Flame International

Working in war-torn countries for healing, reconciliation and peace

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The Great Lakes Briefing

Flame International has been working in the Great Lakes region of East Africa since 2003. A key verse at the start was “These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.” (Rev 3:7) The Lord has been true to His word: He has opened the doors for Flame and we have seen His glory being revealed. As a result of visits to the region, we believe the Lord has a plan for our ministry to bring healing from war trauma through forgiveness and reconciliation. We believe we have a vision for what The Lord wants us to do and the following briefing shares both what has been done so far and the vision for the future.

South Sudan

Ministering in South Sudan is like operating in New Testament times – in terms of

both facilities and miracles! It was as a result of a simple prayer, “Lord please would you send Flame to South Sudan”, that we were invited to minister at an Anglican Clergy Conference in Maridi in 2005. This was just 3 days after the historic signing of the Peace Agreement in Naivasha.  After the conference and a 3-day trauma workshop we saw the Lord work unprecedented miracles.  

We now see a 4 year window of opportunity, in which we aim to work in South Sudan as much as possible. However in January 2007 we had to cancel a trip to one town, both because of an outbreak of fighting and a clear direction from God that our timing was not in line with His will.  Our hope is to return so please pray for the Lord’s clear guidance about how we respond to many requests for ministering in this traumatised country.

Uganda

Uganda is pivotal to Flame’s  work in the region.  In December 2006 we were officially registered there as a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO). We had done an initial ‘recce’ in April 2006 and saw the need for healing and trauma ministry first hand as we witnessed the devastating result of the Lord’s Resistance Army’s (LRA) reign of terror on the Acholi people in the  north.

We felt strongly that The Lord was calling us to work there and  the then Minister of State for Northern Uganda, opened the doors for us. She introduced us to the Bishop of Lango and along with his team in Lira, he enabled us to run a conference for 100 church leaders in September 2006.

2.4 million utterly traumatised people are living in misery and poverty in Internal Displaced People’s (IDP) Camps in Uganda. Our vision is to train pastors and leaders to minister in the camps to them. We aim to run two 28-day schools for 30 pastors and leaders who will work 5 days a month over the next 2 years in the camps, both teaching and doing personal ministry. We believe the Lord will bring many people into His Kingdom as a result. 

We desperately need funding for this project. Please pray for introductions to funding organisations whose criteria for suppporting us match our involvement in the country to date.

 

Burundi

The small but beautiful country of Burundi captured our hearts when we visited in July 2004 and April 2005. On our second visit we ministered to 50 widows from the military and were ready to return but when we submitted this to prayer discerned that we were to wait. However, we have been able to donate some money to the widows and also to the evangelism of child soldiers through a mission organisation “New Family for Development”. Whilst in Rwanda (on a later trip) we met with a pastor who now has his own church in Bujumbura. He may be a good contact for the future.  Please pray for us to know when to return to Burundi.

Kenya

In 2005 we held a weekend conference with the ladies of the Military Christian Fellowship of Kenya.  We had many great testimonies from this conference and saw the Lord touch the lives of many delegates. We have two very precious African Mission partners in Kenya, who have  travelled with us to Burundi, South Sudan and Northern Uganda. These saints put their lives on the line for the Lord Jesus Christ and we value their huge contribution. Please pray for them as they work with us.

Rwanda

A small recce team went to Rwanda in September 2006. One pastor’s wife testified to how she had forgiven the people who had buried her alive and killed 14 members of her immediate family: her testimony brought unprecedented numbers of people to forgive those who had traumatised them. 

We met many members of the Rwandan military and other significant organisations, including Solace Ministries and African Evangelistic Enterprise. We had some very tender moments ministering to widows at Solace Ministries and to orphans. 

We were really trying to find what the Lord wanted us to do and He whispered to us “keep the flame burning”. He used John 14:18 (“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you”) to reassure us that the healing of Rwandans was not our responsibility but His! Please pray for the Lord to show us how to ‘keep the flame burning’. We have a passion to minister in this country.