Loron Church Leaders Appointed

Representatives from most of the Loron churches in Ivory Coast gathered last Saturday in Gogo to participate in the appointment of three new church leaders. Joel, Donald and Moses became the first elders and pastors of the Loron church.

Two of NTM's leaders in Africa, Danny Germann and Dan Rabe,
came to Ivory Coast to take part in this important event for the Loron church. 

Eli preached an encouraging message during the morning meeting.
His son, Daouda, translated into French. 

A section of the attentive audience

Moses, Donald and Joel

Loron Church Leaders

At the end of this month we are planning to appoint three Loron men as elders and pastors in the Loron church. We praise the Lord for the leadership, vision and faithfulness that each of these men has shown over many years as they have been involved in teaching and encouraging the Loron believers. We would ask you to pray for Joel, Donald and Moses as they take on the responsibility of nurturing and shepherding the Christian community among the Loron people.

Donald

When Donald was a child he lived for a time in the same village as the NTM missionaries. However his family moved to another village a full day’s walk away, and it was many years before he had an opportunity to hear the Gospel. When he eventually did, he responded with enthusiasm to God’s love and trusted Christ as his Saviour. In his late teens he taught himself how to read and later became involved in helping to teach literacy to others. He had a desire to take formal Bible training and recently completed a two-year course at Bible school. He got married in April.

Joel

Joel was a teenager when NTM missionaries first arrived in his village. That was over 25 years ago. He was one of the first people to respond positively to the Gospel and has been a faithful believer and Bible teacher, and also a hard-working member of his community, over many years. Like most Loron adults he never had the opportunity of an education, nevertheless, he learned how to read and write and eventually became the Loron literacy coordinator, supervising dozens of literacy teachers in 10 villages. Over the past twenty years he helped to bring the Gospel to a number of other Loron villages, where there are now thriving groups of believers. He is married with six children.

Moses

Moses became a believer in the early 90’s. He was around 25 years old. His father was the first Christian in their village, but it was Moses who learned how to read and who began to take an active interest in teaching God’s Word and caring for the believers. He lives in an area where there are not many believers, but he has faithfully taught in the local fellowship, has taught many to read and write and is highly respected in the community.

Donald baptising believers, Oct 2010

Joel going to preach in a village in the bush