JUNE 2013 UPDATE
FROM SIERRA LEONE:
“Who among the gods
is like you O LORD? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glory?
Working wonders” Exodus.15:11.
We give honor and glory unto God for his mercy, upon our
lives. We praise his name for the gift of life and health. At the end of the month
of May, the rain came in full force as farmers are now very serious in
cultivating and planting. Everywhere is green and beautiful. God indeed is
awesome in glory.
FAMILY FARM PROJECT.
Since the Rain is here and most of our members are farmers,
I would like to begin this report about the farming activities that are going
on. The family farm staff, Abu and Alhassan, have distributed seed loans of
Ground nut[peanut]and rice to various
communities. A lot of them have planted and they look very beautiful- a sign of
hope for harvest. These crops remind us of the harvest time of the Lord as we
continue to preach and teach the gospel in this Land. We pray and hope that we
will see our members grow in spiritual life and will bear fruits just as this
peanut and rice will produce nuts and rice for the farmers, so shall our lives be.
Peanut farm.
KABALA CHURCH GROWS.
We give thanks to God for the growth of the Church in
Kabala. In order to improve in the spiritual life of the people, a Wednesday
mid- week worship as been introduced in the Church with an impressive turn out
of worshipers. Thursday will now be for cell groups meetings. Besides that, the
church is experiencing some numerical growth in terms of new converts from Islam.
Of recent, we had Mrs. Porey Koroma, Fatimata Sesay and Muhammad Jawara [not
Alfred] who accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and savior; they are very
enthusiasts’ in coming to church.
Fatimata
CHURCH PROJECTS.
We are indeed encourage by the zeal of our members in the
villages and towns to raise up structures were they can meet every Sundays and
other days for worship or prayers. These communities are encouraged by the
assistance for roofing sheets that are been giving out to them when they are
able to raise a building. The Church in Bo has suffered a lot of setbacks in
the past, even this year when the rain was getting closer. It started with a
strong wind, which blew off their temporary structure. In my last update of the
Month of May, I gave you a report of their efforts. Recently after completing
the building and putting the roof on, one of their members posted on Facebook,”Is
there anything too hard for the Lord? Certainly not. We started this building
by Faith and putting this Faith into action has lead us to this stage, by the
grace of God we are ready to put more Faith into action to complete this structure”
bo church under
construction.
INTER CHURCH FELLOWSHIP.
As a Reformed Church in
Sierra Leone, we can not exist just by ourselves alone. In various communities,
our members have been encouraged to interact with other churches around. In one
of the meetings and fellowship, was a joint spiritual conference with the
Missionary Church of Africa[MCA] in Fununbakura village, which was hosted by
the CRC there. Then I was invited to preach at the Men’s fellowship
thanksgiving service at MCA in Kabala . It was indeed good to see brethren
having fellowship together. [ps.133;1] picture below shows the joyous mode
of the fellowship at MCA Kabala.
LEADERSHIP TRAINING.
We have continued to conduct
leadership training of the newly elected leaders of the various Regional Church
councils of the Church. We did that in Sambaia Bendugu for the Alkalia regions.
Thirty five[35] participants were in
attendance at the two days training. Participants expressed gratitude, for the
knowledge acquired in understaning the reformed form of church government.
Apart
from Alkalia, the same was conducted for the third Region named RCC Freetown. Participants
came from Waterloo,Bo and Tikonko
chiefdom in the East. We have trained one hundred church leaders,[Eders,
Deacons and sub-group leadrs].
Participants from
Alkalia Rcc.
Participants from rcc Freetown
DENVER CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL VISIT.
The Month of June was a blessing
to us in Kabala. Students and staff led by Mr. Barry Meyer visited the mission
field to bring young high school students to have a first experience of mission
work overseas. The visit was entitled, “Come and see, go and tell”. Seven
students and two teachers came to visit. They were able to visit the students
at the CRC School Kabala and the Community School in Foria. For us it was a
visit that encouraged us to continue in our service. It was appreciated by the
community and the Church as well. We also had Zach Adams and Celeste komodore
as volunteers for TPF.
URBAN CHURCH GROWTH.
Beginning a church planting in the
urban city is not an easy task because of cost implications that are involved.
