AFM serving in Ukraine

By Nancy Moore

AFM has been serving in Ukraine with our partners Tavriski Christian Institute (TCI) and the State Emergency Services Ukraine since 2019.  Our team that trained in 2019 remembers standing on the front defense lines from Crimea into Kherson and thinking how frightening war would be in that area. While we trained the firefighter we offered encouragement and connection to spiritual and mental health.

The firefighters in Ukraine are kind, giving, creative and brave. We were offered amazing hospitality while we trained alongside them. Firefighters in Ukraine are tasked with not only fighting fire, but also with disarming/recovering undetonated explosives and with providing psychological first aid to their community. Due to these somewhat unique functions, they were uniquely prepared to serve their community during the war in Ukraine. 

Personally, Dave and I have been connected to Ukraine since the mid-90’s. Our church was providing support to churches and Christians in the post-Soviet era and helped to form TCI. TCI is now fully Ukrainian run and is the only accredited Christian College in Ukraine.   

Located in Kherson, TCI’s staff evacuated their campus on the first day of war and staff were dispersed to various locations to continue serving. As a result of the war, TCI immediately began making plans to modify their ministry to serve the current needs of the country and to help churches serve their communities. TCI has 3 focuses right now: 1) Assist with safe evacuations from dangerous areas in Ukraine (both refugees and internally displaced persons) 2) Support churches financially that are serving their communities with resources especially for food and medical resources 3) Provide spiritual and emotional support. TCI is planning strategically for the current crisis, and is also preparing for the long term needs for humanitarian aid, Christian witness and eventual rebuilding of Ukraine.   

TCI is on the front lines of humanitarian aid for Ukraine and many of AFM’s partners are collaborating to support their efforts. Please be praying for their efforts and for Ukraine: You can sign up for daily prayer updates throughout March through IDES > sign up here

If you are looking for an organization to give financially to support the people of Ukraine – I encourage you to give through TCI’s US forwarding agent sign up here.

Firefighters in Ukraine are serving their community during this war.   Search and Rescue, removing explosives, assisting with community evacuations, fighting fires. I know their community is grateful for their service.

AFM is exploring ways to specifically support the firefighters in Ukraine – now and after the war (Equipment was a need before the war and there is still a need for more equipment).   We are also looking into ways that we can support the firefighter’s psychologically and spiritually.   If you are interested in getting involved with AFM’s efforts to serve firefighters in Ukraine please email info@africafiremission.org and we will get in touch with you!   

Here are some pictures from Ukraine as AFM worked there before the war:

Prayer Update - August 2021

Africa Fire Mission is grateful for your continued support and prayers for our ministry!

Here are some specific things to pray about in the coming weeks and months: 

Teams -

• Praise God for fire instructors that have said yes to serving in Kenya - November 10-21, 2021. We have 20 team members all working hard to raise their funds and planning to train with us.

• Pray for the team members - that they will be prepared mentally, physically and spiritually for the trip.

• Pray that we will minister well - to the team members as well as those we are going to serve.

• Pray that COVID will not prevent us from traveling and for the team’s health on the trip.

• We have just finished scheduling four team trips for 2022!  Pray for trainers to say yes and for them to be encouraged as they prepare to serve.

Expansion in Malawi -

• Praise God that we have been able to connect with Parkview Christian Church (Orland Park, IL) and Peace Plan Malawi. In June, we were able to travel with a team from Parkview to serve in Malawi. We we able to provide firefighter personal protective equipment to the Zambia Fire Brigade. We were able to train fire firefighters from 3 of the 4 fire departments in the country!!!

• Pray for the safety of firefighters that are often stoned and ridiculed by their community. Pray that we will be able to develop a plan to get another 100 sets of equipment to Malawi so that every firefighter has a set of PPE.

• Pray for our local ministry partners in Malawi - Namikango Mission and E3 Worldwide as they serve in wholistic ministries.

Continued work in Kenya -

• Praise God - the fire service in Kenya is continuing to grow and expand!

• Praise God that a recent report shows a drastic decrease in fires and burns resulting from fires in the Mathare Valley in Kenya!

