Update: January 2010

New Beginnings in Mali

When Rev. Friday Ganda began his service as a missionary in West Africa he challenged his pastors to take big steps with him to reach the lost for Christ.  One of these pastors was Pastor Michel.  With a passion for the work and a determined heart he began to expand the work in the area of Nouna.  Soon he had planted more than 8 churches and began the building of his own church.  Rev. Friday recognized an evangelist heart in this pastor and challenged him to do even more.

The goal of reaching into Mali has a been a goal of our church for many years.  We have made initial contacts and talked with those who were interested in working with us, but no work had really developed.  With this new spirit of church planting in Burkina Faso, Rev. Friday decided to send Pastor Michel to Bamako to follow up on contacts that he knew.  On his first trip, Pastor Michel started the church.  He rallied new believers and found lay pastors to over see the work.

Soon a return trip was planned with Pastor Joseph who is the pastoral education teacher for one of the Ouagadougou zones.   Pastor Joseph and Michel found 4 leaders and began teaching them the courses that they received in Ouagadougou.  In this system of teach and reteach the pastors of these distant areas are developing leaders as the church is developing and not waiting for long delays in pastoral education development.

We rejoice today to see the work in Bamako, Mali off to a great start.  4 churches have been started and developing in the city of Bamako.  The message of heart holiness and the spirit of God is touching lives in a country that is majority other religions.  Please pray for the work that continues to develop and the opportunities for Pastor Michel and Joseph to continue to return and develop the Church of the Nazarene in Mali.

Submitted by Pastor Michel

Edited by Tim Eby

For more information about the work in Mali, please contact Rev. Friday Ganda

fganda@awfcon.org