Daily Story Calendar
August 2022
AUGUST 1: Kimpa Vita
1682-1706, The Antonian Movement, Angola
Kimpa Vita, a popular female prophet in the kingdom of Kongo, founded the Antonian movement – a movement that used Christian symbols but revitalized traditional Kongo cultural roots. Her ideas remained among the peasants, appearing in various messianic cults, until centuries later, it took a new form in the preaching of Simon Kimbangu.
AUGUST 2: Bartolomeu Cassapa
1939-2006, Evangelical Synodal Church of Angola, Angola
Bartolomeu Cassapa, the first pastor of the Ovanha tribe, was actively involved in radio evangelism projects broadcasting the Christian message in the Ovimbundu language.
AUGUST 3: Toitoi Smart Mthembu
1901-1985, Head Mountain of God Apostolic Church in Zion; Botswana & South Africa
Toitoi Smart Mthembu was a Zimbabwean Christian leader who founded the Head Mountain of God Apostolic Church in Zion. He was known for charismatic ministry, his ‘smart’ clothing outfits, and his famous contest with a one-eyed snake at a dam in New Canada, near Soweto.
AUGUST 4: Wilo Banderembako
1937-1998, Catholic Church, Burundi
Wilo Banderembako, a catechist at Kirimbi parish, died a martyr for his commitment to his priestly duties after suffering severe beatings and torture inflicted by soldiers in Bugendana.
August 5: Edet Okon Ekpo
1926-2010, The Apostolic Church, Cameroon
Edet Okon Ekpo, the first African superintendent of the Apostolic Church, Nigeria, and an outstanding evangelist, apostle, and peacemaker, ministered for sixty years in villages, towns, and cities contributing significantly to planting churches in Nigeria and Cameroon.
August 6: Lydie Mengwelune
1886-1966, Evangelical Church of Cameroon, Cameroon
Lydie Mengwelune abandoned her privileges as concubine of the king because of her newfound love for Jesus, thus becoming the first convert in her area. Her life-long ministry and leadership led to the founding of many churches.
August 7: Estella Catherine Myers
1884-1956, Brethren Church, Central African Republic
Estelles Catherine Myers or “Mama” Myers was a nurse, teacher, administrator, preacher, and a pioneer missionary of the Brethren Church from 1918-1956 in central Africa (Oubangui-Chari). She published the Karre language version of the New Testament in 1947.
August 8: Emile Biayenda
1927-1977, Catholic Church, Congo
Emile Biayenda, a Congolese clergyman who rose to the rank of cardinal, was famous for his radical social views and for being a vocal critic of his country’s government – its injustices and the persecution of church leaders – which eventually cost him his life in March 1977.
August 9: John Ahui
1888-1992, Harrist Church, Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
John Ahui, also known as Boghui Ahui, was an Ivorian multiethnic grassroots movement leader, and was for fifty-seven years acknowledged as Supreme Preacher of the Harrist Church of West Africa.
August 10: Simon Kimbangu
1889-1951, Church of Jesus Christ on Earth Through the Prophet Simon Kimbangu, Democratic Republic of Congo
One of the most famous founders of an African Initiated Church, Simon Kimbangu’s church today numbers over twelve million members and holds high influence in the DRC.
August 11: St. Catherine
300s, Ancient Christian Church, Egypt
The legendary St. Catherine embraced martyrdom for her Christian faith. During the Middle Ages, she became a cult figure, and pilgrimages were made from all over Europe to her resting place in Mt. Sinai.
August 12: Abd el-Mesih al-Habashi
1898-c.1973, Orthodox Church, Eritrea
Abûnâ Abd el-Mesih al-Habashi was an Orthodox priest and ascetic who lived in a desert cave for most of his life. He is regarded as one of the twentieth century’s greatest influences on Coptic monasticism.
August 13: Eva (Manzini) Mthethwa
1920-1970, Church of the Nazarene, Eswatini
Eva Mthethwa was the first Swazi nurse to be fully registered and in 1952 became the first African to be appointed nursing sister in charge of wards in Eswatini.
August 14: Esa Lalé
1888-c.1925, Traditional Religionist, Ethiopia
Prophet Esa of the Zara community near Chencha had a substantial influence in southern Ethiopia as both a pre-Christian prophet and providential precursor of Christianity.
August 15: Lamin Sanneh
1942-2019, Catholic Church, Gambia
An extraordinarily gifted scholar, Lamin Sanneh was a leading historian in the study of World Christianity, missions, and the little understood place of the local vernacular in Bible translation.
