GUECKEDOU BEAR VALLEY BIBLE INSTITUTE ACTIVITY OPERATIONS REPORT FOR FEBRUARY 2025
Precious salutations to you all out there, our able supporters and well wishers of the above named institution for your continued spiritual and material support.
As usual, the time has come when we are ready to report and share some of the major activities that took place here during the month of February 2025.
There were the classroom activities of lectures of various courses, a successful gospel campaign by the school, combined Bear Valley and church leaders discussions meeting for church growth, support of women's seminar and the result of evangelistic mission works.
We plead with you to keep reading as we provide details of these events under their respective sub-headings below.
Classroom:
With this month being the second in the third quarter of our calendar, we are fast approaching the completion of one year of studies, with the present remaining 13 students for the present batch who have covered the following courses with their respective instructors.
"Christian Ethiques". Brother Balla Kamano took the students on this course for a period of week before brother Francis Lavaley engaged them on the second part of "the Life of Christ", the book of Luke and later Homiletics 1 which was taught with a lot of assignments and practical work for which reason the class went on up to the close of the month.
School gospel campaign:
Two of our students from villages toward the Macenta prefecture, Sembessou and Boboeloua had prepared some of their people and encouraged us to launch a gospel campaign in those villages. This we did, and on the 13th of the month under review we arrived in the first village, Sembessou. Unfortunately, we met with an obstacle of another program, a merriment program of loud public speakers by one who had little or no regard for God. Our time and resources were wasted, but we were not discouraged. So we proceeded to the other student Daniel's village the very next morning, and by His grace, experienced a warm reception. A one night public preaching followed by the next day's personal discussions resulted in 9 baptisms on that Sunday, the 16th February. Other plans are on the way to return to the first village either by the school or one of our evangelistic teams.
Combined Bear Valley and Church Leaders Meeting / Men's Seminar:
As a follow up of training and exhortations received from our Nigerian visiting team led by bro Mike Udam in 2024, we, church leaders and evangelists decided on meeting to discuss vital issues necessary to promote evangelism and strengthen our congregations. This meeting which was held on the 8th of February at the school campus in Gueckedou included the agenda plans to conduct seminars on activities that will promote church work and how personal contributions can be made to achieve the goals. It was a successful meeting and the congregation at Owet Djiba in the sous-préfecture of Ouende Kenema will host the first seminar on 28th to 30th of March 2025.
Women's Seminar
Since her arrival in Gueckedou in late 2024, sister Mary Musa, wife of the Director, had been on her feet to organise women's meetings for edification and work in the house of God. Many other women embraced the idea, and so sister Musa took upon herself with the help of her son using the school motorbike to visit women of several congregations around Gueckedou. Then they set a date, and their first seminar was held in the sous-préfecture town of Nongoa from the 21st to 23rd of the month under review. Sister Anne Marie Leno, the wife of our Dean, was one of the main facilitators and the seminar was very successful with some 100 participants from 18 congregations, women uniquely. They were also able to convict 5 ladies who decided to accept Christ. Then the men, we were around and accepted their call to accomplish the conversion of the 5 ladies who were baptised on 23rd February. This kind of gathering is the first of its kind in the history of the church in Guinea!
Next April 14 is the next seminar gathering of women in the village of Dawa where the need is to strengthen that and other congregations around. It is expected to host more than twice the previous number.
Evangelistic teams Work:
There are evangelistic teams in the country initiated by our Coordinator, Steven Ashcraft. This information is not new for those of you who have followed our reports since the beginning of last year. These have been of great help in the field of evangelism and we are still encouraging our brothers in other parts of the country such as N'zerekore to partner with us.
During the month of February 3 of such teams planted churches as they baptised souls in the following areas:
1. The Gueckedou team planted 1 congregation at Kamadou with 2 baptisms. Follow ups will continue.
2. The Koundou Lengobengou (KLB) team planted a congregation in the village of Koyodou with 12 Baptisms on 23rd February.
3. Finally, the Conakry team, through their follow up work, has, with the help of one active brother, assembled some 10 persons in another quarter of Conakry (Lambanye) who are on regular Sunday meeting, studying for possible conversion. Also, at the new congregation at Forekaria the brethren baptised 1 soul.
ln all, the evangelistic teams baptised 24 souls.
Conclusion:
The month of February had a series of activities that are initiatives for further church progress besides the usual classroom and evangelistic activities.
We are especially thankful to God for the program of women seminar, which is another great move in the church work. They, by themselves, had 5 conversions plus the 24 other evangelistic works resulting in a total of 29 baptisms in February.
We thank you all
May God be glorified!