Investing in Togo
By Tom Castor | November 18, 2021 | News
For some months now, Clear and Simple Media (CSM) has been a partnership with the 6° Initiative. The 6° Initiative (6DI) is a ministry of Converge IM and is one of their major initiatives in Africa.
6DI is a church planting movement focusing on the unreached people groups just north of the equator in West Africa. This area spans the balmy African coast that has been greatly impacted most by Voodoo and the exportation of precious human life through the slave trade. JJ and Melissa Alderman, 6DI’s founding missionaries, are partnering with national leaders to plant churches in the least-reached cities of the region. A concentrated church planting movement within these culturally significant cities serves as a launching pad for ministry into smaller communities.
In addition to projects like Togo Church Planting, Benin Church Planting, Togo Palms Camp and Institute, Deaf Project, and Vocational Training, 6DI is partnered with other local missions to provide resources to help accomplish their shared goals.
One of those ministry partners is ABWE and the work Judy Bowen is doing with Communications Resource Center in Togo. CRC translates Christian materials into French and Ewe. They also write and print their own tracts, booklets, and other evangelistic tools.
A few months ago, Judy had come across the book, Travel Guide to the Bible in French (Guide Biblique). In consultation with 6DI, she tried to find a way to get multiple copies of the book for the bookstore there. But there was a problem. Once the books were purchased and shipped to Togo, the price point would make them too expensive for anyone (especially the Togolese pastors) to afford them.
After several email exchanges with Judy and 6DI, we decided to make an investment in Togo. We decided to donate 100 Guide Biblique books to the Communications Resource Center. So, earlier this week, we instructed our printer to ship 100 copies of Guide Biblique to Togo by way of Florida. Florida, because groups who will be doing short-term work in Togo will be traveling from Florida and will be able to carry the books with them. That will save the cost of shipping.
We have done these projects many times and donated hundreds of books over the past few years. But we could not do this if it were not for the people on our support team; you who donate so generously and so consistently.
God is using our work in 40 countries, in 48 languages. Our books are being used on mission fields, in Bible Schools, in seniors’ homes, addiction rehabilitation facilities, English as a Second Language classes, and university ministries. We know only a few of the stories now. Someday I hope that we will know them all. But whenever we hear these stories, we know that it is the generosity of our partners that has made them possible.