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HOW WILL THEY HEAR, IF NO ONE PREACHES?

A report by David Pam McQuel

On 31st August 2017 a long standing plan came to fruition. A Scripture that has driven my heart since 1993.

Isaiah 9:2 The people walking in darkness
    have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
    a light has dawned.
3 You have enlarged the nation
    and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
    when dividing the plunder.

We at the World Mission Centre at the beginning of each year look forward to taking the gospel to those who have never heard. This year wasn't different. About a year ago I met at a restaurant in Accra Mall, Accra Ghana with Mr. Yunuyus Dasat, a long serving and an experienced theatre nurse, well involved in Christian medical outreaches and we set the skeletons for an outreach that will involve a medical team.

Plans got a boost when our dear friend from Chicago, Illinois, Diana Bailey shipped a large quantity of medical supplies that could help us in our outreach. Although we almost lost the shipment when the Ivorian immigration required that we pay import duty on the mission resources as though they were for commercial purpose, God sent us help and they were cleared.

Soon the Lord led us to a community, Bonon in the Marahouet Region, Central Ivory coast, about 5 hours away from Abidjan the economic nerve centre of the nation.

No significant effort was made until I received a whatsapp message from a total stranger now my friend from Nigeria, Olarenwaju Benjamin, the founder of Project Save Nigeria, a ministry totally devoted to rural missions and evangelism in Africa.

Brother Benjamin proposed collaboration for an outreach and offered to co-finance with Project Save. From then, plans kicked off.

We intended to take a team of about 20 comprising of a medical team, a barber, a carpenter and a team of missionaries and our budget was $3,000. But as the date approached, we prayed and appealed to partners and friends and hoped to receive support enough. All that came in was less than $600 and we vow to hold the outreach making a lot of sacrifices.

When the proposed resources didn't come, some members of our medical began to withdraw since we couldn't transport them from Ghana to the ivory coast and we had to drop the barber and the carpenter as well and went with the medical team we could get and our missionary delegation.

First weekend of July was VOI (Visit Of Inquiry). I was robbed on the way, it did not deter me. I still finally got to the Gouro village, my very first time. My contacts were good. I was received and I left on the following day.

Finally on the 31, we were ready. And that same day our only doctor was making the 12 hours road trip from Ghana. The team waited at the park on their feet for 5 hours. Since the outreach coincided with the Muslim festivities, transportation was very scarce. Eventually we got to Bonon, at 8:00PM, tired, drained and hungry. We had to forfeit the film show intended for our first night there.

The following morning activities began:
Friday 1, September 2017
7:00AM Team Morning Fellowship
7:30AM Community Sanitation
8:00AM Visit to the Local Chief's Palace
8:30AM Breakfast
10:00AM Socializing/Get ready for the evening crusade
1:00PM Lunch
2:00PM - 5:00PM Rest
6:30PM Crusade
Gratefully, our doctor arrived.
Saturday 2, September 2017
Medical Outreach
6:30AM Breakfast
7:00AM - 5:30PM Medical/Spiritual Care outreach
6:00PM Meal
7:30PM Crusade
Sunday 3, September 2017
7:00AM Breakfast
8:00AM Team Worship a MIRENA Church
10:30AM lunch
11:AM Departure back to Abidjan

We had over 300 confess Christ as Savior and Lord of their lives. Over 200 received free medical care and drugs. More than 90% of these people never heard the gospel explained.

The whole outreach was an expression of Christ's compassion. In my next blog post I will publish some of the moments in Bonon.

Thank you to those who gave. You made it possible. And to those who could support, there more outreaches coming ahead. God bless you.

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