DECEMBER 2013 UPDATE FROM SIERRA LEONE
“ For to us
a child is born, to us a son is given, and the Government will be on his
shoulders And he will be called wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting
Father, prince of peace” [Isaiah 9:6].What a gift to us as mankind , indeed his
birth is the source of our peace and joy more importantly the everlasting Father.
As we celebrate Christmas, this year, may we all experience the caring Love of
the Father who saves us from destruction to life everlasting in Jesus Christ. Amen
VISIT TO NIGERIA: As you have read in my last update in
October, the whole of November, I was away to Nigeria to visit with my Family
and to also share with the CRC Nigeria the good news about what God is doing
here in Sierra Leone. It was a joyful moment to be united with my older
Daughter Joyce, and also to visit with my aged Mother, grate too to be with
some congregations of the CRC-N and also to bring report to the Synod of the
CRC-N.
I give thanks to God, the journey was a success,
I could see the zeal and commitment of the Nigerian Church to continue to
support our ministry here in Sierra Leone. First I was with the Church in
Lagos, then to Abuja, Mararraba, Suntai etc, I was also able to meet the women
at their annual national Conference. The visit was culminated with a report to
the Synod of the Christian Reformed Church –Nigeria which took place from the
18th Nov. to 22nd.
The week of 22nd to 28th
November, was my only week of rest,
thereafter, on the 29th, I began to journey back to mama salone. By the
Grace of God I was back to my second home salone on December 1.
My Daughter
Joyce too came with me to see her mum and her other siblings. She is staying to
the end of December and will return to continue for her schooling in Nigeria by
January 3rd.
I would like to thank you all for your
prayers, and support, the visit to Nigeria was indeed rewarding , and now back
, God willing we will be celebrating our Christmas all as family here in Kabala
for the first time , outside our usual home, but with new brethren and
Christian we have found here . We praise his name for this wonderful
opportunity to be with other Christian and anew environment and people.
BAPTISM IN FORIA: Before my departure to Nigeria, the Church
in Foria already had some new converts in the Catechism, Class, with Pastor
Kallie Mansaray teaching them. After the Class, Rev. MB Jalloh baptized sixteen
adult who had gone through the class, on 17th November.
BAPTISM IN SAIDUYA /DUNDUKOR VILLAGE:
December 15, 2013
saw another historic growth of the CRC SL, with the baptism of first converts
of Saiduya, Dundukor and Kalkoya village. It was the first of its kind in the
villages mentioned, and so the event was celebrated with dance and processions
of dance in the two villages Saiduya / Dundukor, in all twenty one [21] adults
were baptized. With this figure, this year the Total number of people baptized
in the CRC SL was up to Seventy [70].
GRADUATION AT SLTC FREETOWN:
The Sierra
Leone Theological College, Graduated142 students on Friday 6th
December 2013, among those that graduated are three members of the Christian
Reformed Church Sierra Leone, namely: Amara Fefegulah form the Bo Church. Amara
was sponsor by the Scholarship assistance of the People Foundation of Sierra
Leone [TPF] a CBO started by mss Krissi Bucholtz. Others are, Mrs.Musu B Marah
and Feren Rosetta Sesay. The two women were sponsor through the Education
Scholarship for the training of indigenous leaders for the Church. Musu, She is
the coordinator of the women desk of the Church while Rosetta is the secretary
in the office. They bought graduated with a Diploma in Christian Ministry.
MORE CONVERTS IN KABALA AND
SORROUNDING CHURCHES:
In my update
of the Month of MAY, I told you
about the conversion of Muhammad Jawara who is now called Alfred. On Sunday
December 8, Alfred was overwhelmed with Joy when his wife Kumba Jawara woke up
early and said to the Husband ,” Today I am going to serve that your God , I am
going to become a Christian” Two of
their Children Merah and Kallie, said “we too we will go”. Joyfully Kumba and
two of her Children has confessed Christ as their Lord and savior.
Interestingly Kumba said to me “,I want to be were my Husband is” ,before this
time both were Moslem. Mr. Jawara [Alfred] became Christian in May this year,
and after that he became evangelist to his Family; the result today is that the
Family has accepted Christ as their Lord and savior.
.