• Praise God that the first video for Project Hand up as been filmed and will be airing on public television in Kenya soon!

• Pray for the fire service to continue to be encouraged and to seek Christ in their lives.

Equipment in Ukraine -

• Praise God - In partnership with TCI over 3500 pieces of firefighting equipment was delivered to Kirovohrad, Ukraine and officially handed over on August 11, 2021!

• Pray that the equipment and devotional guides that were translated and printed in Ukrainian will serve to minister to the firefighters in Kherson and Kirovohrad Ukraine.

People: 

·      Pray for Jose – Our Fire Safety Advocate - he is serving the community and firefighters everyday in the Mathare Valley in Nairobi, Kenya and in All of Kenya.   Pray for his safety, that he will feel encouraged and that he will keep sharing God’s love and the message of fire safety!

·     Pray for Kennedy - We met Firefighter Kennedy in Isiolo Kenya in July. Kennedy was in a motor bike accident and as a result of inadequate care his leg was amputated.  Kennedy got the call that he had been given a job as a firefighter just before his amputation and as soon as he recovered he showed up to work! AFM is working to develop a plan for a prosthetic for Kennedy so he can return to full duty as a firefighter and serve his community. (read more on our blog about how to get involved in this project!!)

THANK YOU!

Thank you for all the ways you support AFM! As we serve, we are reminded of 1 Peter 5:6-11: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may life you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.   Be alert and of sober mind.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him standing firm in the faith because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kinds of sufferings”

If you are interested in learning more about what’s happening with AFM you can sign up for our newsletter or join us at our annual Chama (Chama mean Party in Swahili) on September 25th, 2021! Learn more >

Prayer requests - November 2020

Going Virtual! If you read our recent newsletter you may have seen that AFM is going virtual with our annual training for firefighters! So far we have over 350 registered and that number is growing! Our training starts on November 16th at 1AM Eastern (8AM East Africa Time) we will have over 14 countries and 7 time zones between the US and Africa that we will be working from and juggling. We have nearly 20 instructors and we are ALL learning google classroom.

Here are some specific prayer requests for #afmvirtual2020

Please pray for our participants and instructors over the next week that we will be patient with each other and show God’s love and as minister to them and teach them!

Pray that we will be about to provide empowerment, support and encouragement as we train - even through this virtual platform.

Please pray that we will be able to support the firefighters through our new course on Firefighter Mental Health. Firefighters are at high risk for mental health struggles - and in Africa it is no different. Please pray that through our course firefighters will feel supported by us and by God. Pray they will feel His healing power as they participate in the course.

As COVID-19 pandemic continues pray for all Emergency Repsonders around the world and their health. Pray that they will be able to have the stamina to continue under these new requirements and that they will be able to serve well.

We are working in collaboration with Polish Aid to formalize some of our curriculum for technical training accreditation in Kenya. Pray for that collaboration.

Finally, please pray for our implementation of Project Hand-Up. We are excited to get fire prevention materials into the homes of children throughout Kenya and then beyond Kenya!

AFM Prayer requests - COVID-19; Spring 2020

Supporting firefighters and first responders is what AFM is all about – right now firefighters and other first responders along with medical personnel around the world are on the front lines ready and responding to COVID-19 like never before in most of our lifetimes.   There are many fears and anxieties that exist for firefighters and other first responders around the world as the respond or prepare to respond to COVID-19.  AFM putting out information to our networking groups to help keep firefighters safe and making recommendations based on resources that might be available to firefighters.  

This article from a Fire Chief at FDNY ( New York City) helps describe the experience free a firefighter perspective: Article

Firefighters in Africa are helping to fumigate streets (hoping that the chemicals used doesn’t damage their fire trucks for future responses).  This has the potential to bring more respect and understanding to the role the firefighters can have in communities – please pray for the safety of the firefighters and other first responders.   

Pray for the family of firefighter Adams Gichohi.  There was a vehicle accident involving a fire truck last week where a firefighter Gichohi from Kajiado county, Kenya was killed and another seriously injured.    Recently the firefighters have taken to coming together to honor their fallen comrades - we pray firefighter Gichohi’s family will feel the love of the firefighter community.

