Soccer and the Gospel

Our team conducted a soccer clinic in Lahothan (la-hoe-tan) today. Several hundred people attended the clinic--both children and adults. During a break in the soccer instruction, the Gospel was presented clearly and with strong intention. The team reports that several people indicated decisions to receive Christ as their Savior.

Because so many people attended the clinic, the team had a tremendous impact on the village. There is a strong Baptist church in Lahothan that will be following up on the decisions made today. The church is small, but the members are fervent in their worship of God and their desire to see friends and neighbors come to know the Most High God. On an earlier trip, the Jesus Film was shown in Lahothan--the seeds that have been planted are beginning to bear fruit--Praise God!!!!

The team also went to a village we haven't been in before--Balfo. The Benin Baptist Convention headquartered in Cotonou has tentative plans to build a medical clinic in Balfo. The clinic will be a marvelous outreach tool and will open doors for sharing the Gospel. Our team looked over the land which will be the site of this clinic and while they were there, they contacted the President of the Benin Baptist Convention to talk about plans for the clinic. Of course, he was greatly encouraged by our team and the partnership was strengthened.

Wednesday will be a very busy day for the team. They will conduct another soccer clinic in Savalou in the morning, then travel to Gbalin to see King Tofa after lunch. Following a visit with King Tofa and evangelizing in Gbalin, the team will travel to Fifidge to conduct another soccer clinic.

Pray for soccer balls to open hearts. Pray for King Tofa that he will truly open his heart to Jesus Christ. Pray especialy for the small group of believers in Gbalin who are struggling to keep their church functioning in the midst of persecution. Gbalin is a strong center for voodoo--we are asking God to break the bind that Satan has on the people of Gbalin and pray that the light of the world will shine in the darkness of Gbalin.

God continues to bless our 3 guys as they work in Benin. The guys ask for your continued prayers--they know the home team is praying and feel the strength those prayers provide. Through our prayers and through people going, the Mahi will come to know Jesus Christ. To God be the glory!