Dear Prayer Partners,

Last Sunday we had the joy of attending the 10th anniversary of the Gomey Baptist Church nestled in the bush among the Ayizo people. We sang. We danced. Jeff preached and we ate rice served with chunks of pork liver. And we considered the history of the church in Gomey--

Members of the Midombo (me-dum-boe) Baptist church in the city of Cotonou persistently urged their church brothers and sisters to take action for their relatives deep in the bush in the village of Sedje (said-jay) needed Jesus. So Midombo went to Sedje to preach the message of Jesus Christ. Jeff followed them during our second term in Benin to give leadership training to those who'd trusted Christ as Savoir. A strong church was established. The eldest in the church, an old, ageless, deeply committed woman pled with Jeff over and over again to go to village of Akajamey (Ah-kah-jah-may) to tell her family about Jesus. As soon as they could Jeff and men from Sedje traveled the miles to Akajamey and proclaimed Christ to the population living in red clay homes, worshipping Voodoo idols and cultivating the earth with short handles hoes to feed their families with what their hands produced. The people listened and surrendered to Christ. Among those was a Voodoo priest, Francois, who, when he found Christ, Christ became his all. Francois is now the pastor of a vibrant church of lively worshippers who adore Jesus Christ.

The Gomey Baptist Church Francois has 5 children, two girls and three little boys. One of those boys, Andre, before he was barley a year old (2002) fell deathly ill and died. Believing in the mighty power of God Francois grabbed up the lifeless body of his son, tossed him gently on his shoulder as dads do and starting walking the village paths and praying. He walked past the banana trees, the pineapple fields and cried out to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob to restore life to his child. After two hours of crying out in faith he suddenly felt a heart beating against his shoulder! Andre lives.

Luc from the village of Gomey (go-may) heard about the church in Akajamey, several kilometers away. He went to Akajamey to beg Jeff, Francois, and other believers to come and start a church among his people. Akajamey believers went. Jeff went and young summer missionary, Katie Claxon (now Katie Darnell and now a missionary) taught Fon literacy in the village. The church of Gomey was born through villagers giving themselves over to the living power of Jesus Christ. Akajamey Baptist Church

Luc

Andre Francois and Wife

Called to go. Begged to go. And they went. What if they hadn't? What if you don't?

May Christ be exalted through His church.

Laboring where the laborers are few,

Barbara and Jeff (writing to you from Ghana!)