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Thursday, August 20, 2009
Message from Paul Lipsett
From Baltimore togo to Benin & beyond… month #1 Carried by Grace (Is. 46/3-4)
After leaving Baltimore the 13th, I landed in Lome: Togo in the night – the 28th July. In the journey through Ireland, N. Ireland, Wales, England and France I had the witness and sense of God carrying me & also preparing me. It was a full and precious time & we were there for the first service in the new church building w/ P.Jean Cartier & those dear folks in Nimes.
Some first impressions from Lome: Daniel and I are residing with a sweet married couple & their family (from the church) – who live above the Christian school for the little ones. I didn’t initially like the idea of sharing a room w/ anyone; but I’ve come to realize that staying with Daniel (his portion, his keen Spiritual fellowship and his joyous jokerishness) is an awesome blessing from God! Enjoying this family, and also the African cuisine (The wife/mother, “Carol” is more than eight months pregnant w/ their second child.)
I think God is easing us in: the weather has been mild, breezy and even cool at times!
From the beginning there’s been plenty of adventure and new experiences also:
army check point in the night; big bats; little lizards, evading mosquitoes (somewhat), speeding to radio after evening church service, Street soccer experience: “Baptized into the African soil” – 3mins / 2goals / 3(small) injuries (African leaf mix to stop bleeding); flagging down “motos” to get rides through crazy streets / crazy roads (anybody can be a taxi); singing like sardines in the back of a “Cargo” van; bartering in the market place; poor homeless boys that live (and summersault) on the beech; feeding baby-banana to pet monkey; eating spicey & soupy “foo-foo” w/ our bare hands; meeting many; getting visa; guys that “guard” your car; “fresh” shower; bucket shower!; sea swimming; coals stove; damp pages; joyful songs; much jokes& laughter; great messages; personal words; and to mention last: YOVO AMIGAN = my African nickname = “Big-white-guy”.
The Togo-Conference and Summer Classes w/ pastor Scibelli and many others has been a beautiful time and testimony of the work and fruit of God in peoples lives. There is great joy here in the church – and many men of God have been raised up to pastor the churches in Lome and beyond. The word of God is with power!
A quote of the month - Pastor Paul (Lome): “Even if I am not conscious of God, God is conscious of me” (w/ Isa 41:10)
Message from Pastor Luigi Palmieri
Each year back in Togo, our feelings were mixed, happy to arrive and sad to leave. But this time God gave us the grace to come and not leave.
We are in Togo last month and we already have a heart full of gratitude for all that we have experienced and seen.
Over two hundred students attended the summer courses and their thirst for the things of God bless us all. Pastor Paul from Lomé, pastor Bamouni from Burkina, myself and other pastors have taught for two weeks, morning and evening.
What a privilege to be able to share the word of God with all these brothers from Togo, but also from Burkina Faso, Gabon and elsewhere.
At the end of the two weeks of courses, Pastor Scibelli arrived with a strong delegation of Ghanaian pastors who come each year to participate at the national conference of our churches in Togo.
Three days of great fellowship around the word preached with conviction and freshness.
On Saturday evening as usual, students receive their diploma or certificate. In all 50 recipients came on stage under the cheers of family and friends. A message was given to them the responsibility vis-à-vis the knowledge they have gained and which has value only if it is put into practice and discharged into the lives of others. Several pastors were ordained and again the responsibility attached to their appeal has been recalled.
But any celebration to an end and so after two weeks of classes and a nice weekend conference, everyone has returned to its respective city, village or country. But the appointment is already made for next year.
Since our arrival we were received, Isabelle and I, among Gisele, sister of the church. We have our room, a shower and that is good enough. Some friends lent us a vehicle for a month, which allows us to travel and visit churches in the villages.
Paul from Northern Ireland and Daniel from Romania, arrived a few days after us and will come with us in Benin. Both are so blessed by what they live here. Christine, the third missionary, just arrived to strengthen our team.
For two weeks we will evangelize every afternoon and every time God has allowed that we have good contacts.
Pastor Stevens said that the pain does not change but leads us to adopt the right attitude so that God can change us. This is what we see here.
Togo is still trying to overcome the crisis. People, especially the little people suffer and do not see any purpose in a difficult situation which has lasted for years. According to someone, life is a river, the river here is still refusing to throw in the sea But the pain in many men and women are positioned so that the voice of God for their lives.
There is not a day when we return from our soul winning time in the street without a testimony of conversion or blessed contact.
We realize that when we evangelize, we do two things. One, it’s to reach those who have never received Jesus as their savior, and two, to strengthen the Christians who do not know their identity in Christ and therefore do not enjoy the freedom and joy which are still their, and those Christians are legion in Lomé.
About our stay here in Togo, we have to visit all our churches and then we proceed to Cotonou in Benin to begin the work that God has prepared beforehand for us. So every weekend and this week we travel to spend a day or two with a different church. We have twelve such churches in Togo, so we have a good program to visit us.
Thank you to pray for us so that we find in Benin for the home team. Cotonou is a city scale, so it is important that we establish a strategic location for our mission.
We believe that God has prepared and that despite the opposition that will not fail, we expect great things and that is why we want to undertake great things for God.
Thank you dear friends for your prayers and your friendship.
We love you and see you soon.
Until God be glorified in all our lives and that his speech act powerfully in our hearts.
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