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Gotel Initiative

International MinistriesAfrica

Eastern NigeriaID: 601192

An initiative to reach the least-reached people of the Gotel Mountains in Nigeria.

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Vision

We are asking God for 65% of the least-reached people groups having at least 5% of their population following Christ and gathered into disciple-making communities.

Background

  • Nigeria is the seventh-largest nation in the world
  • There are 251 least-reached people groups living in Nigeria
  • The Gotel Mountains cover eastern Nigeria and extend into western Cameroon
  • Ten least-reached people groups live in the Gotel region

History

In the early 2000s, Converge saw the need to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic sweeping through Nigeria. In 2004, Converge missionaries Art and Dorothy Helwig formed GECHAAN (Gembu Center for HIV/AIDS Advocacy Nigeria) to address this need. James 1:27 was their guiding verse. For 10 years, they worked in the HIV/AIDS community, treating it as a moral issue as well as a medical issue.

When the Helwigs retired in 2014, Dan and Tina Gibbs joined the ministry. Since that time, GECHAAN has expanded influence in the community providing community services in many areas, including health care, leadership development, children’s ministries and educational and empowerment programs providing training in many occupations and skills in how to maintain and run successful, godly businesses.

With this positive impact and reputation in the community, it has also given us a platform to address the needs and concerns of many internally displaced persons in our area because of Boko Haram and refugees from Cameroon escaping the violence happening in English-speaking Cameroon. We plan to use this platform to develop a disciple-making movement among the people indigenous to the Gotel Mountains.

The Place

The People

The Impact

The Impact

Converge International Ministries has established the Gotel Initiative to reach this region of the world with the gospel. Initiatives are significant, cross-cultural endeavors that target a geographic area, a people group, a religious background or a large urban center. Each initiative includes local gospel endeavors called projects that contribute to the larger gospel initiative. We are asking God for 65% of the Gotel mountain range’s least-reached people groups to have at least 5% of their population following Christ and gathering into disciple-making communities. We believe that when this vision is achieved, it will continue to grow until all people groups have been reached.

Support Gotel Initiative

  • 5%

    of the population following Christ and gathered into disciple-making communities

Gotel Initiative Projects

A project is one piece of a larger initiative. It has a defined focus, with goals to accomplish an end result. Some projects are short term in nature; others may last for many years. You can read more about projects within this initiative, including how you can be involved.

Gotel Initiative Global Workers

Nigeria is the seventh-most populated ― and one of the fastest-growing ― countries in the world. It is projected to be the world’s third-largest country by 2050, surpassing the United States, among other nations. There are 251 least-reached people groups in Nigeria, including several in the Gotel region alone. Many of the people here practice Islam and traditional African religions.

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Pray with us

Global prayer networks are groups of people from across the world who meet virtually to pray for the global workers, people and specific needs of Converge International Ministries initiatives.

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Let's connect

We are asking God for a gospel movement among every least-reached people group in our generation, so everything we do is about building and maintaining strong relationships. Communication is key. So, let’s connect. If you would like to learn more about this ministry or how we can partner together, or if you have a general question, please reach out.

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