Gabon

There are many things that may draw a person to Gabon: it is a tropical country rich in rainforests with a variety of jungle animals; its mineral and oil exports make it one of the wealthiest countries in sub-Saharan Africa; and it is home to over two-million people who are living and dying without the truth of the Gospel. It is the latter fact that draws the missionary to this former French colony in Central Africa.

Although Gabon’s income from oil exportation bring it much wealth, the people see little of it. Corruption and mis-management claim much of the revenue, leaving many of the Gabonese relatively poor. The people have settled in scattered towns throughout the country, which is slightly smaller than Colorado. French is the official language, but several African languages are also spoken—some of which have only a New Testament translated in that language.

Syncretism — the mixing of Christian terms or ideas with paganism — is very prevalent here. The product of syncretism often calls itself "Christianity" giving its followers false hopes of Heaven. A few, who either see the inconsistency of these mixed beliefs or who find themselves among the wealthy few, turn from all religion: approximately 5% claim atheism, which is an uncommon in African countries. It takes a patient and dedicated missionary to slowly untangle their misconceptions and separate the true from the false that many have believed for generations.

Missionaries in Gabon:

Missionaries in Africa (listed with BIMI account numbers)