THE HISTORY OF ADVANCE INTERNATIONAL
In 1986 Pastor Nazaire Georges became the first foreign Missionary sent by the Evangelical Church of the West Indies (ECWI) onto the Mission Field.
Pastor Georges and his Family commenced their ministry in French Guiana in July 1986.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Pastor Nazaire Georges was well settled as the Pastor of the Castries Evangelical Church when he began sensing the call of God to serve in French Guiana, his home country.
He struggled with this for a while before bringing it to the attention of the ECWI leadership. With assistance from their World Team Pastor at the time, Pastor Georges and his family were sent to French Guiana in July 1986 as ECWI’s first foreign missionaries.
Although there were other believers serving as missionaries, this would be the first time they were sent and supported by the ECWI.
During their first term, the Georges, faced many challenges due to the lack of a structure geared towards supporting them spiritually, financially, and emotionally.
Things improved for the Georges in their second term as the ECWI Leadership was sensitized by their plight and carried out an exercise which would allow them to have a better grasp of their shortcomings.
Careful consideration was given to what sending and supporting a foreign missionary entailed. Thus in 1991, the then Moderator’s Council initiated discussions on the structure which they would need to put in place to adequately support the Georges, and any other missionaries who would follow after them.
World Team (ECWI’s then parent organization) provided some support by sending Jay & Beth Weaver to assist the Georges in French Guiana for one term.
In 1991, World Team sent Dr Edwin Walker to assist ECWI in setting up a broad framework for a Missionary Agency. The first meeting was convened in Trinidad & Tobago in February 1991 with Dr Walker as the facilitator.
Throughout the period 1991 to 1994, the work continued, and many more meetings were held with regards to setting up a Missionary Agency.
In 1994, during a meeting held at the St. George’s Evangelical Church in Grenada, the then secretary of the Moderator’s Council, Rev. Maxwell Providence, was charged with drafting a constitution for the proposed agency.
At a SEC (Southeast Caribbean) General Council which took place in July 1996 at the Desruisseaux Evangelical Church in St. Lucia, the constitution was adopted, and this was the birth of ECWI’s Missionary Agency.
For the next two years, an exercise was conducted to name this Agency, find a suitable President, and appoint an Executive Board.
This Agency was named ADVANCE INTERNATIONAL and Pastor Nazaire Georges was appointed as its President.
On Sunday, 26th July 1998, at the Campden Park Secondary School in St Vincent & the Grenadines, Advance International was launched and its Board Commissioned.
FIRST BOARD MEMBERS OF ADVANCE INTERNATIONAL
In 1986 Pastor Nazaire Georges became the first foreign Missionary sent by the Evangelical Church of the West Indies (ECWI) onto the Mission Field.
Pastor Georges and his Family commenced their ministry in French Guiana in July 1986.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Pastor Nazaire Georges was well settled as the Pastor of the Castries Evangelical Church when he began sensing the call of God to serve in French Guiana, his home country.
He struggled with this for a while before bringing it to the attention of the ECWI leadership. With assistance from their World Team Pastor at the time, Pastor Georges and his family were sent to French Guiana in July 1986 as ECWI’s first foreign missionaries.
Although there were other believers serving as missionaries, this would be the first time they were sent and supported by the ECWI.
During their first term, the Georges, faced many challenges due to the lack of a structure geared towards supporting them spiritually, financially, and emotionally.
Things improved for the Georges in their second term as the ECWI Leadership was sensitized by their plight and carried out an exercise which would allow them to have a better grasp of their shortcomings.
Careful consideration was given to what sending and supporting a foreign missionary entailed. Thus in 1991, the then Moderator’s Council initiated discussions on the structure which they would need to put in place to adequately support the Georges, and any other missionaries who would follow after them.
World Team (ECWI’s then parent organization) provided some support by sending Jay & Beth Weaver to assist the Georges in French Guiana for one term.
In 1991, World Team sent Dr Edwin Walker to assist ECWI in setting up a broad framework for a Missionary Agency. The first meeting was convened in Trinidad & Tobago in February 1991 with Dr Walker as the facilitator.
Throughout the period 1991 to 1994, the work continued, and many more meetings were held with regards to setting up a Missionary Agency.
In 1994, during a meeting held at the St. George’s Evangelical Church in Grenada, the then secretary of the Moderator’s Council, Rev. Maxwell Providence, was charged with drafting a constitution for the proposed agency.
At a SEC (Southeast Caribbean) General Council which took place in July 1996 at the Desruisseaux Evangelical Church in St. Lucia, the constitution was adopted, and this was the birth of ECWI’s Missionary Agency.
For the next two years, an exercise was conducted to name this Agency, find a suitable President, and appoint an Executive Board.
This Agency was named ADVANCE INTERNATIONAL and Pastor Nazaire Georges was appointed as its President.
On Sunday, 26th July 1998, at the Campden Park Secondary School in St Vincent & the Grenadines, Advance International was launched and its Board Commissioned.
FIRST BOARD MEMBERS OF ADVANCE INTERNATIONAL
- Rev. Nazaire Georges – President
- Rev. Alfred Horsford – Vice President
- Bro. Dhan Lalsee – Secretary
- Pastor Douglas Neverson – Asst. Secretary
- Bro. Peter Recaii – Treasurer
- Rev. Amos Dennie – PRO
- Sis. Edith Johnson – Prayer Coordinator
- Rev. Maxwell Providence – ECWI Superintendent