English « Belgian Mission Sierra Leone

English February 26, 2007

david0414 @ 4:58 pm

Background:

BMSL was founded in 2003 by a Belgian missionary Koen Buntinx, who was serving with Mercy Ships New-steps in Sierra Leone.

As a country ranked in 2006 by the UN as the second poorest in the world, with appalling life expectancy, and a place where 1 out of every 4 children born do not reach their fifth birthday, the need to present Christ – the Greatest Redeemer – and to be engaged in social action that will uplift people from poverty and give them a sense of meaning was identified as crucial by the founder.

This led to the establishment of this ministry to cater for the holistic needs of humanity – spiritual, social, economic and physical.

Though Sierra Leone is blessed with natural resources, yet a brutal civil rebel war was fought in the 1990s. The effects of the war are seen in the many thousands who have had their arms and limbs amputated, girls and women raped, houses burnt down, many forced into living in very poor circumstances in camps as displaced and refugees and many more have been killed. Certainly these circumstances call for action that is intended to be met by this ministry.

The ministry has two working committees that coordinate its activities in Sierra Leone and Belgium. The first committee is in Leuven. This International Committee goes by the name Belgium Mission Sierra Leone. It is comprised of volunteers who are Belgians and Sierra Leoneans residing in Belgium. The work of this committee is been supported by various individuals and two churches. The second is the National Committee based in Sierra Leone and is responsible for implementing the ministry objectives as outlined below.

Mission statement:

REM SL exists to proclaim Christ as Lord and redeemer, lead believers into responsible discipleship and bear witness to the redeeming power of Jesus Christ Trough invovement in social transformation and development.

Guided by the love of Christ, BMSL has set the following goals:

1. To proclaim Christ as Lord and Savior through evangelism, church planting and discipleship

2. To cater for the educational needs of children, women and other vulnerable groups in society

3. To empower our members and the community at large to engage in acts of sustainable development that promotes gainful employment

BMSL trust in the Lord Jesus to be a blessing to many in Sierra Leone through fulfilling the following strategic objectives:

1. Evangelism and church planting • Proclaiming the message of salvation in Christ whose redeeming love we all share • Building the body of Christ through worship, Bible study, fellowship and prayer • Engaging in personal and mass evangelism campaigns of the lost

2. Education and training • Promoting the education of girls and boys by supporting a primary school in Masakareh village in the Port Loko District in Northern Sierra Leone. This school which is presently operating is called Masakareh Community Primary School • Facilitate the opening of a Junior Secondary school that will cater for the needs of less privileged children • Conducting seminars and workshops for community people in Masakareh village and surrounding communities on issues of HIV/AIDS, health and Sanitation, violence against women and children, teen-age pregnancy and school drop out, etc • Collaborate with government and other non governmental organizations on issues related to policy on education and promoting access to education for the underprivileged

3. Healthcare and community development • Network with government and other agencies to facilitate the establishment of a healthcare or mobile clinic in Masakaray village • Promoting the establishment of income generating projects for community members • Engage in agricultural activities like piggery, poultry and growing of cash crops that would enhance food security • Promote community empowerment through total involvement in sustainable community development