Advancing In Africa

Edoh Fiozandji, EHC’s Regional Director for French Africa, lives in TOGO. His own journey of faith typifies the experiences of many in French Africa. The son of a village priest who served the god of thunder, Edoh once delved into the spirit world of his father. But when Edoh went away to school, one of his teachers was a vibrant Christian witness. Through his teacher’s testimony, Edoh was introduced to Christ and was born again.
Edoh’s father was furious and turned his back on his son, but Edoh continued to pray. In time, he was able to lead his father to faith in Christ! In his own nation of Togo Edoh has led the effort to mobilize churches, train and send pioneer missionaries, and challenge spiritual strongholds. To date, more than 115,000 people have responded to the Good News, and over 1,100 Christ Group fellowships have been established, many in villages where no church had ever before existed.

EHC’s work in neighboring Benin is under the direction of Séwa Tokpassi. As Séwa explains, “From the moment I was baptized, I felt the call of God upon my life to spread the Good News. One day I heard Pastor Edoh Fiozandji on the radio talking about missions challenges. I knew this was a call from the Lord and responded, ‘Here I am. Send me, Lord!’” God answered Séwa’s prayer and today he is the leader of EHC’s nationwide campaign in Benin.
Mission strategist Patrick Johnstone has described Benin as “the least evangelized non-Muslim country in Africa south of the Sahara,” with nearly four million people (half the nation’s population) following tribal beliefs. In Benin, fearless pioneer missionaries live among people groups that are often openly hostile to the Gospel. Within every group, people are being saved and Christ Group fellowships are being formed. The evangelism strategy in Benin has helped generate over 74,000 responses to the Gospel, leading to the creation of 545 Christ Group fellowships.

In Senegal, a nation that is 94% Muslim, the majority of Muslims are of the Sufi sect, which adheres more to the mystical and spiritual tenets of Islam. The Sufi are more tolerant of other religions, giving Christians in Senegal freedom to practice their faith and share the Gospel.
The EHC outreach in Senegal is still new. Thirty-six people have responded to the Gospel, and believers have been gathered in 11 Christ Group fellowships, consisting of both new and existing believers. Pray for special guidance for EHC’s four pioneer missionaries who are sharing the Gospel in Senegal today.

In Cameroon, EHC Director Justin Aloma once worshiped false gods. “I was raised in a family of idol worshippers and my father taught me how to do sacrifices,” Justin says. “I started seeking the Lord by studying Bible correspondence courses. One day, my younger brother shared the Lord with me. I resisted his words, but they were very powerful. Finally, I was convicted that I was a sinner and only the Lord Jesus Christ could save me.”
Justin became actively involved in his church and in reaching others with the Gospel. In 1999, he attended an EHC conference in Togo. He says enthusiastically, “After hearing Pastor Edoh’s challenge to win souls for the Lord, I was eager to go! Since that day, my love and compassion for the lost has grown.”
Justin has coordinated a fruitful outreach to more than 60,000 Pygmies who often live nomadic lives in forested regions of Cameroon. So far, more than 57,000 people have responded to the Gospel, and 359 Christ Groups have been established.

One of the most fruitful EHC outreaches in French Africa has been in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Spirit of God has moved and more than four million people have accepted Christ and/or requested Bible-study materials or more information about the Gospel. Over 1,700 Christ Group fellowships have been planted to accommodate thousands of new believers.
EHC Director Sita Luemba is leading the Every Home Campaign, working with churches and ministry partners. Says Sita, “My vision is to mobilize the churches of my country to cross-cultural evangelism, reaching the unreached people both in my nation and in the 10/40 Window in Africa.”

In Niger, where Islam is the predominant religion, Christians are free to worship and witness, but tensions often run high. EHC Director Alio Boubé was raised a Muslim, so he intimately understands the challenge. “I was raised in a Muslim family,s taught in a Koranic school, and observed all the Islamic requirements,” says Alio. “One day a pastor told me about Christ. I opened my heart to the Lord Jesus as my Savior and Lord. Once baptized, I was totally determined to follow Jesus, and being filled with the Holy Spirit, I began to share the Gospel with boldness. I found I could not sit in the church pews while people were dying in villages without Christ.”
Alio’s enthusiasm for sharing the Gospel has given him boldness to train EHC workers and lead by example. To date, more than 158,000 families have been reached with the Gospel. Alio says. “We continue to persevere, knowing that with your support, we will turn back the enemy’s plans and the victory will be God’s.”

Southwest of Niger, the nation of Cote d’Ivoire is a unique mixture of Muslims, Christians and followers of traditional tribal beliefs. EHC Director Emile Bih knows two of those worlds well. “I was born to animist parents and brought up to respect African rites and traditions,” he explains. “However, my aunt was an evangelical Christian. My father, who clung to African cults and pagan practices, often clashed with my aunt over my religious education. Years later as a university student I opened my heart to the grace and mercy of the Lord.”
Emile studied in France, where he met Pierre Clément, EHC’s Regional Director for Europe. When Emile returned to Cote d’Ivoire, he became involved with EHC and ultimately became the National Director. EHC’s pioneer missionaries have taken the Gospel to 491,000 homes in Cote d’Ivoire, with over 43,000 responses.

Before he met Christ, EHC Burkina Faso Director Amévi Adakanou performed voodoo rituals to gain the favor of local spirits. But when an older brother invited Amévi to a Bible study something wonderful happened. “I totally submitted myself to Christ,” says Amévi. “I was delivered from the chains of voodoo.”
Amévi joined a local EHC Christ Group and served as a pioneer missionary. Before long, he was mobilizing churches and training others how to share the Gospel. Eventually he became the National Director for Burkina Faso. Today, Amévi is coordinating a special effort to reach the Bissa people, a least-evangelized people group of about 500,000 people. “We want to see the 500,000 Bissa saved from the domination of ancestral traditions of voodoo worship and rising Islam,” he says. “Our goal is to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to their homes, lead them to Christ and form 150 reproducing Christ Groups among them.”

Evils that plague so many nations—greed, corruption, mismanagement, inflation, unemployment—nearly ignited a civil war in the Republic of Guinea in 2007. Strikes were called, more than 100 protesters were killed, thieves looted homes and businesses, and reports of renegade military units attacking and robbing civilians compounded the fear. The president declared martial law.
Quick diplomacy and promises of constructive change defused the situation, temporarily, but the nation of Guinea is still unsettled. In the midst of the turmoil, EHC workers continue the task of sharing the Gospel. Working among a population that is more than 83 percent Muslim, and where 12 percent follow tribal beliefs, the small Christian minority faces a formidable task when it comes to evangelism.
Paul Damey serves as EHC’s National Director in the Republic of Guinea. Paul was a Jehovah’s Witness when one day he knocked on the door of a Christian who, as Paul says, “knew the Bible better than I did.” Through that encounter Paul was wonderfully saved. He attended Bible school and became involved in evangelism. In 2001, Edoh Fiozandji asked Damey to head the EHC/Guinea outreach.
More than 21,000 people have responded to the Good News and 471 Christ Groups have been formed—a remarkable result in some very trying circumstances. Paul asks, “Please pray for the protection of our brothers who are targeted by persecutors. Pray that the Lord will give them strength to announce the Word of God with boldness.”
Paul Damey’s prayer request extends to EHC workers throughout French Africa. In every nation there are unique challenges to overcome, but EHC’s brave workers put their lives in danger in order to take the Good News from home to home. Pray for God’s guidance and protection as they work tirelessly to reach millions with the Gospel.