ACTIVITY OPERATION REPORT FOR APRIL, 2023
Full Time and the Extended Programs
INTRODUCTION
It is true that life goes along with challenges and it was those challenges (sicknesses) that made us not to have sent our April report till now. However, in the midst of all, God has been at the center. If not an overstatement, then we will say that the month of April 2023 has been the most successful month for us since the establishment of Bear Valley in Sierra Leone. The month of April captures the conversion of so many souls, evangelistic seminars, campaigns, appointment of a preacher, and the continuation of academic activities. Please may you keep on reading for the details of the highlighted activities we do this under the following subheadings:
ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES
Academically, our 18 full time students continued their classes successfully. On the other hand, the second semester of the first year of our extended students came to an end at the end of March. Therefore, they were given a two-week break from the 1st to the 8th April, 2023. They resumed their third semester on the 15th April, 2023. Please keep on praying for our students as they have committed their lives to studying in order to minister for the Lord.
EVANGELISTIC CAMPAIGN AT PANGUMA
In our January report, early this year, we informed you that we established a local congregation at Panguma, a predominantly Muslim territory. And that 5 Muslims were converted which made up the 13 converts during our one week campaign. Moreover, we informed you that there are still more people there that will come to the Lord if another campaign is being directed there. So in April (17-23), we went for another campaign at Panguma. During this one extensive work, 9 souls became obedient to the faith. We even pray for more people to come to Christ in Panguma as we send our students and staff there week in and out.
ALUMNI EFFORTS AND THE SCHOOL’S WEEKEND EVANGELISM
As you know, our graduates are busy working in the field. They are serving as preachers and evangelists in some congregations in Sierra Leone. In the month of April, our graduates from the various parts of Sierra Leone converted a total number of 12 souls and restored 15 brethren. They continue to share their challenges with us such as financial constraints, lack of mobility, etc. If the Lord blesses anyone and wants to support some of them that have totally given themselves to the ministry, it would be greatly appreciated. Again, as you know, our students and staff are always sent on the field to practicalize what is being taught in the classroom. Thus for April, from our weekend evangelism, 8 souls were converted.
EVANGELISTIC SEMINARS AND MASSIVE CONVERSION OF SOULS
Since the existence of the school is to purely impact local congregations and to bring many people to Christ, we organized evangelistic seminars in Kenema, Kailahun, and Koindu. These seminars were purely conducted in order to motivate brethren to be more involved in the work of evangelism. Again, these seminars were geared toward empowering our evangelistic team members with better skills on evangelism. The seminars took place from April 27-30, and they carried training and door-to-door evangelism engagements. In order to augment our efforts, our coordinator brother Steve, who is so evangelistic offered us some financial aid. Moreover, he had some of our brethren from Nigeria (Eric Okomado, Ikenna Princewill, Chidi John, Blessing Onoura, and Osita Onoura) who came and joined us to do this marvelous work. The work was so successful that we had 47 converts in all of the places that the seminars were conducted. This is amazing, isn’t it?
So for the month of April, when we combine the total number of converts from the school weekend evangelism and campaign, alumni efforts, evangelistic seminars, it sums up to 76 and 15 restorations, apart from the evangelistic teams efforts which take the next section. Please brethren, let us continue to pray for all of these souls so that they can remain true to their calling.
As you know, apart from the evangelism that is done by the school exclusively, we have also set up evangelistic teams. For the month of April, the Evangelism Teams were able to carry on the following activities:
KOINDU TEAM
As reported earlier in the month of March, the Koindu Team was not able to conduct its first Gospel Campaign due to the painful demise of its leader, Emmanuel Focko. However, a new leader has now been appointed and by God’s grace, the Koindu Team has now successfully conducted their first Evangelistic Gospel Campaign in Yengema Community from the 11th -16th April 2023. During this campaign, the Team members led by Brother Omoru Sahr Focko converted nine souls which marked the establishment of a new congregation. Since then, the team continues to conduct weekly evangelism to nurture these new converts and add more souls to the church. The team usually goes on Saturday to conduct evangelism and worship on Sunday. The Team is grateful to the School Administration for supporting the work by providing the PA system. However, the Team continues to plead with the School Coordinator Steven Ashcraft to also help in providing Motor Bike to aid the work in terms of mobility to be regularly visiting the new converts, mission trips, and effective gospel campaigns.
