Apostle Bahago: October 2013

OCTOBER 2013 UPDATE FROM SIERRA LEONE.

In the words of the Apostle Paul in 1Cor. 1:4-9 say, “I always thank God for you, because of the grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way in all you’re speaking and in all your knowledge. Because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. Therefore you do not lack any Spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his son Jesus Christ our Lord is FAITHFUL “

Once more I bring you Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we indeed always give thanks to God because of you that are supporting and praying for us in the mission Field, God indeed has been revealing his love, kindness, grace upon the people of Sierra Leone in Various ways, both in the special and general revelation, we live, and work to give testimony about Christ.

ISTALLATION OF ELDERS FOR KABALA CHURCH: For us as a young growing Christian Reformed Church in Sierra Leone, we decided to go by the Reformed practices of election and installation of elders and Deacons. This was the first of it to be done and so after the election of elders and deacons for Kabala church which was done on September 22^nd, and the 29^th, we did the installation.

SYNOD: The month of October has come and is going. As a Nigerian, the Month of October always reminds us of the grace of God, as we celebrate the independent of our Nation. But this year, we celebrated it Not only outside Nigeria but in a special way in the mission field in Sierra Leone. October 1 was the first day of our synod meeting here in Kabala. The Eleven Consistories were represented each with two delegates and the Three RCC [classis] has three officials. In all we were to have thirty one voting delegates but eventually we had thirty. One did not come.

Adoption of condition of service: In the meeting held in April, the constitution of the Church was adopted, while delegates were asked to go read the Document on the condition of service for the church and then come with either suggestion or amendment, if there are any. Interestingly there was only but one contending issues, and that is the age for retirement from active service. It was more like an argument between the old and the young. The older wanted the retirement age for pastors to be at seventy [70] while the young want it at sixty five. It took almost three hours debating, and finally they ended up voting on either to keep the retirement age at 65 or 70. Finally to bring the matter to an end, it was settled at 65 for retirement age for all church workers.

GREETINGS FROM CRWM: We were blessed by the visit of representative from CRWM in USA and Canada. Mr. Ron and Sue Geerlings who is the west Africa Director for World mission , brought greetings from the world mission office in Grand Rapids, and Sue Geerlings read a written greetings from Paul and Mary Kortenhoven,. Reading Paul, message to the Synod, brought back a lot of memories of missionaries who were here in the 1980s and also during the war. It was through their selfless service and commitment to the kingdom work that today we are having the CRC SL. A minute silence was observed to remember those who had gone to be with the Lord during and after their work here in Sierra Leone. Besides that, we also received greetings from the Canada office of World Mission by the director Mr. Steve Kabetu.

Installation of New leaders of CRC SL .

ELECTION OF TRUSTEES AND NATIONAL LEADER: As the church takes shape in having Nationals to head the Church, a four member team of Board of Trustees was elected and installed, those elected were ; Elder Daniel K Koroma, Elder Roberts Jawara, Elder James T Koroma and Pastor John K Jalloh. Then on the second day of the Synod which is also second day of the month of October, history was made, as the young church elect their first National Leaders. Those Elected were; Rev. Mamburu B Jalloh , President; Pastor David T Koroma, Vice President, Elder John Yarwa Marah , Assistant General Secretary, and Pastor Daniel M Sawaneh , Treasurer. The position of the General secretary was left, which the executive will appoint someone , as the General Secretary will actually be the Administrative officer of the Church, so it need a careful time to search for one.

TRAINING OTHERS: One of the main purposes of the TLT is to train lay leaders who will as well train others. Musu B Marah is the women coordinator of the CRC SL, she was one of those that graduated from the Timothy Leadership Training program, together with Rev. M B Jalloh, organized a teaching for the young believers in Saiduya Village. Most of the Christians in the village are new converts who needed the basic teaching about God, Jesus Christ and what it mean to be saved [ salvation] . The program was attended by Christian from Saiduya, Kalkoya, Koinadugu, and Dundukor, totaling 45 people. Also in the Bo region, Morris Sonie was able to use his new found skill and knowledge, in improving the income of the Christian community, which also attracted Mohammed Lahai, in potehun village to accept Jesus as his personal Lord and savior, when he saw the communal work of the Christian in fighting poverty by using their hands to cultivate and plant Ground Nut [pea nut] to improved their family income, and for family to work and live together in love.

In Kabala Church, is Rosetta F sesay, demonstrating her skill, of new knowledge in the preaching lesson Rosetta is mostly referred as the Evangelist.

RAIN DAMAGE: In the Month of March, it was the beginning of the coming of Rain, when a storm destroyed the Bo Church, but with the commitment and the zeal of the Christian being mobilized by Morris and Mathia, they were able to raise another structure which is still under construction. While we are counting of weeks for the Rain to stop, it was not all that well with the Church in Barli. Pastor Victor Sandi reported that, because of a heavy down pour on 4^th of October, part of their building collapse. It now means that there has to be rebuilding during the dry season.

NEW COMMUNITY: HILTOP, is a community, in Upper Beccle Street, wellington, a suburb of Freetown, Pastor Pessima has helped to establish a community school there that is grant aided by the Government of Sierra Leone. It’s a community mostly populated by Muslims. Pessima and his family started a home cell meeting for prayers and Bible study. With the recommendation of Dr. Conrad, from Canada, we were invited by Pessima to visit the community. We visited them on Friday 18^th October. It was amazing to note that they were the only Christian in their neighborhoods. According to him they started the home cell meeting two years ago but now the group has risen to 100 people including children. There are now 45-50 adults that meet in his verandah every Sunday for worship. They now want to be part of the Christian Reformed Church.

