“When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:33-34, NIV).

These verses drive the mission of the African European Church Network (AECN), which was established to help equip and engage diaspora church leaders in Europe. This network plays a significant role in reaching out to millions of African and Caribbean immigrants in Europe.

As the African European Church Network helps connect and resource the diaspora leaders in Europe, these leaders develop churches and put Christ at the center of their communities. These African diaspora leaders are grateful for our partnership and relationship because of the Free Methodist Church’s (FMC) theology and missional values.

God has given FMWM Europe a wonderful opportunity to minister to His scattered people across Europe who are looking for a home. Through the AECN, we have been able to train diaspora leaders and establish a Free Methodist church in Malta. This church has become a home for immigrants –  especially refugees from Sub-Saharan Africa, who crossed the Mediterranean Sea to reach the island of Malta.

We praise the Lord for Pastor Williams James Tigani, who leads this new church. Pastor Williams was a Christian and a church leader in Ghana. His journey took him to Libya before he crossed the Mediterranean Sea to reach Malta. God answered his prayers and helped him safely and successfully cross the sea. When he arrived in Malta, he found there was no church where the refugees could “fit in and worship God in their own way.” Then, when I (Albert) traveled to Malta last year for a mission conference, I met Pastor Williams. God led me to share the gospel with the refugees. Pastor Williams shares:

“We were very happy to see him since he is also from Ghana. He kept coming every evening to share the gospel, and we decided to start a house church. I quickly made my living room available for the house fellowship. Many of the refugees from Ghana and Nigeria joined the fellowship. Today, I can confidently say that I am better equipped to lead this new church plant through the training I received and continue to receive from the African European Church Network.”

Every month, many Africans arrive on European soil; I believe we have been called for such a time as this – to reach the diaspora people in Europe for the Kingdom.