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ABIDJAN LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE uring the second Ivorian Civil War in 2011 the We began our week-long leadership mission on the military imposed strict curfews on us. We were first of September, 2014, and with our preparations behind confined to our homes from noon until 6am the us, all that was left to do was pray. The power of God was next day,” Pastor George told us candidly. “Many of my tangible as we began the mission and many people came congregation came to stay at our house looking for reassur- to the knowledge of Christ during our meetings. We held ance that I didn’t even have for myself. You took your life in ten events in six days, each one aimed at reaching the top your hands if you stepped outside your door. On Sundays, leaders of every portion of society. The theme of the events my family and I walked 45 minutes to get to church with was: “Nation Building: Essentials of leadership in times our hands held in the air like hostages. You dared not lower of change”. The city’s best lawyers, doctors, university your hands for fear of being thought a rebel and being professors, media, business leaders, civil servants, women shot. We couldn’t drive our car because it would have leaders, youth leaders, and military and church leaders been taken from us. It was the only way. War or no war, were personally invited to the events. Our speakers pasI’m still a pastor. People were depending on me.” sionately encouraged them about the vital role they play as leaders in Ivorian society Seeing Abidjan now you’d hardly and they were encouraged believe that the city was ravaged by THEY MAY HAVE LOWERED in their ability to make a poswar for the better part of 10 years. But THEIR GUNS BUT THE WEAPONS itive change. We challenged as one Ivorian so eloquently put it, each group to integrity in their “They may have lowered their OF THEIR HEARTS ARE STILL field, stand forhave truth and lead the way guns but the weapons of their for peace. Michael Cassidy presented LOADED AND READY hearts are still loaded and the Gospel in many of the meetings ready.” by asking in conclusion, “Who leads you? How can you The divisions in government and leadership have further help bring peace to a nation if you’re not at peace within split an already-fractured society. It seems as though there yourself? I tell you dear friends, the only way to true peace, is no neutrality - only “us and them”. Fear has led to suspifor your family and your country, is through Jesus Christ. cion, which has affected every portion of society, even the My hope is that you open your heart to him today.” church. In many minds, every day that passes is one step closer towards the cliff of a civil war that no one wants. Michael Cassidy said of Abidjan, “…In some ways this is a nation on a knife edge and merits your ongoing prayer.” “I would like to express my Understanding the precarious situation the country was heartfelt gratitude to African in, African Enterprise set its sights on Ivory Coast in 2012 Enterprise, worldwide and and built the foundation for a mission over a year and those who are praying half. We created a strong team of local Ivorian Christians for this initiative. It was a who are dedicated to seeing their nation reconciled and successful and powerful on stable ground. African Enterprise is passionate about event. The message was a developing godly leadership in Africa. For over 50 years, right message from Heaven to the Ivorian pastors. Pray through God’s grace and faithful support from our worldagain for us so that we will implement this message and wide partners, we have been involved in bringing peace be reconciled back to God and back to one another and and reconciliation to countries at war, including places like South Africa, Rwanda, and South Sudan. win this city for Christ. Thank you! God Bless you!”
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The response was tremendous and visible as people left the room seemingly lighter than they had been when they arrived. It was as if they were relieved of their burdens and energised by the idea that someone has seen their struggle and cares enough to help. One AE team member was telling a local television producer, during our media evening, how she had wept when she saw the footage of the war in Ivory Coast. With tears in his eyes the producer responded, “YOU were crying? I’m amazed that a white person would share our pain over what’s happened here. Thank you for coming.” Each meeting ended with hope. Hope for their own lives, hope for their country and ultimately a new hope in Christ. During our business leaders meeting, the guest of honour, Colonel Tou Fozie spoke saying, “I’m not attending as a Colonel but as a brother.” which elicited much applause from the crowd. Colonel Fozie was a well-known soldier during the war and is the current governor of the restive north-eastern region of Ivory Coast. There are still mixed reactions to the role he took during the war, so for the local leaders present, his greeting held significant meaning. One person in attendance said, “It was as if he was saying that he is our brother and in need of acceptance in the same way as everyone else. It gives me hope that for peace’s sake we can all work together.” Michael Cassidy took the opportunity to pray for Colonel Fozie and his role in the nation.
AE Team members praying for Colonel Fozie Our women’s evening proved to be a full house with many on the AE team giving up their seats to make way for the overflow. Solfrid Natvig, an AE associate and friend, spoke to the large crowd which included many Muslim women saying, “Stop saying, ‘I am only a woman’. You are a woman! Praise God! Nations are changed step by step with men and women working together, each doing their part. Be faithful and true in whatever part Jesus Christ has given to you.”. One Muslim woman approached Solfrid after the meeting with tears in her eyes, thanking her for the message. As the week continued, and with the world behind us in prayer, opportunities to meet with government and opposition leaders began to appear; meetings which had previously remained only a hope. The AE team met with the Secretary General of the current administration as well as a coalition of 12 opposition leaders to discuss the possibility of sitting down together to see how to proceed peacefully into the next elections. We were encouraged to find that both parties were eager for AE’s help and interested in starting a discussion about peace and reconciliation. One of the mission team members commented, “It is truly a work of God that these politicians are eager to discuss peace during a time when no one is interested in discussing peace.”
