By Bellah Zulu, ACNS
CMS-Africa has embarked on an ambitious fundraising campaign to raise about two million US dollars to “lay the foundation for long term sustainability of its international mission footprint” on the continent.
CMS-Africa Director, the Revd Dennis Tongoi told ACNS in an interview today, “This campaign seeks to help our mission programmes become sustainable as we work with the Church across the continent.”
Mr Tongoi explained that CMS in the UK has approved a fixed partnership grant to be reviewed after five years adding that CMS-Africa sought to be sustainable in the longer term as “we equip the churches in Africa--once beneficiaries of Western missions--to have a Global reach or footprint in their mission.”
“CMS-Africa is re-developing its office into a multi-storey office block and, to help fund this, we are looking to God for three thousand people to contribute £500 or US $700 for the cost of building and furnishing one square meter or footprint,” he said.
The building, which will be built in Nairobi, Kenya, will house CMS-Africa offices while the remaining space will be commercialised. “The income generated will be used to support CMS-Africa missionaries working in different parts of Africa,” he said.
The project is targeting 3,000 individuals, business entities, or Churches, to each donate the US$700 for the building and equipping of eqch square foot of the construction.
“Each paid up 'footprint' releases future rental income for CMS-Africa to have the capacity to sustain a global footprint,” explained the Revd Tongoi. “Upon completion of payment, a donor will be issued with a certificate bearing their 'footprint' number to acknowledge and honour their participation in supporting missions through CMS-Africa.”
All who have been issued with a Certificate will also have the option of their names and a personalised message appearing on the ceremonial plaque to be located at a prominent place in the completed building.
Mr Tongoi was hopeful that despite the large amounts involved CMS-Africa could rely on God for the funidng: “It is Jesus who gave the Great Commission to his Church--including the churches in Africa. We can trust him for the grace to obey and see our nations discipled.”
He has since appealed to churches and individuals to “help lay the foundation for and participate in global missions.”
CMS-Africa is part of the CMS Interchange Network mission that includes CMS in the UK, Asia and New Zealand. CMS is committed to seeing indigenous CMS missions established globally – enabling local mission leaders to follow God’s leading.
For more information email: communications@cms-africa.org