Knock, Knock! Will you answer the door of opportunity?

Like many, I have always said, "Lord, send me anywhere but Africa," until several years ago when I was attending the Tennessee Baptist Convention and kept running into Missionary Mike McAfee from Abidjan, West Africa.  Immediately, I sensed the Lord saying that this is where I was to go.  At first, I rejected it and didn't want to follow through.  For several weeks, I continued to sense the nudging of the Holy Spirit to seek out the opportunity to travel to the Ivory Coast to take HOPE to a people in need of Jesus. 

I remember the first conversation that I had with Missionary Mike.  It was like a breathe of fresh air and a peace flooded my spirit.  From that moment forward, my first trip was in place and the days were counting down.  I still remember the moment that I boarded that plane heading to Abidjan and the feeling of excitement that gripped me as I knew God was carrying me every step of the way.

Abidjan is an urban city in West Africa of some 8 million people.  Many live in the city and many live outside of the city in poverty ridden villages.  My team experienced first hand the hunger and thirst for HOPE among the people and we were blessed to be able to share with them the story of creation to Christ. 

Honestly, even after returning home and to this very day, I cannot for the life of me get the images of those people out of my head and off of my heart.  I love the people of Abidjan dearly and cannot wait to return again to share the HOPE of Jesus Christ and plant new churches to reach their own people.

I am scheduled to take a team of 4-5 people from Impact Church this October 20-29th to once again impact this area with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  On this team is an elder from Bridges of Hope Fellowship in McMinnville, TN (my former church plant), a young lady who is in our student ministry at Impact, her brother, and myself.  There may be the possibility of another lady in our church going as well.  Me and the elder from BOHF have both been before, but the other two will be making this journey as their FIRST mission trip ever.  That's exciting!

I am asking all of my friends to pray about helping us get to Africa this fall.  We are currently in need of $5,000 to purchase the plane tickets in order to secure a good rate.  I understand that many cannot go on foreign missions, but could give to help see that others get there and that the gospel gets shared.  There are several ways that you can give to help support this mission trip.

1)  Pray for us and God's provisions

2)  Give online at https://impactchurchtn.securegive.com  and mark "AFRICA" in the memo box.

3)  Mail your contribution to:  Impact Church, P.O. Box 1057, Kingston, TN 37763

Any amount you can give to help us get to Africa will be greatly helpful as God will multiply your gifts.  All gifts are totally tax deductible as allowed by the IRS.

Thanks in advance for giving to make an IMPACT in the lives of the people of Abidjan, West Africa! When we get to heaven, many of them will await you to thank you there.  May God bless you as you give of yourself so that many could be won to the kingdom!

If you need more information or would like to talk with me more about this trip, please call 865-376-4400 or email pastor@impactchurchtn.com

Pastor DeWayne
Impact Church
Kingston, TN

A Day in Paris

Today, we woke up to beautiful sunny skies and cool temperatures.  It was a glorious day!  It was time to freshen up, get dressed and head downstairs for breakfast, well...if you could call it that.  LOL  It was loaded with carbs.  Yikes!  Juice, yogurt, applesauce, and several kinds of breads with jelly on them.  Then, off we went!  Brent Nunley and I decided to head into Paris and take in the grand sites of the city or at least, some of them.  David decided to stay back and rest so that he wouldn't be worn out for the last flight to the states and then home.

Brent and I caught the bus over to the airport and then jumped on to the subway trains.  It was an adventure to say the least.  We had no clue where we were going, so it was kind of like the blind leading the blind, but we got there!  After getting to Paris, we stepped out of the subway tunnel and up the stairs to gaze at the most beautiful site standing right in front of us...the Eiffel Tower.  We immediately got in line to go up in it, a line that we would be standing in for over 3 hours, mind you.  There was lots of people watching and guarding of our personal belongings from "pick pockets."  Brent was approached by one and noticed the young girls' accomplice. BUSTED!  LOL  Also, while waiting in line, we saw a street performer, aka - panhandler.  He was actually funny, though.  We finally made our way to the ticket booth and paid part of Dwight's inheritance to allow me to go up in the tower all the way to the top.  I will have to say, this is one side trip that I will never forget.  It's just not everyday that you get to go up in one of the most famous towers in all the world and I took advantage of the opportunity (yes, I have pictures).  We could see buildings, bodies of water, etc. for as far as the eye could behold.  Absolutely breathtaking!  The only problem I could see was that it was me and Brent instead of it being us and our wives.  I was watching carefully that Brent didn't get carried away with the romance of Paris and want to kiss me or hold my hand.  Double YIKES!  LOL   After coming down from the tower, we shopped for souveniers, ate lunch and headed for the trains.  Subway on the way back to the airport...we won't discuss that.  We are real men!  lol

After getting back to the hotel room to meet up with David, we all headed back to the airport to get a bite to eat.  Over dinner, we had some good conversation and fellowship as we talked about the future and what all that holds.

