2011 New Information about our ministry---Read On
Janet and I first began our ministry of family counseling in 1984 when four young couples came to us for advice. We were living among the Kipsigis tribe in Southwest Kenya. We began to notice that many African couples were struggling and needed good godly teaching and counseling. We later began teaching week-end marriage seminars. This expanded into week-long courses in Bible schools in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. We moved from Mt. Elgon, Kenya in 2006, after 16 years working with the Sabaot people there.
AIMF was born at the time we moved from Kenya to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Since 1972 we had been primarily involved in starting new churches and maturing leaders. We felt it was time to strengthen the weak knees and lift up the weary arms of African Christian families. We feel that our present roles are crucial to the well-being of the church across Africa. The church is only as strong as it’s families.
Keep in mind that in this present era the Church of Christ has existed in Africa for more than 100 years. Is has been estimated that there are more congregations of the Church of Christ in Africa than in the United States. It was estimated that by 2000 there would be almost 13,000 congregations in Africa with a membership of near 800,000. Very little has been or is being done to strengthen African Christian families. Most of them do not have access to good Godly counseling or seminars on marriage and the family. Janet and I are compelled to do all we can, in every place we can, to strengthen the marriages and families of God’s people in Africa. With stronger families they can better preach Christ to their fellow tribesmen.
Our age and relative good health, coupled with our 35 years in Africa has helped us understand African cultures. We have taught about marriage/family in Africa since 1984. Janet has a MS degree in MFT and I have had extensive training in MFT. All of these reasons together with our belief in and love for this ministry have equipped us for this task today.
1) First, we teach week-end seminars where husbands and wives can wrestle with their problems and mis-understandings and get new insights about how to bless their own marriages and families.
2) The second objective is to teach week-long marriage/family courses in Bible schools. Upon completion of their studies these students will be scattered across Africa and will be able to teach these principles.
3) We feel that our third objective is the primary task of our ministry. We conduct workshops to train specific couples who will be able to teach the material and counsel others in their own cultural locations.
4) Our fourth objective is to encourage and counsel missionary families and teams on the field.
We joined African Christian College in Manzini, Swaziland late in the year, 2009. Our goals for the AIMF ministry have changed. We now are teaching at ACC from January through May of each year. We also teach at ACC for the second module which is the last half of the second semester. Our classes include Marriage and Family for every student. And, on campus, we make opportunities to work with married students as well as singles who are looking for mates. Janet's Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy has given her the opportunity to counsel students and staff of ACC and others from local churches. While at ACC we make various short teaching trips on week-ends to teach Marriage and Family. When we are not on schedule to teach at ACC we are traveling back up through Africa where we have made prior arrangements for teaching.
Some students from Mt. Elgon, Kenya are attending ACC. The cost of travel from Kenya is approximately $500 per person. Also some poorer orphan students need help to continue higher education. If you would like to contribute to the "Elgon Scholarship Fund" you can send your check to Allison Work Fund at 1601 James St. Jonesboro, AR 72401. Mark your check payable to "Elgon Scholarship Fund."
