I first met Tiowa at the tentmaking–business as mission course in Bergen Norway earlier this year. We had worked together via email for some time, but now we finally got to spend time together.

Let me introduce Tiowa to you in this edition of TMB. 
I asked him to respond to these four questions.

1.    Who is Tiowa Diarra?

I am married to Madeleine and have five growing kids.

I graduated from Mali University with a Master in Education, from Yamoussoukro Bible Institute with a diploma, and from West Africa Alliance Theological Seminary in Côte d’Ivoire with an M DIV. Then started pastoral ministry in 1986. Since that date I have been engaged in various leadership positions in Mali such as National youth leader and General secretary of Evangelicals in Mali.

Together with other lay people, we founded Partners in Mission organization with the aim of bringing the Gospel to remote areas in Mali and to train nationals for tentmaking.

2.    How did you end up being All Africa Tentmakers International (TI) rep?

After the TI Bulgaria meeting, Partners in Mission reviewed all the materials and took a significant step by engaging  in Tentmaker training and Church leader mobilization for tentmaking mission. In April 2005 we held a mini conference in Bamako, then planned the first All Africa TI Conference for August 2007. The same year we held the very first tentmaker training  in collaboration with TENT of Norway. The next year, in Cape Town, I was appointed as “pioneer for African regions”

3.    How do you see the future of the tentmaking-business as mission (TEMBAM) movement in and from Africa?

There are specific results we can see after five years of TI operation: more than 1750 tentmakers missionaries have been trained and deployed all over Africa; most  of them are working on personal evangelism and church planting. When the capacity of Churches will be enhanced in the future, it is obvious more results will be reached. There is a good perspective of African Tentmakers operating within and outside the continent.  The African diaspora in Northern Africa, in the Middle East, in Europe and Asia includes potential tentmakers that need to be trained and deployed intentionnally for mission. 

4.    How can people learn more about TEMBAM Africa and how can they pray?

Africa TEMBAM is engaged in training and training materials development, church mobilization, strategic reflection on optimizing the potential of the African diaspora.

Thank you, Tiowa. It is a blessing to work with you and to know you as a friend.   Please pray for the upcoming 2nd ALL Africa TI Conference in Cameroon on August 12-15, 2010.

Ari Rocklin

Ed: Tiowa is helping GLOBAL Opportunities in a very meaningful way by responding to requests that come to us from Africa.