SUCCESSFUL LAUNCHINGS OF THE KAIROS 4TH EDITION
The first ever Kairos course was conducted in Cyprus last October by Zephaniah Yu, a Chinese HF from Australia.Zephaniah grabbed the opportunity to conduct the course when he was assigned to be in Cyprus for a month by Gospel Operation International, his mission organization.
Eight people joined this course, all originally from Mainland China.
Meanwhile, a twin launching was held in Romania after the completion of the Romanian 4th edition translation last August. One was held in Galati, with 12 students representing four churches. At the same time, another course was being run in Marisel, Cluj, with 50 participants. This was organized by APME, in partnership with Wycliffe Romania.
Kairos USA also reports the successful launching of the Kairos course at Lakehills Covenant Church in El Dorado Hills, California. The course was made up of the core mission leaders of the church, strategically laying a foundation for future growth. Bambi Cataluna from Living Springs International, who happened to be in the US just as the course was coming to a close, was able to lead the integration session and reported a powerful moving of the Lord among the participants. They then held their graduation before the congregation to testify as to how the course impacted the participants in their journey as well as advertise the course to potential future participants.
KAIROS TAKES ROOT IN ZIMBABWE
Once known as the ‘breadbasket of Africa’, the resource-rich country of Zimbabwe has known more than its share of hardships over the past few decades. Colonialism was followed by a genocide that resulted in the murder of more than half a million people. Today, under a dictatorial leadership that has ravaged the country’s economy, ordinary Zimbabweans struggle to make a living. Despite many challenges, Kairos has taken root in Zimbabwe.A number of Kairos courses were conducted beginning in 2010 until a Kairos Zimbabwean facilitation team was formed. Today, a fledgling National Coordination Team, led by the Chiotas, exists. They comprise of an exceptionally committed team of around 15 passionate facilitators.
Once a month, the team members fast for a day for Kairos and then break it during their regular meeting together. During their time together, the team members pray, review chapter introductions, watch tutorial videos, read chapters and discuss what they’ve learnt together. Their course planning times see them discussing individual roles and responsibilities in detail, from who’ll be cooking for the team and participants to who’ll be taking care of administration, providing prayer support, and so on.
The team’s commitment to funding the way for Kairos to spread throughout the nation is particularly commendable. Twice a year, each team member pays a $10 subscription fee, over and above the $1 monthly fee that is used for administrative and other expenses.
When the team is getting ready to run Kairos in another location, as it did in Vic Falls in April, the members spend months saving for their $30 transport fee. Those who are unable to make the trip donate money to assist those who are going, along with gifts of oil, maize, sugar, rice, vegetables, tea and milk to sustain them while they’re away.
The team has a vision of reaching further afield in 2013, targeting towns such as Binga and Hwange, followed by more rural areas. Please pray with them as they work to enable Kairos to expand in this country, in a bid to awaken the Zimbabwean church to fulfill its missions call.
EXCITING REPORTS FROM RUSSIA
Marinda Coetzee, the National Coordinator for Russia, writes with great enthusiasm:“It was a great joy to have finished the first draft of the Russian Kairos fourth edition translation after having worked on it for more than a year! We spent about two weeks working night and day to finalize the first draft in time for the first fourth edition course. Our Russian team in Samara came to our home every day, where we set up different stations, working on different chapters and power points at the same time. It was hard work but such a celebration when we got it done!”
The first Kairos using this recent edition was held in Samara last October. In the next few months, final editing for the Russian translation will be done. Dates have also been set over the next 5 months for about 10 courses to be presented by the Russian team in different cities!
Marinda also reports that some excellent musicians joined this recent course. The Lord gave them such a passion for the nations and broke their hearts for those who have never heard the Gospel. They then desired to record a new worship album, focused on missions and God’s heart for the nations.
They have now started this project and Marinda believes this will make a great impact in the Russian church and will inspire many to get involved in God’s mission.
KAIROS IN THE ARCTIC
The Arctic is a polar region located at the northern-most part of the earth. This was the site of the recent Kairos course conducted in Norway. The course was held in Northern Norway at the Borgen YWAM base, which is also the northern-most YWAM base in the world.Milestones were established with the holding of this course: first, this was the first course using the newly translated Norwegian Reader and second, this was also the first time a course was run in Norway without outside assistance.
The participants were four Norwegians, a Korean, a Filipino and a Scot. All of them gave good feedback about the way the Kairos journey had impacted them. Two of the participants came from a large Pentecostal church in Oslo, and are now keen to see Kairos used within their networks.
As work continues on translating more of the course materials into Norwegian, some of the participants from this course will prepare to help facilitate the next course in December, this time with about 30 participants.
BREAKING AGE-OLD STRONGHOLDS
“Thank you for making us pay for this course”. This was the unusual remark the organizers received from a number of participants who attended the Kairos course in Rwanda. Paying for a course is new and unprecedented in this country. The acceptable norm is either for a course to be fully subsidized or participants were to be paid a sitting allowance just to attend a seminar.Twenty-one joined the course, sixteen of them Pastors and church leaders representing different denominations and organizations. This was the first Kairos in Rwanda where pastors joined in and it was positively received! A number of Pastors testified that even though they had attended many conferences, Kairos was so different and very impacting. During the presentation of the devotion “Financing the Great Commission”, the facilitator addressed the need to break the dependency mentality that is prevalent in Rwanda if the Church is to become missional.
Part of the way forward is to pray and trust God for regular Kairos Courses for church leaders in Rwanda. Participants expressed the need to translate Kairos to Kinyarwanda, its most spoken and understood language.
Soon after the course, 16 participants joined the training to become facilitators of Kairos.
