Location: Burundi, Africa
Ministry Focus: Elmer and Sherry Komant are passionate about church planting in Africa. The most recent effort meant the official opening of Christian Life Ministries located in the Odeon Palace Theatre downtown Bujumbura in June of 2013. Missionaries, totally supported by their sending churches, from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and one from the UK partnered in committed teamwork. The transition of all but one of these African missionaries back to their sending churches means that we have made great progress towards the nationalization of this Assembly.
Life has been different since the unrest and attempted coup of 2015, but Christian Life Ministries has bounced back in a wonderful way. Around 850 people meet at the Bujumbura campus while the new branch church planted at Gitega is now a year old and growing in numbers and level of discipleship. The Wezesha "micro finance" project is flourishing with ministry to over 750 vulnerable but enterprising women and their families. Campus Vibe and Sunday Night Live and the English Club keep drawing large numbers of young people to Christ. Discipleship classes are jammed. The Komants have handed the torch over to national partners and will continue to visit, always seeking to empower the next generation.
Ministry History: Elmer and Sherry have been church pastors/planters in Africa since 1980. Enthusiasm and vision for the task never wanes. Their history includes 7 years in Zambia, 10 years in Kenya, 14 years in Rwanda and the past 4 years in Burundi. Life and missions lessons learned inspire them to continue mentoring, loving, and inspiring the young generation church on this continent to it's potential.
Prayer Requests:
- For integral leadership, peace, stability, and economic renewal in the nation.
- For land and finances for the branch church in Gitega, and the Skills Training Centre.
- For the successful completion of nationalization of CLM over the next several years.
- For the unity of the body of Christ that is so fragmented in this country.