It all started with a burden to share the gospel with women who could not read. Thirty pastors’ wives are being trained in oral storytelling and how to teach the Bible chronologically. In order to see how this would work, Abra Boniface, a teacher in the Pastors’ Wives Bible Institute decided to start a study in the village of Kpakakpekope where she buys yams to sell at market.
At the first study the women (and a few men who were sitting around) were asked who made the trees and corn. They all answered, “Our ancestors.” Over the past six months, Abra along with her husband, Pastor Boniface, Beky Poteat, and a team from the Agou church have continued to share truths from God’s Word.
Melanie has lived in fear for years and says she is sick all of the time. She has been coming and asking questions for months. One night the team showed a film to the whole village about deliverance from fetish worship. Melanie began counting the cost if she was going to leave this life of darkness. At Easter time, she came to a conference where she heard & saw another film about the sufferings of Jesus & realized it was for her that He died & rose again.
At the end of April, Melanie talked to Pastor Boniface and Abra about burning her idols, but she was hesitant because her husband, parents and other family members are fetishers. She said she had to go talk to them first. Pastor and Abra explained to her that just because you burn your idols it doesn’t mean you are a believer in Jesus. Sunday before last, Melanie said she wanted to be free, and accepted Jesus as her Savior! Last Sunday, she burned her idols in front of those in the village.
Yawa is another lady who has also lived a very sad life. She has not been able to have children so 2 husbands have sent her away. Unfortunately, if a woman cannot have a child, this is not an unusual custom in Togo. Yawa was one of the first women to come to Christ and also burned her idols this past Sunday. Please pray that she will understand and embrace God’s unfailing love for her in spite of the rejection she has experienced.
Melanie husband Petit has not yet accepted Christ and others in their family are fearful that something terrible will happen to her because she burned her fetishes. Please pray that the light of Christ will shine through Melanie and Yawa and that they would bear fruit.
ABWE, Togo South Team 