands of people through Victor and Rossa’s efforts.

By the end of the day, I had seen more than a hundred new eVitabu registrations from four different African nations. It was a good day at the APF mobile office!

April 2025 newsletter

By Impetus

April 2025 Impetus.

Welcome to the Spring edition of Impetus. The first quarter of 2025 has been busy and productive, as I hope you will appreciate as you read our latest news. Enjoy, and thank you, as ever, for your generous and prayerful support for APF.


Revd Dave Stedman
CEO

Dave’s Advent Walk

By Uganda, UK

Sponsor Dave as he walk the distance from Nasereth to Bethlehem over Advent (Welsh version).

During December, Dave walked 110 miles – the equivalent distance as from Nasareth in north Wales to Bethlehem in south Wales. This was to raise funds for a variety of children’s projects in Uganda that have links to APF. Please sponsor Dave through JustGiving here:

Sponsor Dave

A Miracle in Sengenya

By Tanzania

Following the eVitabu conference in Uganda in September, APF Projects Coordinator Geoff Holder accepted invitations to Masasi and Morogoro Dioceses in Tanzania. In Masasi, Bishop James Almasi received a call from a rural pastor that offers a glimpse into the challenges faced by Anglican bishops in Africa.

St Michael and All Angels’, Sengenya

Bishop James received the call on Sunday evening as he travelled back from meetings in Dodoma. The voice on the phone spoke quickly, trying to explain what had happened before his limited mobile ‘airtime’ ran out.

The Eucharist service had just finished and the congregation of St Michael and All Angels’ Church in Sengenya in rural Masasi Diocese had returned home. Some of the church leadership remained inside to chat and share a meal together.
In this part of Africa, whirlwinds created by hot air spinning upwards in a vortex are not uncommon, especially towards the end of dry season as the temperature rises. This one, however, was extraordinarily powerful and seemed to come out of nowhere.

The wind whipped through the narrow church windows, mere slits in the mud-brick walls, and ripped the sheet metal roof away from its wooden rafters.

Rt Revd James Almasi (right).

Everyone threw themselves on the ground as the entire church roof lifted and fell, twisting metal, splintering wood and ripping nails crashing down all around. Their quick action meant most emerged from the chaos with only minor injuries. One person would need hospital treatment.

Bishop James visited Sengenya as soon as possible. ‘It is part of the pastoral ministry of a bishop to offer comfort and pray with those in need’ he explained. Arriving at Sengenya, a small crowd had already gathered. Details of what had happened were shared and prayers were said. The bishop was shown around the ruined church building.

Despite everything, Revd Esau, a young deacon who was in the church eating lunch with the others when the whirlwind hit, is grateful. What if it had happened during the Eucharist rather than after most had gone home? What if the damaged electric wiring for the church lighting had electrified the collapsed metal roof? It was a miracle no one was killed. ‘God is good all the time’, he said.

Revd Esau, a deacon from Sengenya

Bishop James agrees that the old mud church building cannot be repaired. Next to it stands the roofless bare concrete block walls of its half-built replacement. ‘They will need much prayer to find the capacity to finish the new church structure before the rain arrives in November or December’, he said.

There is no doubt that the whirlwind that devastated St Michael and All Angels’ Church in Sengenya is a huge blow to the community. Amidst the wreckage, however, a spirit of resilience and gratitude stands out. They believe that divine intervention prevented any fatalities and give thanks.

As the community now faces the daunting task of completing the replacement place of worship before the rains, they do so with a renewed sense of purpose and a belief that, with God’s help, they will emerge from this with more faith, hope and love than before.

Paying Respects in Malawi

By Environment, Farming, Malawi

In November, Geoff and Dave travelled to Malawi to pay respects to Bishop Lloyd Chizenga, the late leader of APF’s key partner, New Life Christian Church. Besides spending time with Lloyd’s family, they also met the church leadership team and discussed the church’s ongoing sustainable agriculture project.

Meeting with NLCC leaders in Blantyre

New Life Christian Church is an indigenous African church network with approximately 150 congregations spread across central and southern Malawi and northern Mozambique. Meeting with regional overseers in Blantyre was crucial to reaffirm APF’s commitment to the partnership and explore the network’s priorities with the new church leadership.

Pastor Souza travelled from Mozambique for the meeting

Most NLCC pastors have had no formal training, making in-service training a crucial priority. Pastor Souza from Mozambique highlighted the need for Chichewa language Bibles, bicycles, and income-generating projects to support his ministry.

Bishop Lloyd’s grave

Visiting Bishop Lloyd’s grave required a long journey down a very rough washed-out road deep into rural Chikwawa District. Before visiting the grave, we had to obtain permission from the village headman. In this region of Africa, village cemeteries are traditionally situated within or near sacred groves of trees.

Meeting family members in the village

We met some of Lloyd’s extended family in the village, which was bustling with activity as people returned from their fields in the Shire River flood plain. They had been working since before dawn, digging the land in anticipation of the rains which they expected to arrive very soon.

Lloyd’s widow, Jacqui (centre) with the project team of Hunta Faita, Alex Muwawa, Lonjezo Daniel, Bridget Chizenga and Johanna Chizenga.

A crucial part of the trip was meeting the new team who will lead the Growing Greener agriculture project (pictured right, with Bishop Lloyd’s widow). APF and Operation Agri have supported this wonderful initiative since Lloyd established it following the 2016 drought. With overwhelming demand for training in composting and many other essential sustainable agriculture techniques, plans were made to resume the programme in participating villages next year.

Important Changes to eVitabu Sponsorship

By eVitabu, Uganda

In September, the APF team travelled to Uganda to connect with key partners from across Africa. The focus of the conference was to hear directly from African leaders already utilising eVitabu. By understanding their experiences and challenges, we aim to improve the app to better meet their evolving needs.

It is five years since we launched the eVitabu individual user sponsorship programme. The number of eVitabu users in Africa is now well over 2,000 and continues to grow almost daily but the number being sponsored is just 70. eVitabu will always be free to install for church leaders in Africa but there are significant costs to APF to keep the app available and make important improvements.

If you do not already, I am appealing to supporters to consider sponsoring an eVitabu user. You can do so by going to africanpastors.org/evitabu and signing up to sponsor a pastor using eVitabu.

If you are already a sponsor, from 1st February 2025, we will increase sponsorship from £5 to £7.50 per month. I hope this will not be off-putting. It remains less than the price of a paperback book to place an entire library in the hands of a dedicated but under-resourced pastor in Africa.

Thank you!
Andrew Richardson
Treasurer

Some of the APF team with TCN delegates from Kenya
eVitabu Conference in Kampala
eVitabu conference delegates