Greetings to all of our Brothers and Sisters and Partners in Ministry! We pray you are doing well and that God blesses each of you in this new year! We are excited to write to you and update on what has been going on in the mission lately. Please forgive us for the delay in updating as well as the longer update but we hope that from what you read you will be encouraged!
(Gathering together to celebrate all the Lord has done in Togo this year! Pictured left to right is Brittany, Felix, Nathan, Hammer, Hannah, Dela, Joyce, Dovene, and Sara)
Sustainable Development Training/ Moringa Training
Dovene was able to attend a training at the Permaculture Institute in Ghana for 6 weeks this past fall. He was able to learn about how to use our natural resources in order to develop our communities in an ecologically friendly way. During this time he was able to become part of a network of people who are working to develop sustainable development projects in West Africa. We certainly missed him here in Vogan and were thankful to have him back though!
However, what he learned has already been helping us to develop the farm project in the new area as well. It was also a great way to test our some of our Church Planting leaders who have been in training and give them opportunity to put into practice the principles they had been learning in discipleship training. We are excited to see them take the next step and actively disciple on their own too!
(Dovene and Mr. George Zokli teaching during the Moringa training sessions)
On his arrival from Ghana Dovene started working towards planning a Moringa training here in our local community of Vogan. Last week we had over 82 participants (46 women, 36 men) who came from our savings groups to come and learn about a local tree called Moringa and how it can significantly impact them nutritionally, economically, and for their health in a two day training.
(The hands-on practical of how to plant moringa trees)
This tree is native to West Africa but not everyone is aware of the huge nutritional benefits of it. By adding either the dried powdered leaves to your food or even cooking the green leaves you can significantly increase the vitamins in your diet and this is huge for an area that is battling malnutrition. We are excited to train our savings group leaders in this so that they also can teach others in their community. The savings groups continue to attract newcomers and while they come to learn about Godly principles of money management they are also coming to hear the gospel and many more are hearing it for the first time. The moringa training will be yet another tool to help them alleviate poverty and hugely improve their health. We are so thankful for Mr. George Zokli who came from Ghana to help lead the training as well as our small army of volunteers who helped make all this possible!
(Group photo of the participants along with our volunteers and teachings for the Morninga training)
Medical Outreach Update
The clinic continues to be busy as well. We have had a number of very large wounds that have been coming in lately. We actually have had people traveling from one to two and a half hours away (from Lome, the capital city even!) in order to have their wounds cared for. Praise God for such opportunities as each time they come they are hearing the gospel preached!
One patient we have been working with daily for the past several months is Helen. She came to us after neglecting a tooth abscess for several years. Her whole face was swollen and she was unable to even eat or open her mouth when she came to us. She had tried to go to have the surgery done to remove the abscess previously but had no support from her family financially or even to help care for her other children while she was to go through the surgery at that time. Her family now had some funds to contribute towards her medical care but it was not sufficient. Thankfully we had enough in ministry funds to assist her to get the initial consultation regarding her needed surgery. The hospital in Lome where they specialize in these kind of surgeries told her that if she did not have surgery soon she would end up needing to be flown abroad for reconstructive surgery. Helen was overwhelmed and scared. We did work with her to sponsor her to have her first surgery at this center. She faced a lot of pain as they did remove much infected tissue and bone.
(Caring for Helen’s wound after her first surgery)
After her surgery she was finally able to eat some soft foods and open her mouth slightly. She has been receiving daily wound care since then for the past few months but recently had an infection return with increased swelling. We sent her back for another check up and it turns out that the remaining bone is still infected and so she is now facing a second surgery to try to clean this up so that hopefully her wounds can heal. So we in the process of going through the needed tests in preparation for her to return for her second surgery. Will you please be in prayer for Helen? Walking alongside her daily she has grown so much through this process. When she first came to us she was not attending Church and had drifted back in faith but God is slowly drawing her nearer. She now fellowships regularly with the Church in Vogan, and is greatly encouraged by it. Her health has definitely been challenging for her though as she has dealt with a lot of pain from the infection and it is definitely a bit overwhelming to her to think about going through surgery a second time. Please pray that she will hold firm to her faith and that the surgeons are able to remove all the infected tissue and bone so she may truly heal.
Totsoani Update
Please also be praying for the Simple Church movement. We have been reaching out in the community of Totsoani for almost two years now, mainly at the home of the local idol priest. At times there have been others who have stepped forward that they are ready to take the next step in faith, but after doing some deeper studies on what it means to be a disciple of Christ, it appears they are not prepared to take the next step and surrender to Him. It has been a difficult decision, but with much prayer we have decided that we are going to be moving to a nearby village to continue spreading the word there. The village we hope to reach out to is within walking distance of Totsoani, so if the people of Totsoani did choose to continue to fellowship they could join us there, but it will allow us to share truth with others who have not had opportunity to hear yet. Would you please continue to pray for the people of Totsoani to be obedient to what they have learned and for God to move in their hearts to repentance? Also please pray that God will provide our next person of peace to open their homes for us to share the truth. Please pray God will prepare the way before us, and that leaders will rise up after hearing the truth and walk as a disciple who will make disciples for Christ.
We are also excited as we have been building relationships in the areas around the farm over the past few months as well. In reaching out in surrounding villages we have also met a few Christians in a nearby village, and have been also brainstorming with them on how we can work together to impact our surrounding communities for Christ. One group now is ready to start going through training to partner with us in starting simple Churches in this area that is largely unreached. Praise God!
New Motorcycles Provided by IDES!
We are also so thankful for IDES who has graciously jumped in and helped us in a huge way for our mission’s transportation issues. The motorcycles we had been using for Church Planting, Medical Outreach, and our Christian School have slowly been dying due to use on our rough roads. IDES has partnered with us through a grant to provide four new motorcycles that can be devoted to these projects. This is huge for us, as being mobile enables us to share the gospel with many who would otherwise be unreached. Praise God with us for His provision!
PARTNER IN PRAYER:
PRAISES
- For good health…Brittany, Sara, Nathan, and Hannah all had a severe stomach virus that they are doing much better from
- New Motorcycles to use here in the mission!
- The farm truck was able to be fixed! Praise God for His provision!
- We have some people who are ready to start training to help us implement simple Church in the areas surrounding the farm!
REQUESTS
- For the Fulani people we are in contact with at the farm area to come to Christ
- For those going through discipleship and leadership training for the simple Church to boldly go forward and put into action what they are learning
- For the clinic that patients would submit their lives to Christ.
- Provision of a vehicle for Dovene and Sara. We are still in need of $15,300 (Praise God for the 7,700 that has already been raised!!!) in order to purchase a sturdy vehicle here in Togo.
- Wisdom and discernment in all our activities here…that we would walk in step with the Spirit and He would guide us each step of the way.
To Support Togo Christian Mission:
Please send checks written out to “Outreach International” with “TCM” written in the memo line. If you have a specific project you would like to donate towards please be sure to include that in the memo line as well. (Example: If you would like to give towards the vehicle fundraising please write “TCM-Vehicle” in the memo line of your check)
Checks may be mailed to:
Outreach International
PO Box 272
Shelbyville, MO 63469
OR Donate On-line HERE.
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