Pray for José Ngunjiri, our fire safety advocate in Kenya.  He is getting creative with putting out fire safety materials via social media groups in Kenya (people are at home so risk of fires there is even higher than usual) and is also helping with food distribution.    Kenya has had a stay at home order and nightly curfew in place.   

Cases of COVID-19 are increasing in Kenya and responders hospitals may be overwhelmed quickly.   Medical care generally required that you have cash to pay for services prior to care and the poor will be impacted quickly. Many of you are familiar with our partner, Missions of Hope International.   They are serving the poorest of the poor in Kenya.   They are working to respond to meet the physical needs of the communities where they serve with food relief.  The communities where MOHI serves could see a quick spread of COVID-19 there.   Please pray for protection for the communities and the MOHI staff serving them.

Our container to Ukraine should arrive in the next 2 weeks.  Please pray that the equipment is able to be safety delivered and the that firefighting equipment is able to be put into service quickly! 

AFM has delayed team trips to Sierra Leone and to Ukraine.   Nancy was scheduled to go to Kenya in May and that will also be delayed.   Please pray that will be able to reschedule these missions soon and that we will be able to execute our planned work in Kenya and Zambia in the fall.  

We are praying that firefighters and other first responders will not be anxious but that they will see God at work through his people during this time and that they will be able to stay healthy and serve their communities well.  Will you pray that prayer with us?

Dave and Nancy Moore

Co-Founders, Africa Fire Mission

AFM Prayer Requests - Winter 2020

Africa Fire Mission is busy the next couple weeks and we wanted to ask for your prayers. Dave and Nancy are headed to Ghana and Sierra Leone in March (two new countries) and we have a container shipping to Ukraine this Saturday (22 February).   Several of you have asked how to pray for us - Thank you for praying! Here are some specific things to pray about in the coming weeks and months: 

Equipment - 

• Pray for safety – we are loading a 40 foot container for Ukraine on Saturday 2/22 - we have lots of moving parts and lots of volunteers helping over the next couple days – pray that the load will take place quickly and safely.

• Pray that this container to Ukraine will be a blessing to firefighters and that they will feel God’s love through the receipt of life saving personal protective equipment.

• If you’d like to volunteer on Saturday, join us at LifeSpring Christian Church 1373 W Galbraith Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45231 from 9-3

Vision Trips

·      Pray for Dave and Nancy Moore as they travel to Ghana and Sierra Leone in March

o   Ghana – March 3-12.   This is a visioning trip to see what might be possible for AFM working with communities and the fire service there.  Dave and Nancy are training at a Global CHE Conference for West Africa and traveling across the country to meet ministry and fire service partners.  Pray that the vision for future work there will be seen as well as for health and safety while we are there.   

o   Sierra Leone - March 22-3.  Dave and Nancy along with 4 firefighters from Bloomington IN will be in Freetown, Sierra Leone training firefighters there.   In addition to the visioning process of an initial mission trip, we will also be attempting to find a mission partner in Sierra Leone.  We have not yet been able to identify any in spite of much searching.  We know that keys to AFM’s success in an area is a strong national faith based partner.  Sierra Leone is a very spiritually dark area and more than any of our other programs a faith partner is needed.   Pray that we will be able to identify a faith partner in Sierra Leone and that we will be able to minister to the firefighters there and offer them HOPE.

Teams

·      Pray for those that will be coming on AFM trips to Zambia and Kenya trips this coming October and November.   Pray for trainers to say yes and for them to be encouraged as they prepare to serve.

·      Pray for our team of 6 that is preparing to go to Ukraine in May.  This team is now formed and moving forward with planning for our next journey to Kherson and TCI.  Pray that we will serve well along side TCI.

·      Pray for AFM’s board of directors and especially for 3 new board members who are joining AFM’s board of directors.  AFM is growing and our board is an important part of setting the vision for the future as we serve. 

