Prayer Request for November and December

My trip in the Caribbean made me more accountable to the reality of the project in which the Lord led me. Before this project, I did not consider the impact of the slave trade on the planet demography and its consequences on relationship between black and white people, with the specificity of those between black populations from this ugly trade and white populations on the one hand, and black population of the forced Diaspora and black populations from the continent on the other hand. Until that vision, it is a subject that never interested, nor questioned me.

In my youth, I knew there were some were oversee, brothers called “sugarcane” with whom cohabitation was difficult or even sometimes impossible. Some families advised their children not to bind into the marriage with them because this was always doomed to failure, and for me it was a simple exogenous data which all African travelling to Overseas should take into account and I never questioned why that? When I arrived in France for my studies and faced them for the first time, I realized it was the same for them: we were likewise as concerns that state of mind, but we shared at least one thing, our apprehension of white people.

So it is only from this view that something has changed my view of this situation. It is as if suddenly the Lord has opened my eyes to a world I could only see through a veil. I became interested in this very story, and like miraculously I was put in contact with people, videos, books and events relevant to the slave trade and its consequences in geopolitics, economic and commercial relations, cultural and social relations in the world.

When I started the implementation of this project and I realized that the Lord had entrusted similar vision to other, Western like African, I asked myself why to me too, since a considerable amount of work had already been done in this direction. What could I make more by the vision that I received? The response I received during my trip in October in the Caribbean.

When I arrived at the Hotel where we stayed, the first observation I made is that the ladies at the reception were behaving exactly as our sisters in Africa. They had always attached their faces as if they had something against the whole world. The second is after my speec at the Congress of Evangelicals sin the Caribbean Georgetown 2011 (CONECAR 2011). I realized the bad feeling of black people. It would certainly be relevant to the colonial and slavery situation that this population had experimented: it is when a pastor of Barbados approached me and said this: “brother, until now, I had resentment towards the African who sold us as slaves to whites, but now, after your presentation, and following the call you have just addressed us, I realize that we should and can be Joseph to Africa and give her a helping hand to finish the task and do any other things together.”

I knew the Life Line Expedition had visited the Barbados and made a welk with yokes and chains there, but that a pastor of this country comes to me and tell me what I have heard, this made me realize that there was still much to do and the adventure was worth it!

Thank you to pray for:

- New contacts that were made at the CONECAR to coordinate actions to the reconciliation of peoples involved in the triangular trade and its consequences. Pray that they are successful and that the will of God be done.

- The authorities of Nantes, that they accept our proposal to participate in the inauguration ceremony of the Memorial for the abolition of slavery.

- The Churches of Nantes that they are convinced of the need in the interest of their involvement in the movement for reconciliation. God has given us in Christ, the Ministry of Reconciliation.

- For us. That the discouragement recedes from us and that the Lord renews us in our zeal to serve Him, to obey Him and to put into practice what He commands us.

- That the Lord opens doors that lead us to do His will at all times and closes those intended to divert us.

Prayer Request for October

I'm traveling to the Caribbean from October 12. to 24., 2011. I had to pas through Jamaica, but as with the Life Line Expedition that did not work. I personally believe that it was not the Lord's will. But everything was set up for a mission in Martinique where I will be hosted by the Evangelical Baptist Church during the two weekends of this period. Meanwhile I'll go to Georgetown in Guyana to take part from October 17. to 20. in the Congress of Evangelicals in the Caribbean (CONECAR 2011). I pray that the Lord inspires me in how to communicate the vision of the reconciliation boat.

Thank you to pray for:

- Pastor Paul MOULIN who is hosting me during my stay in Martinique, that he is blessed, him and his family. May the LOrd bless His Church in Martinique.

- That the contacts at the CONECAR with Church leaders, associations and evangelical movements in the Caribbean are drivent by the Holy Spirit and lead to combined actions for the Ministry and for the organisation of the future expediton.

- That the Lord opens doors that lead us to do His will at all time, and closes those that are intended to divert us.

- His protection thoughout the trip in the Caribbean. Pray that He preserves us from all evil and that His will be done!

Prayer Request for August

The city of NANTES is about to inaugurate the Memorial of Slavery in December 2011. We want to participate to this event as part of our reconciliation efforts, with the Life Line Expedition project and the "Yokes and Chains" march and the Maeva Sev boat of reconciliation project. For this reason, Jacques Vigouroux and I have undertaken to get to Nantes from 25 to 29 August. This trip is intended to make contact with Churches, Associations working in this direction and the officials of the City who prepare the event.

Thank you to pray for:

- The brother in Christ that receives us during our stay, may the Lord bless him and his family and that He inspires him to help us in all these contacts.

- The contacts with Churches, Associations and the City officials. That they are led by the Holy Spirit and that these contacts lead to joint actions.

- That the Lord opens doors that lead us to do His will, and closes those that are intended to divert us.

- His protection throughout this journey and especially from any evil. Pray that in any case HIS WILL BE DONE!

God bless you abundantly.

The Project goes on

Many among you wonder why this long silence. Some were concerned about whether I had given up. I thank them for their support and encouragement.

