TOGO MISSION REPORT , SEPTEMBER 2018 Len’s Lens on Togo:

Dear Friends and Mission Supporters

It’s always a joy to report good news, and I

think we’ve got good news to share with you. An

email from evangelist ATSU Martin reported 76

baptisms in a group of six villages recently. The

villages are: (1) Atakpame; (2) Anie; (3) Osea;

(4) Tando; (5) Tovegan; and (6) Akepe. While I do

not know how many were baptized in each village,

the total is an example of the power of the Word in

touching the hearts of people. Brother ATSU also

reported that the preacher of the Tovegan church is

well now. He had gone to Ghana to be treated for

an illness, and I think he was hospitalized for

several days. It is fairly common to hear that

medical treatment is better in Ghana than in Togo,

and that the Togolese cross the border into Ghana

for treatment. I think that one of our long-term

objectives for this mission would be to provide

schools and clinics as a form of outreach in the

communities served by our churches. Already the

school at the N’Kafu church is having significant

outreach into the community surrounding that

church, as many of the children are coming from

families that are not members at N’Kafu. And on

my last visit to Togo, the leaders of the Tokoin

church, also in the capital city of Lome, were

envisioning a medical clinic to facilitate community

outreach.

Along with good news comes some bad

news. A couple of evangelists have had accidents

on their motorbikes, thankfully with little human

injury but sometimes not so fortunate for the

motorbikes. Also, Brother Kuma Kodzovi Mensah

reported that thieves broke into his home on

Sunday, the 23th

of September, while the family was

worshipping, and stole the funds for his son’s

school fees, as well as other things. Many times we

can help with some of these losses, but not always.

Because the nation of Togo has suffered for so long

(50 years or more) under the dictatorship of the

Gnassingbe regimes, the people have little ability to

recover from a financial setback. The mission fund

has as its principal purpose the preaching and

teaching of the gospel, but I observed Brother

Walter Bryan often felt the need to help as much as

he could with some of the personal matters as well.

That is often necessary to allow evangelists to

continue their work with the church in the face of

financial hardship. Our current approach is to try to

provide a portion of the funds, as we are able,

helping but not totally relieving them of all

responsibility. We seek to be transparent with you,

our faithful supporters, so that you may be assured

that funds are primarily directed toward the building

up of the kingdom.

We have included several photos with this

report, trying to give a visual as well as verbal

report to you. Additional photos are posted on the

Wilshire church website, where we also make a

copy of this newsletter available. Please go to:

http://wilshirechurch.org and click on MINISTRIES,

then Togo, Africa to see more photos from previous

reports.

Please continue in prayer for our brothers

and sisters in Togo. The political situation has not

been resolved, and the government has promised

elections before the end of the year, but has been

unwilling to grant the requests of the opposition

parties regarding certain freedoms that have been

requested. Togo needs our prayers, both for our

brothers and sisters as well as for the nation. Let us

also continually praise God for the continued

growth of the Kingdom, and pray that we can find

the resources to help establish newly-graduated

evangelists so that they may continue to reap a

harvest for the Lord.

AFRICAN MISSION FUND 400 East Wilshire Blvd.

Oklahoma City, OK 73105

Bro. Kuma Kodzovi sends greetings from the

congregation in Amenope. He reports one baptism

in August. (see photo) Bro. Kodzovi sends thanks

and blessings to supporters for the assistance they

have received, especially for the evangelists in

Amenope.

Church of Christ Tokoin-Lome sends thanks for

the support for Tokoin. The congregation is

embarking on an eight year development plan to

grow the church in Tokoin. The plans include;

consecration of elders and deacons, opening a

dispensary, development and expansion of a place

of worship, taking charge of the mission at Tove,

which is in progress. Purchase of land for a church

in Zanguera, planting a new assembly at Zanguera-

Digbe or Adidogome (2019-2020), purchase of land

for the building of a multi-purpose facility in

Hahotoe (2020-2025).