Pastor Pessima standing explaining how they started.

DISAGREE TO AGREE: It was almost going to be a sad moment in the beginning of the nationalization of the Church here. On the 30^th Of September [eve of the synod meeting] we received a Letter from the Church in Waterloo that they were not willing to be part of the CRC Church again. During the meeting, it was agreed that a committee be set out and visit the brethren in Waterloo to listen to their grievances, and find a solution to the problem. Their main complaint was that they were not assisted to get a land for their Church by the mission, to them it was an act of partiality, that it’s more than three years now that they have been requesting but nothing was done about it. We visited and had a six hours meeting with them on 19^th October. After a long deliberation and patience listening, there was finally an agreement to continue together. We all understood that the resources cannot reach every church at the same time, and that patiently one day they will receive their assistance to get a land and even build their Church. We praised them for their effort to raise a structure where they now meet even though it is a leased property. We praised God for the understanding and we hope God will open the way for us to be able in the future to have our own CRC land in Waterloo.

waterloo.church

NEW STAFF FOR CRC SCHOOL: Beside the new, teaching staff from USA and Canada [Krissi and Sarah] the school board has employed an accountant to handle the books [finance] of the school this will enhance accountability and stewardship of the school. The school is now on a week break, they call it midterm break.

: Mrs. Sia mullah school accountant.

WORSHIP SYMPOSIUM IN CALVIN: This year, we are fortunate to be invited to attend next year January, annual symposium, organized by the Calvin institute of Christian worship in Grand Rapids. We have identified two persons here who are very active and committed to the worship life in the church which we would like them to attend. We believed that their participation at the symposium will really shape the worship life of the church here in Sierra Leone. We hope that upon their return, they will not only use their new ideas for the CRC Church alone but for the benefit of the Christian Churches in Sierra Leone.

It is estimated that for the two of them, we will need at least $4000 for their air ticket. This was not initially in our budget, so we will need your helps in this regards to enable James Promise and Emil Fillie to attend. They will be attending Visa interview on November 25^th in Freetown. The organizer of the Symposium are willing to provide logistic, accommodation and feeding for them while they will be in Grand Rapids, for a week, beginning January 28^th 2014.

TRAVELLING: November 1, I will be travelling to Nigeria to see my Daughter, and also to attend the Synod of the CRC Nigeria, where I will be giving report concerning the work here in Sierra Leone, I do hope to return on December 1. With this, November update may be delay, or may not be available until I come. So you may likely have it with December update.

KABALA WOMEN THANKSGIVING: We praise the name of the Lord for the success of this year Women thanksgiving service. It ‘s almost a common tradition across most Churches here in Kabala [Sierra Leone] that a Sunday is dedicated to Women. CRC Churches are not left out in this importance activity. This year’s program falls on Sunday 27^th October. The theme for this year was taking from Proverbs 31:10- 30. ‘A woman of noble Character” the main Speaker was Mrs. Jemimah Bahago. Women from other Churches were invited as well, each women groups from the Churches presented special songs related to the theme of the program. The worship was full of excitement, dancing, offerings and testimonies of God’s grace on the lives of the Women. The Women did lead the worship, all through. It was also one of the happiest moments in the Church, as eight people came to the Church for the first time; three of them pledge to become Christian.

Mrs. Jemimah Bahago, preaching, [above] and a cross section of CRC kabala women, singing and dancing.

APPRECIATION: We continue to express our gratitude to you all for your prayers, support for the work here. Rev. Sudu and i, and our families really appreciate your supports. I wish to also thank you for your prayers for Johncalvin. After his arrival, he went to take the entrance examination at the University of Makeni. God did favor him; he was accepted into the University to study a degree in Public Administration. Our prayer is that God will continue to give him the wisdom and knowledge to be able to finish successfully.

PRAYERS:

1. Thank God for our health.

2. Thank God for the success of the Synod meeting.

3. Thank God for the Election of first National leaders for the Church.

4. Thank God for Johncalvin Admission in the University.

5. Pray for God’s guidance and wisdom on the leadership of the CRC SL

6. Pray for our brethren in Waterloo, that God will give them the spirit to work with others as a team.

7. Pray for the brethren in Beccle Street, Wellington as they decide to be part of the CRC here in Sierra Leone. They will experience God’s grace.

8. Pray for the Church in Barli [Bo] as they plan to rebuild their Church that fall as a result of heavy downpour

9. God willing I will be travelling to Nigeria on Nov.1 to return Dec. 1. Pray for journey mercy, and for the success of the CRC Nigeria Synod.

10. Pray for our members who are mostly Farmer, as they have started harvesting their crops.

CONCLUSION: Brethren, the Month of October, as I said earlier, has gone down in History in the Growth of the CRC Sierra Leone, we now have Nationals, who will decide the Future of the Church. We will continue to work alongside the Leaders to help establish, good Leadership and continue to preach the Gospel that the Church will grow. We will like to assure you that your Gifts are been used to the glory of God and for the growth of the Church. Do continue to pray for us and give your support as usual through World Mission. Remember your gift makes a different in the life of an individual in bringing him Closer to God.

SUBMITTED BY:

Rev. Istifanus Bala Bahago

Consultant:

CRC-SL /CRWM mission field Sierra Leone.

+232 78-26-42-40

+232 77-66-81-39

Email: ibbahago@gmail.com

Blog: www.apostlebahago.blogspot.com