Advent Marks New Beginnings for 2,000-plus War-Weary Ivoirians

West Africa Alliance Theological Seminary (FATEAC) students and professors are engaged in a strategic partnership to provide trauma healing and training in places like Duekoue. Referred to as the “Crossroads of Hatred,” this town in western Côte d’Ivoire is where the worst war atrocities occurred after the West African nation’s failed 2010 presidential elections.

Gifts are often in the forefront of our minds during the Advent season. We have received many good gifts in these days, including recent news that thousands of Duekoue residents received from our trauma healing team* the welcome news of Jesus’ power to heal, redeem, and reconcile.

Gifts of the Season

Composed of seven women, five young men, and local pastors in Duekoue, the team was led by Salimata “Saly” Dembele. She is a FATEAC student and pastor’s wife who hosts a program for women on Trans World Radio, which broadcasts the good news to 40 African nations. Saly also heads up a nongovernmental organization that ministers to women at risk.

Saly returned home after the week-long visit to Duekoue, rejoicing in the many gifts the team received in direct answer to the prayers of friends like you. Here are some trip highlights:

  • Sixty-four women and young community leaders participated in the trauma healing seminar at the Catholic mission.
  • A second seminar was held in Duekoue, where 60 women gathered on the porch of the local worship center for the area’s majority religion—with the blessing of religious leaders! In addition to trauma healing, the issues of proper hygiene, sexually transmitted diseases, and female excision were addressed.
  • Half of the women who attended the second seminar later sought private counsel, desiring to understand more about how they could bring their wounds to the cross.
  • A praise concert held in the public square was well-attended by religious and administrative authorities—120 people indicated a desire to follow Christ!

Six JESUS film showings were held in three strategic neighborhoods, and a deep hunger for reconciliation was indicated by the numbers of people who responded. Campus Crusade estimates that during the week about 2,000 people expressed interest in becoming Christians after watching the film.

Once again our Father did above and beyond what we could have ever imagined!

*Our trauma healing and training ministry is a partnership between FATEAC and Tear Fund and is sponsored by ECGAP (the Church, Healing Community/Peacemaker).

By Laura Livingston, scholarship administrator/Women’s Academy teacher at FATEAC in Côte d’Ivoire

What You Can Do

Pray

Pray for the Duekoue pastors as they follow up with the 120 new believers and the 2,000 who responded to the JESUS film. Use the Alliance weekly prayer guide to intercede for Alliance workers worldwide who often face steep challenges, addressing deep needs for which Jesus only can provide the remedy.

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Donate to the Great Commission Fund (GCF). In doing so, you partner with Alliance workers, like the Livingstons, to share the good news with the hurting and the lost, who are in desperate need of God’s healing grace and provision.

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