Once Assemblies of God global worker, Suzanne Hurst, yielded to God’s call to missions, she knew that He was calling her to a developing country. Coming from a small town, Suzanne was hesitant to step into the mission field. A doctor who had gone on numerous medical mission trips encouraged Suzanne to consider missions. “I didn’t want to go. I cried. I fought God; but at the end of the day, I knew that the Lord was calling me,” Suzanne explained. “We signed to be missionaries to Africa for two years, and only two years. I left the U.S. crying, sobbing, and clinging to everything I could. Two years later… our lives were radically changed….We couldn't imagine not ever living in Africa. Those two years drastically changed the trajectory of our lives.”

Using the nursing skills she developed in the United States, Suzanne engaged in compassion ministry in Africa. Now, Suzanne is using her passion for missions and her medical knowledge to help foster physical and spiritual health in African communities through Africa Oasis.

Clean water, nourishing food, a healthy and safe childhood, good hygiene practices, and gender equality are essential to life. However, these basic elements of life are inaccessible to millions of Africans. Africa Oasis is committed to addressing these issues as they engage in compassion ministry across Africa through the local church.

Through its five focus areas: children at risk, food security, health education, water solutions, and women’s empowerment, Africa Oasis is fulfilling its vision of bridging the gap between Word and deed through the local church. Africa Oasis has programs in 10 to 15 countries across Africa, and is expanding at the rate of the local church.

While adhering to the vision and mission of Assemblies of God World Missions (AGWM), Africa Oasis differs from other non-governmental organizations because it bases its ministries on a local church’s involvement. “We want the local church to be able to sustain what we do so they feel that they continue their response to these needs after we leave,” said Africa Oasis director, Suzanne Hurst. Using strategic, applicable, and practical techniques, Africa Oasis empowers African churches to be the frontline responders to needs in their communities, making them the heroes of compassion. While Africa Oasis bears the larger expenses in compassion ministry such as training and education costs, boreholes – deep, narrow holes drilled into the ground to locate water, and supplies, the local church manages and maintains these resources to enhance a sense of ownership.

Each of Africa Oasis’ five focus areas respond to the overwhelming needs recognized by AGWM global workers in partnership with the local church, allowing each community to determine which of the five focus areas to implement based on its collective needs. It also allows community members to take an active role in improving their quality of life and the quality of life of others, using the local church as a focal point. “Everything is about allowing the church to be an influential member of the community, not isolating the church from the community,” said Suzanne. Africa Oasis’ compassion work is meant to activate the God-given capacity in every person, regardless of their socioeconomic status.

“Children are at risk all over the African continent. Everything we do impacts children, because children … carry the biggest burden of anything that happens. War happens and children carry the biggest burden of that. Children are the most impacted by malnutrition. Children don’t have the highest rates of HIV, but they’re impacted because they’re losing parents because of HIV,” Suzanne explained. Children at risk focuses on children who live impoverished lifestyles, are surrounded by unhealthy environments, and who have experienced trauma. Each of Africa Oasis’ four other focus groups intentionally ensure children's health, safety, and provision.

At least one in five Africans go to bed hungry. Africa Oasis’ focus on food security remedies the inaccessibility and cost of nutritious food through sustainable agricultural practices such as urban gardening and composting. Africa Oasis often partners with agriculturists and local villages to improve the gardening techniques in a specific part of the continent. “We expect [the village] to work alongside us. Africa Oasis doesn’t plant gardens without the investment of the village because the point is to start projects in a way they can be sustained,” said Suzanne.

Africa Oasis teaches health education practices that enhance health, covering nutrition, malaria prevention, and hygiene. These initiatives positively impact both the physical and spiritual well-being of African communities. In one community, a local church focused on malaria education. The church provided mosquito nets to households with children under five or with pregnant women. These groups face the greatest risk of malaria-related death. Next to the church lived a man deeply involved in a voodoo-based, animistic religion. He openly mocked and harassed local churchgoers and encouraged his children to disrupt church services by throwing water at congregation members.

During the malaria education outreach, church members learned that this man’s daughter had recently given birth to a baby girl. One church member, trained in malaria education, approached the father. “Congratulations on your granddaughter,” she said. “I just want you to know our God loves everybody, our God accepts everybody, and He loves your granddaughter.” She then explained how mosquito nets could help protect his granddaughter. Using Psalm 125 and Psalm 36: 5-9, the church member explained, “In the same way that God’s always with us, always protecting us and surrounding us with His love, this mosquito net will cover your granddaughter and surround her so she can be protected from malaria.”

This unexpected act of compassion caused the father to stop his harassment. His whole family eventually accepted Christ. He is still on his way to fully accepting Christ. He sits outside the church each Sunday to listen to the message. One afternoon, he and the local pastor shared tea and discussed that morning’s sermon. As a result of this church’s ministry, malaria incidents decreased, relationships in the community improved, and the church grew.

Through acts of compassion, church members can go into the community, meet a tangible need, and be a gospel witness to those who may not have had any exposure to Christ or His people. God is using the willingness of those in the local church to help turn the hearts of those who were once obstinate toward Him and bring them to salvation.

Every day, thousands of children die from waterborne illnesses, and millions of others suffer from the effects of unclean water. These illnesses cause adults to miss work and children to miss school. Water solutions provide safe drinking water for African communities Providing access to uncontaminated water through catchment systems, wells, and bucket filters reduces illness and improves overall quality of life.

Africa Oasis sponsored a bucket water filter project in a small community in Burundi. A local church wanted to address the spiritual and physical needs of their community affected by waterborne illness. The church trained a small group of members in water, sanitation, and hygiene practices, as well as water bucket filter use and maintenance. As the members went to different houses to distribute the filters, they discussed the Living Water with families and prayed for them. In response, over 20 people accepted Christ and the local church grew.

In Africa, gender inequality significantly affects women. This inequality often limits their access to education and exposes them to higher rates of HIV/AIDS, malaria, gender-based violence, and sexual exploitation. In response, Africa Oasis women’s empowerment addresses the various challenges women face both at home and in the marketplace by providing local educational programs such as literacy programs, micro-enterprise programs, and sexual exploitation prevention and awareness programs. These programs empower and support local women.

“We want to see our churches in Africa empowered. Organizations often say they are empowering when they are in fact, imposing their agenda on a community. Empowering churches means letting go of your ego and any prominence you might have going into a community as a foreigner,” said Suzanne. “That’s what Africa Oasis is all about. … It’s about empowerment through Christ. … We are big believers in the local church using local knowledge and local resources. It lasts longer because it’s all from within the local community.”

To access more stories about how the Lord is using Africa Oasis to empower local African communities through the local church follow @africaoasis on Instagram or https://www.africaoasis.org/.

By Holly A.V. Knapp