Biblica’s strategy of working through partners could be risky sometimes, in that it has no control over the most crucial link in the mission chain, which is engaging the user with our resources. This role is ceded to our engagement partners. To mitigate this somewhat, we have moved from working with many partners to choosing a few strategic partners. These are partners whose mission aligns strongly with Biblica’s. These partners also have, a strong focus on Scripture, committed leadership, sound structures, a commitment to contribute financially to procure the Scriptures they need, a good reputation and are well known, and well reported. That describes Compassion Togo! Through a combination of these attributes, they are showing the way for the Global Compassion International family. From the national director and his leadership team, to the partnership facilitators, the church partners, the on-field youth workers, and the beneficiary youth, Compassion Togo has a beautiful chain of committed, faithful and diligent labour that is demonstrating such potential which catches attention. And Compassion International wants to model their youth discipleship module for their child development mission on Togo’s Reach for Life programme.
A recent trip by Biblica West Africa witnessed the story firsthand. The youth shared beautiful stories of encounters with Jesus through His Word and the practical lessons and helps that define the Reach for Life programme. From problems with sex, self-image, drugs, and child marriage, to sections on faith, there were testimonies upon testimonies of finding solutions and help. And the best part of the impact is that it is not only the youth that are impacted but also their teachers, and all the way up to the members of the Compassion national leadership team who each have their own story.
A strong element in the programme is the sense of community that these youth have through the Compassion centres. For example, a 15-year-old girl named Mawunyo (not her real name) was rescued from an attempt to force her into marriage because of poverty by the community who rallied around her with counseling, prayer, intervention with her mother, and financial help. Indeed, Compassion Togo is “releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name”. Stories like these inspire the national director and his team to mandate all their centres to undertake the Reach for Life programme and commit to strong training and coaching by Hopespring Foundation in Ghana. Their objective is to build a sustainable, multiplication model. With all the myriads of problems that plague Togo’s youth, Reach for Life is an ‘Eureka’ discovery that they intend to spread. For Messieur Kodjovi Gbekou, Programmes Manager of Compassion Togo,
“This is not just a job for me, it is a ministry, and I have even introduced Reach for Life to my Church denomination as well”.
