AUGUST 2014 UPDATE :
“Who shall separate us from the Love of Christ? Shall
trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or
sword?.... For your sake we face death all day long we are considered as sheep
to be slaughtered. .. No in all these things we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us” (Roms.8:35-37).
GREETINGS. I
bring you greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am sure from my July
report; I should be in Nigeria by now. But unfortunately things did not work
out as planned because of the Ebola outbreak; Mostly airlines suspended their flights
to Sierra Leone. Our flights were the first to be affected, and then we tried
to get another airline that was fling then. Only about three days to our
schedule date, it was cancelled. With this development, there was nothing we
can do than to accept it in good fate that it’s not yet time for us to travel.
We are still hopeful that whenever the suspension is called off, we will still
travel.
MINSTRY WORK. Because
of the deadly virus outbreak that has claims several lives, we suspended all
activities in the villages and the office. But People still meet on Sundays to
worship and to cry unto God to come to our aid in this difficult and scaring
moment in the lives of the people. Someone said to me, this is worse than the
rebel war. Because the rebel war you can see they are coming and the gun shot
and you run for safety. But for the Ebola , you cannot see it with your eyes,
and everybody around you is a suspect , there is no longer trust of whom to
fellowship with. Because he /she can be a possible carrier. Yet in all this
brethren the Bible said” we are more than conquerors”. We believed that in a
short while Ebola will go away from our land and we will be able to do our
normal work.
SITUATION IN KABALA.
Presently Kabala is the only district that has no confirms cases of Ebola in
the entire Nation. Our neighboring district of Bombali [ makeni] has 20 confirmed
cases, and Tonkolili has 13. Port Loko district which is also on the same
region with Kabala has 57. These are mostly new cases. That is why I said its
scaring / fearful hearing this report. The report in the entire country shows that,
confirm cases are 961, then number of death is 365 and those discharge from
hospital is 244. These are figure from the Health ministry via the Council of
churches, then there is suspected cases that their results are still been
expected which is 96 as of August 27.
Kabala is now under Curfew, from 8pm to 7am. The roads are
closed; no one is allowed into the town or goes out. Three weeks ago same
closure was observed, but last week they allow trucks coming in with food and
those on essential duties to travel. But this week [beginning Monday August 25],
it was re-enforce again , because there is a nurse who is a native of Kabala
but lives and work in Makeni, was confirmed positive of the virus including
husband and Children. So the fear here is that, the relatives in Kabala may be
tempted to go visit them. So the best thing is to make sure all roads are
closed and no one goes out in the night. Presently, the patients have been
moved to the treatment center in Kailahun, but we are still under Curfew. Foods
will soon run out, some church members are calling us to assist them with food.
Should this continue what do we do? [We may likely experience Ebola hunger].
With all these brethren Ebola will not separate us from the love of Christ.
A NEW COMMUNITY
CHURCH.Kandayan is a small community, about 4 miles away from Sambaia
Bendugu. God visited them in a special way, through the death of one of their
kinsmen, their Chief and others embrace Christianity. The story has it that,
one of the elders of the village died, in June, he used to be the leader of the
Muslims in the village, when he became sick, and nobody took care of him for
several Months. When he died, the Muslims refused to bury him, because he has
not attended the Mosque for more than three Months. To them he has become
infidel. So his relatives buried him in a traditional way. After the burial,
the people said “well the Christian has been coming here and we refused to
accept them. So if it were the Christian, they would have buried our brother”,
that was how they called on the Christian to come and start the Church. In July
we went to the village to encourage them, and prayed with them. The village
head ( pa Yegbeh Jalloh) also accepted Christ as his personal Lord, they have
now began a worship at the Village. We provide a temporary tent for them to use
until the dry session when they will be able to raise a structure. The Chief has also provided a Land for the
Church.
GRANT HOFMAN.This summer we were fortunate to have a Calvin Seminary intern , who came
and spent some weeks with us doing ministry . But because of the Ebola and
subsequent suspension of Flights to Sierra Leone, he has to cut short his visit
time , and World Mission has to evacute him back to USA. It was a timely
intervesion because a week after he left, most flights were cancelled , so if
he has stayed beyong that, it would have been very diffucult for him to travel
out. We really appreciate his coming, a committed young man who is willing to
serve where ever the Lord will lead him. Our prayer and hope is that , next
year we will , still have some one come for intern in Sierra Leone. Hofman is
now back to the Seminary, we wish him all the best, and God’s blessings.
SCHOOL PROJECTS.
We continue to give thanks to God and brethren from the North America for their
support to the ministry work here. The CRC school building is almost coming to completion,
thanks to School for Sierra Leone and Surrey Christian School.
Besides the kabala
school building, the Smither CRC in Canada has also assisted the Nanfayie
community to renovate their school building that was washed down by rain, and
have also erected a Foundation for a three classroom block. God willing, when
the rain stops, they will begin the building.
PRAYER REQUEST.
1. Please continue to pray for us that we will be protected
against the Ebola Virus.
2. Pray for West
Africa, Ebola is not only killing but the economy of the countries will be
affected negatively.
3. We still wish to travel for our home service, but
presently we do not know when, so pray that God will open the way for us o
travel.
4. Please pray for
the continued growth of the church, especially new area like Kandaya.
APPRECIATION,/ CONCLUSION.
Beloved friends and Partners, once more, I would like to express our gratitude
to God and to you all for your support to us me and the Sudu for the work here.
Our continue prayers is that God will bless you all. We continue to count on
your prayers and continue support.
SUBMITTED BY :
REV. ISTIFANUS BALA BAHAGO
CRCSL/CRWM LEADERSHIP CONSULTANT.
Email. ibbahago@gmail.com
+23278264240, +23277668139
www.apostlebahago.blogspot.com
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