August 16: Hannah Spurr Kilham
1774-1832, Friends Church (Quakers), Gambia
An English Quaker missionary educator and linguist in West Africa, Hannah Spurr Kilham left a legacy of advocating the use of the vernacular languages in Gambia and Sierra Leone to teach freed slave children.
August 17: Peter Newman Anim
1890-1984, Christ Apostolic Church (Aladura), Ghana
Apostle Peter Newman Anim (formerly, Kwaku Anim Mensah) pioneered the first indigenous evangelical Pentecostal movement in Ghana and was later called the “Father of Ghanaian Evangelical Pentecostalism.”
August 18: Samuel John Chege
1927-1995, African Christian Holy Ghost Church, Kenya
Bishop Samuel John Chege played a decisive role in the foundation, growth, and unification of the African Christian Holy Ghost Church. He revolutionized the concept of ministry in Akurinu church by emphasizing the importance of theological training.
August 19: Abisage Odima
1933-2008, Anglican Communion, Kenya
An outstanding leader, Abisage Odima, despite gender bias against girls’ education in her family, pursued education and active church life, eventually becoming a pastor whose ministry brought phenomenal growth throughout Marachi land in Kenya.
August 20: John Tsizehena
1840-1912, Mission Lord Church (Anglican Communion), Madagascar
John Tsizehena, an untrained layman, became the bishop of the Christians of Vohémar, preaching, teaching, and ordaining priests to eventually establish a strong church known as the Mission Lord Church in Diego Suarez, far north of Madagascar.
August 21: Patrick Umzimkhulu
1902-1985, Anglican Communion, South Africa & Lesotho
Patrick Umzimkhulu has the distinction of being the first African to be accepted as a religious priest in the Anglican Church in Southern Africa. He was instrumental in establishing the Society of Precious Blood in Basutoland.
August 22: Emma Bertha Delany
1871-1922, Baptist, Liberia & Malawi
An African American missionary, Emma Bertha Delaney worked for the establishment of industrial schools in Malawi and Liberia.
August 23: Kassoum Keita
1937-2006, Evangelical, Mali
Kassoum Keita was a church planter, pastor, and Bible translator who served as national director for Campus Crusade of Christ. His role in conflict resolution between the Malian Islamic Association and the Catholic church was remarkable.
August 24: Frumentius
300s, Ancient Christian Church, Ethiopia
A freed slave boy, later bishop, was responsible for bringing Christianity into the kingdom of Aksum (ancient Ethiopia)
August 25: Petros Mayengani Mhlauli
1880, Ethiopian Church of Gazaland in Zimbabwe, Mozambique
While spreading the gospel in Transvaal, Petros Mayengani Mhlauli received two visions that made him feel called to establish the Gazaland Zimbabwe Ethiopian Church.
August 26: Tomo Nyirenda
1890-1926, Watch Tower, Zambia
Tomo Nyrienda, a messianic religious leader, preached a millenarian creed that stressed opposition to the white regime and promised the return of Black American benefactors.
August 27: Mary Gomer
d.1896, United Brethren in Christ, Sierra Leone
Mary Gomer and her husband Joseph Gomer were the first Black American missionaries sent to Sierra Leone. Mary worked with women and children in Shenge station for 23 years.
August 28: John Yambasu
1957-2020, Methodist, Sierra Leone
John Yambasu, a bishop in the United Methodist Church, was a visionary leader who strived toward reconciliation within his church and believed in working ecumenically to deal with the health crises during the Ebola and Malaria epidemics in Sierra Leone.
August 29: Christinah Nku
1894-c.1980, St. John’s Apostolic Faith Mission, South Africa
Christinah Nku founded the St. John Apostolic Faith Mission. Her healing ministry attracted fifty thousand members to the church making it the largest indigenous church in South Africa.
August 30: Benjamin Wani Yugusuk
1928-2000, Anglican Communion (Episcopal), Sudan
As archbishop of the Episcopal Church of Sudan, Benjamin Wani served as a mediator in the peace initiatives between the Sudanese government and the Sudan Liberation Army.
August 31: Rebecca Gode
1905-1990s, Africa Inland Mission, Tanzania
Despite being insufficiently educated and excluded by her in-laws for being a Christian, Rebecca Gode first served as a cook at Katunguru Mission of Africa Inland Mission and later as a Christian Education teacher in primary schools impacting many people through her ministry in Katunguru.
