NOVEMBER 20015 UPDATE FROM SIERRA LEONE:
“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that
will be for all the people” (Luke.2: 10b).
THE GREAT NEWS: It
was great news indeed for the salvation of the world, when the Angel brought
the news to the Shepherds’. That was why they hurried up to find Mary, Joseph
and Baby Jesus in Bethlehem. That great news, change the entire world, it give
hopes and life to the oppressed, the rejected, and revived a lost hope. For us
in Sierra Leone, November 7 was a great day of rejoicing and praising God, for
both the political leaders and the masses of the Land. It was the day that
finally we reached the 42 days of non Ebola infection, and the W.HO. Declare
the country free of Ebola. People hurried up to the streets, to celebrate this
great news. That reminds us of the experience of the Shepherd in the field,
that their hope of deliverance and salvation was revived. We give thanks to God
for us reaching this day. It has been a period of struggle and uncertainty. But
finally we are there. We know that Ebola is a stubborn virus that can
resurface. Just as it has now resurfaced in Liberia. But we are trusting God
and following the necessary vigilant to make sure that we stay healthy.
OUR URBAN CHURCHES:
The desire and obedience to the great commission continue to burn in our hearts,
as we target the urban cities of Sierra Leone. This month, two great events of
church planting took place. The first was in Makeni where Maxwell is posted to
start a new church plant in the capital town of the Northern Province. God in
his mercy, on November 1, a worship service of the CRC was started in the city,
with fifteen people in attendance in the first day. Gradually the number is
increasing day by day. They have now reached twenty five [25] in three weeks.
It’s indeed a humble beginning.
Beside, Makeni. Our
new church in Wellington [Freetown] was also officially inaugurated on November
eight [8]. This was preceded by a week revival program. On the inauguration
day, 200 people attended the service. This includes invited guests as well, but
the average attendance in normal Sunday service is between 80- 120.Both places
meet in school classroom for their worship. We are now negotiating for an empty
hall that was used for cinema; we can rent for the Freetown Church. We are hoping
that we will be able to get the money to buy Land for these purposes. To rent a
hall for one year, the owner is asking for $1500. Though he is a Muslim but is
willing to rent out it for Church use at that rate.
VISIT TO BARLI.
Barli is a village in Tikonko Chiefdom of Bo District in Southern Sierra Leone.
We have churches in those villages. During, the Ebola crisis, Barli was infected,
two of our members died of the virus. On November 11, Andrew, Rev. Jalloh and I
decided to visit the community and the church. Since the people are very good
in cassava production, we bought a cassava processing plant and gave to the
church to help them in their recovery. This will generate income for the church
and also reduced the pain of carrying their cassava to nearby village for
process to make “Gari”.The people were so excited and appreciative to see the
kind love shown to them by the church.
MULTIPURPOSE
CHURCH AND OFFICE BUILDING: The challenge for us to have our office
complex is becoming so enormous. Recently we received a letter from our
property owner where we are presently operating, informing us of the upward
review of the annual rent payment with a $1000 increase beginning January next
year [ 2016]The work in the multipurpose building is still on in a chameleon
speed. This is so because of non availability of funds. In our efforts with the
local contributions, we are closed to the lintel level. In all we give thanks
to God, that at least something has began. We continue to hope in your supports
both financially and prayerful as well (Remember this is the fund code.805818).
MEN FELLOWSHIP:
In much churches today, during the worship service on Sundays, Women are more
in the pews, Men are very few in number. One wanders where the men are. Some do
come to Church but not very active in Church activities except if they are
elected Elders or deacons. In other to involve these type of men to give them a
sense of belonging, the Kabala CRC mobilized the men in the Church for both
weekly Bible study and prayers for the
Church. We prepared a week teaching program targeting the men on the Topic.
‘the role and responsibility of men in Church building” this ended with an
inaugural service of the men fellowship of CRC Kabala on Sunday November 22. It
was an interesting event , exception of the preaching which I did from Genesis
41;38 with the topic. ‘How can we find such a man?”.Other activities of the
service such as scripture reading, the worship leader of the day, praised and
worship, and collection of offering, was conducted by men who have never stood
in the church to carry out any responsibility. I mean those men that come to
church on Sunday, they are not elder or deacons or serve in any capacity in the
church, were given the chance to use their gifts. It was indeed worth, as we
discovered a lot of talents within our members. The group donated a wooden
offering box to the church to be use for Sunday offerings collections.
Men fellowships from other churches were invited to the
program, the Catholic Church in Kabala sent in two representatives. Other
churches were: The Door Christian fellowship, Anglican, Missionary church of
Africa [MCA], United Methodist church [UMC], Universal Gospel church [UGC], and
others.
