IM Project 2:2
Evangelistic Narrations
News Updates
Pictures from Tanzania Training
Bibleway Church Reaching Children with the Narrations
This is Jackson, a trained English narrator in the English group in Kenya. He is already putting what he has learned to work. He goes to four different schools every week teaching the 40 chronological narrations to students. Another English narrator, Nelson, has to opportunity to teach them to as many as 600 children every week. Then, there is the Bibleway Church kindergarten where they are being taught as well. You can see that picture below. God is doing some great things among the children in Kitale!
English and Swahili Narrators
Bibleway Sunday Worship
Bibleway FWB Church
Bibleway Preschool Ministry
Kenya English Group: narrators seated and trainees standing
Kenya Swahili Group
Though not all participants are pictured here, just over 50 narrators were trained in Ivory Coast during our 9 day Project 2:2 program, which was completed on Friday, May 15. As soon as we get a break, we will update comments made by the participants.
The Narration Team Goes to Work!
The Trained Narrators Go to Work on Tuesday
The first two days of the four-day training for the 50 invitees consisted of the trained narration team (the four narrators highlighted below) is when the team put into practice what they had learned. One narration after the other until all 40 were completed. Believe us, this was not an easy task! They are all to be congratulated for their hard work. These leaders of the church have set a good example for the other pastors who were present.
Pokiné Kambou is the President of the National Association of Free Baptist Churches of Ivory Coast, He also is the pastor of one of the local churches in Abidjan – Abobo.
He is the one who secured our invitation to enter the country for this training. We cannot thank him enough, not only for securing our access into the country, but for his participation in the program..
This is Amiézi Paul, pastor of one of the churches in Tanda. Can you guess from this picture which narration he is telling? If you said, "Abraham and Isaac," you would be right! Everyone present would agree that Amiézi would win the Most Animated Award if one were to be presented! Along with Samuel, they will present these narrations in Togo!
Kouassi N’Guettia Silas, a co-worker with Ron more than 30 years ago! He is the one who organized all the logistics for the training at Bondoukou. Honestly, we don't know where he found time to study for the narrations while taking care of all the details of implementing the program from day to day. Thank you, Silas! Your labor for the Lord will be rewarded!
Meet Samuel. As you may already, know, he is the one who picked us up at the airport, took up to Bonkdoukou (a seven hour drive), picked us up every day at the hotel, and brought us back to Abidjan for our flight tomorrow. He was our chauffeur bien aimé. He leads the mission work in Togo and with Amiézi will present the narrations there. Thank you!
Monday was a travel day
for the 50 invitees; BUT
it sure didn't stop us from eating!
Anyone who has ever spent any time in Africa knows that the women there know how to cook rice, Ingyams, and kouskous. Steve and Ron are eating with the Narrators in Training. Ron is at the end of the table and Steve is taking the picture. You can see from the picture on the upper right that Ron knows where his bread is buttered! And Steve, he loves African cuisine so much that it seemed as thoughhe was always the last one to leave the table! Ignyams are fixed three different ways: pounded into foutou, fried, and boiled, as you see in the picture. There are any number of sauces that are prepared to serve with the base cuisine. Ron's favorite was the peanut sauce. Steve, he didn't care as long as it was spicy hot! The ladies always knew to place a bowl of peppers in front of him.
Sunday at the Bondoukou Church
It is virtually impossible for Ron to express how emotional this service was for him. It was in Bondoukou and the surrounding villages where he ministered during his two terms in Ivory Coast. Their welcome to us was beyond our expectations. Ron became reacquainted with so many of the believers he had discipled. One of those was "Little Appia" who is standing to Ron's right. Then, there is the memorial that was erected in honor of Ron's teammate in Bondoukou, Jerry Pinkerton. Ron said that he never imagined he would have the opportunity to return to Bondoukou, but God is so good and gracious that He made a way!
Ron and Steve with the
Narration Team after their Training
We spent two and a half days training this team to present all 40 of the biblical narrations to about 50 pastors and church leaders from all over the mission field in Ivory Coast. Believe us when we say that this process began with a bit of fear on both sides of the training table: could we do it; and, they were asking themselves the same question, could they do it? Between us, from left to right, are Silas, Samuel, Pokiné and Amiézi. For just two and a half days of intense training, and a lot of correction and encouragement, they did it! And they did a pretty good job with their presentations the next week. That is the goal of Project 2:2--to train them to train others, who in turn can train others--putting 2 Timothy 2:2 in practice!
