JULY 2015 UPDATE.

JULY 2015 UPDATE FROM SIERRA LEONE.

“Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.” [Psalm25:8-10]

SCHOOL LIBRARY:  Beloved, I once again welcome you the month of July, the first month of the second half of 2015. Indeed “good and upright is the Lord”. For us in Sierra Leone, we started the month of July in a very good mood, with a visit of Mary and the other Mary, with Kathleen and Janis all from the church of the Servant in Grand Rapids [CRC -USA]. [Mary Kortenhoven and Mary Loeks].The four Women were here to set up the school library at the CRC School here in Kabala. What great resources of knowledge have been invested into the lives of the children of Sierra Leone, especially Koinadugu district. This district is said to be the most backward in Sierra Leone in terms of education and development. This library is the only library in a school in the whole of the District as someone from the community said. The Parents, staff, students and the community were so excited over this development at the Christian School. Beside the four women, we also have a woman that is popularly referred to as the mother of education among the people here; - Dr. Johanna k [ Hope]who was  teaching the teachers on how to use the library as well as teaching them various methods of teaching the children how to read.

THE CHURCH IN WELLINGTON [FREETOWN].The report below is a quotation from Pastor Moses Jawara, whom we have appointed to begin the work in Freetown in our strides to reach  the urban cities. I wish to share it so that we can see what the Lord is doing already in our cities. Recently someone in the area showed us land, in which he gave us one town Lot [70 by 100 ft] He also promised to sell to us the bigger section of the land for our church ministry.

“Thanks and appreciation to God for the opportunity of being a pastor of the Christian Reformed Church. My heartfelt gratitude to our able God sent consultant in the person of Rev. Istifanus B. Bahago for his wise initiative of establishing the urban ministry and together with the national leadership in Sierra Leone to ensure my coming to this mission become a reality.

Though my appointment was officially done on the 1^st May 2015, with the mandate to start work immediately, I started some ground work back in April. This is why I am giving a report now. It is part of my job description to be submitting a report after every three months. I therefore submit the report for the first three months of my operations.

MEMBERSHIPS As a newly established church, the membership has been fluctuating but we thank God because there is growth. Below is a representation of the membership for the first quarter.”

DATE	MEN	WOMEN	CHILDREN	TOTAL
APRIL	28	75	68	171
MAY	35	77	108	220
JUNE	45	80	93	218

 The piece of land at the hilly area of wellington Freetown looking down to the city. Hopefully one day a Church will be on this hill and will be seen by people down the hill. ‘A church on the hill cannot be hidden”.

CES EBOLA RELIEF:

One of the great challenges facing the nation is that of the aftermath of the Ebola virus. Even though the scourge is not completely gone, we are nearer to say it’s gone. Nevertheless there are communities that were badly hit by the virus across the country.  Survivals are faced with the challenge of reintegrating into the community and families, especially orphans who are victims of the Virus. Recently our development arm [ CES] visited Yoria, Kumala and other villages within Koinadugu District [ The area we are working]. They distributed relief materials to orphans and care givers of those who lost both parents by the virus. It was a sympathetic site to be seen as these orphans queue up to receive this relief. A woman cried bitterly as she remembered her relatives who died as a result of the virus and she was left with orphans to care for.  In all, they were able to distribute relief items to 105 orphans and care givers in two villages. Koinadugu District had 109 positive cases, 48 Survived while 61 died, since the outbreak of the virus. It was the last district to be infected by the virus in the entire Country. Presently they have gone 151 days as of July 27 without any new case. Nationwide, 8698 people were infected,4043 survivors,3585 died, suspected are 4589.The good news is that there is only two patients receiving treatment at the centers in the entire country.

 But since the virus is still active in three districts, the country is yet to be declare Ebola free.  As I said in my previous report of June, the infection rate is declining. We are hoping and trusting God that we will soon celebrate our freedom from the deadly virus.

GROWTH TO OTHER TRIBES: The CRC Sierra Leone was started among the Kuranko tribe in the northern part of Sierra Leone. Recently it has spread to other ethnic groups such as the Mendes in the southern part of the country. We want to thank God for this diversity that we are experiencing in the church. Presently, we are now moving into the Limba tribe. The Limba are a mostly in the north and they are one of the major tribes in the country. We now have two congregations among them, one of them has a total attendance of 100 plus. Initially the church was started by a volunteer evangelism group called the Reformed gospel mission. [Not Christian Reformed] they do have some Presbyterian link. They decided to handover the church to us [CRC], since it is their policy whenever they have converts, after nurturing them for some time, to hand them over to a denomination that they believe is Bible orientated in their teaching. They found the CRC as a sister Church so the Churches were handed over to us.