INTERFAITH
WORSHIP/PRAYER: Good thing about Sierra Leone is their religious
tolerance. Islam forms the majority of the population of the country. The
people so loved and respect each other. They all accept disasters as a thing
for all to fight together. On Saturday November 21, the government called for
interfaith prayers / thanksgiving for the collective fight against Ebola. In Kabala,
the prayer was held at the mini township stadium where both Muslims and
Christian come together to Pray. They all thank God/ Allah, for the success of
the country in overcoming the virus. Prayed for the survivors, and also for
continue protection against Ebola. This is coming at the time that there is suspicious,
especially for many Muslims been seen as terrorist around the world. It was
interesting to hear a prominent Islamic scholar in the town condemning in total
any terrorism in the name of Islam. He said that is evil and satanic. There was
great applause when he described terrorism in the name of Islam as satanic and evil,
and called on all Muslims in Sierra Leone to watch out and report any suspected
person or groups that will bring in such evil teaching among them. The
religious leaders both expressed and encourage their followers to live in peace
and love for one other, they extols their common practice of inter marriage
between the adherence of the two religions.
CES REVIVED HOPE :Hope
and joy was revived in the lives of various community , especially the poor and
the Ebola Orphans , as the Christian extension service[ CES, as they are
commonly called] visited and mobilized various community to identify their core
needs, and together come out with the way forward on how to overcome their
challenges. This varies from one community and the others. In some, their needs
is the conducive place for their wards to learn, others is to provide rice mill
machine where they can mill their rice. To the orphans is to let them know that
God is the God of the orphans. Even though their biological parents were killed
by the Ebola virus, but God has not abandoned them. Therefore CES brought that
hope to the people.
The Family farm program had, also help in building stores in
some community and plan to build more this dry season.
SCHOOL CLOSED FOR
CENSUS AND CHRISTMAS: All is now quiet at the school as all students of
the CRC schools have finished both their terminal Examination and the national junior
secondary school examination. The School closed early this year because of the
National head count [census that is beginning on the 5th of December].
Most of the teachers of both primary and secondary school are involved in this
national assignment. The school hall was choosing as the training venue of the
supervisors for the census in the district. Indeed the school is a big gift to
both the church and the community. The school administrative secretary reports
that beside the students of the school. Other schools [4] choose the school to
be the center for the national examination. What an impact. The school
compound, library, classroom is now empty as can be seen in the pictures below.
I met the two kids sitting quietly at the verandah of the primary school, just
hoping their colleagues will come around to play. No more classes until January
2016.On the wall in one of the blocks you will find the instruction concerning
the just concluded national examinations.
CONCLUSION AND
APPRECIATIONS: Partners, we continue to express our profound thanks to
you all for your relentless support. Thanks for taking your busy time out to
read this update and keeping a time with us to pray. May the blessings of the
Lord continue to be with you. Your continue support for the work is our hope
and prayer. The challenges are many, but with the Lord on our side we will
always be victorious. Please pray along with us.
PRAYER REQUEST:
1.
Please pray for Liberia, they now have few new
cases of Ebola, that they will be able to overcome it.
2.
Pray for Guinea, they have started their
countdown for Ebola free. Pray that God will help them and protect them to
achieve it.
3.
Pray for Sierra Leone too that the Virus will
not surface again.
4.
Pray for the Multipurpose Building for funding.
5.
Pray for
the Ebola Orphans across the countries that they will be able to get the
necessary help.
6.
Pray for
the Ebola survivor that they will remain hero, and not be stigmatized.
7.
Pray for our new urban churches.
8.
CRC –SL has written a letter to the CRC Nigeria
asking for a replacement for Rev. Sudu. Pray that the Church in Nigeria will be
able to find a suitable replacement, a person who is called to serve.
9.
Pray for our daughters, Joyce and Judith, this
will be their first Christmas without their siblings, mom and dad.
10.
Pray for Jemimah, a topic has been approved for
her dissertation with the College of theology in Freetown for her Bachelor of
Theology. She will be writing on the “Role of the Women in enhancing the growth
of the CRC-SL”.
11.
Pray for safety in travels especially in this
festive period. Last year because of the Ebola, there was no much festivity
here in Sierra Leone. But with the lifting of most restrictions, there is high
expectation of fanfare around.
12.
Continue to pray for the growth of the CRC SL
both Spiritual and numerical.
SUBMTTED
BY:
REV.
ISTIFANUS BALA BAHAGO.
Leadership, consultant CRC-SL/CRWM.
Phone:+2327826424, +23277668139.
EMAIL:ibbahago@gmail.com,
Blog:www.apostlebahago.blogspot.com
Christian and Muslims praying together.
Parents and children expressing their Joy for a new classroom.
a new store assisted by CES in one of the communities.
An old way of milling rice by women in the village.
old school structure in Yirafilaya Badala.
An old ways of store store in a typical village.
a new milling machine for rice provided by CES.
a new classroom block in Diang sukurrela. 
School children in Madina village.
Ebola Orphans in Kumala village 
Orphans whose parents died as a result of Ebola in Kumala village.
a grain store built by FFP in Gbokoroma village.[ FFP: Family farm program}
Mr. Mamud Marah chairman men fellowship.
a cross section of CRC kabala Men.
Mr Bangurah , the police officer in charge of Kabala , during the Men fellowship day on November 22
Dedication of an offeing box donated by the men fellowship CRC Kabala.
Work still on going at the building site.
The new office building of the Church under construction in Kabala.
at the presentation of cassava milling macine, in Barli.
Cassava milling machine we provided to Barli village. Barli , was hit by Ebola. we lost two members.
