Past Trips

Read feedback and overviews of some of our recent trips through Africa.

Mission to Masai Land, Kenya

ACTS East Africa had the pleasure of hosting a team of 12 men from East Tennessee and Georgia,USA plus 4 translators, as they partnered with Calvary Road Ministries in their evangelistic work among the old Masai men of Loita Hills, south western Kenya.

On September 8, 2008 the team set out from Nairobi in "Martha", ACTS' 25 seater overland truck, and traveled to the remote village of Leshuta, Loita Hills in the heart of Masai Land.  After covering almost 200km on fairly rough but scenic roads the team reached the camp site - well almost! "Martha" was was within  about half a kilometer of the team's destination when she was overcome by wet and treacherously slippery black cotton soil!  Getting stuck definitely added to the adventure!  The team set up camp under a large acacia tree and made that wild and beautiful part of Africa their home for just over a week.   

Over a period of 8 days the team split into 4 groups of 4 and covered the surrounding countryside on foot, visiting all the homesteads (or Bomas as they are called by the Masai) within walking distance of the camp.  The target audience of their evangelism was the old men of each Boma visited, as they are the ones who sit at the top of the Masai hierarchical family structure and control what goes on.  Calvary Road Ministries believe that if the old men are positively influenced by the gospel story, the younger generations of men, and women and children, will find it easier to accept gospel and take it on board.  As most of the old men are unable to read or write, and because the Masai people are always up for a good story, the missionaries use what they call a "story cloth".  It is a sheet of cloth which  is made up of 42 pictures each one depicting a bible story, from the creation of the world to the ascension of Christ.  Whenever the group was granted permission to speak with the old man of a Boma, he would sit down and give the missionaries his attention. Normally all the other family members would also gather around to listen.  The missionaries would set up the story cloth and then one of them (normally one of the older men in the group) would tell the stories in chronological order and the translator would interpret for those listening.  At the end of the presentation, the missionary would invite the old man and those listening to pray to receive Christ.  All 4 groups were amazed at how God used them during their time of ministry.  They were encouraged by the openness of the Masai people to the gospel, and impressed by their comparatively simple but contented way of life.

The group detoured through Naivasha and Lake Nakuru National Park on the way back to Nariobi for a safari where they experienced more of God's amazing creation!  They were fortunate enough to see 4 of the big 5 including leopard, lion, rhino and buffalo, as well as a whole lot more!

Overall, it was an exciting and fruitful time of ministry and each team member left Kenya with a strong desire to return.

Mission to Upington, South Africa

In May 2008, a group of 11 Americans from various churches in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and North Carolina linked with ACTS for a one week “Africa for beginners” mission trip to join and support the work of International Mission Board missionaries, Liz & John Johnston in Upington, South Africa.

The team spent an action packed week ministering and spreading the good news of Jesus Christ into the nearby settlements of Ses Brugge, Louisvaleweg and Rosedale, where churches had been recently planted but were struggling somewhat.

The team was confronted daily with poverty and its associated problems of alcohol and drug addiction as well as the effects of crime, child abuse and HIV-AIDS on these communities, which are largely made up of seasonal farm labourers. This provided a challenging environment in which to share the gospel, but no challenge is too big for God and he used the team mightily in these communities. In just one week, the team was able to achieve the same as what the IMB missionaries on the ground took months to achieve.

The team managed to squeeze an afternoon of sightseeing into their busy schedule and visited Augrabies Falls National Park, where they were awed by the magnificent beauty of God’s creation and also had a surprise encounter with a giraffe!

A highlight for the team was visiting the school in Ses Brugge where they gave testimonies, performed a powerful and moving drama and told teachers and children the Good News of Jesus Christ. The school principal was so moved by what he had heard that he asked the team to speak to his teenage daughters. The team decided to invite the whole family to join them for dinner, after which some of the ladies spoke with the principal’s daughters and two of the younger team members chatted and shared with the principal’s young son, who then decided to commit his life to the Lord.

Though this group came to boost the work of God in Upington, their hearts were touched and lives forever changed by what they witnessed and experienced during their short time there.