Pastor Joel Jabati
I am a Sierra Leonean native of Gambia Town, Jong Chiefdom, Bonthe District, Southern Province of Sierra Leone, West Africa. I was born on Monday August 27th 1969 at the U.B.C. hospital in Mattru Jong.
I attended the St. Patrick Roman Catholic Primary School in Bonthe Sherbo from 1975-1981. I sat to the selective entrance examination and gained promotion to the Bonthe Secondary School from 1981-1985. There I gained my G.C.E.O. level education. I am married to Adama. We appreciate God for blessing us with four daughters, Binda, Jemima, Elohie, and Abigal. Three are in senior secondary school and the fourth is in primary school.
In 1991, Care International offered me a job at the branch of Sustainable Agricultural and Village Extension, SAVE, as a farming materials distributor. However, the rebel war forced it to close and I found myself without a job. I was fortunate to find a position as a security officer for Sierra Rutile Limited. During this time, I was also training to be a pastor at the New Apostolic Church. While on the job, Pastor Francis A. B. Rogers invited me to the Faith Healing Bible Church, FBHC, gospel ministries church growth and renewal conference. It was there that I encountered Christ and gave my life to Him.
After the conference, Pastor Rogers organized a bible school, discipled and trained us into leadership. I later enrolled into the pastoral and missionary training school of FHBC. Upon graduation, I was placed as an assistant pastor under a seasoned pastor for two years. I was then reassigned to a branch of my own where I pastored for four years. I finally resigned my security job in 2012 when I got God’s call to full time ministry.
In November 2016, I went on a spiritual survey in a new location called Nogoh Babulun. Islam dominates the whole chiefdom and there is no bible believing church in the area of roughly 40,000 people. This report I brought back to the mission desk. My wife, the church, and I believe in God for provision to start a new work there, as I am ready to go.
This is the current church under construction. The covers on the sides are to keep people dry during the rainy season. Funds are needed to finish this building.
Gbap is the village Pastor Joel resides which is extremely remote & very hard to access. Recently there was a flood in the area and many people were displaced. Pastor & church elders helped the elderly & women & children find shelter and food. The church being the church.