New Friends (Pt 2)

(cont from yesterday)

Pastor Jeremie is a Toglese believer who helped plant the church the Gayles serve at. We first met him when taking his family (he has a wife and two children, including a cute 5 year-old boy named Jean) to the Tsavie church. Only on our ride back did we learn that he spoke English...he had been hiding it the whole ride up. Talking with him, I have grown to appreciate his passion for evangelism. Not only does he serve at the Tsavie church, but works as a chaplain in the hospital and will go preach at the hospital's Mobile Medical Clinics. It is so encouraging to see that, in a place where the gospel was hardly present half a century ago, God growing up mature leaders within His church who are spreading His work among the people here.

Another missionary we have gotten to know is Jesse, an 79 year-old lady who works providing teacher training for Togolese Christian school teachers. Not only does she always seem to have a smile on her face, but her story of coming to Togo could challenge us all. At the age of 74, she felt God call her to Togo for a year to help serve at the school. She told us over dinner last night how when she made the decision, a great peace swept over her. “I only asked Him that if I were to go, He would keep me from encountering any snakes,” she told me. “So far he's answered that.” During Jesse's first 10 months here, she enjoyed it so much that she decided to keep coming each year for 9-10 months to help at the school. Most people in their 70's think it's time to retire. Jesse decided that it was time to serve God by serving in missions. What a challenge this can be to us, that each moment of our lives is a gift that we can give to the Lord's service. We are always useful if we give ourselves humbly to Him.

On Saturday, Lisa and I hiked to a nearby waterfall and swimming hole with a group from the hospital. Hiking through the midst of the forest/jungle as we continued to come upon different houses and farms of the local village made the trip memorable, as did the incredible view of the valley and mountains as we hiked up to the falls. Along the way, I got to talk with Mawuli, a Togolese believer who is a close friends with some of the older missionary kids. He told me of the impact of the gospel upon his family, and how he became a believer as a teenager in the Awana program that his mom ran. Now, he hopes that he can be a missionary within Togo either as a pilot or mechanic, because he desires to share Christ's love with those in his country.