On July 10, 2003, in Maputo, Mozambique, we witnessed an unprecedented gathering of many of Africa’s top leaders. President Chissano of Mozambique invited all the Heads of State, Secretaries of State and national delegation leaders from 53 African nations to Maputo, Mozambique for the African Union Summit.

The President also invited these same leaders to join him for a Prayer Breakfast on the opening day of the Summit, which was organized by the Christian Embassy teams from New York and Washington DC in partnership with two other UN-focused ministries. Nearly 250 accepted the president’s invitation. President Obasanjo of Nigeria, President Mwanawasa of Zambia, Prime Minister Zenawi of Ethiopia, the Secretary General of the Africa Union and the Secretary General of the United Nations (Mr. Kofi Annan), participated on the program.

The speaker for the morning, Mr. Ravi Zacharias, spoke convincingly on the wisdom, indeed the necessity, of building a life and a nation on the only sure and lasting foundation, Jesus Christ.

At the close of the Breakfast, as delegates prepared to leave for the opening session of the Summit, the moderator, President Obasanjo (Nigeria), asked all to stand and grasp the hands of those seated next to them, while he prayed a prayer of dedication in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.