-BBN Managing Director
February 24, 2016 By Hassan Gbassay Koroma
Managing Director of Believers Broadcasting Network (BBN), Ransford Wright, yesterday told journalists that they run a Christian counseling service that is non–discriminatory and non-judgmental, but interdenominational and professional.
“It is no secret that we run a Christian counseling service, however we see an increasing number of Muslims coming for counseling too. The beauty of that is that it underlines the fact that our counseling service is non-discriminatory and non-judgmental,” said Wright.
He told a presser in Freetown that they employ a no condemnation and coercion policy at the centre and that they could only counsel an individual who expresses willingness to be counseled.
“Even when parents bring their children in, we only counsel the child when he/she is willing. Confidentiality is our watchword and we don’t compromise it,” he reiterated.
Since the centre started operations from 2012 to date, he said, they have registered 3000 clients, thus the reason for yesterday’s celebration.
“Today we celebrate God’s faithfulness to BBN and our counseling centre which was borne out of the need to cater for the psycho-social needs of society. When we opened the centre it was merely an act of faith, trusting God who gave us the vision to do counseling service to make our endeavors fruitful,” he said.
He said the only assurance they had to start the face-to-face counseling programme was feedback from their radio counseling programme, which they started in 2004.
“For the over 3000 individuals who have found direction, solace, solution and wise counsel here, this centre is a God-sent not only to them but to the society at large, where 3000 weary, depressed, angry, hurtful people would have been living and moving around,” he said.
He said there was need for similar centres to be established in all major cities in the country.
He congratulated the 3000 clients, who he said courageously walked through their doors, having realised the need for their services and stepping forward instead of suffering in silence.
He maintained the centre has helped those that have visited immensely, especially in a country like Sierra Leone, where people had gone through 11 years of civil war coupled with the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease that deepened depression among people.
“I wonder if this centre would not have been opened what could have happened to the 3000 clients that have been delivered. Some people visit the centre without even knowing what their problems are, but our staff were able to identify their problems and laid them to rest,” he said.
Manager of the centre, Ms Daphne Hyde, said the centre started operations in September 2012 with only 23 clients, and expressed gratitude that the number had increased to 3000 as they celebrated yesterday.