Oklahoma City First Church of the Nazarene first became involved in Africa through a Work and Witness trip to Livingstone, Zambia in 2008 to complete a church building started by a team from West Virginia. Our team came home completely transformed by the experience, and what started out as a mission related effort has turned into a 10-year strategic partnership with the Church of the Nazarene Zambia, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, and other partner churches and organizations.

In 2009, a small group returned to Zambia to explore ways to partner with the Church of the Nazarene in Zambia and Missionaries Rev. Gary and Rev. Penny Sidle. To help facilitate this partnership LUKA International Foundation was formed in 2009.