Gueckedou Bear Valley Bible Institute Activity Operations Report - Sept 2019
Greetings and thanks to you all , our beloved brethren and friends for your interest in the gospel work in Guinea and especially for the activities of the Bear Valley Bible Institute based in Gueckedou. Once again, we want to give you and update of what transpired during the rainy month of September.
For the most part, all has been well and we are exceedingly glad to announce that despite the multiple difficulties we had a great success on the preaching field and the month of September this year has carried the highest number of conversions at Gueckedou Bear Valley since her establishment in 2018! See details of this and other major points below.
Classroom: Again, as in August one student was unable to go through the required courses. This time, unlike the previous it was a health problem and student Ezechiel who was struck down by hypertension was taken to Conakry for better medical treatment. The rest of the 16 students went through with an overall acceptable performance. Also, bro. Nestor Tonguino, one of our temporal, but able instructors had been equally knocked down by hypertension in late August and was soon hospitalized. He was discharged in early September – health improved.
Evangelism: In 2 of the villages where our students attend worship and help the young congregations, 2 women and 1 man, the village chief of Bandalo-leh were converted on the 1st of September. Later, on the 22nd of the month another man was baptized in the village of Damas making a total of 4 baptisms for September Evangelism.
Gospel Campaign: We are greatly delighted to inform you that despite the rains, bad roads and the old vehicle repair fatigues, the September gospel campaign was of a great success! There were 5 groups assigned to evangelize in 4 villages and a quarter of the town of Gueckedou from the 10th to the 15th of the month. The following conversion results were obtained: Gueckedou – 2, Beidou – 4, Bandalo-leh – 5, Botema – 5, and Koluadou (including Sandia) – 21.
The mission to the 5th village, (Koluadou) was in response to a call such as the one by the man in Paul’s vision at Macedonia (Acts 16:9). On this journey, we dispatched 3 evangelists 2 of which are of high spiritual and physical qualities also to withstand the bad roads – motorbike riding and they were led and assisted by the preacher in the sous-prefecture headquarters of Ouende Kenema. After baptizing 14 plus 2 persons on the 12th, the brethren also surveyed 2 nearby villages and baptized 3 on the 13th. Finally, 2 more souls were converted on Sunday, the 15th Sept after worship with that newly planted congregation. Putting all these together, we, by the grace of God converted 37 souls during our September campaign which is the highest number of baptisms in any single month for both evangelism and campaigns since 2018. To God by the glory!!
Purchase of Evangelism Equipment: We are empowered with another evangelism equipment. The $800.00 provided by the Niceville, Florida church of Christ in July in response to our request for these tools has been used to purchase a complete set namely, amplifier, loud-speakers, electronic microphones, a generator, etc. to enhance our preaching program. May “the hand of the Lord” be with his servants!
Thanks and blessings be upon you all especially to the Niceville church for this great offer. We pray also that others will be touched to see the need to assist in other areas (see conclusion note below).
Conclusion: Even though the month of September closed with a hard blow affecting one of our student’s health – reducing the number of participants from 17 to 16 coupled with other disadvantages of the season it will still remain historic for the great conversions obtained thus far. Our usual evangelism activities resulted to 4 baptisms plus 37 conversions during the 1 week campaign totaling 41 and that raised the month of September this year at the top of all the conversion figures since the Institute’s establishment in 2018. Yes, we are determined to work and are glad for the results, but beginning to be concerned if not worried for the increasing needs especially for worship halls and transportation assistance. Lord’s Supper trays, cups, the cost of raisins are to be counted on the list of immediate needs and we will appreciate any donations. We still have a few copies of Bibles being distributed from the $300.00 funds donated by Niceville since the first quarter of 2019.
The Gueckedou Bear Valley Administrative body, staff and students appreciate you all. We need your partnership in this all important work of soul saving!
Francis