Where did it all start?
Ministry in another nation carries significant opportunities and challenges. 15 years ago Nicolas and Elaine Thebault moved to Guinea with their young family to support the local leadership of a church planted there with refugees from the Sierra Leonean civil war of the ’90s. But it became necessary to replant the church and to start a new school to cope with the demands of that migrant population.
Since then the initial church of ten people (plus seven of the Thebault family!) has grown to over 200, predominantly of people who have become followers of Jesus under their ministry. There have been well over 100 baptisms. Local leaders have been trained and built up.
The school, which now numbers well over 300, covers the full educational age range; indeed, some even in their twenties due to the amount of schooling lost due to political instability. Here too local leadership have taken the lead and are doing an amazing job in the midst of these significant societal challenges.
A time of change
The Thebault family have now returned to France leaving the church in the very capable hands of James, Fengai and Prince. So both the church, which is now predominantly Guinean, and the school are in the hands of local leadership, a mark of success of the Thebault’s ministry. They have raised people up in a way that has made them dispensable.
Re-entry
Returning to a European culture is not easy, especially for the youngest child, now a teenager, for whom Guinea has always been home. ‘Re-entry’ is recognised as being more difficult to handle and embrace than the initial emotional and cultural adjustments on first leaving one’s familiar home situation. Do pray for them as they acclimatise to their new situation.
Here you can learn more about their journey.