by An SIM worker in Togo
13 October 2005
It was a rainy Saturday morning as I found my seat near the back of the church, but the drizzle certainly didn't hinder the joyous spirit of the occasion—a wedding! Who was the bride? Well, several years ago a Kotokoli Christian brother, Dawda, died after complications from malaria. He left a dear wife, Annatou, and three young children. Their future looked grim.

And now, this wedding was Annatou's! After living with Dawda's family for a year, a difficult situation in and of itself, God provided a way for Annatou and the children to move to another town. There, unexpectedly, she met and fell in love with another Kotokoli Christian man. Now, here we were, watching our faithful Annatou join her life with another godly man, who at the same time would become a loving step-father to her children. (As I sat watching and listening, I couldn't help but let my mind wander back to an outdoor wedding that we attended a little over seven years ago. It was the first known marriage between two Kotokoli Christians--a momentous event! )

Sometimes in our kind of work, we don't feel there's much progress, but as I looked at the guests at Annatou's wedding, I realized how much has been happening. The community is growing! Yes, there have been new followers. But there have also been families forming, children being born and others growing up.

Here at Annatou's wedding, the man preaching the message was none other than the husband from that first marriage seven years earlier. A pastor then, he later went on to start an indigenous mission. Through his encouragement, many (even a number of Kotokoli) have gone through his mission training, which has the specific goal of reaching Togolese from the same religious background.

The young man standing next to this mission leader, translating the message into their mother tongue, would have been a teenager seven years ago, and in fact, wasn't even living in our immediate area. A job change led his family back to our town, which gave him many opportunities for service in a local church . A fellow missionary also discipled him. He has such a heart to evangelize his own people and will probably go on to Bible school.

Sitting a few rows in front of me was this young man's married sister. As a young person, she married a Kotokoli from the majority religion. Later she began to follow the Lord and she, along with her Christian parents, began in a very natural way to reach out to her husband. As members of a cell-group in their home at one point, we had met this man who did appear to be at least open to listening. Several months ago he contacted us to say that while working down in the capital, away from his family, he'd given his life to Jesus. Another Christian family!

Continuing to look around the congregation, I counted at least five men--most of them students when we first arrived here--who have now grown up and married. Some have married women from other people groups, but their growing numbers of children would be considered Kotokoli because their fathers are. Now there's the new challenge of teaching these parents how to raise their children, the second generation of Kotokoli believers!

The wedding message had ended and the vows were beginning as I noticed over to my right another young lady. She was not Kotokoli, but she was considered part of the group because she speaks Kotokoli and also comes from the majority religious background. This young mother became a Christian several years ago as a university student but has already suffered much for someone so young--she lost her husband to typhoid just after the birth of their first child and has tolerated much displeasure as the only Christian in her family and neighborhood. She will be moving soon to another town to begin a teaching job. Hopefully, she will connect with some Christians and a church where she can deepen her faith, and at the same time, reach out quietly to those around her from the same background.

No, we're not in a ministry where we see lots of people giving their lives to the Lord each year, but discouragement certainly has no place. God's Church is growing among the Kotokoli. Please pray for families like Annatou's and her husband's that they will grow spiritually and live godly lives, drawing their neighbors and their own families to Jesus.

If you'd like to help support the Kotokoli Radio programming, send your gift to SIM, indicating that it is for Project #BJ93334.