My short visit to Togo is drawing to a close. I'm thankful that schedules worked out so I could drop by Togo to help celebrate the graduation of three students from the Mt. Horeb Lutheran Seminary and spend a few days visiting my good friend and fellow missionary Peter! Pastor Kossi Blewu and Missionary Peter Evensen have been faithfully teaching and training these men for the past three years with CLC Online Theological Studies (OTS) materials translated into French by Missionary Evensen. These OTS courses were written by the late Professor David Lau for use in seminaries, Bible institutes, and pastor-training seminars around the world. Missionary Bruce Naumann (read his blog HERE) has also been using these materials in Wittenberg Lutheran Theological Seminary of the Tanzania-CLC (TCLC) where they also celebrated a graduation a couple of weeks ago. Missionary Evensen posts pictures HERE.After three years of training, these three men have successfully completed their training, and they are now ready to begin their ministry. Missionary Evensen and Pastor Kossi will spend the next several months helping them to establish congregations in different areas of Togo. This will bring the number of trained and ordained pastors of the Mission Evangelique Lutherienne de Confession du Togo (MELC) to seven. Praise the Lord for His love and faithfulness in providing more faithful preachers and teachers to proclaim the truths of His saving Word here in Togo!
The seminary will start classes again in October with a new cohort of students. Pastor Kossi expects at least 4 students to enroll, perhaps more.
Graduation day was a lot of fun! I am so thankful that the Lord allowed me to be here to share in the joy of it all. Having been a French colony for many years, French is the official language of Togo. But out in the more rural areas of southern Togo, where the MELC is most active, the local language is Ewe. So that means that I am not able to understand much of anything that is being spoken. When I preached the graduation service sermon, it was translated into Ewe. Missionary Evensen preaches and teaches in French, and his words are translated into Ewe. Again, while I didn't understand much of anything that was being said, the joy of the occasion didn't need a translation! What a privilege to be a part of such a wonderful day!
On Sunday, Missionary Evensen taught the Bible Study, and I was again given the opportunity to share God's word by preaching the Sunday sermon. The service was held at the main MELC congregation in Lome'. They have been patiently building this church over the past few years as funds have become available. They have made great progress since I was here a few years ago.
Peter, Kossi, and I spent yesterday afternoon relaxing a bit at the beach, and I will head to the airport later this afternoon (Tuesday, 12/9) to go home! My flight is scheduled to depart at 7:50 pm. I'll fly from Lome' to Brussels to Chicago to HOME!
Enjoy a few pictures and videos. You can see more HERE.
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| Graduates and their Teachers |
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| Five Kinship Orphans with Pastor Kossi and His Wife |
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| A Big Crowd Waiting for the Graduation to Begin |
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| Pastor Kossi Welcoming the Guests to the Graduation |
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| Missionary Evensen and Pastor Kossi at the MELC Church in Lome' |
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| Missionary Evensen Teaching Bible Class with Pastor Kossi Translating |
