Submitted by Sharon Martin, NTI Registrar for Sierra Leone

Hilltop District Center Raising Spirits in Freetown

Sierra Leone Church of the Nazarene

What a week of celebration as the students, leaders and pastors celebrated the placement of the signs announcing the opening of the new district center in Waterloo, Sierra Leone.  Just outside of the seaside Capital City of Freetown, a plot of land was purchased for the training of pastors and leaders for the Church of the Nazarene.

Over the past year, missionaries Paul and Sharon Martin have worked with local leaders to build a small cottage that is serving now as an NTI classroom and gathering point for seminars and training events.  The three-room cottage will also house future work and witness teams as we build the main worship center, training facility and dorms.

The land overlooks a busy trade center called Waterloo and is right off the main road separating the two zones and routes into the interior of the country where church growth is already expanding.  Because of the steep location, getting construction supplies to the hilltop w

ork site proved to be a big challenge.  The decision was to pay for the road to be installed which would serve both the center and the community for many years to come.

To the great surprise and joy of our district team, the local authorities allowed us to name the road.  On November 6, 2010 we gathered at the junction to unveil the new district center sign and the road sign – NAZARENE DRIVE!  The chief local authority in the area came for the opening saying “We are glad for the Church of the Nazarene to be represented in our area and to be involved in theological training in the Wesley tradition.”  Zone Coordinator and Pastor of the Overcomer’s Assembly Church of the Nazarene, Pastor Vidal Cole prayed the opening prayer. 

Rev. Daniel Johnson, Area Coordinator for Liberia and Sierra Leone was present for the occasion.  He prayed a dedication prayer for the opening of the

center and asked God’s blessing on the center that would produce many Holiness Preachers for the country of Sierra Leone!  It was a great day of celebration and also one of practical teaching.  The students and leaders entered into the center to complete the 2nd Annual leadership conference led by Rev. Tim Eby, AWF Assistant to the FSC and Rev. Johnson as they completed the Equip Leadership Training.

T

he week ended on Sunday afternoon as the churches gathered for the 6th Annual District Assembly for Sierra Leone.  With more than 20 churches and preaching points represented by pastors and lay leaders, it was a great celebration of what God is doing in Sierra Leone.

  We see a real family of Holiness believers calling the Nazarene church their home and we have great hope for the church as we see leaders challenged to double the size of the church in the coming year.

The district center is only through it’s first stage.  We are in need of 3 to 4 Work and Witness teams to immediately come and support the construction of the larger worship center and training classrooms.

  If you or someone in your church would like to help us in this endeavor, please contact Paul Martin at pmartin@awfcon.org or Tim Eby at the Africa West Field office at teby@awfcon.org to find out how you can be apart of this great work.

To God be the Glory for all the Great Things He has Done!

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