Sierra Leone
June 2006
Flame
International last went to Sierra Leone in May 2004, when we had the privilege
of running a Healing Conference predominantly for war widows. The conference
was attended by over 200 delegates from all the provinces and also included
representatives from the army, police, prison and fire service as well
as a number of pastors. Flame has continued its commitment to this region
of Africa, sponsoring two Sierra Leonean Pastors to train with Ellel Ministries
in the UK, and also launching a highly successful appeal for sewing machines
for war-widows to help communities back to independence.
We were invited back in June 2006 to hold a trauma workshop in the capital Freetown for Pastors and Leaders who attended the previous conferences and then to travel inland to Kenema and Tombo where we would hold seminars for pastors and leaders, military personnel and GIM church members.
There were over 30
delegates at the trauma workshop in Freetown and many were set free from
pain which had held them in bondage for many years. During the conference
we became aware of the story of a commander in the Nigerian Peace-keeping
force, who, in 1999 initially helped rescue the Sierra Leoneans from the
rebels. However, he then began to systematically kill Sierra Leoneans in
the Murraytown Barracks area. Some people were killed on the road and the
rest were marched down to the bridge where they were slaughtered and thrown
over the parapet into the water below. We decided to pray at the site where
the slaughter had taken place. This was one of the most significant things
which occurred in the heavenly realms in that area for many years. There
was a Nigerian delegate at the conference and he apologised for the atrocities
committed and repented on behalf of the Nigerian Peace-keeping force. Delegates
came up and embraced him, forgiving him. Sierra Leoneions were able to
break the curse of bloodshed on their own land. We believe this could lead
to transformation of the land. Please continue to pray.
The team then journeyed
inland to Kenema, a town in the south eastern part of the country. The
Pastor in Kenema, an heir apparent to the Mendes tribe, has declined headship
because of the ungodly initiation ceremonies. His local influence cannot
be underestimated and leaders such as these continue to need our prayers.
Despite time being short the Seminar for over 100 Pastors and Leaders had
great impact. The team were once again astounded at the level of bloodshed
the town had endured and the scale of atrocities witnessed by the population.
The pastors of this town broke a covenant which their ancestors had made
covenanting the land to the powers of darkness. They forgave, repented
on behalf of their ancestors and then took Holy Communion on the land as
a symbol of the New Covenant and God’s
everlasting promises to His people.
Tombo is a small fishing village with
a majority Moslem population. The Seminar was attended by over 140 pastors
and leaders, all with a spiritual hunger despite the hardships they had
suffered. The team were greatly encouraged, especially as a number were
converted. We heard extraordinary testimonies of forgiveness; one lady
who had been at the Widows Conference in 2003 said she had forgiven and
her heart condition had been healed ever since.
This trip ministered healing to a deeper lever than previous visits, to both the people and to the land. We have invested in Sierra Leone and the Lord has honoured this. We know the Lord has challenged all of us, used all of us and in His grace and mercy poured out his Spirit on people. We just give Him all the Praise and all the glory!