258 – Sept. 15 – This Day in Baptist History Past

God’s Sovereign Call

1991 – Ken and Debbie Haley’s church, which he had been the pastor, held a commissioning service, to pledge to “hold the ropes” as the two departed for West Africa. Ken had surrendered to go during a Missions conference, in which they had prayed for God to call one of their own members abroad to preach the gospel. Strangely, both he and his wife had been directed to Rom. 15:20 before ever discussing the matter with each other. After being accepted by Baptist World Missions, spending eighteen months on deputation, and a year in language school, the Haley’s arrived in Contonou, Nenin, West Africa on Oct. 19, 1991. In Dec. Rev. Haley came down with malaria which was the first of six ordeals with the disease. The pharmacist where Ken went spoke English and a friendship was struck, even to the point of Michael Segniho visiting at the home on many occasions, until through Ken’s faithful witnessing, Michael received Christ. Later his wife was saved, and together they built a bamboo structure on their property, and began a French-speaking Baptist church, with forty-nine present for the first service. [This Day in Baptist History II: Cummins and Thompson, BJU Press: Greenville, S.C. 2000 A.D. pp. 505-07]                                Prepared by Dr. Greg J. Dixon