Mango, Togo —
Not surprisingly, the greatest humanitarian and economic needs are also found in those areas least penetrated by the Gospel. Cultures without Christ decay in every regard.
Mango, Togo, West Africa is in northern Togo, just inside the 10/40 window. Not only is there barely the flicker of a Gospel witness, there is also very little economic hope in this remote desert village. This is exactly why ABWE is building a new outpost in this region.
Along with building the Wendell Kempton Medical and Ministry Center, ABWE is assisting local believers in missions and areas of micro-finance. As part of this effort, ABWE is working with a national named Nogbebji.
Nogbebji was an enterprising orphan who taught himself to read and write, and speak French. His uncle couldn’t afford to send him to school but taught him to sew in hopes Nogbebji could make a living for himself. After years of running a successful business, however, he felt like something was missing. One day while driving by a church he stopped, went in, and accepted Christ.
Soon, he realized there was more to life than making money. The tailor desired to use his skills and success to help others. After presenting the gospel to a young girl in the sex trade, Nogbebji implored her to leave her job and follow Christ. “I can’t,” she told him, sadly explaining that she had no other means of making a living. It was her story that prompted Nogbebji to take action.
Nogbebji established a school that teaches orphans how to sew. His school not only provides a context for proclamation of the Gospel, it also offers “the least of these” the chance to learn to support themselves. Students who attend this school as apprentices learn to sew using material from concrete bags. The students are given the materials and training at an extremely low cost, and are exposed to the gospel during the three-year program. Several have already made professions of faith.
After three years of training, they are given the opportunity to take a government exam and receive certification. At that point, Nogbebji’s students have the skills; it’s up to them to do the work required to create a successful business.
All students are teenage orphans (defined as fatherless by African standards) and come from desperate circumstances. Two qualifying students are chosen from each canton (like a township) of Mango and brought to the school for training, Bible studies and friendship. Nogbebji’s hope is that as students become believers, they will be able to go back to their villages and spread the Gospel throughout all of Mango.
Please pray for these outreach ministries as ABWE works in Mango to encourage local believers and build relationships among the nationals.
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Togo
