Quote from Nate Saint

“And people who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we are wasting our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too are expending their lives . . . and when the bubble has burst they will have nothing of eternal significance to show for the years they have wasted.” – Nate Saint –

God Won!

Below is an excerpt from the letter of a future co-missionary in Togo, Sharon Rahilly. Ryan and I just can't wait to see this ministry first hand. I hope you find it encouraging as we did.

I wrote “God Won!” on the subject line of this prayer update. In reference to that, I realize that He always does win – but sometimes He allows us to clearly see His victory! That happened a little over a week ago when I drove to a village outside of Lome for the funeral of the father of one of our nurses. One of the things I ask when hearing that a person has died is whether or not he had trusted in Christ for his salvation. When I asked that about this older gentlemen, I was told that about six months ago, after repeatedly hearing what Jesus Christ had done for him, he asked Him to be his Savior! Apparently his life totally changed as he experienced God’s forgiveness and God’s peace! Most of this man’s immediate family had made a similar decision for Christ – so, though sorrowful about the separation, they were rejoicing in knowing that he was with his Lord. However, the large extended family were fetish worshipers. Because of that, the decision had been made to allow both groups (Christian believers and fetish worshipers) to have a part in the funeral service. Our local pastor (Pastor Togbe) made the trip to Lome to preach the funeral service; he was accompanied by the choir from his church. The first part of the service consisted of a wonderful message, a testimony from the oldest son about how his father’s life had changed after his salvation, and lots of great singing by the choir. Then it was the designated time for the fetish ceremony to begin. The drums were already in place. There was a pause. But nothing happened. Suddenly I noticed some of our believers with huge smiles on their faces! According to the reports that I heard, one of three things happened (or perhaps all three): the person who was to play the African drums for the fetish ceremony had left the funeral service during the preaching of Pastor Togbe and did not return; the chief of the extended family had left the service during the preaching and was nowhere to be found; and the villagers themselves refused to allow the fetish ceremony! The bottom line was that no fetish ceremony was performed! As one friend said later, “God won!” I could not help but smile and praise God as we saw His power once again! And a reminder of the fact that, as strong as Satan is, our God is much stronger!!

Let me add an addendum about the funeral. I just talked with Virginie this morning – the nurse whose father died. She told me the rest of the story! She said that the evening of the funeral, an older man came to her brother and told him that he had been very interested in the message about salvation. He has been like a grandfather to the extended family. He is not only a strong fetisher, he is a sorcerer/charlatan – he is the one who tells others what sacrifices to make, what fetishes to buy/worship. As he talked with Virginie’s older brother, he said that he realized that his fetishes did not count for anything – and that he wanted to follow Jesus Christ! Virginie’s brother explained that Jesus had died for him, that He had taken his sins on Himself – and that salvation from sin and assurance of heaven was available through faith in Christ alone. That older gentleman made the decision right then to follow Christ. Not only did he make that decision verbally – he then said that he wanted to destroy all of his fetishes! So he did – burning them publicly! He desperately needs our prayers – people in the village do not understand his decision. They are coming to him and saying, “you have been our savior (the chief fetisher); now you are abandoning us”. There is anger on the part of the villagers. This is a very new believer who is being strongly attacked for choosing to follow Christ. Please pray for him!

The story is not over! Virginie and her family saw such opportunity to talk with other villagers that they returned to their village this past Sunday. They went door-to-door sharing the wonderful news of Jesus Christ. They even decided to have a church service in the village. Approximately 30 people came to that service; many of them said that they wanted to accept Christ as Savior – including the chief of the village! Wow – if that does not make a person ready to jump up and down with joy!!! Some of the villagers asked why their village has been neglected so that there is no church there. Virginie’s brother lives about 10 miles away; he is a strong believer and is offering to go to the village on Sundays to teach the people! Please pray for these villagers as well. God is doing an incredible work in this village and in others!!

The same Sunday that the “grandfather” was destroying his fetishes in Virginie’s village, there was also a fetish burning service at our church in Kaduasso-Kope – and another wonderful illustration of how “God won” in the life of a young man, Kedeyo Komi, from a nearby village who had given his life to Christ. That Sunday morning, Pastor Martouka taught about idolatry. He asked how many of the people there had been involved in worshipping idols. Almost every hand in that little thatched roof church building went up! Following the teaching, Komi brought his sack of fetishes (shells, carved wooden items, bottles, incense) to the front of the church. There he described each of the fetishes that he had, and explained how Jesus Christ had delivered him from the fear he lived with as he worshipped those idols. Komi and the pastor then took his fetishes just outside the church, placed them on a large bundle of sticks, poured kerosene on top, and lit the fire! We watched and sang as those fetishes burned! At the end of the burning service, the pastor had Komi kneel at the front of the church – and then, as we held hands in a circle around him, Pastor Martouka committed this young man to the God Who truly loves him and the God Who alone is powerful enough to protect him! What an incredible time!

Truly, Satan is at work worldwide. But Satan is already defeated – for eternity, as well as in the hearts and lives of those who belong to Christ now! Please pray for Komi – that his faith would hold firm during the testing that is bound to come! Pray for Pastor Martouka as he serves in these villages! Pray for our Community Health Evangelism (CHE) teams as they invade Satan’s territory each week, sharing the wonderful news that freedom is offered through Jesus Christ! Pray for the people in Virginie’s village and for Virginie’s brother as he teaches them about following the one true God!

Thank you for standing with each of us here in Togo through your prayers! You are an essential part of what God is doing – and your prayers are necessary in the ongoing battle for souls in this part of the world!

Serving our Lord together,

Sharon