| Beginning in Belleville...go to Togo |
January 2005 indexSena Ounate-Lare, who comes from Togo in West Africa, became a Christian as a student through the ministry of Charlie and Anita Cleverly in Belleville. With the support of Belleville, Sena and his English wife Jane went to All Nations college in the UK to train for mission. After two years at college Sena and Jane spent three years in the pastoral team in Belleville.
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“Just some of the rewards have been to see the Holy Spirit at work in people’s lives; to see people’s faith coming alive and lives changed.”
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Belleville
already had a mission connection with Togo by sending out short-term
teams there each year. So in January 2004 the Ounate-Lares left for
Togo as Crosslinks mission partners to work with a Togolese church:
‘Ministère International de Jésus’.
They are based in Dapaong, a town of 30,000 in the north of the country where they are involved in church-planting ministry. Their vision is to share the Gospel with students and workers, and make disciples. They have established a good relationship with other Christian leaders, and are experiencing an encouraging beginning in their own church. Says Sena “The first nine months have been spent starting to learn a different culture, the local language and the people. We have also been discerning and training potential leaders. We began regular Sunday services in September and planted seven cell groups throughout the town.”
However they face many challenges. There is a growing Muslim influence in the area with strong financial backing from outside countries. Around 30% of the population are Roman Catholic with only 5% Protestant. Sena comments “People need to realise that they can read and study the Bible for themselves. It is not just the pastor or the leaders who have all the knowledge. Also there is a great need for discipleship amongst people who have grown up with an animistic way of thinking, worshipping idols and ancestors.” Nevertheless Sena and Jane are already seeing fruit: “Just some of the rewards have been to see God’s grace in our transition into such a different culture; to see the Holy Spirit at work in people’s lives; to see people’s faith coming alive and lives changed.” How wonderful that all this growth in Dapaong is coming from a seed that was planted in Belleville in inner-city Paris! For more information about the Ounate-Lare family and their work - click here If you would like to help support the Ounate- Lares in this frontline work of proclaiming God’s Word in Togo, please contact Karen Scutt via email or call 020 8691 6111
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