The night is over.  Showers have been taken.  Blog post almost complete (will be by the time you finish reading this).  It's time to get some shuteye as tomorrow is a BIG day for our team...Home Sweet Home!  Our flight leaves out of Paris tomorrow at 10:50 a.m.   

Don't forget to pray for us!  -  DeWayne

The Holiday Silence

Yesterday, Friday, was a Muslim holiday in Abidjan.  As we woke up, we did so to silence in the streets, where normally it would be filled with talking, yelling, car noises, among other sounds.  It was a different kind of day.  It was the day that Muslims sacrifice an animal for the forgiveness of their sins.  Blood ran freely in many streets around Abidjan.  Muslim families got together to slaughter (sacrifice) and eat their animals, then to spend time in holy prayer with Allah (their god.)

It is so sad that the enemy has so many people blinded to think that they can do certain acts or rituals to get rid of their sins, which only leave them empty and full of guilt and shame.  I am so thankful that Jesus Christ, who was and is the Son of God, was sent to earth as the FINAL, LAST, and PERFECT sacrifice for the sins of man.  Because of God's great love and the sacrifice of the perfect spotless lamb, Jesus, our sins can be forgiven and remembered no more.  However, we must accept God's sacrifice on our behalf, to not would be as if to toss away a gift that has already been purchased to given to you.  What a waste!

As for us, we got up as usual and went to have breakfast with the McAfees.  We had African pancakes...only because they were made in Africa.  LOL  We enjoyed lots of fellowship around the table and then went out to explore some shops with Mike.  Many of the shops were closed due to the Muslim holiday.  However, some were open and ready for business as usual.  We then made our way back to the mission house to have lunch and meet up with Heather for her to walk with us to the other marketplace.  It was like a really run down and shabby Wal-Mart being crammed into a shoe box   Really!  It reeked with the smells of dead fish, rat, turtles, crabs, and whatever else they could find to sell.  However, what we were looking for was not open.  We walked over a mile there and mile back to get to this market and it seemed to be the hottest part of the day.  I felt like I'd had 2 baths!  That Heather is a slave driver, let me tell you.  LOL  She could have at least called us a taxi!  I'm just kidding.  It was great to see how their lives are lived out here in Abidjan, day after day.  I am just way too spoiled.  I admit it!

In the afternoon, we took out across the city to see different parts of Abidjan.  The big city is made up of lots of small cities, some lower class and some upper class, but rarely anyone in between.  The lower class live in wooden sheds or block huts while the upper class live in gated communities away from the reality around them.  We got to see some really cool landmarks and the U.S. Embassy.  We had our interpreter along for the ride with us.

In the evening, our team spent a little time resting and getting ready for dinner with the McAfees and the other missionaries in Abidjan.  It was their "chicken & fries" night!  American food at it's finest!  LOL  Then, there was apple and chocolate pies to top it off.  Of course, I restrained myself from having any...NOT!  There was lots of good stories, laughter, and great fellowship.

The evening ended with us coming back to the mission house to begin washing clothes and my all night battle with the ALLERGIES.  I barely slept at all last night, due to not being able to breath and my nose running all night, not to mention the sneezes!

And there you have it...another day in Abidjan!

God at Work in Africa!

The day began when we woke up around 7 a.m., got dressed and headed to the missionaries home for breakfast.  Afterwards, we loaded up and went to Bassam, the area that our church will be starting a church in.  In Bassam, we broke up into two teams and went to the homes of the people to share stories with them about God's love.  For several hours, my team consisting of David Clayton and Oliver, began talking and sharing with different people.  We came upon these 4 women and their children who were washing clothes outside in a tub and they welcomed us to sit and share.  By the time I finished telling the story, they were all ready to give their lives to Christ and follow Him.  Praise the Lord for 4 new sisters in Christ!  Then we ran upon a group under a tree and sat and talked with them for hours, it seemed.  There were many others that we shared with also.  What an awesome day of evangelism!

We, later, came home and ate lunch and rested.  Following lunch...it was right back to the streets.  I love it!  However, this time, we did some storytelling but mainly follow-up with those that met Christ today.  Please keep them in your prayers.

