Northern Asia-Pacific President Pays Visit to West-Central Africa Division

After visiting Babcock University and the headquarters of the Western Nigeria Union Conference in Nigeria, Yo Han Kim, president of the Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD), landed in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, for a courtesy visit to the headquarters of the West-Central Africa Division (WAD) on July 9. Kim and his wife arrived late in the morning to the country, responding to an invitation extended to them during the recent visit of the WAD leaders to South Korea.

After the usual formalities at the airport, regional church leaders and special guests proceeded to the WAD headquarters accompanied by the regional church president Robert Osei-Bonsu. They were welcomed by members of Adventist Youth and Pathfinders dressed in white, along with departmental heads and division staff. Osei-Bonsu took the opportunity to introduce the departmental heads and staff members to his guests.

After a brief stop at Osei-Bonsu’s office, Kim and his wife proceeded to the prayer hall to receive the official welcome and honors. The ceremony included welcome greetings in various languages from the countries within the WAD territory, which includes Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Cameroon, Nigeria, Ghana, and Liberia. To conclude the series of traditional welcomes, Jane Nwarungwa performed two songs in the Igbo language, and Paul Kyeremeh entrusted Kim and his wife’s stay to the Lord’s care.

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Yo Han Kim attended graduations, visited schools, and met regional church president.

Regional church leaders review the guard of honor in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on July 9. [Photo: West-Central Africa Division]

Northern Asia-Pacific Division president Yo Han Kim greets church leaders and staff at the West-Central Africa Division headquarters. [Photo: West-Central Africa Division]

West-Central Africa Division president Robert Osei-Bonsu welcomes Yo Han Kim and his wife to the church territory on July 9. [Photo: West-Central Africa Division]

Northern Asia-Pacific Division president Yo Han Kim addresses church leaders at the West-Central Africa Division headquarters on July 9. [Photo: West-Central Africa Division]

Taking the floor, Konan Kouadio Lazare, president of the Southeast Côte d’Ivoire Conference, thanked God for Kim’s presence in the country and extended a fraternal Akwaba (“welcome” in the Twi language). His words were followed by greetings from Komlan Simon Djossou, president of the East Sahel Union Mission, who came specially from Togo, where the union’s headquarters is located, to attend the event. In his address and on behalf of his colleagues, Djossou welcomed the distinguished visitor and his wife, wishing them a pleasant stay in the various countries of the WAD they were planning to visit.

Osei-Bonsu thanked his colleague for the love and consideration shown by accepting the invitation to visit WAD.

Kim, his wife, and other church leaders visited College Adventiste Abidjan; Grand-Bassam (the first capital of Côte d’Ivoire); and the Baie des Milliardaires on Wednesday, July 10. On Thursday, July 11, the entire team traveled to Yamoussoukro, the political capital of the country, and visited some of the most important sights, including the presidential palace.

On Friday, July 12, Kim and his wife visited the city of Abidjan in the morning and in the afternoon took a flight to Ghana, where Kim was the guest of honor at the graduation ceremony of Valley View University on Sunday, July 14.

The original version of this story was posted on the West-Central Africa Division news site.