The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) Secretary-General Bishop Prof. Thomas Schirrmacher visited the Association of Evangelicals in Africa (AEA) Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya for a series of key meetings with senior Evangelical leaders in the country. The WEA Secretary-General was accompanied by Matthias Boehning, the Co-Director of the WEA Sustainability Center, who also serves as the WEA Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Bonn.
Bishop Prof. Thomas Schirrmacher later met with the AEA Staff Team offering a word of encouragement and thanking the team for their service to the body of Christ in Africa. He added, “Africa and Africans, in general, have been close to my heart since I was a child. As a small boy, I once got lost, while on a trip to Ireland with my parents. A young African boy approached me and inquired why I was in distress. He later invited me to his home – a small tiny room where eight other family members slept – where the parents provided for me in the morning accompanied me to the police station where my parents were contacted. This is the true African spirit- that of generosity, even with the little.”
Bishop Prof. Schirrmacher pointed out the intricate role AEA has played in building the capacity of the National Evangelical Alliances and member organizations in Africa. In his remarks to the staff of AEA, he also pointed out that WEA continues to provide resources and networks that will enrich AEA’s involvement in advancing the Gospel and providing unifying evangelicals.
The AEA General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Master Matlhaope, highlighted that the visit by the WEA Secretary-General was eagerly awaited and a show of commitment to the Africa Regional Alliance. This affirms AEA’s position as the entry point for WEA into Africa and a strong partner in ensuring the AEA vision is realized in Africa. This meeting was also attended by the General Secretary of EAK, Dr Nelson Makanda who lauded Bishop Dr. Schirrmacher’s efforts in serving AEA and evangelicals in Africa through his leadership at WEA.
After the staff meeting, Bishop Prof. Schirrmacher and Matthias were guests at the Afroscope Podcast where they spoke about the significance of African Evangelicals to global missions while Mr. Matthias spoke about the role Africa has played towards the creation care mandate and how WEA is serving the evangelicals in Africa towards encouraging creation care.
The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), Secretary-General Bishop Prof. Thomas Schirrmacher, speaks with the AEA Staff at the Africa Evangelical Centre Boardroom in Nairobi. Photos: WEA.
