A few quick comments

Greetings again everyone.  Since arriving back here in Ivory Coast last October, I have barely had enough time to sit down and gather my thoughts, let alone write them down.  I hope to write a series of articles about what has been going on instead of one massive article that few would take the time to read.  Our family is doing well and things are progressing in the mission.  We have definitely had our "challenges" since getting back, but praise God for showing His faithfulness in the midst of the obstacles of life.


Some of the topics I will be sharing about in the coming days and weeks include:  Meningitis Vaccination Program, Changes/Reorganization in the Church Planting Work, Obstacles and Difficulties along the Road, Béoumi Church Planting Project, New Maternity Project at the PIM Clinic, A Nice Visit from a New Friend, Update on the Djoula Muslim Outreach.  Keep an eye out for these new articles so as to keep up with how God is moving here and how to pray for the work in Ivory Coast.  Blessings and peace to you all.

Exciting News in Béoumi

I'm so excited to be able to update you all with great news about the new church planting project in Ivory Coast. The Association of Christian Churches in Ivory Coast in partnership with CMF have been praying and planning to plant 4 new churches in the Béoumi region, with the hope that is will start a new church planting movement in central Ivory Coast. Several of the leaders and missionaries have visited the area and have taught and preached on several occasions last year. They were well received and invited back.

Once the political turmoil hit the end of last year, no one was able to travel throughout the country safely. We had hoped to send two church planters this past January to the region, but it just was not possible. We continued to pray for those who had heard the message of Jesus Christ and that God would open the doors for us to go again.

Last month, the door opened back up. Since the dramatic political changes happened in April and May (the conclusion of the electoral crisis), things in Ivory Coast quickly began to improve. Our teammate, Christina, along with our friends and fellow CMF missionaries from Burkina Faso, the Hausers, returned to Ivory Coast. When the Hausers returned to Burkina a week later, they made a side trip, accompanying several of our church leaders to Béoumi to encourage and share God's Word with them.

One group in particular were overjoyed to receive them and their message. In fact, their story is amazing. They actually come from an odd religious sect. Unlike so many other indigenous groups, they worshiped and prayed to the one “Creator God” while also rejecting the traditional amulets, charms and statues that permeate the african culture. Their founder had even at one time cleared their region of the various masks, charms and idols and stood up to many different witch doctors. However, they had no concept of salvation and had never heard the good news of Jesus Christ!

Upon hearing the story of Jesus and the salvation that God has given through Him, they cheered and praised God for revealing the complete truth to them! They listened so intently, that even our national church leaders said they had never experienced a group of people so hungry and thirsty for God's Word. On the final day of teaching 58 people stood up to say they wanted to be baptized into Christ (everyone from the local sect who was present that day).

In one week, four church leaders accompanied by our teammate Christina, will travel back to Béoumi. They will make a trip to a nearby lake (because there isn't sufficient water in their area for baptisms) with those who have put their faith in Christ for a baptism celebration... rejoicing for their new lives in Christ. One of the leaders will stay with them; teaching, encouraging and visiting others for a month. Pray for Nestor, one of the national pastors, who will be staying and sharing with the Béoumi believers.

It is so exciting to see God’s Spirit leading us to harvest fields that He has been preparing well in advance. It has been exciting to see people respond with incredible enthusiasm to God’s love through Jesus Christ. We wait in great anticipation to see where God leads us and how the Holy Spirit will move in this new region. This coming January, Nestor along with another national church planter, will return to Béoumi to stay and work for an entire year. Please lift up these two church planters and their families as they serve the Lord sacrificially.

May God be glorified and honored in our service to Him!

Andy

Moving Forward...

Some folks lately have mentioned that they have not seen any news about Ivory Coast for a while. I've been telling people it's because there hasn't been much news to share (which is probably a good thing). Since the arrest of former President Gbagbo, politically things have turned around and are slowly improving. In parts of the country there remains a spirit of mistrust and apprehension, but the economy has restarted and overall people seem to be hopeful that the country is and will continue moving forward.

