My sponsoring church recently asked me to list some of the highlights of this past year. Looking back it was so encouraging to me to see what all God has done and continues to do. All of this is large part to the amazing prayer support that we receive on a daily basis as so many people pour their hearts out to God asking for Kingdom Growth. God answers every time. Praise be to God in all things!

Watchi Harvest Ministry Highlights – 2008

1. The Baton of Leadership has been completely passed from the missionaries to Watchi leaders. Elders and leaders from over 35 churches across Watchi land are shepherding, leading and evangelizing by the power of the Holy Spirit without any foreign influence or financial assistance. 14 years (1994-2008) of missionary presence among the Watchi has been brought to a smooth end. The leaders are equipped and ready to continue on without full-time missionary presence.

2. This year, over 20 elders and leaders finished a four year discipleship/leadership training program called Train and Multiply. This program is designed to equip and empower present elders/leaders to mature and nurture their churches, mentor and train new leaders/evangelists and continue to plant new churches. Previously, 20 elders/leaders had completed the training making the total to 40+.

3. The second generation of leadership training is well under way as elders/leaders who finished Train and Multiply have begun to mentor and train others in the Lord’s work. As an example, Denni, a leader from the Sedome (Say-do-may) church is mentoring Nledzi (N-lay-gee) and Norbert (Nor-bear) to be leaders and church planters. Komlavi (Comb-la-vee) from the Batoe church is mentoring Luka (Lu-ka) from the Agodeke church to be a leader and church planter. Paul’s admonishment in 2 Tim. 2:2 for leaders to train leaders is a reality among the Watchi.

4. At present, at least three new church plants are in progress completely led by Watchi leaders. As an example, last year the Batoe (Ba-tway) church planted the Agodeke (Ago-day-kay) church without any assistance from missionaries. This year the Batoe church is helping the Agodeke church plant a new church in a nearby village of Lakata (La-ka-ta).

5. The Watchi Agricultural Ministry purchased a transport truck which has already helped Watchi farmers plant over 50,000 pineapple plants which will bring in over $10,000 to Watchi farmers in two years. These funds, provided through God’s blessings and the hard work of the Watchi Christians, will fund future ministry, church planting and benevolent projects in the years to come. This will help ensure that the Watchi churches will be able to continue to provide for their own ministry needs without dependence on foreign aid and funds. In addition, land has been found and funds provided to begin a “learning farm” where farmers from all over Watchi land can come to be trained in better agricultural methods as well learn how to plant and care for organic pineapples and soya beans. God is blessing numerous families and villages with better agricultural methods as well as sources of income. Furthermore, one new water well was finished in the village of Batoe (Ba-tway) which is providing clean water to over 600 people everyday.

6. The Crowson family has begun their transition from their ministry among the Watchi in Togo to their new life and ministry in Rwanda. Goodbyes are being said, blessings being offered, logistics taken care of all in preparation for their move in December. They have even begun to learn Kinyarwanda, the language they will use in Rwanda. (Just a side note….Christine has done a better job than I have learning Kinyarwanda so far. I will catch up when I get to Kigali…. ). The Crowson’s last Sunday in Watchiland is December 14th. After a few weeks of travel/rest they will arrive in Kigali, Rwanda December 28th.

Wow, it’s been such a long time since my last post. I’ve been to Burkina Faso, Mali, Ghana, South Africa, Zambia and Bostwana in just the past 4 weeks! I’m still in Ghana, actually, and will return home tomorrow. I’m really missing my family!

It’s been a great four weeks though. We took interns to survey the Dogon people in Mali and were amazed again at how God has prepared this people group to receive the Good News!

After survey I was able to be home for a day and a half before I headed off to Zambia for a Church Planting Movements conference with David Watson. The conference was AWESOME, life transforming and paradigm shifting. It was also a great blessing to be with Matt, Marty and Dave (present and future teammates in Rwanda) It was such a ‘God Thing’ that we were all there together. I’m really excited about what God is going to do in Togo and Rwanda in the years to come!

Of course, since we were only 15 minutes away from Victoria Falls we just had to go:) I’ll post some pictures later this week. It was beautiful! We stayed until the moon came out and saw a lunar rainbow. How Majestic is His Name!

After the Falls we enjoyed two days in Chobe National Park seeing more of God’s wonderful and beautiful creation! Like our trip in 2005 we got to see the “Big 5″ again: Lion, Elephant, Cape Buffalo and Leopard, as well as a ton of other amazing animals and birds. Beautiful!

Yesterday (Monday) we got up at 5:30am, packed up, drove by the Chobe river in Bostwana and saw a spotted leopard, drove to the Zambezi river, took a boat across to the Zambian side, drove to Livingstone, flew to Joburg, South Africa, changed planes and then flew to Accra, Ghana! It was an amazing day! I praise you Lord for opening our eyes to see you wonderful creation and for keeping us safe all along the way!

Thank you all for praying for my family while I was gone. God kept them safe and we’re excited to be reunited tomorrow!

One more thing, the Parkers arrived tonight for a couple weeks with us visiting Watchi-land. We go WAAAYYYY back with the Parkers and it’s always a blessing to spend time with their family. [Read more...]

Here are some highlights from the past month:

• We had a good, safe return to Togo. Took a couple of weeks to get “back in the groove” but we are going strong now.
• Churches, leaders and Christians had lots of good reports of God’s faithfulness, care and provision while we were gone. Lots of stories of sicknesses being overcome by God’s power. The baby church that we left behind in the Sedome Cluster has matured a lot and leaders are rising up.
• 13 baptisms two weeks ago in the Adangbe cluster (people from three different villages baptized)
• Two wells were completed while I was gone. Three well projects began since my return. One of those will be finished next week.
• We had the annual Watchi Men’s Conference last week. Marty and I walked 20 kilometers out and 20 back to encourage the men who don’t have very much money that they can do it without money if their heart is in it. 45 men came. Basically our core group of leaders. Heard a lot of great teaching, deep, passionate stuff. A good sign for the future. God has raised up strong leaders to carry this forward. He they continue to seek Him, they will continue to grow.
• I taught a two-day series on the gospel of John to 7 elders and two leaders that went well.
• I’m finished up a leadership training series with leaders from three churches this week and next. I continue to teach this same series with leaders from three other churches. They should be near completion by the end of may before an onslaught of visitors begins:)
• Emily and Rachel are doing a great job teaching and enjoying being here! The boys are really enjoying being at school and with their friends!
• This weekend, the Millers and Reeves are coming down to spend three nights with us so that we can pray and talk about our future team/ministry together in Rwanda. Keep that in prayer. We’re excited.
• Also, we received $5000 from the Levy Church of Christ that will go towards our Rwanda Transition. Praise God for His faithful provision.