VISITORS TO CRC SIERRA LEONE:The Months of November and December,
has been of great blessings and encouragement for us in the mission field here
in Sierra Leone. Beside my visit to Nigeria, the mission field was visited by
different set of People from Canada. First was Mr. Dennis Degroot of the Surrey
Christian School in Canada, Degroot is one of the strong pillars of the CRC
kabala school. His visit From the 15th of November to 4th December
was a great moral boaster to the staff, students, parents and the Board of the school,
as many lingering issues patterning to the growth of the school was wisely handled,
and parents were given the assurance of the continue support of the North
American for the growth of the school more importantly for the Building of anew
block for the senior Secondary school. Come and see Joy and happiness in the
heart of the parents, Teachers and students. Two New Teachers were employed to strengthen
the staff capacity of the school.
Then on 29th
November saw the arrival of Travis Wilkins and his Father in- law Mr. James.
Mr. Travis and James came to see how the Family Farm Project was going on. They
were able to visit many communities within 10 days of their stay with us, one
of the places they visited was Gbongbotor, a very hilly and rough road, going
on Bikes to this places need a strong man like Travils. Both the community and
the staff were really encouraged by their visit; it was a great boaster to the
Family Farm Project.
Other visitors we received were the parents of
Krissi, Frank and his wife Bonnie they came to visit with their Daughter Krissi
who is teaching at the CRC School Kabala, they were as well, blessings to us in
the Field, Mr. Frank gave some lectures to the Teachers at the school on how to
write reports. They visited many Families including us to encourage us. Interestingly,
Mr. Frank was the Board Chair of the Surrey Christian School when they were to
start the Kabala School, to him to
have come and see what was discussed and approved while in Board was a great joy.
We indeed thank God for all these visits
APPRECIARING TEACHERS:How many of us parents, do say to the
Teachers of our Kids, Thank you for teaching my Child? Of course there may be
few out there that often say to the Teachers thank you for job well done. On
Monday December 9 Parents, pupils and students of the CRC School Kabala all
gathered to appreciate the Teachers of the school for the wonderful sacrifices
they are making in teaching and also maintaining a very good standard of
teaching and morality since the inception of the school. Results’ coming out
from the school has always been the best in the District, one of the best in
the country in their recent junior secondary National Exams. There was a lot of
dance display by both the teachers and pupils to the amusement of the parents
present. Various gifts were presented to the Teachers.
BIOLOGICAL INCREASE: We either increase by way of
evangelism and bringing new converts into the Church or we can increase biologically.
On Dec. 11 was a joyous day in the life of Mr. Mankoro Yanka. Mankoro is one of
our staff in the office, he was a Muslim, but two years ago he became a
Christian with his wife Adama. They are married for Three years now, According
to them, the wife had had three miscarriages, and so when it was made known to
them that Adama was pregnant, they were afraid that it may end out like the
previous ones. We then encourage them and prayed with them to have Faith in God
that this time along Adama was going to have a baby. God In deed answered our
prayers with Mankoro and Adama. So on Wednesday evening at 7:45pm [GMT] Adama
had her first Child, a baby Boy.[ name, STEPHEN BAHAGO MANKORO YANKA] What a
joy. We give thanks to God; it’s an increased to the CRC Family here in Kabala.Mankoro
said he has promised God that if he should have a Child, he will dance and
glorify God in the Church and so on Sunday 15th December , he expressed
his gratitude to God in a dancing style to said to God
REV. KAMARA RETURNS: We are pleased that Rev. Edison
Kamara, has completed his training at the International Center of Evangelism in
Jos,[Nigeria] he completed training on
12 December, and he has returned to
Kabala on 15th December with the Sudus who were in Nigeria for the
Brother In law’s wedding . We praise God for his mercy. With this training,
Rev. Kamara will coordinate the Evangelism and Church planting Unit of the
Young CRC SL, beginning January 2014. Rev. Kamara was in Nigeria for the
Training since September .The Nigeria CRC in Abuja was of great help to Rev.
Kamara and also the Jos CRC. We say to them “tenki’.
CHRISTMAS BREAK: We give thanks to God Almighty for
seeing us through from the beginning of the year to this last month of the
Year. We had had various experiences in the various community in Sierra Leone ,
all the places we have visited has been so encouraging to us as missionaries we
have learnt to eat their food , drink their water etc. At first eating the potatoes,
cassava leaves was very difficult, and rice every day was another thing. But
gradually , we have become Sierra Leonean we enjoy the company of the people our colleagues in the office ,
we are enjoying and getting use to the vegetables, potatoes leaves has become
our favorite, we hope will get use to the cassava when we return for the
Christmas Break. Beginning the 19th of December, our office will be
close for break and hope to reopens on January six [6] 2014.
