We have served the West African region, first as missionaries in Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) for sixteen years, and now in Mali (the land of famed Timbuktu) for eleven years. Though we are primarily focused on the needs in Mali, we continue our regional involvement throughout West Africa. Our regional involvement reflects a shift in the Assemblies of God strategy in that part of the continent. The current levels of Assemblies of God personnel committed to meeting the challenges facing this poor and needy part of the world restrict our ability to respond to many opportunities. Because those needs and opportunities today transcend political and geographical borders, it has become necessary for missionaries in West Africa to reassess the demands of the harvest, reallocate personnel and resources, and relocate where necessary.
The remainder of this page, which consists of excerpts from a report on West Africa given by Don Tucker, Africa Area Director at Large of the Assemblies of God, will hopefully give you a good overview of the spiritual landscape of the West African region.
Multiple dynamics are at work in West Africa these days. Wars and efforts to quit warring interrupt and hinder the work in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Growth, often phenomenal growth, marks the work in Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Ghana. Persistent and consistent church planting efforts are the order of the day in Niger, Mali, and Guinea. Dismay, but not despair, is perhaps a good way to describe circumstances in Senegal. Excitement is the best way to describe our early moments in The Gambia. One country in our region must go unnamed. Nonetheless a deep work of God is underway under incredible difficulties.
Through it all, however, there is an optimism in West Africa due to the hand of God at work in so many ways. He is undoubtedly at work, and unquestionably able to bring victory in every situation. His undeniable intention is to plant the Church deep, solid, and strong. What a joy and honor to be a part of the Lord’s great work in West Africa! What a delight to join a wonderful family of committed colleagues - both missionaries and nationals - in faithfully carrying the banner of the Cross each and every day.
Troubling wars...
Liberia still struggles to escape the grip of eight years of violent civil war. Stability and safety are slow in returning to this beleaguered land.
A recent visit revealed a valiant effort on the part of our Liberian believers to maintain and grow through aggressive evangelism. The needs, of course, are tremendous. The likelihood of resident personnel in the foreseeable future is small. We will continue, however, to probe opportunities to impact Liberia.
Sierra Leone is in the grasp of yet another struggle for power in a country repeatedly ravaged and pillaged economically, politically, and socially. Islam advances as Satanic societies dominate. Yet the Cross offers a way. Only a spiritual revival, a sovereign move of the Holy Spirit, can bring lasting hope and deliverance to this land.
Liberia and Sierra Leone stand in need of persistent intercession at this time. Believe God with us for a return to calm and security which will enable us to pursue the burden we have for these lands.
Amazing advances...
The 75th anniversary (of the Assemblies of God) in Burkina Faso provided an amazing glimpse of church growth potential in West Africa. An estimated 100,000 people gathered on a hot, dusty hill to celebrate the blessings of God. There has been no sitting back on their laurels in Ouagadougou! The intensity level of growth and planning has risen sharply since that historic gathering.
The Benin church has just recently reopened the Bible school in the northern city of Natitingou to accommodate growing needs for pastoral training. (The Assemblies of God church in Benin) will be celebrating their fiftieth anniversary in 1998.
The Ivory Coast church will soon open a new radio or media studio in Abidjan in its broadening efforts to reach the nation through electronic media.
The Ghana Assemblies of God continues to show real growth both internally and externally through its missions program. A new work in The Gambia is very much the result of early leg work by the Ghana Assemblies. It appears that another consortium of missionary groups is emerging for this great open door.
