West Africa
By George Patton, Jr.
Burke County
I would have never imagined when I came to West Africa that the Lord was going to do all that He has. I knew that He had something great instore. Even before I left the USA, the Lord had pressed upon my heart to take 1,000 baptismal certificates with me. I have been in 87 countries now but this by far beats all I have ever seen. In less than 4 weeks we have seen 155 people baptized, 28 leaders trained and ordained and 12 churches brought into one association in two countries. This week the association will plant its first church. Between Liberia and Sierra Leone, the Lord is really moving. I am not sure if it is because they are so familiar with death, as these two countries were the hardest hit by the Ebola virus, or if it is that they just have a hunger for the things of God. Pastors are craving teaching and church members set eagerly listening to the Word of God. I have never seen such. Just yesterday I was leaving a church that I had been ministering at where 5 people came committing their life to Jesus. We were coming down the road when a young man in his twenties came up to us. He began sharing with me how he used to be a slave to drugs and alcohol. I shared with him how I too, as a young man was in the same bondage but how the Lord Jesus had delivered me, and now, I was traveling the world preaching Jesus. He said that the drug dealers here keep people in bondage. He shared with me how he had been delivered from the drugs and alcohol but that he had not been saved. I ask him if he had ever repented of his sins and been baptized. He said, “no pastor, but I want to”. By this time, we are standing beside the road. I ask him “Do you want to repent and turn from your sins today trusting in Jesus?” “Yes, pastor, I do”. Right there on the side of the road, we knelt in the dirt and this young man committed his life to Jesus Christ. This Sunday he will be getting baptized. He asked me, “pastor, will you please come back to this village?” He said, “I have so many friends who are still in bondage and Jesus can set them free too”. I told him that we would definitely come back. In so many places the people are coming to us hearing we have the good news of Jesus. Truly revival is breaking out here. So far, we have been working primarily in the capital of Monrovia in Liberia and Freetown in Sierra Leone. Next week we will be going to the remote areas. We have already sent scouts ahead to inform the people we are coming. Please continue to pray. The jungles here are so vast. They still practice a lot of the ancestral voodoo practices, but I know that the Lord can break this. Also, the roads are so difficult back in the bush so please pray for the vehicles that we will be traveling on. One great praise report is that the Corona Virus that seems to be causing such a stir around the rest of the world but has not come here yet. Truly after battling Ebola, the last thing they need is this virus too. I love you folks so much. I will be back in the USA on May 20. If you would like us to come and share more or if you would like to be part of what God is doing in West Africa please email me at rev.gpattonjr@gmail.com God bless each of you so much. By the way, the Lord is truly using my wife here as well. She has gotten to do several women’s conferences. She is truly a mighty missionary for Jesus.
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Reverend George Patton Jr. is married to Rebecca Patton. Together they have 6 sons and 6 daughters and 23 grandchildren. They are active members of the First Apostolic Church in Morganton, NC. He has spent time over the years planting churches, pastoring churches, establishing ministries, and doing missions. He has written 18 books that can be found on Amazon HERE.
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