Thank you so much for your prayers for our recent trip to West Africa and for the Church Planting Conference on Mindanao. God worked through your prayers to move and bless in a powerful way. During our two weeks in West Africa, we had opportunity to minister at 3 Bible school graduations, 3 ordinations, and 3 pastors’ conferences – 1 each in Togo, Benin, and Nigeria. These 3 countries are much in need of our prayers. There is a legacy of great darkness in this region, the home of both voodoo and the slave trade, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a Gospel of hope and of light. It was very revealing as we visited a slavery museum in the ancient city/kingdom of Badagry on the coast of Nigeria where it borders Benin. The guide kept asking “Would you rather be a slave trader or a slave?” as if those were the only options. Do you want to be an oppressor or among the oppressed? Thank God! Jesus came to set the captive free. Both the oppressor and the oppressed can now become a new creation in Christ Jesus! Badagry was a major slave port but it was also where the Gospel was first preached in Nigeria.
The Believers in West Africa were so encouraged to know that not all Americans have fallen for a perverted “prosperity gospel” that exalts material prosperity and spiritual compromise as “proof” of God’s favor and ridicules those who stand for inward holiness and Biblical integrity even when it means personal sacrifice. That perverted theology has robbed much of the Church in West Africa of their missionary zeal to reach the lost. It was a joy to be able to encourage those who are still standing for Biblical faith and personal commitment to righteousness and a burden for souls. God’s people everywhere are hungry for those who will preach God’s Word without compromise or sugar coating. The Believers we met are sick of having their ears “tickled” while they see greed and corruption on every side.
Yes, we saw tremendous poverty and blatant corruption but we also saw humble Believers who were lost in worship, children who were pouring out their hearts to Jesus in unashamed adoration, and young people gathering for all night sessions of intercessory prayer, determined to see the Church restored to the power they read about in the book of Acts. They are willing to pay whatever price it takes to see the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, and the oppressed set free. Please join with us in lifting these committed Christians in your prayers. Pray especially for Sarah and Augustine Onu, our hosts on this journey, that God will perfect the transforming work that He is doing in and through them.
We had asked you to pray that God would supply us with all the financial resources we would need to cover our expenses on this trip. He answered your prayers in a way we least expected. He laid it on someone’s heart to loan us the money so we could order our tickets in time to get our visas (which arrived the day before we left). Please agree with us in prayer that we can quickly repay them the balance of what we owe. We thought we had enough to cover our expenses once we arrived in Africa, but we ran out of funds half way through as we were preparing to cross the border into Nigeria. We cried out to God to meet the need because we were cut off from the outside world – not even the internet! We had been telling people that God was their Source and not America or Europe. God wanted to confirm that word and He did. The last service we had was an ordination service in the small church Augustine and Sarah Onu pastor in Nigeria on Sunday afternoon, December 4. During the service, the presence and anointing of God was there in such a powerful way. After the service as we were enjoying the celebration feast, Pastor Augustine walked up to us with the most amazed look on his face. With tears in his eyes, he shared that the offering from Sunday morning combined with the offering taken at the ordination service was enough to cover all our expenses in Nigeria with a little left over! God truly is the God of more than enough!! Thank you for being a part of this miracle through your prayers.
Please pray for a special need Augustine and Sarah have on their hearts. Currently they are living on the church property, sleeping on the floor in the sanctuary and small office along with their four children and Sarah’s mother who was recently widowed. Their dream is to build a home/guest house on the property to provide a home for themselves and guest quarters for visiting missionaries. The foundation has already been laid. The first floor where the family will live will cost approximately $7,000. The entire project will take approximately $27,000 at the current exchange rate.
When we returned to America and were able to check our email, we discovered that God had answered your prayers in another way as well. When we put God first by going as His voice of encouragement to the discouraged Believers in West Africa, He put our ministry on Mindanao first with His blessing and provision. Our Director, Pastor Albert Asang, sent us a great victory report on their pastors and chieftains leadership conference to focus on church planting. He said in part, “Praise God for his mighty moving during that time and there are many new believers that are added to the church and i have baptized 15 new christian. and there is a great impact and revival during that gatherings.” God’s heart is to reach and redeem the lost and He will move heaven and earth to come to the aid of those who are bold enough and committed enough to stand and say “Here am I! Use me!” Thank you for letting Him use you to strengthen His Kingdom around the world. God bless you abundantly!
GOD LOVES YOU!!!
Rev. Howard & Barbara Gard
Church Triumphant
www.churchtriumphant.com
hgard@juno.com