Mission Moments: Kilimanjaro

Kilimanjaro Chapter members meeting to learn more about being a disciple of Jesus. (Photos by Damson Samson)

Turning Gospel students into teachers

By Gary Fallesen, founding president, Climbing For Christ

Damson Samson was teaching guides and porters from the Kilimanjaro Chapter about the Gospels when the students shared how they had been applying lessons learned on and around the mountain.

Elia Yona talked about trying to be a walking, talking example of the Gospel. He spoke about going out many times and preaching to five porters on 19,340-foot Mount Kilimanjaro. Four of them had, by the grace of God and power of the Holy Spirit, acknowledged Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Dauson Chonjo, a guide and one of our chapter leaders, said he had an opportunity to share the Word with a client from Germany who “had no idea there is a God.” Although the man did not accept, “the seed was planted for God to grow it.”

Many seeds have been sown during our year-long disciples-making-disciples training. The quarterly study, which Damson led again between Sept. 23 and Oct. 8, covered two more chapters in our book by The Timothy Initiative: “New Testament Gospels” and “General Letters of the New Testament.” The final three chapters will be taught and our first class will graduate during Mission: Kilimanjaro 2018, when a short-term team of five Americans, one Norwegian, and Damson from Malawi will be sent to Tanzania from Nov. 24 to Dec. 9.

We hope to have nearly 30 guides and porters prepared to serve as disciple-making followers of Christ.

Dauson Chonjo, right, and Elia Yona, left, pray for a new believer attending the chapter training. Below, students break up into small groups to discuss The Timothy Initiative study.

“Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.” – Psalm 115:1 (KJV)

That was Climbing For Christ’s theme verse in September. Damson shared this with the guides and porters at the start of the training session, and we were blessed to see one young man in the class led to the Lord. Another disciple who is being taught to make disciples – the church in action.

After classes, Damson and others went out into the villages and preached the Gospel in eight homes. Many were delivered from the bondage of sin.

Dauson Muremi, for one, knelt and lifted his arms as “the sign of victory in Christ,” after Damson and Dauson Chonjo shared Jesus with him and his wife. The couple, both in their 80s, celebrated God’s healing hand upon them.

Dauson Muremi, above, being prayed over by Climbing For Christ member Dauson Chonjo. Below, Dauson Muremi’s wife Sarah.

“I want to thank God for granting me this opportunity to go,” Damson said. “I have really found favor before Him for being trusted in this ministry, and we don’t take this for granted. This is the hand of God at work.”

Truth be told, we did not have the funding to send Damson in September. But we trusted and sent him. God blessed us and we rejoice in the mighty work He has done again around Mount Kilimanjaro.