Steve and Ron Training the Narration Team
The lighting was good for this picture but we still wanted you to see the Narration Team as they were being trained. We will have a much better picture of them - all facing you - in a couple days. For now, you see Steve at the end of the table on the left, and Ron at the other end. Pokiné, the president of the National Association in the white shirt and across the table from him is Silas, the one who organized all the logistics of the training program. Next to his is Amiézi, who translated for Steve. Across from him and next to Pokiné is Samuel, our designed driver. They will present the narrations to 50 pastors next week.
Our Departure from Nashville, TN
We were dropped off at the airport by Tommy and Carol Sanders, and Linda, Ron's wife Linda. Nashville to Detroit to Paris and then on to Abidjan! The trip was good, except foe the long layover in Paris. But we not complaining; it is the Lord who has called us to ministry and we are excited with anticipation for what He is going to do through these biblical narrations. Again, thank you for your prayers and support. Oh, May 4th just happened to be Ron's birthday and he said he could not have been given a better gift!
Our Arrival in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire
We arrived in Abidjan on Tuesday around 6:45 PM (more than 20 hours in the air) and Samuel, one of Ron's former coworkers and dear friend, met us at the airport. He is now our "designated" driver and that may be because of the way we looked when we arrived! Not really. We are being well received and well treated, if not a bit spoiled. The Ivoirians have always been a very hospitable people, especially in the church. Samuel is one of our wonderful pastors in Abidjan. he has a servant's heart and is going to take Project 2:2 to Togo with Amiézi Paul.
Thank You Ladies
Ron Moore, organizer of IMpact Project 2:2 -- Evangelistic Narrations, sends a special thanks to the South Carolina Women Nationally Active for Christ who voted in their state meeting to support the project with a $5,000 gift. “Wow, I wasn’t expecting that,” Ron said, “but I should have known better because these ladies have always had a heart for missions and faithfully supported Linda and me when we served in Ivory Coast over 30 years ago. Their gift,” he continued, “put us over the top in our budget for Phase One and has enabled us to begin planning for Phase Two in Spanish speaking countries. Somehow, 'thank you' just doesn’t seem adequate.”
Thank You MIT
It is amazing what a small group of men can do when the Lord places in their hearts a burden for a ministry. These men, and a few who are not in this picture, are members of a Tuesday morning MIT Prayer and Bible Study Fellowship that has proven time and time again their love for the Lord and His work. When they caught a vision for the potential impact of Project 2:2 -- Evangelistic Narrations in reaching the lost with the Gospel, their gifts underwrote the entire budget for Phase One of the project -- that's over $20,000! The Church at West Franklin is where Steve attends. Both Ron and Steve meet with these men on Tuesday mornings and have come to love and appreciate them very much.
Cofer's Chapel Adopts Project 2:2
When Linda and I first visited Cofer's Chapel, we had no idea what the Lord had in store for us, but we knew we had found a great church to become our new place of worship. The most amazing thing is not only how they have accepted us but the new open door of ministry the Lord has given Ron as well: Project 2:2 -Evangelistic Narrations. When given the opportunity to present the ministry to the congregation by Pastor Allen Pointer, Ron was overwhelmed by the response. In as many churches as he has been in through the years, he had never experienced what he heard Pastor Allen say. He took about five minutes and spoke to the congregation, saying that they needed to get behind "one of our own" and support a project that could have a transformative impact in reaching so many with the gospel. Of course, Cofer's has always been a mission minded church; so, what seemed unusual to Ron, was pretty normal for them!
Former Missionary Primes the Pump
One of the very first gifts to Project 2:2 came from a dear friend and former colleague of Ron and Linda. She is a retired widow living with family in a western State. We do not mention her by name because she would not like the publicity. Those of you who served as IM missionaries in Ivory Coast will knowt who it is, but we ask that you, too, protect her privacy.
Now, why do we mention this gift when so many others have given? First, because of who gave it! A friend and former colleague, yes, but also a widow living on a fixed income with growing health concerns and expenses. Second, the gift itself: $1,000! She had set aside these funds and was praying about where they would make the greatest impact for the Lord. She choose Project 2:2! Third, the timing of the gift; almost as soon as the project was adopted by IM! Thank you, dear friend, for priming the pump for our fund raising! God has blessed it!