Report of the preacher's training conference - Jean-Claude SOUILLOT

                                                                                                                  Chalon, March 25 2003

 Events in the world are moving too fast for writing news letters ! Who cares today about the Ivory Coast ? Well, the Lord does, for a start. He has His people there and the Gospel needs to be preached. The political situation is quieter, but the real issues remain, and trouble could flare up at any time. The country is in a strange state. Parts of it are occupied by rebels, but there is no open war situation. Travelling is possible but a source of hassle and can be dangerous. People’s minds are gripped with uncertainty and fear. There has been much bloodshed which will leave deep scars.

Our friends in Gagnoa, preachers and church, are safe, as well as the Grace preachers we know elsewhere in the country. One man in the north-east had to relocate further south as it was unsafe for him to stay in a muslim-dominated area. Most preachers have been able to continue with their ministry. But the situation, which is likely to remain the same for some time, calls for deep thinking and waiting on the Lord in order to know how best to answer our calling in Ivory Coast. In view of this, Paul N’Goran and Jean Katla took the opportunity of the Preachers’ Course Conference in Bénin to come over, so that we could talk together and find a way forward.

I had planned to visit some men and churches prior to the Conference. So, with Julien Naka, who sells books in Bénin and Togo, I went to Lomé (Togo) where we met up with the men who had come from Ivory Coast.

We went to Atakpamé, a small town 100 miles north, where there are 2 Grace churches and a number of preachers. We were able to preach in both churches and meet with the preachers to share the Gospel and answer their questions (for a whole morning !). We also were able to speak on one of the local radio stations.

It is remarkable that these men have little means and are often not paid for months on end, but are very ressourceful. They have managed to have the opportunity to present the Gospel on the air wave every Saturday mornings for a whole hour while people phone in with questions. This was a very heart lifting experience, though the 7 of us were rather crowded in the small studio !

In the afternoon, we went to the hospital to visit a young preacher, Benoît, who is paralysed because cancer has reached his spine. Infection is also in his lungs. But he appeared serene. By his bed were his Bible, a sovereign grace book and a radio set with which he had listened to us in the morning. As we gathered around his bed, I sat with his feet close to me, and I was reminded that they are beautiful the feet of them who bring good tidings. Benoît is now confined to bed and may not live for much longer, but others take the same message around. Above all, what grace it is that there is this good news !

On our way back we stopped in Lomé, Togo’s capital city, as one of the students on the Course had asked us to come and preach to a small crowd he had gathered in his yard. After that, we were on our way back to Bénin and Cotonou. Our friends from Ivory Coast had brought with them the van and a stock of books we wanted to remove from the unstable and explosive situation there. Taking these through the various borders was quite a saga. At the entrance into Bénin, we had to wait for the customs officer to finish his meal (chicken and rice), after which he told us to come back the next morning to get a certain piece of paper.. Then followed a lengthy parley that went clean above my head. After an hour of this, the man waved us through telling us that he hoped we had “our feet on the ground”.. This apparently meant he hoped we could get through the various checkpoints on the way.

This we did by switching on the cab light each time. Seing a white man waving to them, the soldiers waved back, forgetting to stop us ! At least that is one way to use colour (generally it is rather a handicap as it pushes prices up !).

In Cotonou, we had a few days of fellowship with the three Grace churches there and several preachers. We were joined by pastor Robert Strivens, from England, who helps with the literature work and preached very well at the Conference. Then we went to Bohicon for the start of the Conference.

This year was the best attended Conference we have had so far. 2 students came from Cameroon and 4 from Burkina Faso. This involved long and expensive journeys for them. Over the past few years we had detected a need for some of the newer students to be more firmly grounded in the truth. For this reason, the professors and some former students were asked to speak on the fundamental truths of the Gospel and to apply them to our personal situations. This was very encouraging and useful. Most participants commented on the help this provided them with. Many are in church situations where they find it difficult not to compromise the message of the Gospel. A book table was also available and was well attended, probably because of the 30% discount given !

After the Conference, we travelled north to several churches in need of encouragement. in Parakou, we found that there had been a petrol shortage for 72 hours already. Long lines dotted the few empty pumps available in the town. Our problem was that we had to head south the next day to catch our plane. I must admit that my mind was preoccupied by this as I stood up to preach that evening. But the Lord enabled me to put that worry aside and to speak of His wonderful love and care in Christ to a most attentive congregation.

But we still had no petrol. As in many situations, it is not so much what you do as who (Who ?) you know that is the answer. Somehow (don’t ask me how), by the time we went to bed our tank was full. The added benefit was that, the next morning, there was nobody on the road due to the shortage !

One important part of our time together with the brethren from Ivory Coast was to discover the mind of the Lord as to the way forward. Sales of books there have been virtually nil since the start of the unrest, and the difficulty and danger of travelling have made the job quite impossible. Jean Katla, for instance, who is from Cameroon, finds it difficult to go out of Gagnoa, even though he has lived there for 26 years. Over the last few months, I had noticed a growing desire in him to go back to his country one day to preach the Gospel. Over the past few years, we ourselves have had more hopeful contacts with people there who show some interest in the Gospel of sovereign Grace.

It seems therefore that the way is opening up for Jean to go to Cameroon in order to preach and spread the Gospel. He plans therefore to leave soon and try to settle in a central location. We will supply him with books which he can sell to provide for his family. Obviously, we will have to help him to start with, but our eyes are on the Lord. We need to pray for Jean and his family (4 small children) as they face this major step – going back to one’s country as a virtual stranger. Yet, are we not all strangers and pilgrims ?

Meanwhile, the Gagnoa operations are faced with the loss of revenues from the sales of the books. But Paul wants to be there when the situation clears, even if it is in a more distant future. Therefore, he is looking into ways of halting all that is not absolutely necessary in order to wheather the storm. He will continue to prepare and record radio programmes as he has done for over a year now. He will also try to interact with Grace preachers and churches in the country, to encourage and spur them on at a time when it is more than ever crucial to preach Christ. Paul has been a tower of strength through this uncertain and difficult time.

Incidentally, his first radio programmes are scheduled to be aired in April. This is a great development. In a difficult situation, we are not without encouragements. Julien Naka, in Bénin, now has the use of the van and is planning to go into Niger and Burkina Faso. Jean Kala prepares to go to Cameroon, and the Gospel will be preached in these other places.

We want to remember these men and these situations before the throne of our Almighty and Sovereign God. Truly, His kingdom will certainly surpass those of the world and will last eternally.

On the literature front, we have recently published our seventh title since the Summer (A Heart for God – Sinclair Ferguson), and 2 more have just gone to the printers (The art of divine contentment – Thomas Watson ; The victory of the Lamb – F. Leahy).. Sales have been on the increase after a dismal last year, and the truth is being spread around through these good books, often in places where it has not gone before. To our God be all the glory ! May His name be great in the earth !

Jean-Claude Souillot

 

 

Julien Naka and his family

A group of students during a break

Preachers in Atakpamé (Togo)