Moving the Family to Togo | A Calling Story with Chrischona and Koudjo Sodji (Ep. 201)
Transformed & Transformational
Release Date: 12/19/2025
Transformed & Transformational
Have you ever found yourself laying out a fleece like Gideon, hoping God will make the way clear? Brian Delamont returns to the podcast for a thoughtful conversation about how God speaks to us and how we can posture ourselves to listen. Judges 6 “The problem isn’t with God, it’s that we’re not listening to what He has already told us, and we’re asking Him the wrong questions because of that.” Psalm 89:46-51 Isaiah 30:21 “I think everyone longs for this – for God to just tell us.” “My heart has to want to listen to God. There is a waiting posture. And then, my heart also...
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Hear the story of how a missionary kid from Austria met someone from a village in Togo, what it has been like to move their family from Chicago to Togo, and how God has given them a vision for transformational education in West Africa. “Once we got married, we sensed that we had been called to serve but at the same time, we didn’t really know what role we would be playing.” - Koudjo “I could have never dreamed up this job myself and the perfect fit, but God knows this.” - Chrischona “It was during those years of working with TeachBeyond that the vision for starting TeachBeyond...
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Tune in to hear about Christmas celebrations in different cultures and classrooms around the globe! What’s changing our lives: Keane: Playing board games Heather: Volunteering with Foster Love Project Weekly Spotlight: We’d love to hear from you! Podcast Website: Learn about TeachBeyond:
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Why do I always feel awkward sharing my faith? What could it look like to have intentional spiritual conversations? Author Kevin King shares about the power of living authentically and letting the Lord lead. by Kevin King Deuteronomy 6 Luke 10 “Living out loud is not living obnoxiously.” “If you’re not awkward about your spirituality, they won’t feel awkward about it.” Matthew 10:19 “This is not about a strategy for how to get to the Gospel. It will get to the Gospel for people who are interested. It’s just about feeling comfortable in our own spiritual skin, dismantling...
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Are we really called to “be perfect”? Brian Delamont unpacks the meaning of “teleios” and how God’s own completeness becomes our refuge and righteousness. Matthew 5:48 Greek: teleios Colossians 1:28-29 “It’s the work of God Himself in Jesus on the cross and in His resurrection power, which enables us to be complete and filled with His Holy Spirit.” 2 Samuel 22:31 “God uses His perfection as a shield for those of us who come and take refuge in Him.” Deuteronomy 32:4 Hebrew: tāmîm “A perfect spotless lamb in the Old Testament points toward the perfect Lamb of God who...
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Hear from Rio Handley, Associate Regional Director of East Asia and Oceania, about how God has been at work as she has lived in different homes and held different roles over the course of her years in missions. “I feel at home where God has placed me. I feel at home at the center of His will.” “I’ve seen the grace of God in my life, and I’ve seen how God moves.” “Missions is not just the missionary’s responsibility; missions is the church’s responsibility.” “We cannot put missionaries on a pedestal because we are all part of one Body, and when God calls people to...
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It takes humility, intentionality, and the power of the Holy Spirit to create a workplace of trust and unity amongst school staff. Hear from members of the team at GDQ International Christian School in Albania about their experiences with navigating conflict. “We want to have the school be a safe place so that people can voice disagreements that they have and know that someone will listen to them.” -Lori “One thing that helps to resolve conflict is, on some level, to expect there to be at least different perspectives.” -Nate “Continue to build into relationships among the staff so...
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Katie Davis Majors, bestselling author and founder of Amazima Ministries, shares about the experience of following Jesus one step at a time into a story she couldn’t have imagined. Hear the remarkable story of childlike faith and community impact through education and discipleship. “Meeting people’s needs is good and is right and is what Jesus calls us to do, to make sure that our neighbors do have access [...] but also, we don’t want to give people those things without giving them the hope and the truth of the gospel.” “Jesus says to have faith like a child, and I think as...
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Have you ever thought that “calling” was just for certain people or wondered if you had somehow missed God’s call for your life? Or, do you worry that God might call you to something you don’t want to do? Brian Delamont joins Heather and Keane to tackle the myths about “calling.” 1 Timothy 2:4 “God calls people to Himself.” “Once we know Him and His truth, we become a part of His body, a part of the Church, and as His disciples, we enter into a lifelong process of becoming who He knows we can be and doing what He asks us to do.” Matthew 28:18-20 “Calling rests on a lot...
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Teachers have been missionaries throughout history! Learn today about Lottie Moon, a missionary who used education in bringing the Gospel to China. by Amy Whitfield “We’ve always been open to if the Lord would send us overseas, we would go, but for now He’s called us to point people here [...] to the other side of the world.” “I think it’s imperative for us to know the stories of the past, particularly those who have gone on before us in the church, to get the context, the history that we have come from.” “It matters to know the story of how the Gospel has spread to places...
info_outlineHear the story of how a missionary kid from Austria met someone from a village in Togo, what it has been like to move their family from Chicago to Togo, and how God has given them a vision for transformational education in West Africa.
- “Once we got married, we sensed that we had been called to serve but at the same time, we didn’t really know what role we would be playing.” - Koudjo
- “I could have never dreamed up this job myself and the perfect fit, but God knows this.” - Chrischona
- “It was during those years of working with TeachBeyond that the vision for starting TeachBeyond Togo really was born.” - Chrischona
- “I just heard story after story about how powerfully God was using education.” - Chrischona
- “There’s just something really special when there’s the family of God that comes together, focusing on God and letting Him work through what He’s given us, which is the tool of education.” - Chrischona
- “Maybe some of those practical things [that take a long time] are just reminders of having to wait on God.” - Chrischona
- “Depending on God is one of the things that is happening here.” - Koudjo
- “I pray He will continue to use our family here for His service, and that He will help us to trust Him and depend on Him and let Him lead us in every moment of our ministry here.” - Koudjo
- “We don’t have to have it all figured out [...] before we can actually be part of making that happen in other countries.” - Chrischona
- “My prayer is that God will continue to give us the space that we will be able to continue to do this sports ministry to be able to reach more kids in the community.” - Koudjo
- Read the Profile of Transformation story from one of their teachers!
What’s changing our lives:
- Keane: Large monthly wall calendar for the kitchen
- Heather: Hosting a plaid-themed party
- Chrischona: Having two teachers at the school this year
- Koudjo: Changes to sports ministry
Weekly Spotlight: International Christian School of Togo
We’d love to hear from you! podcast@teachbeyond.org
Podcast Website: https://teachbeyond.org/podcast
Learn about TeachBeyond: https://teachbeyond.org/