I confess I was discouraged, given the fighting that followed these actions. Noting that the people over whom I leaned had abandoned me in this project, I questioned, wondering if it really was God's will. I realized how could God give such a project to someone like me? Unknown in the religious world, even insignificant in this country, in this city, without any scale (far from it...). I have experimented many oppositions, both among some of our white brothers who felt they had nothing to do with this trade and its consequences, so there was no repentance in this area required; as well as among some of our black brothers, mostly from Africa, who believed that Africans were more victims of this trade and they have nothing to do with this kind of actions. So I began to seek the face of the Lord by fasting and prayer, for doubt began to torment me. I did not understand how this vision could come from God and meet as many oppositions each time an action is undertaken for the start. Then I received this response: Habakuk 2 v3! From that I got it clear from the Lord that He had given rise to other movements that are in the same direction and are to eventually merge together. I got that this stage will be the last, as a conclusion of all others. I then had a conviction that I had to join the other movements that act in the same direction, and then the doors will eventually open.

So I thought it was time to join first the "life Line Expedition" movement. Again I think it's a door that the Lord is about to open, because it is precisely Jacques Vigouroux who participated to the various steps of the reconciliation march "Yokes and Chains" of this movement, encouraged me a lot when the vacuum was around me and despair gradually came over me. I recall the contact with Jacques is due to David Potter who connected us together. We had planned to get to the march scheduled in Jamaica early in October 2011 but now postponed to 2012 and will coincide with the celebration of the jubilee, 50 years of independence of this country.

In the mean time we intend to get to Nantes for the inauguration of the memorial dedicated to slavery. It was scheduled first for September and then October but none of these dates suited us because not only of the MANI Continental Consultation expected in Abuja Nigeria in September, but also because of the "Yokes and Chains" march which was scheduled for October in Jamaica, besides I had to continue with the Congres of the Evangelicals in the Caribbean, CONECAR scheduled in October 17th to 20th in Georgetown Guyana. This program did not allow us to prepare or even to take part in the inauguration of the Memorial of Nantes. It is a relief for us and we see here the hand of our beloved Lord. We hope to mobilize the churches in the region and encourage them to take an active part in this event.

Prayer Request for this time:

- May the Lord renew our strength, our beliefs and His vision in us.
- May the Lord lead us away from any spirit of discouragement or distraction for us to be focused on His vision and do not let ourselves be distracted by ideas, thoughts or directions that do not come from Him.
- May He give us the revelation of those and other movements with which we are called to work on this project.

Prayer Requests for January

You can join us for the following prayer requests:

- That at the dawn of this new year, the Lord renews His vision of the Prayer Boat and put the conviction in the harts of those He has chosen to take part in this mission. That He casts away from us all, any discouragement about this project.

- That the Lord may raise "active" stakeholders to drive this project that will soon involve meetings in different countries, movements and actions of multiple form and communications.

- That He may renew our strength and give us the insight and the ability to respond to this call.

- That He sends us or make us meet a ship owner as He provides.

What ship for this project?

I thought a lot about Brian's suggestion that I sent to some of you as a prayer subject so that the Lord enlightens us about it. He suggested, in short, that we should only do some European ports by ship from Liverpool, where we would have a launching ceremony at the museum of slavery up to Moroco. The rest would be done by flight with a smaller delegation. The idea of a launching ceremony at the slavery museum in Liverpool seems excellent and the contribution of the Marine Search Ministry to the project is highly significant and apreciated. So I submitted this proposal to the Lord by fasting and prayer. But each time, the image I got, when I asked the Lord what was His will for this project, was that of a sailer, similar to those that carried the slaves and who was traveling alongside African coasts. I asked Him to confirm this vision if it comes from Him. Yesterday, december 29th 2010, I received a phone call from a brother, Jacques V. I did not know before, but who contacted me because David POTT had told him about our project. He shared with me a vision that he had of a sailboat that sailed under full sail by the breth of God, I received it as a confirmation.

Moreover, considering the explanations given to me by Jacques, it seems that Brian's proposal is similar to a project and even several projects that already exist such as the Lifeline Expedition's: for more than seven years, white and black of all nations, men, women and children, walk together hundreds of miles, across four continents with yokes and chains and go on journey unlike any other. I think the Lord is about to do something completely new (Isaiah 43: 18-19) and not duplicate what already exist. Another movement is the one of Reconciliation and Renewal that is going to hold a Conference in Africa this year.

This various projects of repentance and reconciliation can support each other. The Prayer Boat's has to learn and to benefit from he experiences of others that we progressively discover as we move forward. I'm sure they all contribute to a major project the Lord Has for His people of Africa, the Caribbean and the Nations of the world.

I myself am invited to attend a Conference for Reconciliation Renewal in Cotonou, Benin from July 27th to July 31st 2011 and I'm honoured. Conviced that this si part fo the plan of the Lord God and Father of our Lord and Saviour Jesus-Christ through whom He gave us the ministry of reconciliation, having reconciled us with Him. In the meantime, let's continue to work towards the implementation of the vision of the Prayer Ship for repentance and forgiveness for the reconciliation of the people of all Nations involved in the slave trade.

Let us pray that this vision takes shape in the Churches of Europe, Africa and the Americas, among Christians of all denominations and all Nations so that the will of God be done.

1st Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing"

Many Happy Returns

Some celebrate the Nativity of our Lord in December 25th, other later, on January 7th. We just want to remind in this season he came in bodily form of a man to remove our chaines of sin and save us! It is never too late to wish those we love, happiness and grace: Happy Season of the Nativity to all of you!

Moreover, at the dawn of the Nes Year 2011 I wish you and your families a Happy Nesw Year. May happines and grace of God of love guide you every day, through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.