EVANGELISM IN THE CARIBBEAN : MISSION IN GUADELOUPE

The marquee at the "Plage du Souffleur" (Tent of Meeting)

Evangelization in the Caribbean - 2015

We went to the West Indies from June 17 to July 7, at the invitation of Pastor Dominique Dick an Evangelist of Guadeloupe for an evangelical campaign he organized with some Churches of Guadeloupe. Originally we also had to ensure a seminar in order to prepare the participants to the 2016 International Bible Camp in Cameroon in July-August, which was to bring together participants from Martinique and Guadeloupe. The seminar was to be held in Guadeloupe after the campaign and then I had to travel to Martinique to ensure the same seminar with the people of Martinique until July 5^th and come back to Guadeloupe and get my flight on the 6^th to France.

Pastor Emmanuel Koum, an Evangelist from Cameroon, constant companion of mine in the mission field, joined me this time. The theme chosen by the organizers was “Face with a Hopeless World where to find Hope.” A seminar on spiritual warfare was scheduled every morning of the four first days of evangelization and the conferences were held every evening. Alongside the campaign, we respectively preached in many Churches of the Island.

The Conferences

These Conferences were held at a spot called “Plage des Souffleurs” (The Blowers’ Beach) at a beach

in the municipality of Port-Louis, were a large tent was settled, similar to a meeting tent like the one the Israelites rose in the desert after their exodus from Egypt. There was also a less big one that served for food, another one for the bookstore and three smaller ones, two for the storage of chairs, and one for interviews with new converts. The Conference began on Sunday, June 21^st and ended the following Sunday, June 28^th 2015. The launch was made a day before on Saturday 20^th by Pastor Dominique Dick during an evening of praise and intercession which was a great “God’s feast Day” during which he introduced the theme of the week of evangelization. Then the speakers during the following days were successively Pastors Emmanuel Koum, Dominique Dick, Daniel Mpondo and Maurice Sitcharn. The evening meetings were chaired alternatively by leaders of the participating Churches, respectively of Port-Louis, Bay-Mahault, Bethel, Grand Camp, Mission Chrétienne (Christian Mission), Basse-Terre, Le Moule and praise was led by these churches’ bands. Many souls came to the Lord Jesus. The Lord be glorified!

The Seminars

They were held in the same place from 9am to noon, from June 23^rd to 26^th. For these teachings, the attendance was less than during the evening meetings, mostly church leaders and some very committed Christians. The lectures focused on “Demonology” by Pastor Dominique Dick, “The Spiritual warfare” by Pastor Daniel Mpondo, “Walk by the Spirit” by Pastor Harry Montresor and “To Follow Jesus” by Pastor Emmanuel Koum. This seminar was of great edification for all the participants including speakers themselves.

The visits to Churches

Alongside the Conferences and after, Pastor Emmanuel Koum and I have been sent to various Churches of Guadeloupe where we also shared the word on Sundays during the services. Then the program with Martinique having been cancelled, the Lord led another program to take place in Guadeloupe with some Churches where I also shared the message on Sunday services and ministered during some evening meetings. We once again saw the Lord at Work. To Him be all the glory!

Preparing the IBC (International Bible Camp)

We also had two meetings alongside the Conferences, contrary to what was expected. These meetings brought together some young people first, then many people joined us, young and old eager to make the trip to Cameroon in July and August 2016. The Rev. Emmanuel Koum and I have trained them on preparing the trip on the motivations that must animate those who wish to undertake this journey. It was about administrative procedures, information on the welcoming principles, accommodation, health care and all the cultural aspects (what to be or not to be making, behaviour and outfits -how to dress- in evangelical circles in Africa…) we met a lot of adherences to the project which hopefully will turn into firm registrations.

Throughout this mission we have seen the Lord at work and we hope that it will continue after our passage with as much force and fervour. It was also a great spiritual battle in all domains. What happened to Pastor Emmanuel Koum on his return to France when he arrived Orly Airport is a demonstration. Indeed, there was another program awaiting him in Paris and he left therefore the West Indies before me. But once he arrived the Airport, while he had a visa that allowed him to stay 11 more days, he was refused the entrance in the French territory. The reason was the Schengen visa did not allow him to travel to the Caribbean therefore he was in breach and was to be deported to Cameroon, which was done the following day under police escort. We all wondered why the border police did not point out to him on his departure for Guadeloupe or even when he was embarking at Point-a-Pitre Airport… For this also may the Lord be glorified!

 

 

THE GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER -GDOP- 2015

Christendom flag

The Global Day Of Prayer – GDOP Strasbourg - 2015

Our Missionary Organisation based in France, The Missionary Actions for Evangelism in Africa – Source of Living Water, organized for the tenth consecutive year in Strasbourg, The Global Day Of Prayer (GDOP) at the playground of the “Jardin des 2Rives”. This encounter was initiated by a South African business man following a vision in which God asked him to rent a stadium to hold a prayer meeting there at Pentecost. Started in South Africa, it spread throughout the Africa continent to engulf the whole world since 2005, when Africa invite the world to pray for the Nations on the Day of Pentecost.