YOUTH ACTIVITIES: The weekly youth bible study and other activities such as  the Boys Brigade  meetings as resume normal activities as the Ebola restrictions on gatherings has being eased, we thank God because these activities help in the spiritual growth of our young people In the church.

Youth choir at Kabala Church presenting songs during worship service, on a Sunday.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION: The joy of the Lord is my strength; July 16 was a great day for Jemimah as she celebrated the grace of the Lord in her life as a wife, Mother and Missionary. One more year was added to her years. We did that in our quiet Conner here in Kabala assisted by Sarah Kluitenberg, JEMIMAH cut her Birthday cake. I do not know, why many Women in Africa [those I have met] never want to disclose their age publicly though their Husband of course knows. So I am not authorized to disclose how old she is now. But the Lord had added another year to her life. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEMIMAH.

FAMILY FARM PROGRAM: We continue to thank God for the gift of life and that he has given us the opportunity to recreate what he has created, through which we will be able to feed ourselves and others. The Family Farm Program continues to give farmers education and distribution of seedlings to farmers in various communities where they are working. Most farmers that participated in the project in villages like Foria, Fogo Dundukor, and Firawa are happy to continue with the program. Many have planted Groundnut [Pea nut] and are waiting for harvesting next month. Presently, rice plantation is ongoing in various communities. Abu Jalloh has left the program to work with another NGO [IBBIS]. Alhassan is continuing with the farmers.

APPRECIATIONS: Again we will continue to say a big thank you to you all for your Prayers, and support. Without that we would not have been here. Please continue with the good work. Your support for mission in saving souls will be rewarded by the owner of the field [That is our Lord and savior Jesus Christ] God bless you all. Remember to always pray for:

PRAYER REQUESTS:

1.     Pray that the battle against Ebola will be won soon.

2.     Thank God for Judith in completing her high school in Nigeria. She is now waiting for her results.

3.      Pray for [Judith] as she wants to go to a Para Medics school that God will grant her the success.

4.     Pray for Foray Wollay Marah the acting program manager for the CES that God will give him the wisdom to continue the work that his predecessors have done.

5.     Pray for continued spiritual growth of the Church.

6.     Pray for commitment of the pastors and evangelists of the Church.

7.     Students are now on a six weeks break from School, pray that God will give the teachers more wisdom and strength to prepare for more in the next school term.

8.     Pray for the new Churches in Wellington and  Lengekoro .

9.     Pray for the Orphans and care givers of Ebola Victims.

10.                        Pray for more help and aids for the Ebola Victims.

11.                        Pray for More income to CRWM so that they will continue to support the ministry here. Especially in the areas of the COI as the Church is working hard to start work on the multipurpose building to enable her have offices to run her activities.

12.                        Pray for good health for us in the ministry.

SUBMITTED BY;

REV. ISTIFANUS B. BAHAGO.

CRWM/CRCSL LEADERSHIP CONSULTANT.

Phone; +2327824240., +23277668139.

Email:ibbahago@gmail.com,

           istifanusbahago@yahoo.com.

www.apostlebahago.blogspot.com

 

JUNE 2015 UPDATE.

JUNE 2015 UPDATE FROM SIERRA LEONE:

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said here am I send me”[Isaiah 6:8 NIV]. This indeed is a call and response to serve. That has been our conviction that the Lord is calling us to serve him, to go to the people that do not know the salvation that he has giving freely in Jesus Christ.

OUR HOME SERVICE: Beloved in Christ, as you are all aware, our home service for last year came at the time that West Africa, [Sierra Leone} was hit by the deadly Ebola virus, which necessitated our evacuation from Sierra Leone.

 While back in Nigeria from October 2014, to May 2015, we were reunited with our family and able to visit some churches in Nigeria to share with them what the Lord is doing in the Mission field and also the scourged of the Ebola Virus.

 In all we give thanks to God that it went well. We were able to participate in the general Election that took place in Nigeria in March and April. It was an excitement for us to be involved in the election of our leaders, an election that was peaceful and describe as the most credible in the election process in our Country. The first election of March 28 [presidential] the card reader accepted our fingers. But for April election, the card reader rejected that of my wife and our Son Johncalvin. Notwithstanding they were both allow to vote since their names and pictures appears in the register and the reader did recognized their voter’s card.

