Mission: Sierra Leone
A community gathers for worship on Sunday mornings at Luawa-Yiehun Moravian Church in Sierra Leone, West Africa. “Kane N’gorma!” (Praise God!) is heard with every greeting. The Gospel message is read, first in English, then in Mende, the language of the people. You can hear joy in the voices of people singing. Over 100 children crowd into one small room to hear and learn about Jesus and the love he has for them.
Sunday mornings in Luawa-Yiehun looked very different a year ago. There was no church, no Gospel message, no community. In less than one year, Mohamed and Safiatu Braima, missionaries from Little Church on the Lane in Charlotte, North Carolina, have planted a thriving, Christ-centered church in the village of Luawa-Yiehun. Through the power of the Holy Spirit and the support of the Moravian church, the Braimas are bringing the message of Jesus Christ and God’s saving grace to the people of Sierra Leone.
The mission
Mohamed and Safiatu Braima, originally from Sierra Leone, came to North Carolina as college students in 1975. God brought them to the Little Church on the Lane, where the Reverend Herbert Weber welcomed them and placed them under the sponsorship of long-time members Dot and Haines Maxwell. Both Mohamed and Safiatu had been raised as Muslims, but the love of Christ and their church family prevailed over their Muslim heritage. They wanted to know all they could about the Word of God. Mohamed and Safiatu became active members at Little Church on the Lane, where they grew in their faith and served the church for three decades.
Mohamed’s hunger for the Word led him to pursue a Master of Divinity degree from the Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte. He studied for 4 years while holding a job as a lab technician at Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte. Safiatu also grew in her faith, attending a seven-year program of the International Bible Study Fellowship. Mohamed and Safiatu grew to love their home in Charlotte, but they knew they were being called by God to return to their own people in Africa with a message of hope. In 2007, Mohamed was installed as a Provincial Acolyte of the Southern Province of the Moravian Church, and after raising enough funds for travel and initial expenses, they left to begin their ministry in Sierra Leone.
The church in Sierra Leone Mission is expanding at a tremendous rate. Church attendance is over 200 and is growing every week. In addition to Sunday services, at least 20-30 individuals come to worship services that are held every morning at 6:00 am. Through Mohamed’s preaching, Bible studies, and weekly classes, individuals are coming to understand what it means to have a living and active relationship with Jesus Christ. Many are being baptized. Currently, children make up around half of the number in attendance to services on Sunday mornings. Emphasis is placed on bringing up the young people of the church to know the truth about Jesus Christ, an uncommon practice for any church in the country.
The Braimas also extend agape love to the community by caring for people in tangible ways, such as providing work, food, and attending to the medical concerns of those in need. “If one of you says to him, ‘Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2:16) Mohamed and Safiatu’s efforts have been well-received by the local people because of their deliberate investment in the greater community. The Braimas have built a library that is known to be the best library in the country. A mission house stands ready to receive visitors and willing missionaries. The next project that will ensue (finances provided) is the building of a high school in the village. The school, which will eventually be a university, is intended to be a place where young people grow in skill, knowledge, and godly wisdom.
Sierra Leone is still largely a Muslim country, but the number of Christians is growing everyday. At Luawa-Yiehun Moravian Church, dialogues are held regularly between Christians and Muslims, and many Muslims are coming to faith in Christ. The trend is so great that many parents in the Muslim community have begun home-schooling their children to keep them from learning English; children who speak English have a much higher rate of converting to Christianity.
The dedication
On October 12, 2008, a dedication of the Luawa-Yiehun Moravian Church was held. More than 400 adults and an even larger number of children attended the celebration. Also in attendance were Tom Dressler and Jeff Fulp, members at Little Church on the Lane, as well as Thomas Baucom and Bishop Sam Gray. The presence of four “pum˙i” (“white man” in Mende) was a powerful testimony to the people of Luawa-Yiehun of our connectedness in Christ, whose love breaks the bonds of cultural estrangement. After all, “From Jesus Christ’s perspective, there are no nations, but only the world” (Oswald Chambers).
The individuals who traveled to Sierra Leone in October came home excited to tell about the power of God on display in Luawa-Yiehun. Jeff Fulp described the experience as undoubtedly “blessed by God.” Although the trip was not without difficulty, ultimately there was no way Satan could win against the will of God for the trip or the dedication. As Tom and Jeff were leaving, Mohamed shared, “It was a Holy Spirit filled dedication. We hope that more people will come in the future. I am so happy to belong to this body of Christ.”
The need
The Braimas primary need right now is at least $10,000 to complete construction on the 2-story high school building. In addition, the Braimas are in need of a more efficient vehicle to travel to and from Freetown to the village and surrounding areas. Travel to the village is extremely treacherous and difficult, and right now the Braimas are spending several hundred dollars in repairs each time they travel.
Little Church on the Lane and the Southern Province of the Moravian Church are blessed to be a part of the Braimas’ lives and to witness the expansion of the church in Sierra Leone. There are many reasons to rejoice, and even more reasons to keep praying for the Braimas and the Luawa-Yiehun Moravian Church. “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Matthew 9:38)
The Braimas are so happy to be doing the work of the Lord. Says Mohamed, “It is such a wonderful thing to be obedient to God, and I do pray that you all will continue to pray for us so that we will stay steadfast in the faith...and just continue to do his work, work that will bring glory to His Name.”
For more information about the Sierra Leone Mission, visit www.sierraleonemission.org.
If you are interested in learning how you can financially contribute to the Sierra Leone Mission, please contact Haines Maxwell, Director of the Sierra Leone Mission Committee, at hainessr@hainesamaxwellcompany.com.