For this tenth anniversary, the organization was relatively difficult. First, the City Council who graciously used to put at our disposal very year for last ten years a podium, awarded this year with condition that we provide a financial contribution our association who has a hard time financing his evangelistic activities could not stand. It is Serge B., a friend and brother in Christ in the Lyon region, who encouraged us by offering us to bring from his region for us, a podium he would himself manufacture. Then we learned by our beloved Brother Pierrot who used to give us a hand to the sound system, that not only he could not be released from his job this year to help us, but also the Christian organisation that lent us his sound since the beginning of this event could not do so this year, they had given out the material they used to put at our disposal and had not yet acquired a new one. And finally a number of friends used to give us a helping hand withdrew, some at the last minute. We struggled to complete the organization to the point that I wondered whether it was worth continuing to organise this event. But glory be to God, there was also the faithful who have encouraged and supported us. The fact that the “Evangelical Protestant Fellowship of the Strasbourg Urban Community (now the Euro-metropole) has widely announced the event in Churches, at fellowship meetings and on its website also greatly encouraged us. We thank its officials.

Then we gathered on Sunday, May 24, 2015 from 14:30 to the playground of the “Jardin des 2Rives”. Our partner in praise was again this year the Praise Group of the MIEL Church. It is this church that provided us with the sound through which we could operate this year. The Christian Church “House of Prayer for the Nations” has also contributed this time to a larger participation than previous years. After a time of worship, we began with prayer and the presentation of the event that brought us together in this Pentecost Sunday. Then we prayed for the Authorities, the family according to God that is put to the test in this world today, and for the persecuted Christians, particularly with a special focus on the Middle East. Then we prayed for Europe and Israel, Congo DRC, which has been our particular subject of this year, before raising a prayer for the African Continent. After the prayer for the Nations that united us with all Christians of the world who gathered for this day of prayer, since it is the same for everyone and in all tongues, we prayed for the unity of the Body of Christ in need in this world were the Christians are the most persecuted group. We closed the meeting with a prayer of blessing and the MIEL Praise group accompanied us until the end of the meeting.

We experienced again this year, intense moments of fellowship and visitation of the Holy Spirit through the prayers we have raised to God. A friend and Brother in Christ told me he was living something special about this meeting and that it was for him one of the best times of the year. May the Lord be Glorified!

THE SYNNERGY SUMMIT - SPAIN 2015

The venue of the Summit

THE SYNERGY SUMMIT IN BARCELONA, SPAIN

Held in Barcelona, Spain from May 11 to 14, 2015, the Synergy Summit brought together Ministries involved in Global Outreach. This encounter was precede on May 10 by an optional training day for those who wished, focused on fundamental frameworks and key skills for those new to mission network and on capacity building for experienced network leaders. His gathering was to encourage these Ministries to network for greater efficiency. Why did the organizers of this gathering find it necessary to emphasize networking?

First, observation was made that we live in a complex world full of confusion and disconcerting. More and more people are stuck by poverty, wars and political unrest push entire populations to migration. Thus millions of people are scattered all over the world. The means of communication simultaneously explode and millions of people are connected. Technologies evolve in a fast and adoption of new technologies as well.

Then in 1974 over 200 people from over 150 nations gathered in Lausanne. It was the first time they were asked to discuss issue of global evangelism. This has led to the multiplication of global movements of mission and the Lord blessed. Coordination and training are therefore needed. It was then urgent to put at the disposal of each other at the planetary level, skills and resources. For this, it was necessary to give the vision, persuade the stakeholders to join together, to focus collaboration and partnership, given that combined actions were better than working alone.

Several topics were discussed, including Unleashing Participation Trough Member Engagement, Unleashing Results through Specific Objectives etc. Many speakers shared their experiences in their specific fields and the opportunity was given to participants to get together in interest groups and partnerships were thus born. Many strategic issues were discussed in relation to what is happening in the world, including the Muslim world and the persecution of Christians.

The Christian world is moving. Missions, Movements and Christian Works increasingly realize the need to put aside doctrinal differences and work together in the current global context for the advancement of God’s Kingdom.

The summit, whose main objective were:

1) To inspire, show examples of how God is at work across networks to advance the Gospel

2) To connect the networks and provide opportunities for shared learning and inter-network collaboration

3) To equip, offering new ideas and ressources to enhance the effectiveness of mission network,

Can be considered a complete success since most of these objectives were met in light of  the results obtained through contacts and appointments made by most of us for effective collaboration and partnership in future projects in the coming years. We are looking forward to next Synergy Summit 2017 for the evaluation of these collaborations and partnerships.