Mobilizing the African Church to Save Children

Infant mortality around the world has dropped nearly 30 percent during the past two decades. But that improvement in child survival is far smaller in West Africa. Fourteen of the 25 countries with the worst infant mortality rates are in West Africa. In Togo, one in ten will die before the age of five. In Liberia, this statistic is one in five. In Sierra Leone, one in four. The numbers are not much better in most of West Africa.

The majority of these child and infant deaths can be prevented through clean water, nutrition, hygiene, and sanitation. These are needs to which the church can respond through Community Health Evangelism (CHE) ministries. The goal is to mobilize the church in Togo to minister to this need while sharing the message of eternal salvation through faith in Christ. At this upcoming conference there will be more than 300 pastors in Togo, casting a vision for what the church can do. Followup training will be offered to those who are interested. The goal of this effort is to help 25 villages out of poverty and plant ten new churches.