Visit to Terrace and Smithers.

I continue to give thanks to God and all who made it possible for me to have come to Canada , to visit various supporting Churches of the work in Sierra Leone. The reception from all the places i visited was encouraging to me.
 i t shows how People in North America are eager to know what is happening in the mission field , and what they can do to help promote and strengthened the work.
 Beside my Visit to the Vancouver Island of Victoria, Duncan, Nanaimo and Port Alberni, i was able to go to the North of Vancouver to Terrace, Smithers and Houston.
 My meeting with the leaders , seniors and students in Terrace, Smithers and Houston was very encouraging, from the questions being asked by little kids in the Elementary class and the seniors, shows to me that they understood the message that i was giving to them. I can also see the commitment in their hearst to continue to support the work.
 i am happy i can happily; said that the purpose in which i came to Canada was fulfilled.

With the Family of Rev. Joel Ringma of Terrace.

with Rev. Rev. Joel Ringma of Terrace

Blessing the congregation in Terrace to mark the Closing of the worship service in Terrace on Sunday March 15

 

an Arch built by Terrace CRC along the road to smithers

Addressing students and staff of  Centennial Christian school Terrace.

kids at Terrace  Centennial Christian School welcoming me to their School.

trying one of the Machine used by some workers at Terrace to make a living through that , they are able to support the work.

Members of CRC Terrace were also visited at their work place.

Preaching in Smithers.

the senior of Smithers CRC also hard the good message of what the lord is doing in Sierra Leone.

with Pastor Kent of Smithers.

addressings students and staff of Bulkley Christian school in Smithers.

with Dave and Wendy Meyers in Smithers.

Christian business community in smithers were not left out.

smithres CRC new church under construction. Despite this, they are willing to contine support for Sierra Leone.

there was time for me too to relax and refresh in the snow in smithers Hudson bay mountain

students of Houston Christian School .

with Pastor Martin of Houston CRC

with the Principal Houston Christian School.

Seniors and some elders of Huoston CRC .

was  with the Local press  in Smithers.

Beside the Bulkley River on our way to Houston.

Nature and all that are in it were created by God . On our way to Houston , we met a host of Deers crossing the Road. Dave Meyer has to stop to let them past. That  is a lesson for us to care for the creation as Managers.

CRC SIERRA LEONE.

2015 Sierra Leone  missionary Deputation In Canada

“To God be the Glory for giving me this time to share with you about what the Lord is doing in Sierra Leone. “

THE CRC CHURCH IN SIERRA LEONE.

 Some of you knows and, is familiar with the beginning of the CRC in Sierra Leone, just one to briefly state for the sake of those hearing it for the First time. The Church was started as a result of the missionary activities of the CRWRC, now World Renew. In the 80s. But after the war of ten years, 1992 -2002, the Christian came together especially those who were converted before the war and during the war, . Initially they were called the CES Churches, but later Change to CRC. Some of you have met and work with Rev. John Phiri. We thank God for using him to bring this churches together and established the CRC .

  CRC which started in Koinadugu District has now spread to other parts of Sierra Leone especially in the South among the Mende Tribe. Mende are one of the Major tribes in Sierra Leone.

  Presently CRC has 63 Preaching centers, Eleven out of it are Full fledged organized Consistory, (we Call it Local Church council) with three Classes.

The Church has three ordained Nationals as ministers in the Church, Twelve evangelists, and several volunteer story tellers,

 KABALA CHURCH.

Kabala is the headquarters of Koinadugu District. Its Predominately Muslim Community and in Habited by the Koranko, Fulah, Limba  etc. Kabala is also the Headquarters of the CRC mission in Sierra Leone, It’s in Kabala that we have the biggest Congregation of the CRC Church; there too we have our office.

Kabala has an average Church attendance of 200-250 on Sundays. They have Two Pastors who are taking care of the Church on a Part time.

The Church also has various sub groups that help to build the spiritual life of the members. These groups meet in week days for Bible study, and prayer. They are the Youth, Choir, Children Boys/Girls Brigade, and Women Fellowship.

Building behind is the auditorium of the Kabala Church, it was built and dedicated in 2012.

Worshippers in Kabala church . With blue shirt is Pastor Peter Alpha , one of the Pastors of the Congregation, Three years ago he suffered stroke , but can still preach.

EVANGELISM AND CHURCH PLANTING.

The principle of multiplication of the church is  to be a witness of Christ to others who have not accepted him as their Lord and savior , to do this , the Church  Must carry out the great commission as is written in Mathew 28;19 ff.