The AE Team with the main Opposition Leaders
The AE Team with Mr Epiphanie Zoro, Deputy General Secretary of the Ruling Party (RDR) in charge of land affairs.
Our meeting with youth leaders proved the most fruitful with more new conversions than any other meeting. Many of those in attendance were Muslim but Michael’s message of hope made a big impact. One young woman in attendance was invited by a friend, “I didn’t know what this meeting was going to be about,” she said, “but right now I know how to make my choice, the choice of my life. Michael Cassidy said in his speech that leadership means having integrity. I appreciated that statement and even wrote it down. He also talked about how to be a good leader. Above all, I understood that without God we cannot achieve these things. I’m not Christian, but after this conference I wonder if I made a good choice, because I am a Muslim. If I have to follow my parents’ faith, of course I’ll become a Muslim. But If I have a choice to make, I know that I want to become a Christian. I used to go to Catholic school and we would pray each morning before we started classes. But since I’ve left that school…. Next Sunday, I would like to go to church.” Our meeting for legal professionals had the lowest attendance, however three Supreme Court Judges were there and very responsive to the message. Since the mission, the committee for the legal professionals event has assembled to create a Christian fraternity of lawyers in Abidjan. The first of it’s kind! AE is working to connect this new Christian fraternity with others like it in nearby countries for support and guidance. We are also encouraging them to take on pro-bono cases to benefit the poor and disadvantaged.
A lawyer bows his head in prayer
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Ivorian pastors express thanks and gratitude for the leadership initiative and for all those who made it possible.
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Read a day-by-day breakdown of the mission events and testimonies on the AE website, www.africanenterprise.com and click on ‘News’. Consider donating to African Enterprise as we pursue peace and godly leadership in Africa. Together WE CAN transform Africa with the gospel.
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In all, 194 of the top leaders in the country accepted Christ as their personal saviour and subsequently dedicated their leadership to God. It’s because of your support that these lives have been changed. It’s because of your prayers that the nation of Ivory Coast is being set on a new path toward peace. We are so thankful for God’s grace and our supporters worldwide who understand that our battle is not of flesh and blood but of the spirit and our weapons are powerful. Thank you for taking part in this battle with us.
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“I was invited by a friend I didn’t know what it was going to be about. but right now I know how to make my choice, the choice of my life. I’m not Christian, but after this conference I wonder if I made a good choice, because I am a Muslim. If I have to follow my parents’ faith, of course I’ll become a Muslim. But If I have a choice to make, I know that I want to become a Christian.”
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Please pray for them as they continue to meet together and reach out to their colleagues with the message of Jesus. The week ended on a high note as military leaders from every branch accompanied by a military band gathered for their leadership event. Dr. Daniel Shu addressed them boldly saying, “All of you, be reconciled and forgive to avoid civil war and destruction. You’ve already experienced these horrible things. Do you really want to go through it again? Be leaders of integrity! Don’t accept bribes or be sexually promiscuous. Stay away from mysticism!” The guest of honour for the evening was the Abidjan General Commissioner of Police, Kouame Kouadio Joseph. During his speech he said, “I thought I was alone in my own little corner, but it seems God has had his eye on me and here I am. I hope that each of you take what has been said tonight into your lives.” The night concluded with the top generals and colonels of Ivory Coast dancing to a military band version of ‘When The Saints Go Marching In’ and bowing their heads in prayer to a God who cares more about the Ivory Coast than they could have ever imagined. Songe Chibambo, AE’s Pan African Mission Director said, “The results of the work in Abidjan are so overwhelming considering the challenges we encountered. The mission’s success can be attributed only to God who has a good plan for the Abidjan leaders and the nation. It was a privilege and honour to be part of God’s plan for Cote d’Ivoire. I am so excited that as a result of this success,
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plans are in the pipeline to conduct a dialogue workshop with the politicians from the far left to the far right in early 2015. It seems there is a sense of desperation for all the politicians who are seeking reconciliation. AE could play a vital role as a catalyst to bring the politicians together in order to pave the way for an environment conducive to peaceful presidential elections in 2015. I believe there is a window of opportunity for both AE and political leaders in Cote d’Ivoire to engage so that the vicious cycle of power-struggle and strife could be broken once and for all for the sake of peace in this dynamic country. With God, there is hope for Cote d’Ivoire!”