This evening, we were invited to be guests in the home of Sadu, a Muslim.  They served us a meal and some wonderful hospitality.

In the photo above, Sadu is the one on the left.  His home was large for this area, but was still very small.  He struggles every day to makes end meet.  He works as a security guard.  The welcome and hospitality were great!  Keep Sadu and his LARGE family in your prayer in faith and hope that they will find Jesus.

On the way home tonight from Sadu's, the roads were crazy!  I could never drive in Abidjan. It would take some getting used to, for sure.

Now it's time to settle down and relax for a few hours before going to bed.  Gotta be up and out of the house by 8:30 a.m.

Blessings to you,

DeWayne

The Big City

Today began at 8:30 a.m. as we slept in a little to try and recover from the long trip and jet lag.  We got up, got ready and went to have breakfast with our missionaries, Mike & Heather McAfee, and their children.

After breakfast, we met with one of our translators, Oliver.  We spent some time asking questions, being oriented to the culture, and rehearsing our story telling skills.  It is amazing the things that you can learn just by listening and observing the culture around you.  Oliver stayed and joined us for lunch today before going out.  Oliver walked many miles to meet us today so that he could help us share the story of the gospel.  In return, he received VERY little from us.  I am thankful for his heart to build the kingdom of God, in spite of the sacrifices and discomforts.

(L to R) Eric, Brent Nunley, Oliver, David Clayton, and me
while we were out story telling in the city.

After lunch, we went to meet up with the other translator and split up into two different groups.  We began walking door to door in the city, looking for people to share the Creation to Christ story with.  It wasn't difficult, trust me!  Myself and David Clayton went with Oliver as we walked the back streets and alleys.  We first stopped and talked to a street cart business owner who allowed us to share with him, but didn't know if he'd goto heaven or not.  He wants to hear and learn more about these stories.  Next, we stopped by a house where the mom and grandmother were out in the courtyard and gladly welcomed us into their space.  I was amazed at the reception we got from all of these people!  We were treated like royalty because we came bearing the message of the KING...Jesus.  Amazing how different things are in the United States.  :(   Lastly, we stopped to talk to several teenage boys and got to share with them.  They were already believers and had no problem letting us know about it.  As we shared, people were gathering around and hanging out of windows to hear what we had to say.  Lots of seed was sown.

While we are here, we are prayer walking, but also trying to story and gather prospects for the missionaries to follow-up on after we are gone to begin a small group and eventually a church in that area.  We are getting a good start!

After arriving back home at the mission house, we washed up and met with Bamba, a former muslim who is now a follower of Jesus.  Bamba leads a small group in the city and is challenged with not having a location  to meet in.  Many times, they meet out under a tree by the road, which is very dangerous due to traffic, pedestrians, etc.  Please help us pray for God to open a door for this church to meet in a public place.  Bamba ate dinner with us tonight and we had some great conversation about the spiritual darkness, etc. in this area.  We'll be joining Bamba for evangelism through story telling in his area on Saturday.  Afterwards, we took Bamba home and got to see where he lives.  My heart just broke for this dear brother in Christ.

Today has certainly made me appreciate more of what I have and caused me to stop again and give God thanks.  As I walked and saw the multitudes of people, my heart broke within for the lostness, brokenness, and condition of the people.  They were in every sense of the word, "scattered sheep without a shepherd." I hope I never look at people again in the same way.  Time is so short and people are truly hurting everywhere, even in America.

Now, we're wrapping up showers and getting ready for a good night's sleep.  We'll be up at 7 a.m., breakfast with our missionaries and out to the BIG city that anxiously awaits for people to tell them about the love of Christ.

You can follow our photos at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151304018887448.517483.728762447&type=1&l=1f1d01fbdb

Thanks again for all of your prayers and support during this trip!  Please pray for boldness, clarity, and favor with all the people as we go out to story and share Christ with the multitudes tomorrow.

Pastor DeWayne

Safe Arrival

Hey Guys!  We made it safely to Abidjan, Africa.  We did encounter one obstacle in the beginning, though.  Natalie dropped us off at the Nashville airport and left.  Shortly thereafter, we found out that we had to show the card that was used to purchase our tickets with.  So, thank God, Cathy Clayton was able to goto my house, get the card, have a copy made, and fax it to us.  Praise the Lord!

We had great flights to New York, then to Paris, and on to Abidjan.  It is amazing how much of the nations you can interact with when you are traveling internationally.

