January 11, 2011
By Jeter and Laura Livingston, serving in Côte d’Ivoire
Côte d’Ivoire’s recent political unrest forced our International Ministry team, serving West Africa Alliance Theological Seminary (FATEAC) in Abidjan, to temporarily withdraw from the country. The following update is an adapted excerpt from a recent letter sent by FATEAC’s international leadership couple, currently living in Senegal.
We are writing this letter to ask you to join with us in prayer concerning immediate needs at FATEAC.
Food Shortages, Skyrocketing Prices
Côte d’Ivoire’s political situation is leading to a shortage in food supplies. Prices have gone up—in some cases 110 percent, and still climbing—for basic food stuffs, like rice, and for cooking fuels such as charcoal.
For FATEAC students, dependent upon a minimal fixed-scholarship allowance, this is a disaster—many are already out of food, and the next semester’s scholarship funding is two months away.
Praise God for a gift from a church in Switzerland, matched by the C&MA scholarship office, which made a food distribution possible to all students this week. But more will be needed if students are to eat next semester. Please join us in asking Jehovah Jireh—our providing God—to meet this need.
When to Return?
FATEAC classes resumed this week, but none of the International Linguistics Institutes (Wycliffe) and Christian and Missionary Alliance foreign professors are in the country. Join us in asking our only wise God to give us abundant wisdom and discernment about when to return to the country. Things are calm and life seems normal for the moment, but the political impasse and its potential for violence remain unresolved.
Please also pray to Jehovah Rapha—our healing God—for FATEAC dean, Isaac Keita. He requires surgery to correct two hernias, and an enlarged prostate, which will cost $3,000—$4,000. This is prohibitively expensive because of the current Côte d’Ivoire financial situation. Pray for God’s provision and healing; pray also for Isaac and Rachel to have strength and wisdom to lead FATEAC through this difficult time.
Keep struggling with us. “I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me” (Romans 15:30).
Several Things You Can Do
Along with your prayers for FATEAC, and the difficult situation in Côte d’Ivoire, consider donating to Alliance Great Commission Ministries. In doing so, you partner with Alliance workers, like the Livingstons, to share the good news of God’s healing grace and provision with lost people.