Finally finishing up the garage at Sarakawa

Last week, I took a local welder down to what our version of a hardware store would be and we purchased tube steel, angle iron and heavy tin panels. We then transported them out to his shop which is a mud block building with a tin roof and a tin roof hang over to provide shade. If you looked at his welding machine which is a metal box with a bunch of copper wire wrapped into a ball soaked in transmission fluid and has 220 volts of current running into it with a positive and negative line running out of it for welding you would have to admit that first, you are definitely in Africa and second that it sure doesn’t looks safe to be around yet alone using it! However, he was quick and his job was impeccable considering his working conditions. He paid me a visit a few days later to inform me that my door was complete.

Now you must realize that it was last year (November 2008) that I started construction on this project. I joke with the Togolese and often tell them that I’m truly African now because their building project will go on for years. They build a little and stop to save more funds then build a little bit more. This continues till the entire project has been finished. So, a year might seem to be a long time to us but is rather swift for them.

So with the door complete and hauled out to Sarakawa where my container is and Randy’s hangar is along with the new garage building that will house the tractor and other equipment for church and ministry construction projects, we were finally ready to get it installed.

I arranged for a handyman and a mason to come out and assist me today and after about three hours we had the door plum and level and welded into the steel supports in the cement columns on either side of the garage door opening. Now with this final stage complete I should be able to start moving everything from the container, my house and Randy’s hangar over to the garage. It’s been a process or processus (in French) but I’m happy with the way it has turned out. And it’ll aid the work here for years to come.

A good day on visitation

Going out to “visit” folks on visitation is such a powerful medium to reach people with the Word of God.

Today, four of us assembled at the little village church in Lassa Bas. After having spent some time in prayer asking for God’s blessing, protection and power, the four of us broke off into two groups and headed out into the area. Mr. Owi and I took one side of the road and Lisa accompanied by Esther, another lady in the church, took the other side of the dirt road. Mr. Owi and I first came across a young man in his early 20’s. His name is Caa which being interpreted from Kabiye means “Father.” He, Owi and I spent about thirty minutes reviewing the word of God and talking about salvation and what it means to know that when you die that you have a place in Heaven. At the end of our conversation, he had admitted that he’d placed his trust in Christ and seemed thankful that we had stopped but to visit. After extending him a welcomed invitation to visit with us tomorrow, we headed out to find others to talk to.

The next place that we came upon was filled with kids. I can’t help but think of the words of Jesus when he said, “Suffer not the little children to come unto me.” Well, we walked into the little compound surround on all four sides by mud block houses and sitting under the shade of some near by trees. We pulled up some benches and five children sat down with us. I spoke in French and much of what I said was fully understood but there were a couple really little ones so Mr. Owi translated into Kabiye for them. We talked about sin, the penalty for that and ultimately that Christ due to His sacrifice on the cross was the only way to have a complete pardon and forgiveness of sins. We spent probably a good 45 minutes or more with the little ones and at the end three of the kids—two being 8 and one being 10—prayed and accepted Christ as their personal Savior.

Being a witness isn’t always easy, not matter where you live. The key is to be under the power, influence and filling of God—if you will—as you walk through your daily life. Then sharing Christ, what He has done and the boldness to do that becomes second nature rather then something that is difficult or forced. The joy of sharing Christ was wonderful and the excitement of seeing three more souls come to Christ is beyond words.