“I don’t know how I could thank LIA. They didn’t give us money, but they gave us something more valuable: they changed our mindsets, and that is priceless.“
– Pastor Claver in Burundi
Our 2023 Impact
58,476
orphans and vulnerable children and their guardians were wholistically served.
21,718
people were economically empowered through training and church-based savings and loan programs.
“We thank God and we are thankful to LIA for what they did to empower us and for the capital injection in Pastor’s saving group. I am dreaming big in the agriculture sector, and want to cultivate and rear chickens and pigs.
– Janvier who is a part of a savings group in Rwanda
93,822
people heard the gospel.
11,079
new people met Christ.
2,928
new people were discipled.
“It is one thing to love preaching, but do you love the people you are preaching to?”
– Tony Weedor, a church partner and friend of Life In Abundance
12,105
children and adults have been supported through educational programs.
“I went to school before, but then my father died and we went into a difficult situation. Now thankfully, I am back in school because of your great help. I want to thank you so much.”
– Nyawoosh, a 17 year-old in Egypt
50,265
people received primary health care services, hygiene education and resources, family planning, HIV & AIDS testing, and counseling.
“God opened up an opportunity to serve in the vaccination service. That was an answered prayer to me and since then I have been with LIA Haiti laboring together. Many people are now visiting the service and I now see approximately 200 people a month.”
– Olguine in Haiti, a nurse who interned with LIA, now hopes to grow the clinic into a hospital
Local Resource Mobilization
The number of people trained in the Seeds of Generosity curriculum continues to grow with 3,567 individuals empowered in this year alone. As a result, 135 new local partnerships were made with individuals, churches and funding organizations. As churches realize the abundance of resources at their disposal, they are now taking responsibility for transformational development within their own communities. Partner churches are no longer spectators, they have become actors.
LIA Europe
The Swiss church used to be known for its strong missionary activity but is now struggling in an increasingly secularized environment. LIA is helping rekindle the fire of the mission. Since the establishment of LIA Europe in 2018, the Lord has opened doors of unexpected favor and 2023 feels like both a culmination and a gateway into new land.
In the German-speaking region of Switzerland, we have been pursuing an unusual entry strategy and it is starting to show fruit. The consultation on mission we carried out in 2021-22 helped leaders across twenty denominations, dozens of mission organizations, and pastor training institutes to wrestle with mission-related questions. LIA Europe was privileged to convene, coordinate and inspire what has turned into a vision process for an entire region and what looks like a new movement for wholistic mission. A key moment was the visit of a team of leaders to LIA Kenya where they were exposed to the LIA model and benefitted from in-depth conversations with senior management. This inspiration, a revitalized spiritual life and learning communities have been key ingredients in the Swiss vision process.
We are honored that God would use LIA to help awaken the Church in Europe, to Him be all the glory.
Established as a
Global Organization
A board-led, organization-wide evaluation conducted five years ago revealed that our governance model and management structure needed to align with the global organization. In response, we engaged in a careful, prayerful and thoughtful LIA Internationalization process which, as the Lord has graciously enabled, is now complete. The International Office in Nairobi is now fully established as the coordination hub for our ministry globally.
We can confidently say all 14 country programs are now unified in a federated structure. The International Board governance now has a clear structure through the country boards. Additionally, our three ministry support offices (UK, US, and Europe) have clarified and established governance structures with the needed legal framework. LIA Blue Wings, now five years old, is proceeding with clarity of mission.
CEO succession effectively transpired and the baton has been passed from the founder. The board previously commissioned a three-year joint leadership with clear responsibilities for the LIA CEO and the LIA Founding President which has been successful and will conclude in 2024. The LIA senior leadership and the LIA CEO will fully lead LIA as a global organization, freeing the founding President to steward LIA’s influence profitably.
The Lord, who founded LIA, has a God-sized purpose for LIA’s call. This positions us to carry out our mission effectively and bear much fruit, both in the current strategic plan and into the future, serving the global church. May God bless all He has made us to become and our destiny.
2023 & Beyond
God’s presence was evident in the LIA end-of-year staff virtual gathering. In this space, we listened to carols, shared testimonies, celebrated the Lord’s supper together and closed the year in prayer.
The lead doctor of our Haiti clinic, Dr. Sem, participated in the call while also stepping aside to see patients in his office. He paused in between patients to share his testimony: “True, a lot of people have found 2023 to be difficult, and I agree, given the situation in Haiti and the violence many LIA countries have also experienced. As for me, and my wife, this has been the best of the last 10 years.” God graciously gave them a son after waiting 10 years, which refreshed their commitment to serve Him.
Along with Dr. Sem, Jay Muindi (LIA International) and Joy Rubber (LIA South Sudan) welcomed sons into their families in 2023. We praise the Lord for the evidence of His goodness in the lives of our staff.
The LIA staff team closed the year with gratitude and anticipation. We step into 2024 with determined obedience and great hope, believing that past effort and commitment have positioned us for rich impact and confident that He who called us is faithful.
