The Operation Sunrise Africa project has been in progress for nearly a month now and, while it is hard to get statistics from the various cities of the region, there have been some quite significant happenings. OSA is a 50-day evangelistic blitz to reach 50 million people in 50 cities. The blitz, conducted by a coalition of ministries, covers 13 countries in eastern and southern Africa and began July 1.

About 7,000 people gathered (by invitation only) at a national exhibition center near the former Communist Revolution Square in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to launch Operation Sunrise Africa. Various church leaders confirmed their commitment to train and mobilize believers from their churches to witness to entire cities. About 200 singers, all in Ethiopian national dress, added beauty and grace to the event by their powerful singing and dancing. Many could not control their tears when they sang about the power and love of Jesus.

When the vision was shared in Diredawa, a town in Eastern Ethiopia, one person was so inspired he said, "Today is my first time to come to the church. I don't know the Lord. But I love this vision. I want to serve you with my car for the entire 50 days." Pray for the salvation of this person.

Joined by international students from Korea, Hong Kong and the United States, students in Johannesburg have been doing door-to-door witnessing, as well as small-group evangelism on campus. Some pastors who were challenged by the students' ministry said, "Thank you for coming to our area and for challenging us to focus on evangelism."

At a campus in Midrand, midway between Johannesburg and Pretoria, students have been doing some practical things. While they haven't got around to washing other students' feet, they have been shining their shoes. And while they have a captive audience they share the truths about Jesus.

David, a fulltime Campus Crusade for Christ worker from Indiana, was on the same campus, gathering a crowd through his entertaining ventriloquist's routine. Some students had never before been exposed to this art form, and they were captivated by this guy and his dolls. After David explained that his dolls were made in the image of regular people, the audience heard a complete gospel presentation on how we, made in God's image, need to be controlled by God Himself in order to be totally fulfilled.

At a business executive outreach dinner in Addis Ababa, attended by 191 business people, where business executives from the United States spoke and shared their testimonies, 29 people prayed to receive Christ, 39 wanted more information and 25 indicated that they wanted to be involved in small group Bible studies.

Campus Crusade for Christ President Dr. Steve Douglass and several others from the U.S. and Kenya, together with Bekele Shanko, regional director for this region of Africa, had an opportunity to visit the Kenyan President Daniel Arap Moi at Nakuru State House. They spent about an hour with the president talking about their relationship with Jesus and the vision of Operation Sunrise. The state president then shared that one of his greatest desires is to see Christians living in obedience to the Word of God and being salt and light in their communities. He said: "We are destroying this generation by distributing condoms. When we promote condoms, we are promoting immoral behavior. Jesus is the solution".

About 1,500 people gathered at Independence Square in the center of Maputo city in Mozambique on June 30 to dedicate OSA to the Lord. Rev. Denis Matsolo, secretary general of the Christian Council of Mozambique, opened the event. In his opening remarks, he said, "OSA represented a big vision for the transformation of Africa. Our desire is to see the city that is free of crime, drugs and other evils."

During the singing and praising, a security guard, who had been drinking with a colleague, started shooting. He injured three people and killed one and was arrested by the police. But after a short break the program continued, and when the invitation was given, 200 people came forward to receive Christ.

The first city cleaning campaign was organized with the launch of OSA in Maputo. Companies such as Coca Cola, Mozambique Airlines, and the City of Maputo have sponsored the city-cleaning project. Stanley Chege, OSA's ministry director in Mozambique, in his speech at the opening ceremony said, "Operation Sunrise Africa is a response to the moral decay in our society; it is the shining of hope in a society where hope has dwindled."

In Zimbabwe, where, in the chaos of political intrigue, the television programs specially produced by CBN for the OSA project were left off the schedules, a member of a Jesus Film team reported: "Yesterday we had an exciting experience. A man coming home from work in Harare disembarked at the bus stop and saw a showing of the Jesus Film. He chose to ignore it and moved on. Reaching his home, he witnessed another film show and this time stopped to watch it. He later said, 'These things are everywhere. I'm confused. I don't know what is happening. So I must receive Jesus.' He prayed and confessed Christ as Savior."

3,000 people attended the Zambian launch of OSA at the Lusaka Agricultural Showgrounds. About 12 denominations were represented and the guest of honor was the minister of Science and Technology who read a statement from the president of Zambia. Bishop Joe Imakando said that the campaign would be 50 days of "bombarding the kingdom of darkness, snatching people from the abyss, and telling them there is a way out."

Seventy churches were represented at the OSA launch in Madagascar. About 1,000 people assembled in an outdoor theatre. Many groups sang songs of praise. One beautiful song was written especially for OSA. An Anglican Bishop of Antananarivo officially opened OSA, saying, "It doesn't take a large number of people to make a difference. Go and share God's love in Christ [throughout the land]."

John McNeill from Namibia writes: "Things got off to a brisk start. On three university campuses we saw creative and radical evangelism, with stalls, marches, prayer walks and a lot of personal as well as mass evangelistic events. There was a concerted effort by the Jesus Film teams to visit everyone in their home. The teams went from one area to another in the city. National television also broadcast two evangelistic programs from CBN on the same Sunday morning. Two radio programmes especially made for OSA by CBN were also broadcast."

"The Indian Ocean Island of Seychelles is on fire for the Lord", writes Ken Stravens, national director of CCC for the Indian Ocean Islands. "We had a very successful launch in this small Island with a population of only 72,000. 600 people came from six participating churches out of about nine churches. Unfortunately, many people were turned away, as the largest conference facility in Seychelles could not accommodate them all."

A large cake in the shape of the map of Africa was made in Tanzania for the OSA launch. In Dar es Salaam bishops representing various church denominations gathered around the cake to pray for Africa. About 3,000 horse riders rode around the city of Mbeya to announce the launch of OSA in Tanzania. A police band marched in Arusha city, while about 600 people led by bishops and singers marched around the city of Mwanza. Every day there is a luncheon for professional ladies during the 50 days of OSA, except for Saturdays and Sundays.

"People are coming to the Lord daily", says Rev. Ignatius Nyaga, CCC national director in Tanzania. That is precisely what happened when the early disciples proclaimed the gospel with great power and boldness.

Pray for Operation Sunrise Africa.