For us as a Church in Sierra Leone,to carry out this, we establish an evangelism Desk for the entire denomination, with coordinator to supervise. Through that, several churches are being planted in new areas. Especially in the southern part of the Country. We now have church In the second largest city, Bo, and its surrounding like Tikonko, Makpende Yuviama, etc.

New members are baptized into the membership of the Church.

 One of the newly bikes bought  in 2013 being used by evangelist  and pastors in the rural areas to reach places  and community with the gospel.

Building a worship place in the villages , every year, we assist at least five villages to build a place were they can meet for worship.

Worshippers at Kondembaia Church after the Sunday service, the building behind was constructed last year, assisted by one of the Churches in Nigeria.

A new convert .Mohammed Fofanah reading the Koranko Bible.

Believers in one of the villages during a Sunday worship listening to the Word, of God.

INTERFAITH RELATIONSHIP

Even though Islam is the dominant religion in Sierra Leone and especially in Koinadugu , but we give thanks to God because of the cordial relationship that is existing between Christian and Muslims. Most of our neighbors are Muslims, but very friendly. That we saw in many communities. In some villages, when Christians want to build their Worship place, the Muslim Chief will call on all the community members including the Muslims to come out and assist their Christian Brothers and sisters in fetching water [women] and also molding of bricks. These had happened in more than Five villages that I have seen.

People are free to Choice which religion they want to belong without intimidation. There are some few cases that the resistance may be seen but it’s not in an open confrontation. That, we appreciate God . We have had Muslims who converted to Christianity are freely worshipping in our Churches.

A Muslims chief listening to us as we visit their village,  [ FIRAWA VILLAGE]

When you are offer a kola nut, it’s a sign you are welcome to the Community.so we were received in the Muslims and the Koranko Communities.

THE YOUTH MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH:

In other to catch them young as they are growing, for the Lord so that whatever they learn from the scripture will not depart from their Month, we started a youth Ministry , which also has a coordinator and works directly with the young people of the Church.

 We do organize yearly youth conference where youth across the church gathered for annual spiritual conference.

ALPH KARGBO is the youth Coordinator of the church. Alpha had worked very hard with the youth to produce a movie on Ebola that is distributed, to sensitize the people on the Ebola crisis, is a very educative movie in both Koranko and the Krio Languages.

A cross section of youth of the church during a bible study .

Young people coming together for a communal work, in the CRC youth Farm in Bo District.

CRC Children during their annual thanks giving service. [ Sunday school  kids]

The Boys/ Girls Brigade introduce by Bernhard Bahago , to draw the young to Christ.

 During a parade display by the young in Kabala Township. The Brigade present scriptural quotes and drill to the crowd.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT:

Beside the planting of new churches, we saw that its important we develop a National leadership for the Church, since we as missionaries will one day return to our native Land and the people have to be leaders of the Church.

 In view of this, The TLT (Timothy Leadership Training) was introduced, so far we have trained 35 people who are now assisting in various churches as volunteer evangelist,

The TLT program is coordinated by Rev. Ezekiel James Sudu.

Rev Sudu and his wife Tabitha.

 We are presently Training two Persons in the seminary in Nigeria. One will be completing his studies in August this year, and the second person will be in 2017.

 Also we now have Nationals,who were elected for a trial period of one year to serve as National leaders of the Church. We did it this way so that we can have different people to test, in our efforts of finding better options for good leaders for the Church. We will do this for a period of three years and then have election on people who will serve for four year term.

First set of people who received the TLT Training 

First elected Leaders of the CRC SL. Left to Right; Rev. MB Jalloh , [ president] David T Koroma , [ was elected the vice president but now the General Secretary[ , Daniel M Sawaneh [ Treasurer] and John Yarwa Marah [ Assistant General secretary].

WOMEN FELLOWSHIP:

Women form the greatest number [population] of the Church. They are very active in the Church activities. Beside their weekly bible studies and prayer meetings, they do have an annual spiritual Conference where women from the various branches of the Church Convey in a selected venue. Apart from these meetings, they are involved in Humanitarian activities such as visitation to the sick.

 Their greatest constrains is that of illiteracy. 90 % of the populations of the Women are illiterate they cannot read and write. In view of that, literacy Class has been opened in some selected Location to assist some of the Women. But there are no enough qualify personnel to teach them, this is because there is no enough fund to meet some of this needs.

 Poverty rateis so high among the Women as well.

Mrs. Finah Kamarah is the National women leader of the Church, she is a Mother and also a school Teacher, at the CRC Primary school Kabala.

