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It was a historic event for Helderberg College Campus in Somerset West who earlier this month co-hosted representatives from 15 countries attending GIEN AFRICA 2008 - an annual conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church that took place on the African continent for the first time since it launched five years ago. Although organised by this church, the Global Internet Evangelism Network (GIEN) is marketed as an interdenominational event which is hosted annually, along with regional conferences in countries around the globe.

This year, the communication department of the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean region of the church, based at the Adventist Media Centre on the Helderberg College Campus, co-hosted the first GIEN Conference on the continent of Africa, at the Villa Via Hotel in Gordon's Bay.

From February 28 to March 2, 75 participants from countries including Botswana, Cameroon, Congo, Cote D'Ivoire, Ghana, the UK, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Tanzania, USA, Zambia and Zimbabwe attended a variety of presentations, workshops and discussions.

Delegates were introduced to opportunities that technology provides in terms of evangelistic work.

According to Media Centre director André Brink, use of the personal computer in Africa is not nearly as widespread as the mobile phone.

"Africa leads the world in developing SMS and cell phone banking technologies. In a significant amount of countries on the continent, cell phones are used to do business transactions, and airtime is the new currency."

Dr Paul Ratsara, president of the Adventist Church in the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean region, delivered the keynote address and challenged Africa to be a leader in using these technologies to spread the church's message.

Also at the meeting was Dave Hotchkiss, GM of the Christian Broadcaster's Association. "A great new network of evangelists, technologists and educators has been established in this region through the GIEN, with practical recommendations for the way forward," says Brink.

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