By Tom Shanklin

Susan and I will never be the same after our trip to Benin, West Africa in January. Our days were filled with miracles, divine encounters, and strategic advancement of the Kingdom of God. The precious people of Benin, some who walked up to 6 miles each way to hear the Word of God, touched us in a way that cannot be described.

We began with a meeting with pastors of many different churches at the Messenger Church of God in Cotonou, a church led by our hosts, Apostle Isaac Clossou and his wife, Hortense. This meeting was in preparation for the Festival of Glory and Miracles which we held in Cotonou during the next two days. I spoke to the pastors about equipping their people for ministry, and we distributed copies of my book on evangelism, “You Can Touch the World,” which we had translated into the French language and printed for this mission. The pastors were excited to receive their books.  

After the meeting, we went out to the site of the festival on the south-facing Atlantic seashore, where a workman was pounding stakes in the sand to erect tents on the site. We prayed together and believed God for miracles. 

Tom and Susan at the Festival of Glory and Miracles at Cotonou.

The festival in Cotonou was different than I expected—bright lights, a huge stage, chairs, and singers with choreographed movements on the stage. The Friday night meeting began at 10 p.m. and lasted until 3:30 a.m. The Saturday service began at 4 p.m. There was much preaching, exhorting, announcements and testimonies. It was sponsored by the Association of Ministries and Churches of the Word of Life,  an interdenominational nationwide organization of ministers. Both nights I brought an evangelistic message and about 80 people made decisions for the Lord, and there were many testimonies of healing. The angels rejoiced!

God Moves in Church Services in Cotonou

The next day was Sunday, and we had three wonderful church services. Susan exhorted, I preached a message, and we prayed for the people. At the first service at the Messenger Church of God, I spoke on “The Beauty of the New Creation” and encouraged the Christians to walk in the light of the reality of their new birth and all that it means. The believers seemed quite encouraged, and a young boy and a teenage girl came to receive Christ. 

The first church service was translated into Fon, a tribal language. The second was a French-speaking service. Some of our messages while we were in Benin were translated twice, first into French, and then by another interpreter into Fon or Aja, another tribal language. 

In the second service, the Lord shifted gears, and the Holy Spirit came on me to encourage the church in their destiny. I spoke about “The Apostolic (sending) Church,” emphasizing the missions vision of that particular local church. I talked about the mindset that they would need and the steps to be taken to fulfill their destiny. I shared some examples in history of local churches that changed the world and encouraged them that the Lord had called them to be a world-changing missions church.

Altar call at Blood of Jesus Gospel Church International.

On Sunday evening we ministered in a large, hot, concrete block church with a sand floor called The Blood of Jesus Gospel Ministries International, which is led by Pastor Elijah and Ruth Lekan. It was truly an awesome service! I spoke on Jesus Christ the Same, Yesterday, Today and Forever from Hebrews 13:8. Six people came for salvation. Then we prayed for the sick, and many were healed. Susan spotted a young boy with his father and brought them forward for prayer. They said the young boy was deaf. Susan put her fingers in his ears and prayed and obviously something happened. His eyes got big. Then our interpreter asked him to repeat the name of Jesus, but he did not speak. We were informed that he was not only deaf but also mute. So I commanded the dumb spirit to go, and he began to speak. The crowd went wild, as did we. Glory to God! 

Miracles in Hlassame, Benin

From Cotonou, we traveled about 3 hours to our hotel in Lalo in southern Benin. From there, we traveled each day on a dirt road with deep ruts and caverns to Hlassame (population 16,924), where we held another Festival of Glory and Miracles and a Pastors and Workers Conference. At this place, we saw many miracles, many decisions for Jesus, and a great stirring in the body of Christ. This was a significant event for Hlasseme, which had never had a large evangelistic outreach.

The pastors and church members from many different churches and denominations were excited and prepared. The local churches raised all the funds for the expenses of the conference and festival. It was a great testament to the faithfulness of God. 

Susan and I and Apostle Clossou were the main speakers at the 4-day Pastors and Workers Conference held each day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The venue was an Assembly of God Church, but pastors and churches of all denominations as well as independent churches participated. The enthusiasm was palatable. It was very hot for us, but God gave us grace, and we preached our hearts out. I spoke on Becoming Fishers of Men, How to Preach the Gospel, The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and a new message I have been sharing called “Wasted Treasure.” The Lord gave me this message, about how He is disappointed that the gifts and potential of His people in the churches are being wasted through wrong priorities and a lack of understanding. 

Susan spoke on Lifestyle Evangelism, Nurturing New Believers, and Getting Out of the Boat. Her dramatized sermon on Peter walking on the water had the people laughing, deeply touched, and amazed. Women were especially moved by her ministry, but the pastors and other men were also stirred profoundly. This was a very significant and deeply moving missions trip for Susan. I believe that she was touched and changed in powerful ways and that many of those she ministered to will never be the same. 

