4 Countries, 10 Days, 6 Trainings, 11 People, 45 Trainees - One Mission

"For the first time in ITEC's history, four teams were in four countries at the same time with the same mission - train and equip indigenous Christ followers with a door opener for the Gospel by meeting people's physical needs." - Jaime Saint

Thirty hours and four flights after leaving home, we were processed through immigration into a room with a single conveyor belt loaded with luggage. Bags were loaded and then taken by tired passengers. After waiting for more than two hours, we realized that eleven of our fourteen bags were lost and wouldn't be joining us through customs.

Training in Liberia

Our team loaded into two vehicles for the two-hour ride to the church we would call home for the next week. Our gracious hosts had dinner waiting for us before we shut our bodies down for the night. This was how our trip to Liberia began. Fortunately, we were not the ones in control. We asked the One who is always in control to allow our tools to arrive so that we could train our Liberian brothers and sisters in Dental, Medical, and Eyesight Training. 

The following day, after an energetic two-hour church service, we loaded back into the vehicles to see if our bags had arrived on the next flight. Nine more of our bags arrived, which contained everything that we needed to begin the training on Monday morning. The last two bags arrived on Monday evening.

The next seven days included lively singing and devotions, classroom training, acting out medical emergencies, discussions involving cultural norms and problem areas, people being fit for glasses, teeth being extracted, and hundreds of prayers with patients. At the end of the week, 31 trainees were certified to continue using the ITEC tools to open doors for the Gospel in five regions of Liberia.

Mechanical Training in Ghana

Meanwhile, in Northern Ghana, our two I-FIX trainers taught a group of five men how to fix and maintain motorcycles. This training was done in partnership with a team from Teach to Transform who was simultaneously providing medical training. After six days of training, each of the students received a certificate to continue their skill as a way to develop relationships and share the Gospel.

Dental Training in Uganda and Eyesight Training in Kenya

Just a day before the two teams left for Ghana and Liberia, an ITEC dentist and Eyesight Trainer (a husband and wife team) departed for Uganda. They joined up with a team from mPower Approach to teach how to make and fit partial dentures with five Christ-followers who had previously been trained in extractions. Fitting someone with a tooth where there was once only a gap had a palpable impact. The smiles from those who previously tried not to smile lit up the room. This training gave the trainees at least two chances to interact with their patients; providing two opportunities to show and share the love of Christ.

After two days in Uganda, the Eyesight Training began in neighboring Kenya with an indigenous Kenyan church planter. The five students were members of these rural churches in western Kenya. With only a few days to train and equip these Christ followers before heading back to Uganda, the Eyesight training was quickly handed off to the Kenyan churches to continue the work.

For the first time in ITEC's history, four teams were in four countries at the same time with the same mission - train and equip indigenous Christ followers with a door opener for the Gospel by meeting people's physical needs.

Thank you for your prayers and financial support. Without you, this would not be possible.

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