I have always been a person who wants to be a part of God’s shaping of the continent of Africa. Every part of me has wanted to play a role in this. The nations of Africa have been part of my desire. In thinking of the career I would like to have, I always wanted something with a largely African focus, because I have always seen myself as going into Africa and changing it for God.
Something that just clicked now is that Africa is made up of people. Africa is not some abstract term, or a set of political boundaries. It’s a continent of people. Therefore, to change the continent, I realised that I have to be part of the changing of individuals. It’s easy to have a goal in plan about how you are going to change the continent, but if that goal is not accompanied by some kind of strategy, that goal becomes meaningless. I can’t see the best way to change the continent than to direct the hearts of people towards God.
Discipleship is the number 1 strategy needed to change this continent. A generation of leaders in the arts, media, business, engineering, politics, etc. needs to be developed so that God’s kingdom can infiltrate every sector of society. Each Christian needs to be a disciple-making disciple (as Frans Olivier always says). This way, we will develop the Christian capacity the continent needs take it beyond the stigma of poverty, aid and corruption.
This means that changing this continent can start right now. I’m in the University of Cape Town with a diverse array of people from all sorts of countries ranging from Egypt to Namibia to Nigeria to Burundi. These people are going to go back to their countries and become people of influence. If their hearts are changed toward God now, they will bring God’s kingdom in the area they are going into back in their home country. And they too will raise leaders so that there is a future generation to continue the good work.
Let us be a people who focus on raising up disciples to carry God’s cross across the continent.
Patrick Kayongo 