Bro. Kokou Adjaho sends greetings from the

congregation at Yobome. The church held a bible

campaign in the Tsevie area from August 24th and

25th

. Their efforts resulted in two individuals who

now regularly attend worship service. Bro. Adjaho

asks that we pray for their conversion into the

Lord’s Church. He also reports that a dedication

was held for the birth of Eya Venoughe Baba, the

infant daughter of Bro. and sister Etse and Nana

Baba. Please pray for her growth in Christ.

Bro. Esperance Mensah sends greetings from the

Nukafu church. He reports the completion of a

successful school year at Nukafu and Yobo. He

reports the wells at Yobo have been completed, and

they want to begin construction on latrines. They

are also constructing a worship facility at

Dalave. Bro. Mensah reports that the church in

Blitta is at 21 members, and is receiving financial

support from the Nukafu congregation.

Bro. Bernard Agbodza sends greetings from

Numetukodzi-Kpalime. Brother Agbodza reports

that they are working to complete construction on

the new church facility. (see photos which follow).

He also reports that they will begin their weekly

evangelism efforts to bring more souls to Christ.

The brother who purchased the lot for the new

building.

Work ongoing at Numetukodzi-Kpalime.

Bro. Richard Dossouvi sends greetings from the

church in Aneho. Bro. Dossouvi has agreed to be an

instructor at the new biblical training center in

Atakpame. Classes began on August 25, with 12

students. The Aneho church also baptized three

souls into Christ in August. Bro. Dossouvi is asking

for help in order to move Bro. Koffi Kponkanou to

Djeta, to continue evangelizing the area.

(See photos below)

Bro. Kuma Kodzovi sends greetings from the

Amenope congregation. Bro. Kodzovi reports that

he was the victim of a robbery last month while at

church. The thieves took funds that were set aside

for his son’s education. He is asking for help, so

that he can send his son to school.

Bro. Atsu Martin sends greetings and thanks from

the church at Assahoun. He reports that house to

house evangelism is ongoing, and 76 baptisms took

place in villages at Atakpame, Anie, Osea, Tando,

Tovegan and Akepe.

Bro. Komlan Akalo reports that the Togo

preacher’s committee and the ministers of Kara,

organized a preacher’s retreat. The theme was

“Temperament Led By The Spirit” (see photos

below). Bro. Akalo also reports that Bro. Sokpe was

involved in an accident. He was uninjured, but his

motor bike was damaged, and he is requesting help

with the repairs. Bro. Akalo has also requested

funds to purchase a new worship facility.

Bro. Jean-Baptiste Sokpe sends thanks for the

continued support. He also asks for prayers for his

wife, who is experiencing health problems.

ATTENDANCE

Assahoun 37 Aneho 44

Yobome 61 Amenope 58

Pagala 44(Aug) 47(July)

Clockwise from left: Baptism of young woman from the village of Kadape. Four students from the Bible Institute in Kpalime baptized. Baptism of Brother Kowouvi’s mother-in-law. Brother Tonou of the Kpeme church and six individuals who were baptized.

Baptism of a young man from Dalave. Baptism of a young man at Tovegan.

Two additional baptisms and family celebrations

Construction of new church building in Kpalime.

Students taking exams at the Bible Institute. Faculty at the Bible Institute in Kpalime.

A well completed for the school in Yobo

An evening of evangelism at Ybome.

Preachers at the Bible Conference in Benin.

Students at training center in Atakpame.

Groundbreking at new building for preacher training school at Atakpame.

Richard Dossouvi preaching at Ybome.

Prayer with a family during evangelism at Djeta.

Beginning of the literacy project in Aneho.

Akalo Khomlan at the youth program

Inaugural photos at Atakpame training center.

Sleeping places of some members of the Djeta church of Christ.

Evangelist John Mokli of Ghana and American brother “Doc” addresses audience at the Atakpame training center.

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