History of the Church in Central African Republic (CAR)

The history of the Church in CAR begins in June 1991, when Church member and Paris France returned missionary Carol Forrest was sent to work as the medical officer of the US embassy and the Peace Corp in the capital of CAR, Bangui.

There were 3 members living in CAR who had moved there after joining the Church elsewhere. In September 1991, while traveling for a Peace Corp conference, she spent a few days in Johannesburg with the president of the Africa Area, President Lindsay. At the end of the trip she asked President Lindsay for a blessing. In the middle of the blessing President Lindsay set Carol apart as a district missionary for the Central African Republic. He said to her, “Sister Forrest, the Lord knows the desires of your heart. You just need the keys.”

After being set apart she started teaching investigators every day after work and held church meetings in her home.

By March 1992, after 5 months of teaching she had 16 people who were anxious to be baptized and she contacted President Lindsay to have a priesthood holder come and perform the baptisms.

On May 2, 1992, President Taggart of the Zaire Mission visited to assess the readiness of the investigators to join the Church and told the Area Presidency that CAR was ready for the Church.

On 19, September 1993, president Mercer of the Côte d’Ivoire Abidjan mission, visited CAR with President Washburn of the Africa Area presidency and they interviewed and baptize 20 individuals in the swimming pool of the American ambassador.

Of the 20 members 16 were men and 4 were women. Because of poverty in CAR, parents can only pay for the men to go to school and learn French and most of the women only speak the native language, Sango. Sister Forrest was instructed by the Area leaders to only teach people who spoke French and the Church could expand to Sango speakers in the future.

Six men were ordained to the Melchizedek priesthood the next day. Two men were set apart as branch presidents and 4 men as branch missionaries, tasked with preaching the gospel.

Two small branches were organized, one with 6 members and one with 14 members. Two homes were purchased by the church to serve as meetinghouses.

Carol left CAR six weeks afterwards in November 1992. 1

A senior missionary couple, Raymond and Christianne Fourtina, from Bordeaux, France, arrived in Bangui in January 1993. They helped support the leaders and work with the government to get the church recognized. The Church got recognition from the government in July 1993.

An interesting story of the Fourtina’s time in CAR is that one night 6 robbers climbed over their wall and came into their property. They had a guard who was from a tribe and he chased the robbers away by shooting at them with a bow and arrows. 2

The Fourtina’s finished their mission in November 1993 and no other senior couples were sent to replace them.

One reason no other missionaries were sent to CAR was to build “centers of strength” and to first build up the Church in Cote D’Ivoire. For that reason, no missionaries were sent to other countries like Cameroon, Gabon for many years even though they were part of the Cote D’ivoire mission. 3

On Monday, October 29, 2012, Elder Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated CAR for the preaching of the gospel. He was accompanied by Elder L. Whitney Clayton of the Presidency of the Seventy, Elder Dale G. Renlund, president of the African Southeast Area, President Jameson of the DRC Kinshasa mission, their wives, and leaders from the Bangui branch.

Elder Holland invited everyone to stand in a circle and join in faith as he gave the prayer of dedication. He blessed the land, the people, and the leaders of CAR. He also blessed the leaders of the branch and the future missionaries who would serve in the country.

After the dedication, they meet with members at the Bangui branch. There were 128 members in attendance in an overflowing chapel. 4

On the left: Branch President Langue, his counselor Faustin and Mission President Jameson of the DR Kinshasa Mission, 2012

In 2016, there were rumors that African missionaries might be able to go to CAR but the civil war worsened. Also in early 2019, President Thompson mentioned that if things improved, missionaries may be sent to CAR but as currently CAR is still too unsafe with for missionaries with general lawlessness and violence.

In March 2018, President Thompson visited CAR. He had to petition to Africa Southeast Area leadership many times to be allowed to visit the country and did so without being accompanied by Sister Thompson.

Even though there are few members in CAR, in 2018, there were 5 young missionaries were serving from the branch. 5