February 16, 1999
Church Growth:
At our Evaluation and Planning Session we determined that as of January 10th, 1999, there were one hundred forty-eight members in seven congregations among the Aja people. This growth comes after just over ten months of preaching and only seven months after the first baptisms and establishment of a congregation in the village of Koyohoue (ko-YO-hwey). We are excited about the great growth that is taking place. The momentum the Lord is placing behind this movement is more rapid than what we experienced in the early years in Kenya among the Kipsigis people.
The growth continues. Since January 10th, thirty-seven more Aja have been added to the Kingdom. Twenty-six of them were baptized this past Sunday (Feb. 14) at the newest congregation Dekpo (DECK-po). It is now the second largest congregation. Some members at Dekpo (DECK-po) have already discovered their gifts from the Lord and are boldly ministering to their people. On the 14th, Jean gave one of the best lessons I have heard from an Aja Christian. For a month now, Gregoire has been teaching the young people songs and memory verses a couple afternoons a week. Simon baptized all twenty-six of his fellow villagers. Praise the Lord, with us, for the numerical and spiritual growth that is taking place in this very young congregation.
|
Congregation |
Members |
|
Koyohoue * |
26 |
|
Kadahoue * |
51 |
|
Djoumahou |
31 |
|
Kaiteme |
16 |
|
Avedjin |
12 |
|
Dandjihoue * |
16 |
|
Dekpo * |
33 |
Total 185
* congregations where Cyndi and I have been working
Translation of Scriptures:
Hilaire, our language helper, Cyndi and I have completed and distributed copies of the Gospel of Mark in the language of the Aja. Please pray that the life of our Lord, as written by Mark, will change the lives of many Aja people as they read it and hear lessons from it. We are about one third of the way through the Acts of the Apostles.