 Beside the activities in Nigeria, I was also fortunate to be in Canada during the winter for deputation. For those I met you will remember my experience with the snow. It was my first time to see the snow and to experience such a cool weather. I was puzzled to see that people live and survive in such a winter. ‘That is God’ my missionary friends shares with me their experience when they come to West Africa in the Month of February, March and April. It’s very hot. We too are surviving it. It’s all amazing how the Lord God made our bodies to be able to adapt to places as He send us out for mission. Glory is to his name.

This two pictures, shows how things differ in different areas. Picture top is me preaching in a conference in Nigeria, the venue was outside in a field at the Church premises; this was just a day before I left for Canada. below is me been dressed to walk on the snow in a very cool winter, and been assisted.

RETURN TO SIERRA LEONE:  We give God the Glory that we are now, back in Sierra Leone. We arrived on May 29 2015, this time via Cote D voire [Ivory Coast]  there is no direct flight from Nigeria to Sierra Leone since the suspension of flight from Nigeria to Freetown following the Ebola Outbreak. We thank God because it was just Five hours flying through Abidjan, Monrovia and finally Freetown from Lagos. Unlike, when we went in October, that took us two days to arrive Nigeria. We were well received in Kabala, by the brethren, who were worried that we may not return.  Our first Sunday at the Church in Kabala after our return was full of joy and Happiness as you can see in their expressions. Many were asking about the Sudu Family. It was sad mode when they were told that the Sudu are not returning because Rev. Ezekiel will be going to School in August. In all they have to accept the reality of changes in the mission.

Few days later there was big storm that affected many homes including the House of Daniel K Koroma the CES program Manager. In all, we thank God no life was lost. Though, many homes were destroyed.

Praying in Kondembaia church after our return , bottom, is one of the houses destroy by storm in Kabala it belongs to one of our church members.

2015 CHURCH BUILDING PROJECT: We give thanks to God, despite the Ebola scourge, three new Building were erected for worship auditorium in, Buyan Sukorrela, Wunaduwan, and Yarah. The General Secretary Pastor David Koroma did a very good work of supervising the work while we were gone. That we are encouraged that the nationals have started seeing and accepting the challenge of doing some of the things that we were doing. It gives hope for sustainability. 

Sukorrela  [top] and Wunaduwan  [middle] church under construction.

 Yarah Church under construction.

YOUTH VOLUNTEER FOR EVANGELISM: One of the challenges that the church here is facing is that of insufficient staff in the preaching centers.  Most of our pastors are volunteers who are giving a monthly stipend of $80:00, which are funds that come from oversea. The churches here find it very difficult to hire personnel that they can pay stipend. Seeing the rapids growth of the church , some youth numbering ten have volunteer to go to some of these villages every Sunday to preach. And so some basic preaching skills had been given to them. This they do joyfully every Sunday. CRC SL has 63 preaching centers [churches] with only three ordained pastors, and seventeen evangelists.

[The volunteer youth group for evangelism in the villages. They do that on bicycles.]

SYNOD MEETING: On June 17-19, delegates from all the branches of the Church gathered in Kabala for this year’s Synod meeting of the Church. This is the first time they are meeting since the outbreak of the Ebola virus. Because of the state of emergency declared by the Government, people were not allowed to have any form of gathering except for the purpose of worship. Therefore, it was not possible for the Church to meet. But recently, the ban on movement was relaxed and some permitted gathering allowed, Hence we were able to meet.

 In the meeting, one of the important things was the election of leaders for the Church. Two new members were elected, and two old ones retained their positions. The president and the Treasurer were re- elected. Election always comes with its challenges especially for us in Africa. Even when it’s a Church affair. The decision of the Council was bent. Though initially in 2013, we all agreed that each position will be tried for one year, up to the period of three years, then we would have tried different persons that will eventually emerged as leaders. But they decided to go contrary to that decision. For us to avoid early conflict in the Church there was a compromise. It was a very hot debate, in the meeting, but through the leadership of the Holy Spirit, wisdom was provided to go 50/50. And now have two new persons and two old to work together for the next one year. We are praying for the Spirit of God to lead them to serve as servant Leaders that will help to grow the young Church. That will stand to preach and defend the Reformed world and life view in the Nation of Sierra Leone.

Newly elected and re elected leaders of the crc sl. Left to the right: Daniel Sawaneh [ re elected treasurer] ,Ezekiel Konjoh, [ new assistant Sescretary] , John Sesay[ new vice president] ,Rev. MB Jalloh[ re elected president].