While there isn't much political news, the mission has been busy and has been moving forward. I know I have said it before, but I want to say it again, God has blessed us tremendously with great friends and ministry partners in Ivory Coast! Our Christian brothers and sisters who serve alongside us and have continued the ministry while we have been gone are incredible servants. I truly thank God for these precious friends and colleagues. This past month has seen a lot of great steps forward in God's Kingdom work in Ivory Coast.

The PIM Clinic was finally able to receive its medicine order! We have been trying to get these medicines into the country since last December, and it finally was able to make it into the country late May and get through customs (despite the political difficulties and governmental change issues) in June. Hats off to our Clinic Administrator, Konan Emmanuel, for his hard work and repeated trips to Abidjan.

We also have been blessed to partner with IDES in supplying aide to displaced families from the electoral crisis. The mission was able to provide over 150 families whom fled Abidjan, and had little to no resources, with two months worth of rice, oil, soap and bleach during this difficult time. The hope is that these gifts will help sustain them until they are able to either return home or get established in our community. It was a great testimony of the love of Christ by the mission, our church and the clinic. The mayor's office and our partners in the HIV/AIDS ministry (PEPFAR, EGPAF) heard of the aide program and decided to make a ceremony out of the distribution, including radio coverage on both the local and UN radio stations. Since then, 70 more displaced families have been identified and we are looking for resources to aid these new families as well. We thank the Lord for providing the means and partnership with IDES so that we could impact so many families and provide opportunities to follow-up with them and share more about the love of Jesus.

I'm excited to share that our teammate, Christina Skelton, recently returned to Abengourou. She left Ivory Coast with our family in March and then joined the CMF Burkina Faso team late April and stayed with our friends and former teammates in Ivory Coast, the Hauser family. Christina, the Hausers and their interns arrived last week and Brian Hauser was able to lead a spiritual retreat for our key church leaders. Our national friends and partners were excited to see the Hausers again and have Christina back. The Hausers and their interns headed back towards Burkina Faso Wednesday, but accompanied some of our pastors and Christina on a visit to Beoumi on their way home.

Beoumi is the region where the mission and the Association of Christian Churches in Ivory Coast are working together in a new church planting venture. We had planned on sending two church planters this past January to start four new churches, but were forced to delay the project due to the electoral crisis. Three leaders from Abengourou left this week to visit, teach, evangelize and encourage the contacts the have already made on previous survey trips to the region. We hope to send two church planters this coming January following our family's return this fall.

Our family continues to visit supporting churches and make new contacts in support raising. We have raised most of our Outgoing Expenses (i.e. visas, tickets, etc.), but have little new ongoing monthly commitments. We decided to try something new by asking people to provide a month's rent of $220. We are looking for 36 donors (individuals, groups, Sunday school classes, etc.) for a one-time gift of $220 to cover one month's rent during this next 3-year term in Ivory Coast. If you can't cover an entire month's rent, we can partner you with someone and you can cover half a month's rent at $110. If you are interested in helping send me an email (gablecmf@hotmail.com) or you can even donate online via e-check (preferred) or credit card by clicking on the link: https://p2p.paperlesstrans.com/default.aspx?i=cmfms&c3=GABLE+Andy+and+Stephanie&c4=55600

Our goal is to return to Abengourou, Ivory Coast late-September and no later than the end of October. Our family is looking forward to returning and continuing the work God has set before us. The kids keep asking when we are returning to Abengourou.

Thank you all for your prayers and support. Here is a list of things to be praying about this next month:

-Our family's support raising efforts to be fruitful (both financially and spiritually).

-Our teammate Christina's re-entry into Ivory Coast as she settles back in. (Actaully, this past year has been crazy since her arrival and she has yet to really settle in well.)

-The church leaders' visit to Beoumi. That their teaching and encouragement would bear fruit and sow seeds for a great coming spiritual harvest in that region.

-Funding for an additional 70 displaced families in Abengourou (about $4,750). And a prayer of thanks to IDES for their partnership and previous funding. Also for fruitful follow-up visits with the families that have received aide.

-The relaunch of the initiation of CHE in the Cocoterrain community (primarily Muslim) in Abengourou.

Blessings and peace to you all. May God continue to lead and move in us to do great things for His Kingdom.

Andy