KAILAHUN TEAM
The Kailahun Team continues to be actively involved in evangelism. As reported earlier, they conducted their first Gospel Campaign at the Kossiala Community. Also, they conducted their first Gospel Seminar at Kossiala from the 26th – 30th April, 2023. At this spiritual exercise, nine souls were added to the church. Michael Sahr Triyoh taught on “Understanding the New Testament Church” while the team Leader Brother Alfred B.N. Tengbeh taught on “How can one be added to the New Testament Church.” On the 30th of April, the number of congregants was 62. This new congregation has eighteen converts altogether (8 males and 10 females). The team continues to nurture and strengthen this new congregation by conducting daily weekly evangelism and worshipping with them on every first day of the week. The team continues to appreciate Brother Steven Ashcraft for his financial support and most importantly, for providing the team with a PA system. This PA system was effectively used during this seminar and will be effectively used during the subsequent campaigns and seminars. In fact, the availability of the PA system has encouraged us to continue to work for the Lord since we were desperately in need of it. May God continue to bless you richly with our dearly beloved brother Steve. However, we are still not without challenges in terms of mobility. We pray that may God bless you in no time for you to provide us with at least a new Motor Bike to ease mobility cost. Also, as the new congregation continues to grow, we are facing challenges in terms of worship structure. However, we are putting plans together to see that we erect a structure by early next year. Your support in whatever little way it may be will be greatly appreciated.
KENEMA TEAM
The Kenema Team, headed by Brother James Borniea also continues to carry out its Evangelistic activities. Since the establishment of the new congregation at Hanga, they have continued nurturing and strengthening it by daily Wednesday Bible Study and weekly evangelism. They usually go to Hanga on Saturdays for evangelism and worship with them on Sundays. Even though Hanga is a completely Muslim dominated community, yet the Lord has called out some from among them to be added to the church. The school administration together with the team members has observed that another massive Evangelism Gospel Seminar Campaign should be held in Hanga to strengthen the new congregation. The team is grateful to the school coordinator for providing them with the PA system to aid the work.
FREETOWN TEAM
The School Administration has now been able to have a formidable team in Freetown headed by Brother David Thoronka. Having a Team in Freetown has been a challenge. As it is common with metropolitan cities, many people there are always busy. However, there are always those that are committed to the cause of Christ. The Freetown team comprises six members. The team is scheduled to launch its first Gospel Campaign from the 23th -28th May, 2023 at Songo Town. The Theme of their first campaign is: “Launch Out into the Deep” (Luke 5:4)
KONO TEAM
The Kono Team also continues to carry out its evangelistic activities. As reported earlier, their first gospel campaign was launched at Kuyor where they started a new congregation. They continue to be involved in weekly evangelism, visitation, and restoration. In April, the Team converted four souls. The team is grateful to the school coordinator for providing a PA system to aid the work. The PA system will be used effectively for the work of evangelism. The team is still not able to provide pictorial evidence since none of the team members has any smartphone. However, the field work continues to be done.
BO AND MAGBURAKA TEAMS
As for the Bo and Magburaka teams, their activities will be reported as we continue in this year. They did not conduct any evangelistic campaign so that they could establish congregations like the other teams, but they were also able to engage in personal and door-to-door evangelism. They are also working harder.
APPOINTMENT OF A PREACHER
Sometimes ago, we informed you that the influence of the school in the affairs of the local congregations all over Sierra Leone is worth noting. Since God wants the Church of His Son to be led in a manner prescribed by Him in His holy writ, we encouraged one of the local congregations here in Kenema, Kamanda Street Church of Christ to take this concern seriously. The congregation appointed Brother Benjamin Tamba Thomas, one of our students in the extended program and our computer instructor as their preacher. The event was officiated by some of our staff and it ended very successfully. May we put Brother Benjamin in our prayers so that we will always have the grace to carry out the Master’s mandate.
CONCLUSION
Thank you dear brethren for patiently going through this report. We continue to appreciate your partnership in all aspects. May the Lord keep us till we could meet to share the good news of another report.
Thank you very much.
Peter Sahr Makundu
For the KBVBI SIERRA LEONE