We thank God for the work in Bo, which has their own land that was bought a
couple of years ago. This year they were able to raise a structure there. The
case is different in Wellington near Freetown, however, I was told there was a
church there that meets in a school building, but now they no longer meet because
of certain reasons. One of the reasons is lack of commitment by the Pastor,
David Bull. Secondly, they were asked to vacate the school building, therefore
the church in Wellington no longer meets.
Being the church of God, God has a new way of
raising a name for himself. While the
Church in Wellington no longer meets, God has opened another way for the church
to kick start in Freetown [ROKEL]. Rokel is a suburb of Freetown. Maxwell Kanu who is one of our students in
Nigeria is home for Holiday. His in laws are Muslims who live in Rokel. He shares
with them for the need of a place to start a CRC Church in Rokel. The man and
his Family graciously gave a portion of their Land close to their house to be
used for a church while the church will find permanent land. All we need now is
to get at least one thousand dollars [$1000] to raise a temporary structure for
the people to start meeting. What a great chance of planting a church among a
Muslim dominated community.[picture below
shows Maxwell , middle is the Land and then pa Yadie Kamara and his wife, Maxwell’s
in-laws]
.JPG)
EVANGELISM THROUGH SPORT
Rochen Malal is another Muslim dominated village in
Tonkolili District. Several attempt shave been made to plant a CRC church in
that community but it has always ended without success. There is a school in
the village that was started by another mission but there is no church there,
until CRC was invited by one of their sons who are in Europe [Netherlands].
Our evangelism team has visited the village a
few times. A portion of land was allocated to the church but anytime we want to
start work there, the story changes. Recently we , sent a pastor there to see
if he will be able to organize and start fellowship with the few people who
have accepted to be Christian. Because the raining season now is here, it was
difficult for him to find a place for meeting. The school there will not allow
them to use one of the halls either. So one day he saw young people playing Football
[soccer] he went close to them. He started talking to them and showing them
some techniques of play. He won their hearts and sometimes plays with them. One
day, they organized a match between them and their neighboring village. The
pastor was asked to referee the game. He did well and the game ended without
any argument on poor officiating. With that, the youth asked their town elders
to allow the pastor and the few Christian to use the Town Hall for worship.
Today Pastor Ibrahim Kamara and the people of Rochen use the Hall for Sunday
worship without any resistance from the Muslim community. They are now planning
to build their structure God willing during the next winter.
PRAYER NEEDS.
1. Thank
God for seen us through the leadership training program in all the regions.
2. Pray
for the TLT program that is coming up July 8-12. It’s going to be the last
session for the first set of leaders train through the TLT, and will be graduating.
3. Pray
for the CRC Nigeria as they are sending, people to come for the TLT and also
for the Boys Brigade. That God will bring them safely.
4. Rev.
Sudu will be going for Home service beginning July 17. That God will grant him
safe travel and the visitation in the churches in Nigeria.
5. Please
continue to pray for the forth coming election of National leaders comes
October. Already we are seeing some ugly sign of desperation for position. Pray
that God’s will be done and committed and God fearing Leaders will be chosen.
6. My
son, Johncalvin, will be finishing his secondary school by July 5th,
they are now writing their final exams, and he hope to join us in September,.
Pray for success in the exam and also for safe travel.
7. Pray
for the new Church that is coming up in Rokel.
8. Pray
also for Pastor Ibrahim Kamara That God will bless the work he is doing in
Rochen.
Pray that the church will grow that many souls
will be won to Christ.
APPRECIATION
We want to continue to express our
Gratitude to all of you for your prayers and support for the work here in
Sierra Leone. We have received news that some of you have started giving for
the Motorcycles we requested. Please continue. May the Lord bless you.
I would like to request that you continue to
give your support for the work here through World Missions in Grand Rapids. Remember
to help us raise a temporary shade for the new church in Rokel. Pa Yadie has
done his part. Do give so as to move the work forward in Rokel.
CONCLUSION.
Once more thanks for your care. Remember to
pray for us, and give that God’s kingdom would be established in Sierra Leone.
Amen.
In Christ.
ISTIFANUS, JEMIMAH JUDITH AND BERNHARD BAHAGO
Your servants in Mission Field.
Istifanus Bala Bahago
e-mail; istifanusbahago@yahoo.com
blog.www.apostlebahago.blogspot.com
+23278264240
+23277668139
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