We also did the second distribution of our book at the conference. Pastors, men, women, boys, and girls came with zeal to receive the book. Thanks to our partners, most of the 1,000 books were distributed while we in Benin and the rest were left in good hands, with the promise that they would be distributed where they could be best utilized. We heard after returning that one of the pastors requested copies for a Bible School, which he will be receiving. We believe that these books will stir many hearts to reach their nation and the world with the Gospel.

Children praying at the Hlassame schoolyard.

On the day before our Festival of Glory and Miracles began, we visited the schoolyard which would serve as the venue for our festival. Susan began talking pictures and talking to the children there. I asked Apostle Clossou if he would interpret for me so I could speak to the children about Jesus. I gave them a short Gospel message and asked if they would like to receive Jesus Christ. I was overjoyed to pray with about 45 children there for salvation. I found out later that some of the pastors were a bit nervous about us sharing the Gospel to the children. They were concerned that school authorities might be upset and cancel the use of the venue, but we suffered no such problem.

Preaching at the Festival of Glory and Miracles in Hlassame.

The Festival of Glory and Miracles in Hlassame was a wonderful evangelistic event! Hundreds made decisions for Christ during the four nights were there. We have no way of knowing how many were true conversions. Only God knows! But I believe that many were. The Christians who worked with us were diligent to get the names of those who came forward for follow up purposes and we received a report that some of the local churches had already received new people in their services on the Sunday after the festival. 

Only eternity will tell the impact of these meetings, but I believe that the effects are powerful. One person who truly receives Christ at one of these meetings can impact their family, their community and their nation, resulting in many more salavations.

The miracles which occur in these meetings are a powerful demonstration of God’s love in action. The festival in Hlassame yielded many such miracles, including one woman who came to the festival totally blind, and left seeing clearly. Many others who were instantly delivered of pain in their bodies, confusion and oppression in their minds, stomach ailments, asthma, long-term headaches, and many other sicknesses, came to the platform to testify. 

Susan ministering at women’s meeting in Ahouada.

Encouraging Women in Ahouada and Contonou

Another delight on our journey was Susan’s ministry at the remote village of Ahouada. She had planned to share a message she prepared for another women’s meeting, but the Lord “pulled a fast one” on her and directed her to speak on the Virtuous Woman from Proverbs 31. She encouraged the women in respecting their husbands and caring for their household, but she also encouraged them to stretch their thinking to improve themselves and their conditions. She pointed out that the Virtuous Woman had successful business enterprises. She also encouraged the women to work together, learn from one another, and move into new endeavors. Many of the women cannot read, but she encouraged those who can to teach the others. Susan even gave a pair of reading glasses to one of the ladies who could read, which helped her to read the scriptures clearly. In fact, once the woman started, she didn’t want to stop.

After traveling back to Cotonou, Susan spoke at a women’s meeting at Messenger Church of God and delivered the message she had prepared, “You are a Gift from God.” She encouraged the ladies to unwrap the gifts and to be a blessing to their families, churches, and nation. Susan also blessed each of the women with a gift of beaded angel keychains, which were produced by our friends at Faith Fellowship Christian Cburch in Hendricks, Minnesota.

Dedicating the well at Mt. Moriah Retreat Center and Bible School.

Ministering in a Bible School and Digging a Well

The final leg of our journey was to the Mt. Moriah Retreat Center and Bible School in the remote village of Danzounmey southern Benin, where our ministry had provided funds for the drilling of a well with the help of our partners. Four students are presently at the school. I taught them on how to read, study, meditate, and practice the Word of God. Then I gave them a message on “The Woman at the Well” from John 4, encouraging them in personal evangelism. Susan also exhorted these brave young men, who live in challenging conditions, to continue with their preparation and to move into their destiny. We then dedicated the well for the work of the Lord. We prayed that the living water would flow from that place and that many people would be touched by the Gospel as they came from the nearby village to draw water from the well.

So, that’s the short version of our trip to Benin. If you want more, invite us to your church to share. Be sure to read Susan’s account. There you will find the taste, the touch, and the smell of Africa. She is more observant than me on these things. Check our website for the more pictures and a video, too. You can see the miracles, the color, the zeal, and precious souls coming to the Savior. 

Your partnership, your friendship, your prayers, and your encouragement make this happen! We are so impressed by our God, and by His precious people who respond to His Word. Our prayer is that you will be encouraged by this report that you can fulfill your mission, whether it be in Africa, Asia, or with your next door neighbor. Be blessed, my friend! Gloire a Dieu!

Click here to read Susan’s report from the mission to Benin.