Ounate-Lare, Sena and Jane, Togo
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Prayer Letter September 2005 (Click
here for Acrobat pdf version)
Dear Friends,
We are all well and are preparing ourselves for the arrival of the new baby. We are all excited, especially Joshua who frequently asks when the baby will be coming. We have moved to the capital Lome, closer to the American missionary hospital where Jane will be giving birth.
We will use this transitional time to rest a bit and to take the children to the beach. They love chasing and catching the little crabs.
Ministry
Thank you to all of you who have been praying for the Christian Foundation Course. The course is aimed for new Christians and for those who are still seeking. We were blessed as many people were touched by God and some committed their lives to Jesus. The conversion of one of them called M was radical. His testimony is below to encourage us to continue to pray. God is at work.
As we are in Lomé now preparing for the birth, the church is being led by Nakpergou one of the Ministère de Jésus’ Pastors along with one of my disciples Boundja. Nakpergou is the Savane region coordinator (Dapaong is in that region). They are keeping in close contact with me. Please pray for them.
M’s Testimony
M is a student who comes from an animist background. He is an orphan and come from a very poor family. He was searching for the truth and couldn’t find it. He liked to debate and is very good at it. In the past year he came across a rich Muslim family who wanted him to become Muslim and started to support him financially and provide for his future.
In May 2005 he was invited to our church to have a discussion with me about “ Is Jesus God?” “ What the Bible says about Trinity”. With another colleague we had a good discussion with him but he wasn’t always satisfied. He is bright and often caused me to do some more research. Jane and I often pray for him. We invited him to our Christian Foundation Course where God started touching his heart and one Sunday after the sermon he decided to give his life to Jesus. Praise God!
A few days after his commitment to the Lord he came to me troubled. He told me his life was already planned and now he had doubts about all that. He told me that the Muslim family had given him their daughter to marry and had a very good job waiting for him. He who is very poor is about to become rich and secure. I prayed with him and told him that God was at work and would guide him through. After many times of prayer he decided to give up all this to follow Jesus. Though spiritually rich and joyful, he is back to his poor condition. He struggles to have two meals a day or even to pay for a bar of soap to have a shower. He told me that although he doesn’t know what the future holds he knows that God has it in his hands. His faith and desire to know God is an example for me.
At the moment there is a lot of pressure from the Muslim family to marry their daughter and to become Muslim. Please pray that God will protect him and lead him into his perfect plan.
Economical and Political Situation
The economical situation in the whole of Togo is difficult at the moment. The price of basic food has risen to a point never reached before. All this is due to the fact that many farmers in Togo now prefer to cultivate cotton rather than crops because it makes more profit. Unfortunately the price of cotton has dropped and this year the government didn’t even manage to pay them their money. So in the country we do not have enough food and the little we have is very expensive. A sack of maize, which is the staple food, normally costs £12 but it is now £36. Just imagine that suddenly you have to pay 3 times for all your basic foods. The problem is not limited to Togo but affects other countries in West Africa. Maybe some of you have heard of the “famine” in Niger. The government has now forbidden the export of any food from Togo until the next harvest time in October.
Thank you to all of you who have been praying for Togo during the political crisis following the election in April. The situation is a little better now. Over 40,000 people especially from the south fled to neighbouring countries Benin and Ghana. They have not yet returned. Togo needs a time of reconciliation and forgiveness between different people groups and political parties. It will take time but all the churches are continuously praying that Togo will be a land of peace.
Coming events
- Beginning of September the arrival of our third baby
- First week of September, 3 day seminar for the students of the church
- Church weekend on the first weekend in October.
- We are having a retreat for the pastors of “ Ministère de Jesus “ churches in October.
- Baptism classes from October to December.
Please be with us in prayer through all these coming events. God bless you.
Please pray with us for
- Good rest for the family and for a safe delivery.
- Nakpergou, Vincent and Boundja as they lead the church during our absence.
- The new converts to stand firm in the Lord.
- M and other young people like him who are tempted to become Muslim because of the financial security often offered by the Muslim community to win them.
- The difficult economical situation in Togo, may God help the population and that the rich may share with the poor. Please pray for the coming harvest.
- Peace and reconciliation in Togo. May God touch the heart of the leaders of the country and give them love for their people. Please pray for the 40,000 Togolese refugees outside the country. May God’s peace and love be with them and may he prepare the way for them to come back.
Thank you for your faithfulness in praying and supporting us on the mission field. We do value all that you do for us. May God’s love and peace be with all of you.
Lots of Love in Christ from
Sena, Jane, Joshua & Eloïse