Saturday, October 8, 2005

Special greetings to all of you who are attending the Together for Togo conference in Richland, Washington this weekend. We look forward to talking to you by phone this afternoon!

Stacey Sexton
Can I just say, "Praise God!"? I am sitting here wondering what it is that I would like to share or what has happened this week and all I can think about is how awesome God is. He has truely been taking care of me....physically and mentally. So I would just like to take this time to thank all of you who are praying for me because God is hearing your prayers. I know that intercession can be exhausting (especially if your days are as busy as mine) and that there are so many things to pray about, but just knowing that I am remembered in your prayers is such an encouragement.

God has given me such a peace in my heart that brings joy to my life. It also helps when you live among those who treat you so well and make you feel at home, but there is something greater. Prayers....your prayers have given God a greater reason to strengthen me and I am so grateful. For a while I had been holding on to things. Such as not knowing things, not having answers, not knowing what it is that I am to do in my life, but this week I have finally felt a complete release from those feelings. Of course I still struggle with things, but it just seems like each and every day I am growing in strength, faith, love, and understanding. I love how you are all so supportive and devoted to this team. I would like to ask that if anyone of you need prayers comming your way then give me an email (stacey@watchiharvest.com). The more the greater! I would love to take time out of my day to ask blessings upon you or those of others. Thank you all once again. God bless and love always in Christ.

Jenna Stephens
This week has brought more of God’s faithfulness . . . on Sunday Stacey and I worshipped with the Crowsons at a cluster worship in Didokpo. It was quite larger than normal Sunday gatherings, and on the way there we had a total of thirteen people in the car. I was sure we couldn’t be any more packed . . . until on the way back when we had seventeen! As Murphy said, “There’s always room for one more.” There really always is where God is concerned.

And God answered our prayers to fix our refrigerator! It went out at the end of last week, and we were having to keep our food at the Hollands, but Stacey and I laid our hands on it and prayed, and God fixed it the very instant we plugged it in again! It’s been working better than ever since then, and we praise Him daily for the blessing. Now if only we could get a hot water heater . . . . not that I’m not incredibly grateful for the cold showers, which are wonderful :)

School continues to FLY by, and I am amazed to be already planning ahead for the seventh and eighth weeks of school. Time just has a way of doing that . . . even when you don’t want it to! Thank you for your prayers and love that makes everything so possible and so much more enjoyable!

Murphy and Christine Crowson
The focus of this week's lessons in my Train and Multiply times has been Christ's supremacy in everything and God's incredible power for those of us who believe. May God answer Paul's prayer for the Ephesians in our own lives so that we will know the hope to which we were called, the riches of his glorious inheritance and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

I also spent a good amount of time passing out school supplies to different schools in the villages where I work this week. Generous school children in the States sent pens, pencils, notebooks and other misc. items to help Watchi school children.

Of course, all of the children enjoyed receiving gifts. What did surprise me though, was the formalities that had to take place in order to get the supplies to the children. It's not just as simple as showing up at the school and handing out the supplies. The school committees had to be called to the school to have a meeting. Explanations had to be made, permission had to be granted and then a course of action for how and when we would pass out the supplies had to be agreed upon.

Some school committees wanted to keep the supplies for awhile and pass them out later (probably with the hope of dipping into the supplies themselves). Other committees were overjoyed and passed the supplies out to the kids right away. One schoolmaster invited us to come and teach an hour each week about Jesus to all 60 of the children in their school. Overall it was a good thing, once we worked through the formalities:) The lessons of how things 'work' in Africa continue to come as we minister to people with totally different mindsets than our own.

It was also exciting to witness a new birth in Christ this week in the Sendome church.

Friday afternoon I (Murphy) came down with some kind of virus that is making it hard for me even to stand up. Malaria, virus? I don't' know. Pray that God would give my body energy so that I may continue to serve.

Marty and Louise Koonce
We have had a good week in Tabligbo. Marty has recovered from a light bout of malaria last weekend that kept him home on Sunday. Louise took all the kids out to the cluster worship in Amouzouglita Kope on Sunday where there were over 110 in attendance. The boys have really enjoyed being back with their Togo friends and ventured out on Sunday afternoon for a pick-up soccer game in a different part of town. This is a big step for their comfort level and they got to mix it up with some tougher stronger local boys.

After being cleared of malaria on Tuesday, Marty, along with Anthony, got to help the Tabligbo elders work through some inner conflict. By God's grace most has been forgiven and we are praying for grace to abound. The Vogan church says they are finally ready for elders and we will be spending this month helping them prepare and learn, then at the end of the month they as a church will fast, pray, and select.

Pray for the Afakomi, Hompou, Amouzouglita, and Togbonou Kope churches as they are all struggling to be stable and then grow. In Ahepe, one of the leaders is going through the struggle of giving up a job because of the bad example it sets. Please pray for him as he readies to make this step of faith. Unlike in America, there will be no other job waiting for him when he steps away from this income. There are just no jobs to be had at all. Thank you for your prayers and may God sustain and bless you as He has and does us.
The Koonce

Anthony and Maureen Parker
We've had a good week, enjoying the rain that God has been sending on the Watchi area and the cooler temperatures, plunging into the mid-70s. Ironically,along with the bountiful rainfall, the public water supply in Tabligbo has been out quite often this week. Fortunately, it has been on for at least a few hours each day, allowing us to fill our barrells and drinking water bottles.

While waiting for our proofreaders to go over quite a few Train & Multiply booklets, Anthony has been able to make good progress on some study on the book of Acts. He and Marty had what will hopefully be a breakthrough session with the Tabligbo leaders on Tuesday, as some relationship problems within the leadership were confessed and forgiveness was granted. Pray that any remaining wounds will be healed and the Tabligbo church will be a better witness to God's reconciling power.

Maureen has been working hard preparing some lessons on malaria prevention, which she will begin teaching today to different women's groups.

Jeff and Brenda Holland
As far as we can tell, all of the Watchi areas have had some rain in the last week. Thank you for your prayers. Now, please continue to pray that God will rain down his Spirit upon the Watchi so that we will see greater spiritual harvest.

Our family is doing well. Jeff had a few days of bad headaches this week. We praise God that the headaches are over and Jeff can return to his normal work schedule. Rebecca has started eating solids. Rice and oatmeal is the current menu.

Please pray for Noah, one of the church leaders in Nyinoume. As a young boy, he fell from a tree and wounded his leg. The sore became infected by a parasite and remained open for 13 years. A few years ago, after his conversion, one of our former coworkers was able to help Noah go to the hospital for a skin graft. It took over a year before it completely healed. The thin skin ulcerated again last year, requiring another skin graft. This one has not healed. The doctor wants to do another graft. Please pray that this will be the last of the painful procedures and that God will completely heal his leg. As a side note, Noah had never been to school, but while in the hospital for a month after his first surgery, he learned to read. He now is a strong preacher leader in his congregation. In additon, this is the same Noah that was told by a doctor that he and his wife would probably never have children because of fertility problems. After being married for 13 years, they are now the proud parents of a beautiful 10 month old baby! God has answered prayers in the past and we feel confident we will see another answer.