In 2011, International Churches of Christ around the world came together to help our churches in the Ivory Coast who were devastated by the civil war, through HOPE worldwide. Read this report to see how God multiplied these gifts: Relief and Recovery Report from the Ivory Coast. God blessed the 1870-member Abidjan Church with 455 baptisms and restorations since the crisis.
The Abidjan Church of Christ is so appreciative of their help, they are taking up a collection for the Philippines disaster. Read this moving message from lead evangelist Francis Dasse below.
Brothers and Sisters,
When Roger Lamb asked me to write this article, I was filled with emotion because the remembrance of difficult times the Church of Abidjan, Ivory Coast went through came to my mind. At the end of 2010 an election meant to lead us into peace and democracy turned to civil war. Between November 2010 and May 2011 about 3,000 persons lost their lives. Everything stopped; no food, no medicine, no transport, all banks were closed, many families of the church had to leave their homes and find refuge in the Church’s compound. 400 disciples moved to their villages and neighboring countries, many babies were abandoned in the street even one was dropped in front of the church’s gate. More than half of the disciples were unemployed. Many disciples’ homes were looted, some were armed robbed and lost their belongings. It was a difficult time. We were overwhelmed by this hardship therefore we called for help. We were sure that our brothers and sisters around the world were praying for us.
To our great surprise hundreds of thousands of US dollars were donated to us through HOPE worldwide. I would like again to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all the brothers and sisters who came to our aid.
But what can we say about what is happening in the Philippines? We are facing a worldwide tragedy whose consequences are more than what we experienced in Abidjan and even beyond our imagination. The news alone csn traumatize and make one feel hopeless. About 10,000 souls are without shelter, food and first aid; many family members are lost from each other.
What does the word of God tell us to do in this kind of situation. Leviticus 25:35, “If one of your countryman becomes poor and is unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident, so he can continue to live among you.“
This situation seems to be so far from us but our ministry is to take care of the needed, so don’t let the cry of the needed and the appeal of HOPE worldwide fall on deaf ears.
The Abidjan Church is excited to collect funds to help HOPE worldwide and give back. Let us use the International Day of Giving and the donation for the Philippines relief to impact our generation and make our God proud.
May God bless you and help us to remember the words of our Lord Jesus who said that we will always have the poor among us.
Your brother,
Francis Dasse
Lead Evangelist, Abidjan Church of Christ
