History

Shared Blessings began operating formally in 2002 with the dedicated financial support of individual donors committed to serving the people in The Gambia.

2000

Sol Bah traveled back to Gambia and located 1.3 acres available for purchase in Lamin. Within a few months God blessed them with the money to pay for the property and preparation began to build a facility with the ability to provide Christian-based education, teach the Gospel, and provide minor medical care, as well as food to the children in the Lamin village.

2002

Shared Blessings Inc. was established in June 2002 and registered as a 501C3 ministry to further develop the scope of this ministry and provide opportunities for the body of Christ to become involved and make a difference in this desperately hurting area of the world.

2004-2005

Shared Blessings builds a school in collaboration with volunteers from the United States. The school opened in September 2005 with 90 students and 12 people on staff.

2008-2009

Significant growth and accomplishments were realized with the expansion of the school increasing student capacity to 270.

2010-2012

Full funding was provided by God allowing Sol and Manuela Bah to be full-time Shared Blessings employees and on-site in The Gambia during the school year. The ministry started to increase rapidly beyond the school and education as we partnered with local believers, leaders, and pastors to reach into other villages and spread the love of Jesus.

2012-2013

In late 2012, work on a new foundation for the school expansion began. In February 2013, a construction team from the United States was able to put up a new building with three classrooms within 2 weeks. This accommodated the growth of the school to include 7th, 8th, and 9th grades. In September 2013, Upper Basic education was made available the the EMC students.

2014-2015

With grades 7th, 8th, and 9th in operation by 2014, EMC School operated at full capacity with 350 students and a total of 29 teachers and support staff.

The partnership with local ministers was strengthened as we worked together to identify villages that pastors were called to minister in. Since then we have sent out missionary pastors to the villages of Yuna, Darsalame, and Sanyang.

2016

We purchased a new property in Faala village with plans to build a retreat center for local ministers and leaders. The dream was to have a place for spiritual empowerment, leadership training, marriage seminars, and refreshment in the precence of the Lord and one another. Since then, the main hall has been built and is being used for Bible studies and services for the people in the village. The project has yet to be finished and we believe it will be a blessing for the local pastors and believers.

2017-2019

We purchased three more properties in different villages to build churches and outreach centers for the local pastors. In Banyanka village, Pastor Phillip ministers to the children and people in the community beneath a tree. There is no church of any kind in that village and we plan to start the building this year.

In 2018, we started supporting Pastor Seiko Sajo’s radio ministry in Buiam village. Every Sunday, he speaks on the radio reaching five villages and even into parts of Senegal. Many people call in with questions or when they meet him in the village. He also holds weekly Bible studies with believers and non-believers, often showing the Jesus movie to crowds of over 400 people.

At the EMC School, a final building has been added for a computer lab, sewing room, and a special room that will be equipped with Internet and teaching tools to empower the local leaders, pastors and our students through Bible classes, leadership training, marriage seminars, and children ministry.