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African pastor in town for prison ministry
Published Saturday, May 10, 2008
VIDALIA — An eastern-African pastor will be making his way through the Miss-Lou in the coming week.
The Rev. Simon Osteen Toli, pastor of Truelife Church, in Jinga, Uganda, will be preaching at Zion Hill Baptist Church, meeting with local pastors and elected officials and doing prison ministry from Monday until May 18.
One of the goals of Pastor Toli’s trip is to show Christians all have a common goal, Grace Sherelle Rejouis, of Vidalia, who has corresponded with Toli for the last four years, said.
“Christ is what really connects us, and Christ died that all nations may be saved,” Rejouis said. “We have to come together and not make it a segregated gospel. Christ’s blood cuts across all cultures.”
But Toli is not coming to the area just to preach.
Instead, on Tuesday he will meet with the mayors of Vidalia and Ferriday, and will minister at Glenburney Nursing Home, and on Wednesday he will visit some local schools and discuss life in Africa with the students there.
Thursday he will also do volunteer work at the senior citizen’s food distribution center, in Vidalia, and at the Stewpot, in Natchez.
“He will be working with the hungry in this country because there are hungry in his country, and he is hoping to sow that seed and reap the benefit by that returning to his own country,” Rejouis said.
Saturday, Toli will do prison ministry at the Concordia Parish prisons. Though he is not coming asking for anything, Rejouis said she knows Toli has a dream of purchasing sound equipment so all of the people in his village can hear church services.
“In that dry, arid environment, a voice doesn’t carry as far,” she said.
Toli will arrive at the Baton Rouge airport Sunday, and will rest until a time of fellowship at Ryan’s Restaurant at 4 p.m. Monday.
Comments
Posted by harvest1 (anonymous) on May 10, 2008 at 1:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
This is a wonderful thing. I hope all people recieve him with warm love.I hope Pastor Toli enjoy himself in the MsLou. Ms. Rejouis thanks for getting him to come to that area. I pray he will not be disappointed.
Posted by shedevil (anonymous) on May 10, 2008 at 2:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
i hope he is not like the last traveling preacher that was ripping everybody off
Posted by sayitloud (anonymous) on May 10, 2008 at 4:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
HA! I agree shedevil! Wasn't that a hoot.
Posted by rushinghjr (anonymous) on May 10, 2008 at 5:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
?
Posted by freedom42 (anonymous) on May 10, 2008 at 7:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I find it interesting he is not meeting with PW in Natchez, but rather the 2 white mayors in Vidalia and Ferriday. Any one got a clue on this? There are 2 Zion Hill Churches I believe, so which one will he be at, when will be be preaching and is it open to all? I would like to meet this man myself.
Posted by Incognito (anonymous) on May 11, 2008 at 12:02 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Any place where Christ is the head "should" always be open to everyone!!!
Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on May 11, 2008 at 7:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What does it matter if he is meeting with white or black pastors? I am trying to get your post. I have noticed that people abroad don't have the racial hang-ups that races have here, in the U.S.
Posted by kpage (anonymous) on May 11, 2008 at 8:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Teach....Something tells me Toli has seen worse race relations than we will ever know about here in America. Some of those areas in Africa are still so far behind in diplomacy and equal rights...they may never even know what it means. Bless this sweet man's heart. I hope he gets the sound equipment for his church. Every church that worships God should have this equipment to carry His word.
I think he's real, yall. I wonder which Zion church, freedom? I'd like to see this man, too!
Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on May 11, 2008 at 5:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think I was speaking abroad, not with his countrymen, although I will say, outside of tribal issues, a lot of issues within Africa have a lot to do with the imperialism and colonization of that great continent.
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