A gift of 25 bicycles to the clergy in Abidjan, means they can evangelize in areas with few or no passable roads, and while they are pedaling, they can “meet the faithful” along the way.
Lined up in front of United Methodist Emmanuel Port-Bouet 1 in Abidjan, the bicycles were the first of 75 to be distributed to pastors and lay leaders to boost evangelism nationwide, said Louis Aboua, lay leader of the Côte d’Ivoire Annual Conference.
The bikes were donated by the Côte d’Ivoire laity in partnership with Bikes and Bibles, a nonprofit ministry of the U.S. North Georgia Conference. The organization donated $7,000.
“These 25 bicycles represent one third of our gift to support evangelism,” Aboua said on Laity Sunday, Oct. 16.
Of the 17 districts that make up the conference, 10 are missionary districts, covering the center, west, northern and eastern parts of the territory. In three missionary districts, there is less of a United Methodist presence compared to the southwestern, south and southeastern areas.