Women fellowship singing and dancing to the praised of the name of God.

URBAN CHURCHES:

Koinadugu is a district in the Northern Part of Sierra Leone sharing Boarder with the republic of Guinea; Most of our churches are located there. Economically the People are very poor and they depended in Farming [small scale] for food and they sell a little to buy other things like clothing, Many of the people cannot even afford to pay for their medical bill , hence they depend on NGO to assist them , Many sent their kids to public schools, were the education they are receiving is very low compare to those in private schools.

 That too affects the income of the church to do her work, hence most of our funding depends on outside grant.

 In our view and effort for us to reduced too much dependence on outside gifts, there is need for us to reach out to the cities, especially seeing the moral decayed that is in the cities, so establishing the sound Reformed Faith will reduced some of this moral ills in the society and will economically improve the income generation of the church  in the future. Our desire is to establish an urban outreach in Freetown and other cities of Sierra Leone. Already we now have a Church in Bo . Bo is the second largest city in Sierra Leone. In Freetown we do have a new Church that we planted Last year in the suburb of the city in Rokel.

The CRC church building in BO under construction, the total attendance in this church every Sunday is between 100 to 150..

The new preaching center in Rokel a suburb of Freetown the capital city of Sierra Leone.

EDUCATION :

Majority of the people of Koinadugu district are illiterate, the public schools in many towns and villages, has no enough trained teachers hence the level of education is very poor. We thank God in Kabala town the CRC School  in Kabala is presently  rated as the best school in Koinadugu, but the facility is not enough to accommodate more Children as parents are so eager to sent their Children there.

 Secondly Smithers CRC is helping the Nanfayie Community to construct a classroom Block to accommodate kids in the Nanfayie school.yet there are many villages and communities without schools. 

Students at CRC School Kabala.

Above is  old  classroom blocks in Nanfayie , and below is renovated classroom at Nanfayie by the Smithers CRC .

For  these pupils in a village closed to Firwa [Koikoroh],above is their classroom and so during the raining season or if it rains in the day time, there will be no school for them as the whole thatch roof will be dropping water from the roof and the floor wet.

MY FAMILY INFORMATION:

I have a family, Four Children, Two boys and Two Girls, the two eldest are in the college while others are in the High school  their ages are 23, 20, 17 and 14.

 I was called into the ministry in 1986. After my studies in the Seminary in Nigeria, was ordained on 14 February 1992.

Was a Teacher in the Seminary for eleven years, and then was elected the president of the CRC Nigeria for ten years [2001-2011].

In 2012 was appointed the Director of mission for the CRC Nigeria.

In January 2013, I received the called to serve in Sierra Leone, as head of the mission work there as Leadership Consultant, to developed a National leadership structure for the young Sierra Leonean CRC, the work I enjoy doing. My wife and three of our kids we are in Sierra Leone, but this year, one of them will stay back in Nigeria to complete her high school this summer.

Left to right; Istifanus, Jemimah [ my wife] Joyce, Judith, Bernhard,and Johncalvin.

JEMIMAH AND BAHAGO..

CHALLENGES:

There is nothing good that will come to be without challenges, But in all we give thanks to God for his grace and the numerous support we are getting from you.

 I wish to draw our minds and thought for the following that will need your Prayers and financial support for the Growth of the Church in Sierra Leone.

1.       The Economic status of the people is very low in terms of Income. Therefore your continue support in the areas of Village Churches or congregation to have a place of worship, will be appreciated.

2.       Urban church ministry , it’s our intention to have  Churches in the Urban cities as I did mention above , therefore we want to have a supervisor who will be in  Freetown to coordinate the work. That can only happen if we receive your support.

3.       Continue training of Nationals for Church leadership is very important, we are hoping to sent additional student to go study Theology. Because there is just but few ordained Ministers {3] in the Church, hence there is need for more to be train.

4.       Please do continue to pray that the Ebola virus will stop and we will be able to return.

5.       Presently we are operating in a rent apartment as an office. Already the Church is able to acquire a Land in which they would like to develop a multipurpose structure that will serve as denominational office as well as educational center.

6.       There is need for another Christian School in other center beyond kabala to carter for the need of education of the kids in Sierra Leone especially in the areas in which we are working.

7.       Health is a big challenge in many villages, there is very high Mortality among Childbearing Mothers as well as infants because of lack of good health system. It will be good, if in the Future we will be able to have at least a health Center were the people can received good care and medication.

THANKS .

  Rev. ISTIFANUS BALA BAHAGO

  MISSIONARY IN  SIERRA LEONE