Message Magazine Online - Vol. 54, No. 04, Winter 2006

In This Issue

• Multiplication
  Angela Shuff
• Canadian Editorial
  David W. Smith
• Empowering the End-vision of Missions
  Dale Marshfield
• Broadening Horizons in Theological Education
  Allan Cuthbert
• The Truth Sets Them Free
  Earl Cooper
• Pioneering Cross-Cultural Curriculum
  John Taylor
• Lost and Found
  Tim Bahula
• The Legacy Left Behind
  Deanna Pasma
• Transformed: Sergei's Story
  John Taylor with Scott Carter
• Asking For Truth
  Rebekah Poteat with Bonita Yinger
• Tell It Again and Again
  A.S.
• Leadership in Giving
  Spencer Jackson
• Focal Point: Leadership Training to the Highest Degree
  Dr. Michael G. Loftis
• CLIPS
• God Loves Muslims. Do You?
  Dr. Bill Commons
• Highlighted Project
  

Asking for Truth: the Tamberma People of Nadoba

Rebekah Poteat, Togo
with Bonita Yinger

Darkness. That’s all I could think of as we walked through the market in the village of Nadoba. Roger, a Togolese believer, and I were there trying to find batteries and botequin, something like a donut, to buy for each of the kids at Bible club. But as we walked through the market, all we saw were people drinking—hundreds of people sitting around drinking tchouk. I was wondering if we would ever find batteries or botequin when we came to a place where an old man sat across from another man. The older man moved a long stick in his hand as the other held onto it. Roger told me that it was fetishism, and that depending on how the stick moved the fetisher would tell your future or the resolution to your problems. As we walked on, we passed many people who were completely intoxicated—the majority of them dressed in rags, having spent all their money on tchouk to make them forget their problems and fill their empty stomachs. The fetisher’s answers must not have worked. 

I told Roger it seemed very dark here, even though the noon sun was beating down on us. He replied, “Davi Beky [Miss Beky], this is where I’d be today, drinking away every cent I had if God hadn't saved me.” He said he needed to come back to villages like Nadoba more often to remember the depths from which God rescued him.

Roger accompanied me, a group of missionaries, and pastor Djimesse to do evangelism work in Nadoba. Pastor Djimesse must have had the same impression of the market, because when he later called the entire village together, he preached that “Those who sit in darkness have seen a great light: Jesus!”

This wasn’t the first time Djimesse had preached in this village. Years ago, he was a teacher at a school in the Muslim town of Bafilo in northern Togo. One day, a young man from Nadoba came to Bafilo, met Djimesse, and came to faith in Christ. The new believer then invited Djimesse to do evangelism in Nadoba. Djimesse was able to start a small church there, then left to earn his Master of Divinity degree from Northwest Baptist Seminary. Upon his return, however, the Togolese government transferred him to teach at a school in Lome, Togo’s capital city, and he was called to pastor a church there. Meanwhile, the church in Nadoba has received little help, and has had no trained leaders to lead them.

After Pastor Djimesse preached in the market, several young men, an older lady, and the chief of the village made professions of faith. God is obviously at work amid the darkness! But, the people of Nadoba (the Tamberma) need a godly man who can live among them and disciple them, since the leadership of the church is very weak.

Every day that we ministered there, we encountered Nadoba’s need for truth. Two of the missionaries, Jana and Kimberly, were able to teach four women about how stress can contribute to high blood pressure. The ladies shared their problems and burdens. We couldn’t understand everything they said, but from what our translator told us, our hearts were broken. Two of the four ladies recently became widows, the third fled from her husband because of troubles at home, and the fourth has five kids and many concerns. In fact, her husband asked me to take his oldest daughter home with me.  

We prayed with the women and encouraged them from the Word, but unfortunately none of them can read; it will be hard for them to grow without anyone to teach them. These ladies, starving for truth, begged us to stay and teach them how to live. They asked,

ABWE’s vision for Northern Togo is called Northern Outreach and includes medical help, church planting, and leadership training. The Africa Baptist Theological Schools is being developed to train pastors and church leaders for tribal groups like the Tamberma throughout the “contested zone” of West Africa. For more information or to get involved contact Ron Washer (Rwasher@abwe.org).

“How can we ever stop drinking?” and “How are we to provide for our children if we don’t prepare the drinks and sell them?” Our team bought each of the ladies some food and gave them clothing we had brought, but they need so much more. They need a pastor who can live among them and guide them.

Pray that God will call servants to this field and raise up leaders and pastors to teach His truth, illuminate darkness, and show the Tamberma people how to live in the light. 

“‘Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.’ How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent?” Romans 10:13-15

Rebekah Poteat is a church-planting assistant in Togo and is involved in evangelism, discipleship of women and children, youth ministry, and teacher training.