I do hope you have enjoy reading the stories coming from Sierra Leone,
and have appreciated God for what he is doing in Sierra Leone. You have contributed
to the making of all that has taking place by your giving and Prayers. Our
Prayers for you is that May the Lord continue to bless you and together bring
us to a new prosperous Year of positive breakthrough in your life, may his mercy
continue to be with you in 2014. See you in 2014. We wish you a merry Christmas
and a happy new year in Advance.
NEEDS FOR THE MINISTRY: Right from the beginning of the
Church here, the offices and the missionary houses has been on a rent age. The
biggest challenge facing us now is the issue of office Accommodation. The
present property we are enjoying is owned by a widow of a late Government
official. The Woman is getting older and older and sick. Most of the relations
of her Late Husband are Muslims, they are not happy with her for having the
inheritance of their late Brother. Often they come around the office to say to
us that we should be ready if the Woman dies, they will not allow us use the
Building. Well thank God the Woman is still alive, but age and health is not on
her side now. The Nationals have a Land in which they had initially bought to
build a Church. But with the challenge at hand now, they have decided to have
that Land for a Multipurpose,
building. A building that can house the denominational office, youth and women
centre, development unit and more .Already it has been on the budget as
Conditional income [coi]. We are appealing for Donation so that we will be able
to have our own place to avoid embarrassments in the Future should anything
happen to our present Landlord. It’s a matter of concern for bought prayer and
financial support.
RETIREMENT: We give thanks to God for the life
of Rev. MB Jalloh who was elected as the first President of the Church in her
last Synod meeting of October. Rev. Jalloh has reached a retirement Age. He has
formally retired. Though he will continue to serve as the President, since the
office is not a pay position up to the time that his term finishes. All the
staff gathered to say farewell to Rev. Jalloh. In his response Rev. Jalloh
expressed his gratitude to God and to all the former missionaries who had
served in Sierra Leone for the opportunity given him to serve and the health he
had.
APPRECIATION: Beloved in Christ, our journey and
life as a missionary for this past Months would not have been successful
without your supports Both Morally , financially and prayers. We indeed
appreciate that so much. Both my Family and the Sudus, we want to say a big
thank you to you all. We are committed to the calling in which God has called
us to serve him here. You had identified
with us during the period of our Joy and sadness, the Lord has been so gracious
to us, we have found favor even among the people we worked and interact with.
We continue to plead for your constant prayers
and support the indeed we will accomplish the purposes in which the master
called us to this Land. We plead for your moral, spiritual and also your
continue financial support to enable us carry on the ministry on your behalf,
God will bless both you and us in serving him. We are been sent you and God are
the senders; we are willing and ready to obey the will of the master in winning
souls to him. Give to CRWM give to CRCN Mission Board [ for in Nigeria] For our
partners In North America , remember to give to world mission this Christmas as
did the Shepherd and the wise men from the east at the Birth of the savior.
PRAYER REQUEST:
1. Pray for
the National Leaders as they begin to lead the Church as from January, for
wisdom and humble spirit of servant Leadership.
2. Pray for
understanding between the nationals and expatriate.
3. For
continue growth of the Church.
4. for the
new Class of the TLT beginning February next year, for success.
5. Pray for
our partners in North America and Nigeria that God will continue to bless them
and provide the resources “Finance”, needed for the work here.
6. Pray for
the CRC School here in Kabala as they plan to begin a new senior class in
January for success, especially in the construction of a new classroom
Building.
7. Pray for
Rev. Kamara as he takes up the responsibility of evangelism and Church Planting
unit of the Church.
8. Pray for
Rev. MB Jalloh as he begins a life of retirement after reaching the age of Sixty
Five.
9. Pray for
the Executive of the Church as they decide on whom to appoint as the General
Secretary of the Church.
10. Pray for
unity among the Leaders and members of the church to guide against tribal and
sectional difference for the healthy growth of the Church.
11. Pray for
my older Daughter Joyce who is here with us for the Christmas, she will be
going back to Nigeria on January 3rd 2014, pray for her safety has
she travels.
CONCLUSION: Brethren,
the year 2013 has come and is going, very soon we will be in another year 2014.
Once more, all we want to say is a big thank you. Remember to pray for us, sent
us words of greetings and encouragement it will boast our moral to do more.
Thanks for taking your time to read.
In Christ.
Submitted by:
Rev. Istifanus B Bahago
Consultant
CRCSL / CRWM
+23278264240
+23277668139
Email:ibbahago@gmail.com
www.apostlebahago.blogspot.com
