Otammari

  • Pre-Entry
  • Pre-Evangelism
  • Evangelism
  • Discipleship
  • Phase-Out
  • Completed

About the People

About 150,000 Otammari live in Northern Benin and Togo. They are famous for their masonry and their traditional homes that resemble mud castles. Most are subsistence farmers and hunters.

Illiteracy is high among this group. Many people only read French, the administrative language of Benin. Very few can read or write their heart language, Ditammari. Most cling to animism and ancestor worship and have resisted both Islam and Christianity. Each household has a family altar called the fetish, where the father of the household makes sacrifices and appeals to the spirits of the ancestors. Participation in initiation ceremonies is of the highest importance for teenage boys and girls.

The whole Bible is translated into Ditammari, but it is out of print. However, the Holy Spirit is moving among these people who have traditionally been extremely resistant to outsiders. Evangelical Christians of several denominations have noticed a dramatic change in their openness in recent years.

About the Project

AFM missionaries have been ministering to the Otammari people since Linden and Michelle St. Clair launched the project in 1996. Today, Ulrike Baur-Kouato leads the project, assisted by her husband Toussaint and three local evangelists. They are working to nurture the church in Natitingou and a growing number of groups in surrounding villages. Suzy Baldwin worked on the Otammari Project for many years and now serves on the Pendjari Project.

People-Group Facts

  • Population: 150,000
  • Language: Ditammari
  • Religion: Animist

Frontier Stories

The Misunderstanding

Oh, the joys and challenges of living in a different culture!

By: Ulrike & Toussaint Baur-Kouato
February 01 2018, 8:59 am | Comments 0

The Funeral

It was beautiful to see how the community supported Mama Léon.

By: Ulrike & Toussaint Baur-Kouato
January 01 2018, 3:50 am | Comments 0

Antoinette

We know that the Holy Spirit can change hearts, and our prayer is that Antoinette’s whole family will accept Christ as their Savior and be reunited in Him.

By: Ulrike & Toussaint Baur-Kouato
December 01 2017, 4:28 am | Comments 0

Vacation Bible School

We had 65 children sign up for the program, and we had to turn away about 20 more because we didn’t have space for them.

By: Ulrike & Toussaint Baur-Kouato
October 01 2017, 12:26 pm | Comments 1

Malaria Ministry

To catch malaria cases early before they get serious or even life-threatening, and knowing the financial situation of most of the families in our neighborhood, we test the children at our home and give them medicine for free if the family can’t afford to pay for it. Thank you all for your support that enables us to do this.

By: Ulrike & Toussaint Baur-Kouato
August 01 2017, 12:50 pm | Comments 0

Spiritual Retreats—A Key for Growth

These events really meet a need, and I praise God for blessing us with property and facilities for hosting retreats and seminars.

By: Ulrike & Toussaint Baur-Kouato
July 01 2017, 6:34 am | Comments 1

Let Me See My Baby

He returned to the hospital confused and unsure what to do, expecting to find his wife blindfolded and waiting. But there she was, gazing lovingly at the baby in her arms.

By: Ulrike Baur-Kouato
June 01 2017, 6:39 am | Comments 0

Simeon’s Test

Often when sickness strikes, instead of taking the person to the hospital, they immediately attribute it to sorcery.

By: Ulrike Baur-Kouato
May 01 2017, 6:05 am | Comments 0

Luc’s Turnaround

We praise God that He saved Luc from totally ruining his life, and we thank Him for the reminder that He never gives up on anybody. Please pray with us that Luc will commit his life to Jesus.

By: Ulrike Baur-Kouato
April 01 2017, 9:25 am | Comments 0

A Special Day

May God help these infants in Christ to grow and become strong, and may many more join them in these four church groups.

By: Ulrike Baur-Kouato
March 01 2017, 6:27 am | Comments 0

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