Liberia is the most populous nation in Africa which numbers 140,003,542 (2006 stats). This country of 36 states is situated in West Africa. The official language is English, having been part of the British Empire from 1906 until 1962, then winning its independence. Fifty percent of the population living in the North is predominately Muslim and is under Islamic law. Forty percent of the people in the South are Christians while 10% maintain traditional beliefs. There are 250 ethnic groups throughout the country with whom have been many civil wars with severe conflicts within and between regions.
Lagos, the capital, is the largest city in Africa having a population of near 10,000,000. It is the seventh fastest growing city in the world. We were told that in this city are 20 churches with congregations of Nigeria is the most populous nation in Africa which numbers 140,003,542 (2006 stats). This country of around 50,000 people each. A large percentage of churches are Charismatic.
About four years ago, Dr. Rev. Innocent Ochei, president of New Dimension Seminary with 30 feeder schools, was surfing the Internet looking for information about Christian counseling. After discovering the Love Lines web site he began correspondence with me. When he made application to our International Fellowship of Christian Counseling Centers, I explained how he could download our Director’s Training Manual and the Counselor Training Material. Subsequently he opened a telephone counseling center. I first met Ochei (as he prefers to be called) in Accra, Ghana in our 2006 conference. He went home with a vision of opening 1,000 centers in Nigeria. At the moment, he claims there are approximately 200 centers in operation.
After inviting me to hold a Love Lines training conference in Lagos, he contacted around 300 participants for the training and claim that they were present in the conference. Ochei is widely accepted in many circles and has respect as a unique leader. I carefully prepared new training material that was duplicated and given to each participant. These people were very responsive and indicated a strong desire to develop this ministry in Nigeria.
For several months the Lord impressed me that I should present the vision of amalgamating numbers of centers into one large one. Soon I learned that Ochei and others were beginning to catch the same vision. They plan to begin such a center soon in the existing seminary building and eventually will to be open 24/7. They will be working with surrounding churches and will begin a continuous counselor training program using our Love Lines materials. They want this center to become a model for Nigeria, then West Africa, and eventually throughout Africa.
Petro Aziato, our director from Lome, Togo came with five others from Togo to the conference. There was one man from Liberia and another from South Africa who also participated. Petro has volunteered to coordinate efforts between the French speaking West African countries. Ochei will assume the position of West Africa Coordinator with the responsibility and determination to see Love Lines blossom in the seventeen countries of West Africa in particular and Africa as a whole. Dr. Daniels will assume the responsibility of developing Love Lines throughout Nigeria. Ochei plans to change the name of his seminary to Christian Counseling University.
I rejoice to have seen how the Holy Spirit orchestrated the details of this conference. The ministry of telephone counseling is part of His plan in establishing His Kingdom throughout the earth. May we daily walk in step according to His master plan!
Damaris Faulkner, Managing Director of Love Lines International
