Ziguinchor

Over many years SHBC has been closely involved with the work in Ziguinchor.

Ziguenchor, Senegal.
Ténébou and Bethan's January Newsletter (.doc format).

Beginnings

African Revival Ministries was founded in 1987 by the late David Ndaruhutse in Burundi . Within a short time the Ministry was operating in other East and Central African countries.
David visited Senegal in 1995 and in 1997 a new branch of ARM was established in the area of Southern Senegal sandwiched between Gambia and Guinea-Bissau. This area is known as Casamance, its regional capital being Ziguinchor.
Phil Aston was appointed Regional Director of this project.

Since their school days together, Jean Legg-Bagg, (who was a member of SHBC at this time) had been friends with Elspeth Aston, Phil Aston's wife. Thus, when Phil and Elspeth visited the UK on home assignment in late 1999 they were invited to speak about their work in South Senegal at a morning service at SHBC.

That morning service proved very significant for both SHBC and ARM. As a result of that service Wayne Lawther, a member of SHBC, felt called to work in Ziguinchor, the church entered into an ongoing commitment to support the work in Ziguinchor and Peter Whitby became an ARM Trustee.
With support from the church Wayne gave up his job and in the 2000-2001 academic year studied at Bible College in preparation.

Also around that time Senegalese-born Roger Sambou was a student at the same Bible College in Yorkshire that Wayne was to attend, and often visited Chippenham as guests of Jean and Eric Legg-Bagg. Thus developed further ties between SHBC and Senegal.

A New Church is Planted
On returning to Senegal in 1999 Roger Sambou (who subsequently became ARM National Director in Senegal), joined the house fellowship Phil and Elspeth Aston ran in their own home, and young people started coming to faith in Christ. The house fellowship established itself in Zuigenchor as Eglise Vivante (Living Church) , and premises started to be built in 2000.
In 2001, during his Easter break from Bible College, Wayne Lawther joined Peter Whitby in a three week visit to Senegal for the dedication of the new church premises, joining in the life of the house fellowship.
During this time Wayne met Ténébou Manga, then a young student, who was later to become a great friend, and was present at the baptism of Marie-Innocence, who five years later was to become his wife. The visit enabled Wayne to finally confirm his calling.

Commitment
On finishing at Bible college in the summer of 2001 Wayne felt ready to commence work in Zuigenchor, and the Astons visited Chippenham to take a special Saturday afternoon Commissioning Service for him at SHBC.
As a consequence of that service Moira Beagley felt very strongly that God was calling her to serve in Ziguinchor also. She went to Zuigenchor in Nov/Dec 2001 for a 3 week visit to "test" her calling and finally went to live and work there in June 2002, returning to Chippenham in 2010.
Wayne travelled out to Senegal in August, gradually adapting to the work, and quickly becoming an elder at Eglise Vivante. Weyne had planned to serve for two years. He eventually stayed for seven, returning to SHBC in 2008, and becoming Youth Leader.

A Growing Ministry
Wayne was particulaly involved in work with Talibé boys. In 2002 the church had purchased a plot of land, and over time put up buildings and allocated staff to this costly work. Wayne used engineering skills learned as an appretice shipwright in Plymouth to help develop marketable career skills such as welding and making doors and windows with these boys. SHBC continues to be particularly supportive of this work.
In 2004 David Slater travelled out to take the Inauguration Service (speaking in French!) for ARM-Senegal's first project, Le Bon Samaritain (The Good Samaritan) clinic.
The clinic provides simple healthcare, advice and training about hygiene and nutrition, preventative medicine and pre- and post-natal care.
In November 2004 Peter and Debbie Whitby led a SHBC team visit to Senegal. The team included Rob Lawther, Wayne's father. They put on a music concert in conjunction with local young Christians, ran a Seminar with the aid of translators, and set about giving the Talibé Centre its very first coat of paint!  
In early 2005 a medical student called Bethan Davies went out to work for 1 month on vacation from her studies.
By this time Wayne was dating Inno (Marie-Innocence), and in April 2006 they travelled to UK to be married at SHBC, returning to Senegal as man and wife for a further two years.
On gaining a student scholarship Ténébou Manga had gone to university, supported by individual sponsorship, and qualified as a State Registered Nurse in 2006, becoming Director of the clinic. He also joined Wayne as an Elder of Eglise Vivante. Wayne and Ténébou became very close friends.

In late 2007 Simon Philpott (then Youth Leader at SHBC) and Peter Whitby visited Ziguenchor to organize the Team Zig 2008 SHBC Youth visit, which took place in February 2008.

On a return visit to SHBC Wayne gave a talk about the work in Senegal, resulting in Mark and Ruth Provis deciding to join a team visit in October 2009 with their children. During that visit they were able to confirm their calling to work in Senegal, and are currently on placement with Youth With a Mission in France, developing language skills and cultural awareness with a view to serving in Senegal.

The Ongoing Work
Having qualified as a doctor, Bethan Davies returned to Ziguinchor in 2009 for a 5 month period. During this time Bethan fell in love with Ténébou, and they were married in June 2010.
Three others are currently studying at the clinic - one as nurse and two as midwives.
The clinic is in desperate need of a doctor with some knowledge of tropical medicine, to enable the work to expand and improve. In particular they want to introduce a mobile clinic which can visit outlying villages where there is even less access to medical services than in Ziguinchor.