Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Why we need a teacher...
Today I am posting a link to my blog as an example of what kind of work I do. Having a teacher here allows me time to do this kind of work, as well as work with orphans and Association Espoir pour Demain (a local AIDS clinic.)
Thursday, January 20, 2011
History of our work...
Our team first formed at Harding University in Searcy, AR. There were five couples, and each of us had been introduced to African missions through the Harding African Internship. In January 2000 our team moved to France to study French. We lived in Albertville, France along with the four other families for 8 months, and in August we all moved from France to Togo.
We had chosen Togo because there was only one other team in the country. They were in the southern part working with a different people group. French West Africa is highly neglected because people don't want to have to learn French before they go to the mission field, they reason it would be more expedient to just go to an English speaking country. That philosophy has left a vacuum in places like Togo and Benin even though they are sandwiched between two very highly evangelized countries- Nigeria and Ghana. Also, Wycliff Bible Translators was working on the New Testament in Kabiye, and it was finished in 1999. We saw this as an indication that God was ripening this field for harvest!
When we arrived we moved into houses here in Kara, which is about 6 hours north of the capital city (and is the second largest city.) We began learning the Kabiye language because we work only in their first language. (Kabiye is the main people group in Northern Togo.) Our first two years were spent primarily in learning language and culture, although we did begin some evangelism. In our third year here, our family decided to move back to the US. We had had complications with Michal's birth that resulted in our having to be evacuated, and then I had lost three more babies in miscarriages.
The other four families stayed and continued the work, and we moved back to the States to recover and heal. In 2005, we felt that God brought amazing healing and redemption, and we started praying about returning to the mission field. We prayed and thought about many places because we didn't want to assume that God would send us back to Togo. After praying, talking with mentors, and visiting with our teammates, we decided to return to Togo. One of the families, the Neals had just decided to leave the field and move back to the US. We rejoined our team and began praying and looking for support.
In January 2008, we moved back to Togo. Since that time all but one of the original families has left and the remaining family is leaving this April(two moved back to the US, two are preparing to start a work in Rwanda.) We are now here with a young couple from Alabama, a family from Australia, and we have two more families joining us next January.
Over the last ten years 18 churches have been planted among the Kabiye people. We have seen a shift in our role from primary teachers of the Gospel to supporting the Christians as they have become the primary teachers. We have also expanded to serving the physical needs of the people in an effort to expand our region of influence, and respond to pleas for help. We work mainly in orphan care, clean water wells, and ministering to those with AIDS, and we have smaller projects with agriculture and literacy.
Mark and I are both heavily involved in ministry to those who have or are affected by HIV/ AIDS, I also work with orphan care, and he works in leadership training in the churches. Mark has recently started to survey the surrounding areas, going beyond the area where our work currently extends. He is offering help to communities and families in dealing with HIV/ AIDS, and is looking for people who are open to Christ. I have been praying Colossians 4:3-4 for him almost daily! We are also praying that God would make tender hearts in those who are willing to receive him, and that he would give Mark the wisdom to know these people when he meets them. I remember praying these thing 10 years ago, and I am amazed at how he has answered those prayers. I can't wait to introduce you to Kpatcha, Jerome, Jean-Marie, Christianne, and Mazalo, who are his answer! What beautiful work God is doing here to proclaim his redemption through the working of truth and grace in people's lives!
We had chosen Togo because there was only one other team in the country. They were in the southern part working with a different people group. French West Africa is highly neglected because people don't want to have to learn French before they go to the mission field, they reason it would be more expedient to just go to an English speaking country. That philosophy has left a vacuum in places like Togo and Benin even though they are sandwiched between two very highly evangelized countries- Nigeria and Ghana. Also, Wycliff Bible Translators was working on the New Testament in Kabiye, and it was finished in 1999. We saw this as an indication that God was ripening this field for harvest!
When we arrived we moved into houses here in Kara, which is about 6 hours north of the capital city (and is the second largest city.) We began learning the Kabiye language because we work only in their first language. (Kabiye is the main people group in Northern Togo.) Our first two years were spent primarily in learning language and culture, although we did begin some evangelism. In our third year here, our family decided to move back to the US. We had had complications with Michal's birth that resulted in our having to be evacuated, and then I had lost three more babies in miscarriages.
The other four families stayed and continued the work, and we moved back to the States to recover and heal. In 2005, we felt that God brought amazing healing and redemption, and we started praying about returning to the mission field. We prayed and thought about many places because we didn't want to assume that God would send us back to Togo. After praying, talking with mentors, and visiting with our teammates, we decided to return to Togo. One of the families, the Neals had just decided to leave the field and move back to the US. We rejoined our team and began praying and looking for support.
In January 2008, we moved back to Togo. Since that time all but one of the original families has left and the remaining family is leaving this April(two moved back to the US, two are preparing to start a work in Rwanda.) We are now here with a young couple from Alabama, a family from Australia, and we have two more families joining us next January.
Over the last ten years 18 churches have been planted among the Kabiye people. We have seen a shift in our role from primary teachers of the Gospel to supporting the Christians as they have become the primary teachers. We have also expanded to serving the physical needs of the people in an effort to expand our region of influence, and respond to pleas for help. We work mainly in orphan care, clean water wells, and ministering to those with AIDS, and we have smaller projects with agriculture and literacy.
Mark and I are both heavily involved in ministry to those who have or are affected by HIV/ AIDS, I also work with orphan care, and he works in leadership training in the churches. Mark has recently started to survey the surrounding areas, going beyond the area where our work currently extends. He is offering help to communities and families in dealing with HIV/ AIDS, and is looking for people who are open to Christ. I have been praying Colossians 4:3-4 for him almost daily! We are also praying that God would make tender hearts in those who are willing to receive him, and that he would give Mark the wisdom to know these people when he meets them. I remember praying these thing 10 years ago, and I am amazed at how he has answered those prayers. I can't wait to introduce you to Kpatcha, Jerome, Jean-Marie, Christianne, and Mazalo, who are his answer! What beautiful work God is doing here to proclaim his redemption through the working of truth and grace in people's lives!
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
blog posts from past teachers...
Here are some links to blogs kept by our teachers from last year, Bethany, Sarah, and Jacque.
I chose to highlight Bethany's blog from last April, mainly because it has some great pictures, and it reminded me of a wonderful day we spent together in the village of N'Djei. Check it out, and read from posts before it, too, to hear more of her perspective on teaching.
Here are Jacque's posts from the trip to, and first couple of days in Togo.
Sarah's post features a day in her life here.
I love these girls dearly and miss them!
Thanks for stopping in and keep checking back. More information is coming!
I chose to highlight Bethany's blog from last April, mainly because it has some great pictures, and it reminded me of a wonderful day we spent together in the village of N'Djei. Check it out, and read from posts before it, too, to hear more of her perspective on teaching.
Here are Jacque's posts from the trip to, and first couple of days in Togo.
Sarah's post features a day in her life here.
I love these girls dearly and miss them!
Thanks for stopping in and keep checking back. More information is coming!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Information Forthcoming...
Please check back next week when we begin posting info about spending 10 months in Africa as a teacher! Thanks.
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