MARCH 2016 UPDATE FROM
SIERRA LEONE:
BAPTISM IN ALKALIA: The month of March started with a
good mode for us. As twenty three [23] adults and sixteen [16] infants were
baptized in Alkalia church. It was full of celebration and merriments to have
this new believers baptized and parents bringing forth their children to be
part of the covenant children of God. Infants’ baptism is always a problematic
issue to some parents. But with Biblical teaching, some are accepting and their
children been Baptized.
REACHING OTHER COMMUNITIES AND
TRIBES: It all
started as a group of people coming together to hear the story being told of
the savior of the world. It started in the 1980s among the Koranko people of
Koinadugu and Tonkolili district of Sierra Leone. Today the church is growing
beyond this tribe. Recently the Loko , and the Limba people , are being reached
with the gospel People are turning to Christ as their Lord and savior.
Majanka village is a community of about three
hundred families [ mostly Loko tribe} situated in the northern part of Makeni ,
the provincial capital. Rev. Maxwell and Edison Kamara went there with the
Jesus Film, and had an outreached in the village. Many gave their lives to
Christ. They are now meeting every Sunday for worship. In Kamasorie village,
which is in Kasonko Chiefdom (Fadugu), they are Limba people. They too accepted
the gospel, even though some of them had have contact with Christianity through
the Roman Catholic Church, but were not committed, until our recent visit to
the community. On Sunday March 6 , Mr. Andrew G, Foray Wollay Marah, James
Kpanto Rev. Edison Kamara, we all visited the community. Both their Muslim
Chief came to the church to welcome us to their community. They expressed
gratitude that now the light of God have come to their door post. The area has
up to seventeen villages, but there is no school for the kids. One Mr. Michael
Koroma, a young man who invited us to the village, has passion for the souls of
his people. Therefore he wants us to plant the church there.
THE GROWTH IN THE SOUTHERN SIERRA LEONE: We thank God for the growth of the
church in the southern part of Sierra Leone, especially in Bo and its
surrounding. Before the Ebola outbreak, we notice some little decline in
attendance. Recently we are made to understand that , Bo being an urban city,
the people so much are carried away to churches that have musical
instruments being used as an accompanies
in their worship. We decide to explore that in Bo church. The result we saw was
tremendous. The attendance is rising, and the worship is so excited.
The people
of Makpended in Bompeh chiefdom are also not left behind. They have erected a
structure that will at least accommodate not less than three hundred
worshippers. They are projecting for a future growth. They are now getting
ready to roof the building. That has to be done before the rain. The agreement
here is they raised the building and we will help with the roofing zinc
.
FREE AGAIN. The Bible says, when the lord set
you free, you shall be free indeed (john8:36). November 7 2015 was the day in
which the World Health Organization [WHO] first declares Sierra Leone free from
new infection of the deadly Ebola virus. Not less than two months, the Virus re
surface again. Our joy was saddened. With Faith and prayer, there were no more
new infections after 42 days of discharging the last patient from the treatment
center. Therefore on March 17, the W.H.O declares again the Sierra Leone is now
free from the virus. Our prayers are that we would not experience a bounce back
from the virus. “Ebola must go” is the prayer of all Sierra Leonean.
Unfortunately on the same date that Sierra Leone was declare free for the
second time, our neighbor Guinea recorded two new cases.
HELPING THE EBOLA ORPHANTS: Ebola virus has left a lot of
challenges to many families especially for children whose parents died as a
result of the Virus. We thank God for organization such as CES who continue to
put smile in the faces of the Ebola Orphans especially in the Koinadugu
District. Recently they provided school materials such as uniforms, shoes and
blankets, to several of these orphans.
CELEBRATING THE RESURRECTION: It was a great joy as usual in Sierra
Leone, to celebrate the Easter. In 2015, because of the Ebola, people were not
allowed to do any form of celebration, except to go t Church and return home.
But this year it was with a great difference. In CRC Kabala we had the Maundy
Thursday service at 6:30 pm to 8:00pm with a Holy Communion to commemorate the
night in which our Lord instituted the sacrament, before his arrest. Then
Friday which was the Good Friday, it was an exciting service where all the
various churches in Kabala including the Roman Catholic had an Ecumenical
service together to celebrate the death of the one and only savior Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of our sins. That reminds us of the early Church. Before
the medieval and subsequent reformation that leads to continue splitters of the
church. What a Koinonia it was.
On Easter Monday, I was invited by the
principal of the MCA Bible School Bible. To preach at a picnic program which
the christened meeting in Galilee. It was to commemorate the meeting of the
disciples with risen Christ in Galilee as was for told by Jesus and also the
Angels. The story of Like was dramatized by the students of the school. It was
very impressive seeing the story of the resurrection made practical and simply
for the people to understand. It was a very good way of re-telling the story of
the resurrection events.
To the non Christian it was a holiday to go to
the beach, park several outing places to celebrate with the love ones. It was opportunities
for us Christian to ask them do you know why you are celebrating Easter. Like
Philip to bring them to know who Jesus was that they are celebrating Easter
for.
APPRECIATIONS: On behalf of the brethren here, I
would like to continue to express our thanks to you all for you’re continuing
supports and prayers for the work here. I
also want to thank you for your prayers for Rev. David T Koroma. Rev. David has so far being discharge from the
Hospital and has started coming to work. Though one of the pellets is still yet
to be removed, but there is no danger to his life for that. The Doctors are
hopeful to get it out soon. Rev. Koroma has been able travel out to Sambaia
bendugu so that his people could see him that he is alive and not death.
Because there was ramous going on that he was death. Therefore we saw wise for
his people to see him come to them. Up to now there is no news as to who did
it, and why.Please continue to send your support through World Mission for the
work.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
1. Thank God for the life of Rev.
Koroma.
2. Prayer for more funds for the
multipurpose project and also village church projects going on in two villages.
Baykayhun and Mokpendeh.
3. Thank God for my Daughter Joyce. She
has completed her final Examination at the University in Nigeria for her Bsc.
Chemistry.
4. Please pray for the released of three
Nigerian Church leaders who were kidnapped. All of them they are people I knew.
One of them Rev. Emmanuel Dziggau was my student at the seminary in Nigeria
(This is happening in Nigeria).
5. Recently new Ebola cases were
reported in Neighboring Guinea. Pleas pray that there will be no case in Sierra
Leone.
6. Pray for our pastors and volunteers
in various villages that God will bless their work and many will find salvation
in Christ through their work.
SUBMITTED BY:
Rev. ISTIFANUS B ABAHAGO
LEADERSHIP CONSULTANT . CRWM
/CRC-SL
Phone. +23278264240
Blog: www.apostlebahago.blogspot.com
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