Tonight, we exited the Abidjan airport where our missionary, Mike McAfee, was there to greet us.  We drove to the mission house, got settled in, and ate dinner with Mike, Heather, and the kids.  Please pray for Ben, their 3 year old.  Heather thinks he might have malaria.  Lift him up to the Lord, prayer warriors!  We had taco salads, fresh pineapple, and chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the oven.  I know...there goes my low carb lifestyle.  LOL!!!

Now we are getting showers, settling down for bed and getting ready for a great first day on the field tomorrow.  We will meet up with our translator in the morning after breakfast.  Until then, please keep us in your prayers as we accomplish the will of the Father on this trip.

I'll be uploading some photos on here and Facebook tomorrow night.  Thanks for all of your prayers and support!  They are greatly needed and appreciated!

DeWayne

Africa Countdown

Well, it seems that the time has come and it's almost time to head to the airport for our mission trip to Abidjan, West Africa.

I first want to say a huge "THANK YOU" to all of you who have given to partner with me in starting new churches in Abidjan.  God has provided through YOU to make this trip a reality.  My prayer is that God will richly bless you and multiply your seed because you have honored His servant and impacted lives around the world.

I am looking forward to staying engaged with you throughout our journey in Africa through this blog.  Each evening (3-4 p.m. CST), I will be blogging about our activities and sharing photos, etc.  It is important to me that you be able to make this journey with me through this site and Facebook.

At this point, our bags are packed and we'll be heading out for the Nashville airport in just a few short hours to tackle the long flight to Abidjan.  I am thankful to be traveling with 2 other brothers from our church at Bridges of Hope Fellowship.  Together, we are an extension of both Christ and the Church.

My one request now is that you commit to pray for us each day until we return home on Oct. 30th around 6:30 p.m. (CST).  Please pray for our travel safety, favor with everyone we meet, open doors, daily provisions, strength, good health, protection from spiritual warfare, and the power of the Holy Spirit that we may boldly share and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ through story to a people who have never heard.

Until the next opportunity to share,
DeWayne

Africa Bound!

I am excited to share with you about an upcoming trip I'll be taking to Abidjan, West Africa during October 22nd-30th of this year.  I am leading a team of 4 from Bridges of Hope Fellowship on a vision trip to begin the journey of planting churches in this city of 6 million people.  We are thrilled about the opportunity to make such a great impact with the Gospel of Jesus Christ in an area where Christianity is a minority.  This is my first mission trip out of the United States.  I can't wait to go serve and believe God to change my heart and life for the world.

During our time in Africa, we'll be working with Missionaries Mike & Heather McAfee.  They have been helping us in our planning efforts and assisting us all along the way to ensure that we have a productive and fruitful experience.  They are from Baxter, Tennessee, which is very close to McMinnville and Cookeville.

This trip will consist of prayerwalking, vision tours, meeting and visiting with natives, church visits, observation of missionary story telling, and more.  The goal is to discover God's heart for the people He is calling us to reach by planting churches among them.  Our goal is then to return twice a year to assist and build up the church planting efforts that we start this fall.

The trip cost is approximately $3,500 per person and includes airfare, transportation, meals, lodging, shots, etc.  I am prayerfully seeking to raise this money by August 1st, 2012.  

I would ask that you please pray about partnering with me to change and impact lives in Africa with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Any amount that you could give towards the total would be greatly appreciated.  You may give it directly through Bridges of Hope Fellowship (www.GetHope.info) so that your gifts will be 100% tax deductible.  There are several ways that you can give to help me get to Africa:


1. Send a check or money order made payable to BRIDGES OF HOPE FELLOWSHIP to:

Bridges of Hope Fellowship
4023 Smithville Hwy.
McMinnville, TN 37110

(Please mark "Africa" in the memo line.)

2.  Give online at www.GetHope.info by visiting the website and clicking on "GIVE NOW."  Please select the "Designated: Missions Fund."  Or visit www.bridgesofhope.securegive.com 

3.  You can download and use our smartphone/iphone giving app by visiting the app store and search for "SecureGive."  It is a FREE app!  Select '37110' as the zip code and click on "Bridges of Hope Fellowship."  You will then be able to register your account and start giving via your mobile device.

In advance, I'd like to thank you for your prayers and financial support of my ministry and this trip.  Your support means so much to me and serves as a great encouragement.  I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Be sure to check my blog often for updates and details concerning this trip and other happenings to change the world for the cause of Christ.  

Passionately Serving,

DeWayne Howard, Pastor

Bridges of Hope Fellowship

pastor@gethope.info 

www.dewaynehoward.com