PM International, North Africa
One of the most important trends in missions today is the increasing number of cross-cultural missionaries sent by “two-thirds world” countries. Since 1991, Partners International has been assisting a unique ministry called Pueblos Musulmanes Internacional (Muslim Peoples International) that has pioneered this trend in the Muslim world. This leading Latin American mission agency trains and deploys Latin Americans to live and witness throughout the Muslim world. Today, 148 PMI missionaries are successfully ministering in 10 countries.
"Thank you for supporting this work. It is truly making a difference in disabled people's lives."
Nouzha is a young North African woman. Since birth she has been locked up at home, hidden from sight because of her disability. Like many other disabled people in this part of the world, she never completed her schooling. In fact, her only activity was watching television. She knew the storylines of all the soap operas, but she was so hungry for more in life. When she joined PMI’s basketball program for the disabled, the change in her was significant. “She is much more active and happy,” said the project leader. PMI fixed her wheelchair and now she is able to help in the work at home, helping her to gain respect in her family and giving her much greater independence and self-worth. “Thank you for supporting this work,” said the project leader. “It is truly making a difference in the lives of ones like Nouzha.”
An invisible line runs the breadth of the African continent from the west coast in Senegal across to Ethiopia on the eastern seaboard, dividing the predominately Christian south from the majority Muslim north. Many of the original inhabitants of this region were Christians until Islam washed over the continent, converting many. Today, most countries in North Africa are less than one percent Christian.
Training Workers, PMI
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This project provides field-based training for Latin American missionaries preparing to serve in the Muslim world. The four-month training program for new missionaries is held on the field, where trainees are immersed in the local culture and language by living in the homes of local Muslim families. Experienced mission observers have said that PMI’s workers leave this four-month program knowing as much about the local language and culture as some missionaries who have been on the field for years. Ongoing follow-up and training are also done through field-based seminars. Much attention is paid to pastoral care of these workers and their families as they face isolation and discouragement working in unreached areas.
When specialized training, pastoral care, and on-going strategy fine-tuning are provided, Latin American workers have proven extremely effective in missions to Muslims. Partners hopes to provide training scholarships for 41 workers this year ($865 each).
Training Workers, PMI
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Living Water, PMI
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Through the Living Water project, villagers in arid, mountainous areas of North Africa are supplied with clean water systems, manual water pumps, latrines for schools, and public health education—all of which show God’s love to the people and better their lives in a meaningful way. PMI’s ability to provide expertise in engineering, water quality management, and supervision of these projects has allowed access to entire villages and their key leaders in very unreached areas.
Disabled People's Project, PMI
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Women's Development, PMI
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Because disabled children are seen as a curse in the Muslim culture, the mothers of special needs children are sometimes abandoned by their husbands and left without economic support. Often a woman’s only option is to work as a house servant, which takes her away from her children for 8-10 hours each day. Partners International is supporting outreaches in two cities, Casa Ruth and Casa Dorcas, to help mothers of disabled children and other poor, abandoned, or widowed women generate income by teaching them vocational skills. These skills include cloth-painting, toy-making, sewing, cooking, and computers. Many of the women learn to make didactic toys that help their disabled children improve their motor skills, concentration, and reasoning ability. Some of the women form cooperatives to generate income together.
Nearly 80 percent of the women in the area are non-literate and have little education, so they are also trained in literacy, child nutrition, health education, and languages like French and English. The PMI team creates an environment where the women are comfortable to come for a chat and cup of tea and build friendships with other women. The centers provide a warm environment for PMI staff to share the love of Christ. In the coming year, 300 women will benefit from the program.
Vocational Training, PMI
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North Africa’s huge unemployment problem causes many parents great difficulty in providing for their families. The problem is worse for young Muslim Background Believers (MBB) because the best jobs are given first to Muslims. Very few schools offer programs to learn vocational or professional skills. PMI’s goal is to equip young believers with specialized skills that are in high demand. The graduates receive an official accreditation in a particular skill, qualifying them to work for a small business or to start their own micro-enterprise. Because there are so few skilled workers, some small businesses will hire well-trained people, regardless of their Christian faith. Vocational training is taking place in two areas of North Africa, teaching welding to 170 young men and Spanish to both men and women. A third center will serve 1,700 Muslim immigrants in Europe with training in computers. This project will provide natural opportunities to befriend Muslims as their family member is being trained. Long term, this project will also strengthen the local church by providing a more economically stable membership.
Community Outreach Center, PMI
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Reaching Unreached Peoples, PMI
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Less than 2% of African people have access to the internet. This “digital illiteracy” often leads to a society of disadvantaged citizens. Through access to the internet and technology training, communities will be able to increase their knowledge and opportunities for personal and professional growth. For this reason, PMI would like to launch a computer training center in Pasteef village. It will not only meet a strong local demand for these services, it will also provide a way to engage with local young people. With this training, the number of skilled people will increase each year and dramatically change the profile of the village as a whole. Training will begin with two groups of 10 people for a total of 64 hours of training. Only one person per family will be chosen to take part so that the maximum number of families can be helped over time. Through additional services for literacy and more advanced computer training, an estimated 120 people will benefit over the coming year.
Women's Development, PMI
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Because the great majority of women in Senegal do not have the opportunity to receive an education, literacy rates are very low—just 30% among adult women. PMI has a burden to contribute to the personal growth of these women by improving their self esteem and financial situation by providing a useful job skill. Partners is partnering with them through support of two women’s centers.
Partners International · 1117 E. Westview Court · Spokane, WA 99218 · Toll-free: 1-800-966-5515 · Fax: (509) 343-4015 · info@partnersintl.org