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ABWE COMMUNICATIONS RESOURCE CENTER, TOGO, WEST AFRICA

LITERATURE MINISTRY

    What can one dollar buy? A French-language New Testament, two complete Bible correspondence courses, 7 literacy books, or 200 gospel tracts. In Togo, where hearts and minds are open to the gospel message, appropriate Christian literature and audio-visual materials are a vital part of the church-planting ministry. The Communications Resource Center and Print Shop, located on the hospital compound at Tsiko, are striving to meet the great need for discipleship and evangelistic materials in French and various tribal languages. Ministries of the CRC/Print Shop include literature, literacy training and materials, audio-visual materials, English as a Second Language materials, translation, Bible correspondence courses, publicity, teacher training and materials, and reading rooms at the hospital and in Lomé.

Print Shop

Our print shop provides church planters, local churches and the hospital with printed materials needed for evangelism, discipleship and establishing churches: tracts, Bible studies, correspondence courses, invitations, visitor registration cards, baptismal certificates, church ledgers, personalized letterhead, prayer letters, long-range planners, and business forms. This ministry began with Dave Moody=s arrival in 1985; the print shop building, located on the hospital compound at Tsiko, was completed in 1988. Using professional presses and other printing equipment, we are able to produce plastic-bound or wire-stitched booklets, materials in single or four-color, and illustrations using photos or drawings. The three offset presses can print anything from 3 x 5 to 14 x 18 inches, very thin paper to 4-ply poster board. Other equipment includes the large commercial paper cutter, a folding machine, and a paper drill which makes holes for any type of ring book.

Communications Resource Center

Attached to the print shop is the CRC where the literature, literacy and AV work for the field is centered. Started in 1994 by Vicki Shaw Ivester and Judy Bowen, this ministry is an umbrella for many of the FC=s efforts to aid church planters and local churches by providing them with the needed literature and AV materials for evangelism and discipleship. Also included in the ministries of the CRC are reading rooms, Bible correspondence courses, English-as-a-Second-Language, teacher-training, translation, and publicity.

The literature ministry involves finding suitable materials (Bibles, tracts, books, booklets, reference and study aids, etc.) in the languages of Togo, that we can make available to missionaries, churches and church members at subsidized prices. We also seek to produce those materials which are needed but not already availableCby translation, original writing, adaptation, and printing. Tracts and correspondence courses as well as reference books, a song book, and other materials in French, Ewe and Kabiye are being produced. A sales room is part of the CRC and materials are also sold at the reading room in Lome (located at the Bible Institute), the reading room at the hospital, and in Kara.

People understand best when they read or hear information in their mother tongue, their heart language. Yet many of Togo=s 43 languages are as yet unwritten. Five languages have the Bible, 5 have the New Testament, and 4 have Scripture portions. There is a great need for more evangelistic and discipleship materials to reach the people of Togo through their mother tongue. For this reason we have materials written in or translated into French and some of Togo=s tribal languages, but there remains a huge amount of work in the area of translation to be done.

We also make teaching aids available to our local churches through a library check-out system. A reference library is available for on-site study by local church pastors and teachers.

The AV (audio-visual) ministry is moving away from the use of 16 mm films and more into the area of videos. We currently have two video projectors, a generator, and many videos in French and tribal languages, for use in the local churches and at the hospital. We also have a good supply of cassettes of Bible lessons and Christian music in various African languages along with cassette players, including hand-crank players for village use.

The ability to read is a prerequisite for independent Bible study. Yet only 39% of Togo=s people are literate (1993). Literacy primers in Ewe and Kabiye are now available and literacy programs are being established in the local churches to teach members to read, with the goal of their being able to read the Bible in their own mother tongue. These classes can also be used as an effective outreach tool into the community. Another goal is to provide transition primers from French to Ewe and Kabiye and also from Ewe and Kabiye to French.

Reading rooms are open at the hospital and in Lome. Visitors may come in and read books and other literature, talk with a counselor, work on correspondence courses, or purchase literature. Our goal is to have reading rooms in other population centers as well: Kpalime, Atakpame, and Kara.

Bible study correspondence courses are available in French and Ewe; others in Ewe and some in Kabiye are now being translated and prepared for printing. These can be used in teaching situations through the local churches, in discipleship settings, or through the local reading rooms. Correspondence courses by post are also being offered.

Teacher-training is provided by CRC personnel for those in our local churches who would like to learn how to effectively use the materials available for loan through the CRC. This is done upon request of the local church.

ESL (English as a Second Language) materials have been prepared for teaching English to Togolese in specific settings for specific purposes. Classes have been taught to Bible Institute students to enable them to more effectively use English reference materials (since those in French are scarce and very expensive). Another course is planned for medical personnel who work with English-speaking short-term doctors and nurses in the hospital.

We prepare and update materials used Stateside to make the ministries of the Togo FC known. These publicity materials include brochures, pamphlets, magazine articles, and, at times, candidate class presentations.

The ministry of the Communications Resource Center continues to expand and develop in an effort to meet the changing needs of the local churches and of missionaries. New ideas and suggestions are always welcome and we encourage our colleagues to make their needs in these areas known to us. We also welcome any who would like to join us in our efforts. There is a great need for interested FC members to work in the many ministries of the Communications Committee, either full or part-time. Especially needed are those with training or experience in, or a desire to learn about, the areas of literacy, teaching English as a second language, teacher-training, translation, correspondence courses, Bible Institute courses, audio-visuals, curriculum development, editing, printing, literature distribution, etc.

Personnel needs: Those with experience and desire to work in areas of :

Printing (after 2000-2002 short-term ministry of printers establishing apprenticeship for Togolese trainees)

Audio-visuals - someone to maintain equipment, expand ministry and train nationals in equipment use and maintenance, make cassettes and videos

Literacy - training teachers, setting up programs through local churches and follow-up, producing needed materials in tribal languages

Teacher-training - for local church ministries

English as a Second Language - the demand is great in Togo, as in all the world, but especially needed for Bible Institute students (to use English reference materials) and for hospital employees

Literature production - translation and original writing

Bible correspondence courses - coordination of courses used throughout the country - distribution, checking, follow-up of students

Prayer requests: 1. Production and distribution of effective Christian literature throughout Togo, for evangelism and discipleship, in many of Togo=s languages

2. Production and effective use of Christian audio-visual materials throughout Togo, including cassettes, videos, visualized stories, etc. in many of Togo=s 43 tribal languages

3. Establishment of effective literacy programs in the heart languages of Togo=s people, enabling them to read and understand God=s Word

4. Translation of the Bible and other vital Christian literature into the heart languages of Togo=s people

5. Establishment of reading rooms in Togo=s population centers, as a tool of evangelistic outreach efforts

6. Establishment of a widespread network of Bible correspondence courses, both by mail and through reading rooms and local churches, to enable all Togolese to be reached with the truth of God=s Word and to grow in their knowledge of the Bible