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We’re Back!
We (Dovene, Sara, Nathan, and Hannah) are safely back in Togo. We were blessed to have this previous season in the US and to be able to meet up with so many of you. To those of you who we were not able to catch up with this trip, we hope that God will bless us to be able to meet up with you again the next time we return to the US. It was a joy to be able to represent the mission at ICOM and among many of you all, our Church families and partners. We continue to pray for each of you.
Our return travels went rather smoothly. The kids really did well on the flights and we were fortunate to fly out through Washington D.C. right before the snowstorm hit the northeast. From very cool temps we entered back into Togo, where it is the warmest time of year with temperatures ranging from 90s to 100s Fahrenheit most days. We were thankful for the great work that Hammer and Dela have been doing in the mission to keep things moving on the farm, school, and Church. Brittany, who has been serving with our medical ministry has been a huge blessing to us in helping to oversee the clinic at this time too. Even with all of this help it has definitely been a busy week thus far with house repairs, car repairs, internet repairs, and the like in order to catch up from being away. We are excited and eager though for the real work that lies ahead in the coming weeks and months as we start back again at the work of making His name known here in Togo.
Mensa
(Above: a picture of an idol altar like many that you see in Togo. This is where they offer blood sacrifices and perform rituals to their idols they serve.)
This week Dovene was able to go out to Totchoani to visit with the group that has continued to meet in Grutzki’s house. One of the young men who Dovene has been training, George, has been storying with them while we were in the US. Although they had met some challenges while we were gone, God has also been faithful to help him as they seek to further His name. They continued the storying process there. There is now another man who is coming along with George who is interested in taking steps to go further in his relationship with Christ. His name is Mensa. He grew up worshiping idols but did start to attend Church shortly after marrying his now wife. Sometime after this however he did leave the Church again and had fallen back away from the faith. He is currently seeking after he and his wife have recognized how far they have fallen in their faith. It is unknown at this time if he has returned to idol worship somewhat during this period or not, but it is quite common to happen to those not strong in their faith in an idol community. After having some conversation with Mensa about what it means to be a disciple and how it means that you will worship only God, Mensa agreed to start studying more with me (Dovene) about what it means to live an obedient life to Christ. He wants to know more about baptism and what it means to give everything to God. Please pray with us that as we study God would move in his heart to bring about transformation and that he would take steps of obedience in following Christ. Pray that God would mold him into a leader who would help us make more disciples.
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