4/14 Window Movement in Africa
4/14 Window Regional Conference for Francophone Africa
Part I: A Crucial Turning Point of the Church of Burkina Faso and of French Speaking Africa and Beyond
The Francophone countries’ regional conference on the 4/14 window’s global initiative, took place in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso from March 6 to 9, 2012 with the participation of more than one half of the twenty six countries of French speaking Africa focused on the theme: “Better partnering with children and young people to transform our nations.” For Dr. Jean-Baptiste Rouamba, the national coordinator of the vision, this conference is a crucial turning point of the Church of Burkina Faso and of the Sub-Region. According to him, the objective of the conference was to awaken people’s conscience in relation to children of 4 to 14 age bracket who are vulnerable but open to the Word of God.
The facilitator of the movement in the Francophone countries, Jonas Robert Sawadogo, pointed out that 4/14 Window’s global initiative launched in September 2009 in New York, calls out to a change of vision towards children.
Dr. Jean-Baptiste Rouamba has served twenty four years of the three thousand member Eglise centrale des assemblées de Dieu reflected on the conference and why it represents a crucial turning point of the Church of Burkina Faso and of the Sub-Region in the following report and tells the story of how it came to pass.
In 2010, I had the privilege along three others from Burkina Faso to attend the Second Global Summit held Promise Church in New York. To my surprise, a small number of French speaking countries attended the Summit. During this Summit, the seed was sown in my heart to start the movement and to share the vision with the Executive Leadership of my denomination. With Jonas Sawadogo and two others who attended the New York Summit, we began meeting in my office to pray about the vision and to seek God’s face. We first thought it would be good to plan for a national conference to share the vision with church leaders, Sunday school teachers and children ministry workers. During our time of prayer, the Lord put on our hearts to think big. We then decided it would be good to include the surrounding countries that have French as their official language. The Lord encouraged us to be bold enough to plan for all francophone Africa. Even though some of us did not think it would be possible, God showed us that we need to step out in faith for the conference. We first planned for 200 participants and then for 300.
The opening ceremony held at Emmanuel Temple in Ouagadougou is a testimony of the grace of God on the movement. All the Evangelical leaders came for the opening ceremony. As a proof of their support, the Board of AEA (Alliance of Evangelicals of Africa) was also present at the opening ceremony.
The Francophone gathering in Ouagadougou is a historic moment and a turning point for the continent. The conference went beyond our expectation. God has surprised us with His abundant grace. We did not expect such a response from the leaders and children’s ministry workers. The number of participants has more than doubled and delegates came from Benin, Togo, Ivory Coast, Guinea Conakry, Chad, Mali, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Mauritius, Madagascar, Senegal, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
To God be the glory.
As a chairman of the conference, I expect all participants to take back to their countries the vision for the 4/14 generation. The conference is a total success. As the potential to reach this generation is in our hands, I exhort all the participants to keep the light shining in their respective countries.
I recommend that the participants organize national or regional conferences to share and spread the vision. This is a God-given opportunity for us to reach the 4/14 generation. I recommend that all participants be leaders of the movement in their countries, churches, communities and organizations.
I also recommend that all church leaders or church organizations leaders get deeply involved in making children and youth reaching their top priority.
I also recommend that decision we have made together be a solid foundation so that we can reach the children and youth.
The conference has allowed the participants to get involved in spreading the movement. As the chairman of the conference, I exhort all the participants to be ambassadors of the 4/14 Window Movement in their countries, communities, churches and society. The goal of organizing such a conference has been reached. We have launched the movement and the participants have to spread it. The movement is of God and our responsibility is to keep it alive.
Throughout the conference, the Spirit of the Lord mightily moved and a lady received a revelation from God that the participants should not take lightly the movement. There was a time of prayer for the ministry among the children. Praise God for His glorious presence.
Harry Bryans, 4/14 Window Movement Facilitator for Western Europe, views this as a turning point not only for French-speaking Africa but also the French speaking world.
This first 4/14 Window Conference for Francophone Africa marks a decisive turning point in the history of the church, not just in this continent but also in the French speaking world! What some refer to as the "sleeping giant" of Africa is waking up to a new awareness of God’s heart for the children and the urgent need to make them a vital and permanent focus of the Church’s prayers and action. Over 2/3 of the French speaking countries are in Africa and following this gathering the francophone church will never be the same again! Fresh fires of vision and dedication have been lit here and the torches will be carried back to the many countries represented and beyond. As Western European Facilitator, I have been greatly inspired and encouraged. The Lord is opening new doors of relationship and partnership with francophone Europe that will also multiply His blessing to the churches and the children there.