Missions
Togo/USA Partnership Project
View photo galleryThe Togo/USA Partnership Project is a missionary project aimed to provide growth and the edification of the existing church in Togo West Africa, as well as plant new churches throughout the Togo area.
As an active member of the Togo Partnership Commission, I, Adrian Esparza have visited Togo West Africa on several occasions to help aid in the goals of this project. Most recently in February 2007, along with a team from the U.S., I visited Togo to review, discuss and pray over the proposed project with the Togo Partnership Commission.
The project addresses three concerns:
- Growth and edification of the existing church – focuses on building up the existing body of Christ through activities such as prayer walking, door to door evangelism, leadership training, preaching revivals and mini evangelism crusades.
- Planting of new churches – new churches will be planted primarily in central and northern Togo in areas where no churches now exist, including Muslim population areas. New church plants will be under the care of an established church which meets certain criteria to be considered eligible for inclusion in this project.
- Social Ministry – research the possibility of adding some form of social ministry (such as health care). The social ministry would become an important outreach tool for the church and would serve a critical need of the population.
This past February marked my third trip to Togo in the past four years and I got to experience true miracles first hand. As part of the vision of the project, we visited the Togo communities sharing Gospel of Jesus Christ and spreading the good news of His love.
Also during this trip, the Commission officially made an agreement with the Baptist Convention of Togo to be able to build more churches throughout Togo West Africa. Now with the official approval, our goal is to plant 12 churches with water wells, medical facilities, and visit the prisons of Togo and share the Gospel!
We have met with very high officials of Togo and with God’s good grace have been able to established great relationships with the leaders. As a result, we are now able to visit the communities of Togo freely – a miracle in itself!
Truly the greatest miracle I have seen is someone accepting Jesus in their heart. I’ve seen lame people stand up and walk, blind people see. But when you see people who have never even heard the name “Jesus” before – the only reason they follow voodoo religions is because they don’t know any better and to protect their family and their land – willingly open their arms to a loving Savior they can have a relationship with, the feeling is indescribable.
Togo is really unclaimed territory for God. At one point 98% of the population knew nothing of religion. They didn’t realize there was a God, or even that they could have a relationship with Him. Yet, when they find out there is a God who loves them, died for them and wants to save their soul, they are more than willing to accept him.
God has given me a real desire to spread his Gospel…it truly is a life changing experience. When you visit a place like Togo and see the conditions these people live in, what they have and yet are still happy…It makes you realize just how spoiled we are.
These trips and the Togo Project is a true blessing and we encourage everyone to experience it.