August 2009
In response to the growing vision for mission in West Africa, SIM’s international leadership has established a new SIM West Africa partnering and processing office in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Until now, many West Africans who felt called to serve with SIM have signed as ‘field associates’ rather than full members, simply because there was no office to process them.
It is hoped that the establishment of this new office will: 1) strengthen SIM's New Initiatives in Mission (NIM) efforts in West Africa; 2) facilitate partnerships in mission with like-minded churches and organisations; and 3) facilitate ministry opportunities with SIM for West Africans and possibly other French-speaking Africans.
The SIM West Africa administration team includes Younoussa Djao (Team Leader), Tim Welch (Resource Staff) and Suzanne Kouassi (Personnel Co-ordinator).
International Director Malcolm McGregor commented, ‘This potentially multiplies the number of official doors into membership in SIM, as we work in strategic partnership with other sending bodies. This also has the potential of drawing in many other nationalities into SIM. In this globalised world, I continue to believe we will be further strengthened through this diversity.’
SIM was a pioneer in the development of the indigenous mission movement in West Africa, with the formation of the Evangelical Missionary Society in Nigeria around 1945, an organisation that predated the establishment of ECWA (Evangelical Church of West Africa) as a denomination.