A NEW URBAN CHURCH:One of our goals of church growth and expansion is to reach out to the Urban centers. In doing this we must find and identify suitable person that will do this. God has finally provided for us a young man who is so commited in serving God. For some years now the Church have been inviting him to come work with us. Finally he got the conviction to join the CRC Church . He was therefore appointed and asked to work in Freetown. In less than a Month this young Man has started a fellowship in Wellington , with an Average attendance of 30-40 people per week. He is Pastor Moses Jawara. He is a very good mobilizer . He is married .

 I believed that with God , the CRC Church has come to stay and grow in Freetown. The one in Rokel is also doing well with Pastor  John Sesay. We are hoping to start in Makeni soon. I am very hopeful that if we are able to develop the Urban Churches , they will help in the development of those in the rural areas.

Pastor Moses Jawara.

CES CELEBRATE WORLD ENVIROMENT DAY:The Christian Extension services , which is the development arm of the Church , this year celebrated the world enviroment day , with a Tree planting exercise, at the CRC Primary and Secondary School. CES , provided the seedlings while students and staff of the both school took turn to plant one Tree each.It was aimed at demonstrating to the community the need to proctect, preserve our free natural gifts. Instead of cutting down trees , we should plant More..”when we preserve our enviroment , our children yet unborn shall benefit from it, and will appreciate us” they said.

Students at the school planting trees at this year’s world Enviroment day organised by the CES[ Christian Extension service].

EBOLA:It is not over untill its over. The fight agaisnt Ebola is still on. Some strict measures has been relaxed. Presently its three Districts that are still having few cases , mostly from quarantine homes . One of the distubing incidence of late is in Freetown [ Magazine wharf] it’s a densily populated slum in the capital city. Though is not too alarming as previous months, but having it in such a populated area is not good. But we give thanks to God , the Medical team and the Government are doing their best to contain the spread. This is coming mostly as some people are ignoring the necessary measure of avoiding the spread. Especially secret burials of suspected cases. People are warned not to touch death bodies especially for suspected cases. But some people seem to be sturborn and they do it probably at Night. The Authority have quarantined such places. We are hoping that in the next couples of weeks or Months we may be experiencing “zero’ cases. We want to assure you all , that Kabala is still one of the save areas to be in Sierra Leone. We thank God that the people are very vigilant and cooperative to the preventing measures. No body bury their death relatives, as most will always call on the ambulance and  ebola burial team to bury  their deaths. Which is a very good measure in preventing the spread of Ebola.

 There are also check points in all the roads that leads to Kabala. Peoples temperature are check as they enter the Town, same are found in most high ways.

Sign showing Ebola checking point as one approach the Town of Kabala.

PRAYER REQUESTS:

1.     Thank God for our safe arrival in Sierra Leone.

2.     Pray for wisdom and humility for the leadership of the Church.

3.      Pray for more harvest of souls for the Kingdom.

4.     Pray for the new Church in Wellington and also for pastor Moses Jawara.

5.     Pray for the people of Sierra Leone as we continue to battle with the Ebola virus.

6.      Pray for the tracer teams as they identify people with the virus and also for the medical team.

7.      Pray for the peolpel as the raining season is here , for strenght and good harvest.

8.      Pray for CES as they are into transition as well. The program manager Daniel Koroma retires from active service this Month , that God will provide good leaership for the program.

9.     Pray for the School , staff and students , as the work load is really hard on them now because of the late resumption of academic activities nationwide.

10.                        Pray for my Daughters back inNigeria. Judith will be finishing her final Exam on July 9.

11.                         Joyce is returning to school this week after five Months of university lectures strike in their school.

12.                        Pray for us for more grace in the service here in Sierra Leone and good health.

CONCLUSION:Beloved partners in the kingdom Ministry. We will always remain grateful to you all for your prayers and financial support to sustain our continue service here. If you were not there to support us, things would have been very difficult for us. But because your are there and the Lord being with us all , we are moving on. Remember to always pray for Sierra Leone. Sent your support to World Mission  [ for you in USAand Canada] Friends and brethren in Nigeria, you can always send your support to the CRC-N Headquarters designate for Sierra Leone Ministry support.

Thanks.

SUBMITTED BY:

Rev. Istifanus B Bahago

CRC-SL/ CRWM Leadership Consultant.

Email. ibbahago@gmail.com

           istifanusbahago@yahoo.com

blog.www.apostlebahago.blogspot.com

phone:+23278264240, +23277668139