People: 

·      Pray for Jose – he is serving the community and firefighters everyday in the Mathare Valley in Nairobi, Kenya and in All of Kenya.   Pray for his safety, that he will feel encouraged and that he will keep sharing God’s love and the message of fire safety!

·      Cora (name changed)– Is a firefighter in Kenya.   She recently reached out to Nancy and one of our team members with a plan to commit suicide by taking poison.   Nancy was able to speak with Cora and prevent her from taking her life.   Pray that she will continue to have a family of faith around her and that she will feel God’s love in darkness and in trials.

·      Sam (name changed) – Is a leader in the fire service in Kenya.  He recently reached out to us and let us know he was feeling discouraged of always fighting against corruption and always fighting for a better fire service.  Sam has a vision for a better future for the fire service in Kenya and all of Africa.   Dave and Nancy were able to remind him that while the work is not easy it is creating change and that generations of firefighters in the future will benefit from his lard work now.  Pray that Sam will experience peace in conflict and that he will continue to go after what is best for the health and safety of firefighters and the community.

1 Peter 5:6-11: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may life you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.   Be alert and of sober mind.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him standing firm in the faith because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kinds of sufferings”

We are grateful to each of you that pray for our ministry! Thank you!

AFM Prayer Requests - Fall 2019

Africa Fire Mission is headed to Africa for 4 team trips!    Several of you have asked how to pray for us and our teams while we are gone. Thank you for praying! Here are some specific things to pray about:

•  Pray for our team’s travel – there are lots of moving parts for team members from all across the US, Germany and Poland.  Pray that our team will have safe uneventful travel.   The biggest travel days are 10/23, 11/2, 11/6, 11/13, 11/17, 11/24, 11/26

• Pray from Jason Braun and his wife Kate.   Less than 2 months ago their infant son, Ike, died at 5 days old.   Jason was one of the first firefighters to sign up for this year’s trip and is still planning to join us.  Pray that this trip is a healing experience for him and that Kate will be supported at home. 

• Pray for Candace Chapman and her family, her mom is in hospice and Candace is trying to decide if she will travel with the team or if she should cancel.  

• Pray for our team leaders and our trainers to be healthy, well rested and prepared for training. 

• Pray for our team member’s families at home.  Some of our team members are traveling with us for 5 weeks. 

• Pray for our social work team that we will minister well at Missions of Hope International.

• Pray for our fire prevention team-   They have the privilege of serving in Mariakani Kenya and reaching out directly to community kids! There is a church at the fire station here and another church plant being planned in this area.   Missions of Hope is planning on a school in this area as well. 

• Pray for our fire training in Zambia.   Our partnerships have shifted there and we are praying for the new partnerships that are forming to be successful.

• Pray for firefighters in Kenya and Zambia that choose to participate in our first ever formal fire chaplain training.  Pray that the chaplain ministry will develop as an opportunity to continually serve the firefighters spiritual needs and to share Christ’s love with them.  

• Pray for firefighters that are struggling with their mental health.   We will be sharing a new firefighter mental health program that we have written based on several programs in the US.   Pray that this new program will minister to the firefighter’s emotional health and create a sustainable way for the firefighters to support each other. 

• Pray for Dave and Nancy Moore-   They will be in Africa for a total of 5 weeks managing 4 teams and 4 large training programs. They are grateful for wonderful friends that are taking care of things at home and for AFM volunteers that will keep things moving for AFM in the US.

• Pray for Mikel our administrator as she manages the daily operations of AFM stateside.  

• Pray for José-  our fire safety advocate in Kenya.   Pray that we will be able to mentor him during this trip and that he will continue to grow in his role. 

• Pray for our fire training in Kenya.  Pray that connections with local partners will be strengthened and that we can continue to build on recent growth of the fire service. 

• Pray for the fire chiefs in Kenya and Zambia that our work with them will empower them to advocate even more for their community’s needs.  

• Pray for our CHE (community health evangelism partners) that their ministries will be blessed through their work with us and that as they serve along side is lasting relationships can be built to bring others to Christ.  (Zambia- CHEEP; Kenya- MOHI) 

We are grateful to each of you that pray for our ministry! Thank you!