UCG elders Bernard Hongerloot and Joel Meeker held the classes on a variety of subjects to better equip leaders from French-speaking Africa for service in local congregations. Mr. Hongerloot's son Jeremy accompanied his father at his own expense.

Session topics included the importance of service, spiritual tools for growth, our role in the plan of God, the importance of godly character in leadership, preparation and delivery of sermonettes, leadership traps to avoid and the organization of Church functions in the absence of an elder.

Attendees were Paul and Felix Tia from Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Kossi Fiaboé and Pierre Kloutsé from Togo, Michel and Bonaventure Ogoudélé from Bénin, Moïse Mabout from Cameroon, and Church elder Jean-Marie Mundeli from Rwanda. The willingness of these men to travel under sometimes trying circumstances (travel between African nations can be quite complicated) was very much appreciated.

Emmanuel Andang and Pierre Goueth from Cameroon and Jean-Baptiste Sibobugingo from Rwanda were also invited but were unable to attend due to problems obtaining passports.

In addition to the chance to get to know one another and to strengthen each other through fellowship at breaks and meal times, the participants had the chance to go by boat to the village-on-stilts of Ganvié in the middle of the Cotonou Lagoon.

Ganvié was built hundreds of years ago by Africans seeking to escape enslavement by a neighboring tribe. This introduction to Africa was quite an experience for Mr. Hongerloot and for Jeremy.

The participants were very excited and enthused by the conference. Michel Ogoudélé from Bénin summed it up by saying "this is the best leadership training we have ever had—it is so very helpful and useful to us."

Following the conference, Mr. Hongerloot and Jeremy returned home, while Mr. Meeker made a brief visit to Mr. Kaboré, our lone member in Ougadougou, Burkina Faso. One of Mr. Kaboré's daughters had asked to be baptized, so in addition to spending a Sabbath together, he was able to help her begin preparing for baptism.

The next trip to French-speaking Africa is scheduled for June.