Global Alpha Training Mission, Freetown, Sierra Leone, 19 April - 3 May 2010

Dear Friends

In 2004 I got involved with Kanata Community Alpha and Alpha Prison Ministry thanks to the encouragement of friend Tony Copple. Since then I have participated in running Alpha courses in community centres, pubs, an apartment building and our home. I have found Alpha to be an amazing tool for introducing people to Christ in a non-threatening and enjoyable way.

I have never been on a mission trip before and although I have always thought I would like to, I have never felt convicted to go on one. That is until Tony mentioned Alpha's Global Alpha Training (GAT) initiative and I instantly felt that this was the type of mission trip for me.

GAT is an Alpha initiative which provides training to Christians in countries where Alpha courses are not widely available or not offered at all. The training is designed to equip and empower local church leaders and lay people to run Alpha courses and train others where there is a need in their respective countries. GAT teams are made up of individuals who have extensive Alpha experience. The teams are provided with material from the Alpha organization, including programs and transcripts of GAT talks, and the team members share their personal experience and passion for the Alpha ministry. Currently 163 countries are running Alpha courses and over 14 million having taken the Alpha course. Alpha's goal is to have 100 million people take the Alpha course by 2020! GAT is a key component of this goal being realized.

I will be a member of a Global Alpha Training team bound for Sierra Leone in West Africa, April 16 to May 4, 2010. Other members of the team are Tony and Laurie-Ann Copple and Richard Gilman. While we are in Sierra Leone we will be conducting a 4-day training event in each of the 2 weeks we will be there. In the days between the training events, we are hoping to have the opportunity to do prison ministry in Freetown – Tony, Laurie-Ann and I have been involved in Alpha prison ministry here in Ottawa.

The cost of my mission trip will be approximately $5,500 which includes over $1,000 for the Sierra Leone local costs, as we have been asked to cover the costs of these training events.

Kanata Baptist Church is my sponsor church and is providing me with support through the KBC Mission Fund. Anyone wishing to financially support my mission trip and would like a tax receipt, please make a cheque payable to 'Kanata Baptist Church', writing 'KBC Mission Fund – GAT' on the memo line. A tax receipt will be issued to you at the end of the year.

We are all looking forward to participating in this exciting mission opportunity and I would very much appreciate your prayers. Please pray for preparations, travel, health and safety for everyone and most importantly that the training events will go well and benefit all the Sierra Leone participants and empower and inspire them to provide Alpha courses and conferences to their fellow countrymen and women.

If you have any questions about my mission trip, please contact me at any time at dwight_mcdougall@hotmail.com.

Thank you for your prayers

Dwight