FEBRUARY 2017 UPDATE
FROM SIERRA LEONE:
“Fight the good fight
of the faith .Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you
made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God,
who gives life to everything and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before
Pontius Pilate made a good confession, I charge you to keep this command
without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ…..” 1 Timothy 6:12-14.
Beloved, once more I bring you greetings, after a long
period of not hearing from me. This was due to my home service in Nigeria.
Thank we are now back in Sierra Leone to continue with the task in which the
Lord of the church have called us to.
HOME SERVICE: The period from October 2016 to January 2017 was a
period of both experience of sharing with brethren and family members back in Nigeria.
We really appreciate the great love shown to us. The churches selected for our
visit were very much accommodating they all did well and showed us Christian
love and the love for the Gospel.
We were really overwhelmed
with their supports. The sum of over 14,000 USD was raise during the visitation,
part of it went to support the work in Mali, and about USD 11,000 was for the
projects in Sierra Leone. This was unprecedented in the generosity demonstrated
by the Nigeria Church. This is a country
that is struggling with recession, many public workers including the church
staffs were not paid their salaries but yet out of the little they earn for
their living, they were able to give in support of the work in Sierra Leone and
Mali. BELOVED WE SAY A BIG THANK YOU.
“UNA TENKI LE PAPA GOD BLESS YOU ALL”.
Leadership
of the CRC SL joyfully received the donations from the CRC Nigeria .
Beside my visit to the churches in Nigeria, we also had the
opportunity to visit the paramount Ruler of Wukari Dr. Shekarau Angyu Masaibi.
This is a Traditional Ruler with a different, a man who loved the Lord and things
of the Lord, especially when it comes to propagation of the Word. He said to me
“Rev. What was the instruction given by our Lord Jesus
Christ to the Church to do before his ascension? “ I said to preach the gospel … “to all people
including traditional rulers”. He cut in and I said yes, then he continue “make
sure you do not discriminate against anybody including the chiefs, go to them
and tell them about the good news of Jesus Christ in Sierra Leone, that is why
the Lord took you away from here to go and do for him in Sierra Leone” , Then
he presented traditional clothes to us that we should remember our roots even
in far away Sierra Leone.
With the Aku Uka in the Ancient city of Wukari , during a
visit to his palace.
ADDITIONAL PASTOR FOR
CRC-SL. One other important activities that happened during the home visit
that affects the church in Sierra Leone positively, was the priestly Ordination
of Mr. Frank Foray Sesay into the pastoral ministry. Frank is a member of the
CRC SL who was trained at the Veenstra Theological Seminary in Donga
Nigeria. Frank completed his studies
last year, but could not return yet because his wife Mary, need to finish a
year more study for her diploma training. Therefore both of them are still in
Nigeria. Mary will be completing her course come May 2017. The CRCSL requested
the Nigerian Church to Ordain Frank for her, in which they accepted and did
that November last year. We are now expecting their return early June to join
the work force for the Sierra Leone CRC.
OUR RETURN TO SIERRA
LEONE: Initially we were to fly back to Sierra Leone on January 24, but
reaching the airport after security check and clearance of our baggage, only to
be told that our flight is not 24 but 22. Unfortunately neither we nor the
agents were informed of the changes. So we have to stay for extra two days,
before travelling on 26 January. In all we thank God we are now back in Sierra
Leone , the people receive us with joy , indeed it surprise us of the kind of
reception that were organized for us. The people had thought that we may not be
returning and so when it was confirmed to them that we are coming and
eventually we did, it was a great joy to them. Many brought gifts of various
kinds to us including chickens, goat, rice and many food stuffs. Despite the
facts that this year the farms did not produce much harvest as was expected. We
are anticipating early hunger this year in Kabala. But Out of what they have
they came with foods to welcome us. “Baraka’
CRC SL WOMEN
CONFERENCE: January 26- 29 was another period in which women of the CRCSL
gathered in Dankawali village for this year’s annual Spiritual conference. Upon,
our arrival on 26, 28 we visited them at the conference to bring greetings and
give words of encouragement. The conference was well attended by women across
the churches of the CRC SL . Below are some pictures of the women during the
conference in Dankawali.
.
MULTIPURPOSE AND
CHURCH BUILDING IN KABALA. Because of lack of fund and also my home
service, we could not continue with the building work from October 2016 to January 2017. But with the help we
received from CRC Nigeria, we have started work at the site, the second phase
building is almost at the lintel high, we are hoping that soon the wall will
reach a roofing high . How far we can go from there , it depends on the
availability of funds. We are trusting God that your donation will continue to
come until its done. Amen; Below are pictures of the level in which we are now
on the building.
