JOY News 11/2025
Dear Pastors and Praying Friends:
What a great time in Botswana. With the opening of a new church, the first JOY Life Center, and God opening a great opportunity with land in the capital city. It feels like a four-year trip, but everything happened in just a little over three months.
What we have seen God do in Botswana on this trip has been astonishing. He has moved many mountains and continues to move them. The best way I know how to report everything to you is in list form.
Look at what God has accomplished in Botswana, mainly at the Life Center:
· Opportunity for the new land. I will elaborate on this more at the end of the letter.
· Opening of the New Church in the capital city, on the new land. This church serves both the Deaf and the hearing.
· Our two-week Bible Boot Camp, where we trained nine men throughout the two weeks to go and make disciples all over Botswana.
· Two weddings. One of whom was Pastor Tshenolo.
· Councilors Training, where we trained three new councilors, two of whom want to focus on ministry counseling.
· Multiple salvations and Baptisms.
· New kids club led by the lady we are purchasing the new property from. For many of these kids, this is the only safe place they know. One little girl said she wished she could have church every day. She meant it because every day I was there, she was there too, just coming to sit in the church while I studied.
· Partnership with some of the local ministries. We cannot do something this massive on our own, and these partners help to make the Life Center a reality.
· Even though we are in need ourselves, we were still able to help many people. One lady who worked as a cleaner for the lodge side of the new property, her mother had a stroke in Zimbabwe. We were able to take up a love offering to assist her in getting home to take care of her mother. Most of the funds came from our men at the two-week training.
· We were able to visit many of the surrounding houses and the Deaf who live in the city. Seeing the need and cementing it in our hearts that this is the place we are needed. One man followed me back to the Life Center after talking to him at a neighbor’s home. He was extremely drunk, so I led the men in praying over him for God to sober him up so we could talk to him. God did, and we have a new brother in Christ. We found out later that he is a lawyer.
· Much more happened in Botswana, but I wanted to make sure to hit most of the main points. We still need to raise funds for the Life Center to purchase the property. We have come this far thanks to the generosity and kindness of many of you who supported us, and to God, who assisted us in navigating the many hurdles that enabled us to pay off the bank and now work towards paying off the rest of the land.
We have been given two years to pay off the property. Due to the amount we need to pay for the property, we will need to think outside the box with fundraisers. Please follow us on Facebook and sign up for our email list to stay up-to-date with all the opportunities we will be presenting. We are currently seeking to raise $400,000. This seems like a large amount, but we know this endeavor is of God, and He can. This will enable us to purchase the property and undertake the necessary renovations to prepare it for use. This will be the center of operations in Botswana, where we plan to plant more churches, train new pastors, and minister to the neediest in the country.
I will need to return to Botswana in March as I now have my resident and work permit, and I must return every 160 days to keep my paperwork valid. We are praying for a miracle of God that I can return with great news of God’s goodness. Even though we have two years to pay for the property, it is my prayer and desire that we can do this in one year. I really want the people of Botswana to see my God in a mighty way, as they did in Ethiopia.
If you would like to donate, you can do so through Baptist International Outreach either by mail or online. Make sure you note, Travis Dykes 7503, if the money is for the new land. Marking the donations in this way will place the funds into our work account.
Online: www.biomissions.org. Select the Donor Information tab to give online, and for the missionary, type in Travis Dykes 7503.
By Mail:
Baptist International Outreach
Care of: Travis Dykes 7503
P.O. Box 587
Jefferson City, TN 37760
This endeavor is a 100% step of faith on our part, and we are excited to watch God work!
I will be available for meetings from the second week of November through March while in the States. Some dates are filling up fast, but many are still available.
Personal News:
Our kids are graduating from high school this year, which means there will be a lot of traveling back and forth to and from Africa. I am beginning to set dates for trips throughout 2026. Time has flown, and I am so proud of my kids’ hard work in school while living the missionary lifestyle. Pray for them as they have been navigating and signing up for colleges. That’s the one non-benefit you have from having twins: you get both at the same time, but you also lose both of them at the same time.
Many have asked where to send cards to the kids for their graduation. You can send them to:
478 Bowers Cemetery Road
Cochran, GA 31014
I thank you for taking the time to read this long letter, and for your prayers and support as we minister to people, reach others, and make disciples. In my following letter, I will share some essential information about a great partnership opportunity that God has opened for us and the ministries I am involved with. God is moving in mighty ways!
In Christ,
The Dykes Family