Community Health Evangelism is one of my passions. It’s a format of church planting created for developing countries. I trained to be a trainer for CHE and have worked in that capacity a few times in Ghana and Togo . Daniel Kpowbie is the French speaking West African representative for the international organization of LifeWind that coordinates worldwide CHE development. I consider him to be a friend, someone I’ve worked with in the field.
I spent Saturday visiting villages with Daniel and his team. The small village of Vivati is one I’ve been to before, initially a dying place where I helped them to repair their well a few years ago. We traveled on the same red dirt roads to get there, heavily rutted and highlighted with occasional walkers carrying water jugs on their head. I really enjoyed the scene, it represents rural Africa to me. Atta asked me about my vision for being there. He commented, “You really love Africa , don’t you?” I couldn’t help but smile!
The CHE work has been going on almost every Saturday for 3 years, sometimes they return in disappointment, other times they are rejoicing. Always, God is working. At the time of my first visit, they’d been there 6 months and seen 50 new believers come to faith in Christ. Their work is nearly finished now, the village is now 90% Christian and they are doing well. Another church has been planted in a nearby village. They’ve helped the entire village, teaching and applying lessons in agriculture, hygiene, nutrition, and gospel. People are maturing in faith and worshipping openly – they know the power of Jesus. Now they’re building their first latrine – a two-seater!
They have been gradually destorying their voodoo stuff and fetishes. The people have boldly stood up to their spiritual enemy. Only a few women are holding out and have small huts with their fettish worship paraphernalia locked up within. They all know this is the end of voodoo in this village. All the children will grow up knowing Jesus. There are no unsaved children remaining in the families of those hold-out women.
I heard first-hand several awesome stories and testimonies. Since this is the beginning of the new year, Daniel asked them to tell what God has done among them. A woman and her husband spoke of God’s goodness. She used to have hatred continually in her heart and she made a regular practice of paying people back if they hurt her feelings. Now she thanks God for his great love in her heart. If she has a problem with someone, she goes to them and they talk about it and make it right. But before coming to Christ, she’d made a pledge of some sort in voodoo tradition. She told us this story of what happened:
After her new life in Christ began, the fetish priest came by one day to collect the pledge (something material, they have no money). Her husband was away. She said, “I serve Jesus now, I won’t have anything to do with voodoo. In alarm, he said, “you must!” She firmly stood her ground. Then he went to the village chief to make her understand that she must respond and “pay up.” The chief was alarmed too! He was frightened for her and those around her, sure that they would suffer dire consequences. She said, “let the voodoo come after me, but I’m not paying you.” Jesus is more powerful than anything voodoo. After much cajoling on his part, the fettish priest left.
Later her husband continued the story. Now in village circles, they just stand up and tell what happened. They’re telling the story of what they experienced and what Jesus did. That’s what they did on the day I visited. It is very everyday kind of talk. The villagers know what it’s about, they’ve experienced it themselves in one way or another.
He said, “I came home from the fields and found that my very brave wife had sent the voodoo priest away. I was proud of her. She told him, ‘I serve Jesus now, I’m not giving you anything. Voodoo can come after me, but you’ll get nothing from me!’ But, later in private she asked me, ‘What shall we do about the voodoo?’ He replied, ‘Oh, that’s easy, don’t worry about that.’”
So the husband and wife prayed together. They bound the powers of darkness, and they prayed in the name of Jesus against the powers of the fetishes and everything they had ever been part of in the past. And, now’s it’s gone, it doesn’t bother them. Jesus is more powerful. The voodoo has no power over them.
So, I’m hearing the whole group listening, agreeing, and thanking Jesus… laughing and exclaiming. Of course, I’m two steps behind because I must listen to my translator (they’re speaking in Ewe, not French). So I too laughed out loud and exclaimed, “YES!” …alone, a little late. We all laughed at my delayed reaction.
Today, the chief is a believer. His wife was there Saturday and thanking Jesus for setting them free from the voodoo’s, as they say. I greeted her and received a warm welcome from her bright eyes. We all worshipped God together. They have great reasons to worship him. Jesus wins!