YIRAH FILAYA BADELA:
We give thanks to God for this Muslims community who embraced Christianity. Like
in most villages and towns in Sierra Leone especially the Northern . The People
of Yirah Filayah accepted the gospel last year May on the Pentecost day when we
went there for three days evangelism. Yirah Filayah people had benefited a lot from
the Christian service of the CES[ Christian extension service of the World
renew sponsor ] and so when we went there with the gospel, it was like “ this
is what we’ve been waiting for since.
After this, a rich Muslim man hearing that Christianity has entered the village,
decided to build a Mosque there for them. We are not contending with them, but
we are preaching the gospel. Again the Nigeria CRC came to our rescue by
providing some funding for us to raise a structure where the believers will be
meeting.
An interesting thing that happened when with visited upon my
return, the Muslims came out to welcome us and showed their willingness to help
their fellow who has accepted Christianity to make blocks for the building of a
worship place. The Leader of the work for the blocks and to mine sand from the
river to the site is the imam of the village, the youth chairman also a Muslim all
came out with their wives and children to help the Christian. Very soon the
building will start.
TLT TRAINING:
This year we have completed the training session of the second batch of the TLT
training in Sierra Leone. out of 22 people who initially register for the
training , only twelve were able to successfully complete the training two weeks
ago. After that, on 18th to 25th February
I travelled to Liberia to continue the training there too which we began last
year September. The turnout was very encouraging Twenty five people were in attendance.
.
VISIT WITH MORRIS
SONNIE IN LIBERIA. During that time of my visit to LIBERIA I also visited
Morris Sonnie in Tieni were he is also doing fine with the school he started
last year and church planting in Gbese.
One Rev. Sensie Kroma [ the Liberian way of spelling Koroma], who is a
cousin to Morris have started a fellowship group in Monrovia and he calls it
CRC.
OTHER MINISTRIES IN
SIERRA LEONE: We continue to give thanks to God for the work here , the
Kabala Christian School [ CRC] is doing
well , the new headmistress Mrs. Kamara she doing well in the school with the
new teacher at the primary school. The
secondary school students are working very hard with their teachers in
preparation for their first National senior secondary school Waec[West Africa
examination council] examination coming
up soon. We are looking forward for the
performance of the first class of senior secondary examination of the school.
CES is also doing fine
the program manager and other staffs are all working very hard to reach out to
various community as the funding are available. Plans are on the pipe line to
start work in other new areas. Mr. Gwaivamin have just travelled to Nigeria he
will be there for a month before retuning. There is also going to be a hiring
of a new staff who will serve as cahier to both CES and CRC SL.
Family farm has
begun a store building for the communities of Foria and Fogo. They hope to
finish the building before the coming of the rain.
APRRECIATION:
Beloved in the Lord ,once again on behalf of my family, I will like to express
our sincere gratitude to you all for your supports for us for the ministry,
especially prayers during our home
service . My family are all well now. Three of them are in Nigeria. Joyce is
doing her national service at the TCNN Secondary school in Bukuru Jos. Judith
is attending the Kwarrafa University in Wukari where she is studying computer
science. Bernhard is with a family friend in Abuja preparing for his final examination
to begin next month. Jemimah, Johncalvin and I we are here in Sierra Leone. The
family is now divide into two: three in Salone and three in Nigeria.
PRAYER REQUEST:
1.
Thank God for a successful home service.
2.
Thank God
for my Children , Joyce for completing her studies and now serving her country,
Judith for securing admission, and Bernhard for his forth coming Examination.
3.
Pray for the ministry here for the grace of God.
4.
As we
enter the lent period come March 1 pray that the period will renew our
commitment to serve God.
5.
Pray for His grace in our lives, that we will
not be carry away with the worries for our children.
6.
Pray for the final students at the KCSS for
success in their National Examination that is coming up soon
7.
Pray for the FFP building projects in Foria and
Fogo.
8.
Pray for
the multipurpose building in Kabala that funding will continue to come for us
to complete the project.
9.
Pray for the Yirah Filaya church building as
well as other village work that we will embark on soon.
10.
The leadership of the CRC SL is coming up with a
Spiritual conference in April, pray that this will help the people in their
spiritual growth.
11.
In March
we will be going out for village Evangelism campaign pray for God ‘s leading
and souls accepting Christ. We are doing this in the Alkalia and Wanaduwan
area.
12.
Pray for more funding for the work here, that
God will open more ways, and as well bless those who are giving.
SUBMITTED
BY : REV. ISTIFANUS B. BAHAGO.
LEADERSHIP
CONSULTANT CRC-SL/ CRWM
PHONE.
+23278264240, +23277668139
Blog:www.apostlebahago.blogspot.com
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