How to "Carry the Living Water" to a mostly illiterate people

1 Samuel 15:22 - "behold to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen then the fat of the ram."

That was our motto last week as we spent the week in orally storytelling training. It is the way we share His Word here in a culture that is only 18% literate. Our job, as is any workers job, is simply to obey His command to 'open our mouths'. It was a very encouraging and fun week. God is at work here as you will see from some of our experiences this past week.

You think of learning a new culture, as learning food, dress, language, etc. but you don't necessarily think of it as learning HOW that culture thinks. So we began our training there... our concrete thinking vs. their abstract thinking. When we understand how a people group think, we can better share in a way they will understand. As we discussed this, I realized, there are some stories in the Bible that we as Americans understand but don't necessarily live. Whereas, here, they do. For instance, Bathsheba bathing on top of her roof and David seeing her... that is something they totally can relate to here because in the hot season many people will sleep on their roofs (it is cooler). When is the last time you were hanging out on your roof in the States? And, Esa's entry to Jerusalem, he tells his disciples to go get a donkey tied up at the nearby village -- there again, when is the last time you saw a donkey tied up in a nearby village in the States? Here, no problem, they are everywhere.

The Word really does make a great storybook for us. One reason we share with stories is because that is how Esa did it in the Word. He was always telling stories (or parables) to teach the people. We also share with stories because they are easily reproducible. In other words, the other way of doing things with felt boards and movies is great but the people cannot reproduce that themselves to tell their family and friends. Stories they can and DO!

To keep the stories, story-like we use pictures to help guide us, not memorizing a written script.  (Yes, we are drawing on the tile floor - one of the benefits of living in Mali.  It easily erases too!)

As we practiced the stories I pictured the hours I saw Ma (the grandmother) in the village my first week just sit and talk. That is what she did all day. A friend might come by and they would sit and talk and laugh. I remember saying to Alyson, 'what in the world do they talk about all day? She hasn't gone anywhere or done anything to speak about'. I realized now, they are telling the same stories over and over most likely, or passing on a story they had heard from someone in the next compound over.... perhaps OUR STORIES even.

We begin the presentation of the Word with the Story of the Demon-Possessed Man from Mark 5. (Synopsis: Esa casts out demons from a man into a herd of pigs who jump over a cliff and drown. Then the man wants to come with Esa but he tells him he must stay and go tell his family and friends what the Father has done for Him.) I know, it may sound like a strange story to start off with but we do so because it has action, it will either get their attention or not; because it is about evil spirits (which they call 'gins' and totally believe in). Two other very important reasons: it is a clear example of how following Esa can change your life AND an example of immediate obedience to what Esa tells us to do... GO AND TELL. The man is told to go and tell and he does immediately to the top 10 cities. It's funny because in the abstract vs. concrete world, when we tell the story we know the spirits died in the water with the pigs. Here, we will quite often get asked -- so is the water contaminated now because the spirits live in it? or what happened to the spirits?

The questions we ask after sharing a story : What did you like about the story? What was hard to understand? What does it tell us about God? What does it tell us about man? How can we apply the story? Is there family and friends that might want to hear this story too? If there is interest, then we ask permission (just as in EE) if we can share another story that is a slightly longer. If so, we share a creation to return story (that I blogged yesterday).As we discuss and they have questions all our answers begin with "what does the story tell you".  We never preach to them because then they will think they can only learn from the white-man and that we have all the knowledge.  We want them to see the answers are right in front of them in the Word.  

The first afternoon, we practiced sharing the Demon Possessed Man story only.  With the language barrier, myself and two others headed out around our neighborhood praying as we walked that we would find a Songhi speaker because that is what our my fellow worker spoke (it is a native tongue from the north).  God answered that prayer and gave us the opportunity just 3 streets over.  We met two girls, 21 and 22 years old who invited us to their house.  We greeted, hand bananas, the mother showed up her jewelry and cloth we could buy (which we graciously perused).  Her brother was also in the room, so I could speak a little French with him.  As is the way they ask here, "Do you pray" (which translated means are you M.)  My co-worker explained we were not but that we follow the Esa road.  We asked if we could share a story and the mother immediately said no but then the brother over-ruled and said yes that would be fine... she just did not understand what we were asking.  Saving face in the culture is very important.   He wanted to hear the story but could not out and out say that so he just said 'she was mistaken and didn't understand'.   Unfortunately, it fell on deaf ears but a seed planted.  Then we shared tigi-daga-nah which was quite good.  We asked if we could return sometime and were given permission.  All tole, this simple presentation took almost 2 hours! 

Others shared similar stories of God opening doors to opportunities.  One fabulous one, one of our workers has been visiting with an English teacher to practice her French and his fellow neighbors.  She has become family.  Turns out there is a Songhi believer next door, "Joey".  So Alyson, went to speak with him.  He is the real deal, a true converted believer and was thrilled to be able to spend time with another believer in his native tongue.  His family lets him live in the house but still will not allow him to eat out of the same bowl.  He immediately asked her to go with him to some other Songhi in the same area and share the stories with them.  The next day they did, but it too fell on deaf ears and were kindly told that talk is not welcome here.   This man could be the opening of many doors however, for my co-worker to share.  She began teaching "Joey" the story as well.  We pray with deep sincerity that "Joey" helping us does not jeopardize him in anyway and that he will continue to remain solid in his faith. 

I shared the Demon Possessed man with our guard, Daniel, who speaks good English and he translated to those around into Bambara.  It was the first opportunity I had to truly share from the Word.   Daniel is a believer, though not practicing. 

Others told about sharing the story with their guard and their friends coming up and them asking to share it with their friends as well.

The following day we hit the streets with the Creation to Return story.  Again, more divine appointments.  One co-worker had trouble finding an opportunity and after dinner she prayed and walked out her front door.  Their across the street was a neighbor she had not met with her Uncle.  She greeted them and struck up a conversation.  She asked to share the story.  The Uncle agreed and was very interested but the niece was very obviously irrigated by the whole thing.  So, again saving face, and so as not to be 'outed' most likely for wanting to hear the story he said they needed to go but asked if they could greet another time.  Another seed to pray for.

Again , struggling to find an English speaker and it was getting too close to 4pm (the country stops when Mali plays football especially in the African Cup!).  God found someone for me.  After a rough start and using my little bit of French to help explain and answer their questions.  The one man "Bob" was very obviously staunch in his beliefs, however he does read God's Word each night he told me.  The other man, "Sam", I think might have been a seeker because he asked quite a few questions and repeated the story to me.  He also mentioned a pastor one time in his village had told him about the Esa Road.  Unfortunately,  he had to leave before we could talk further.  I pray for an opportunity to see him again.  Near the end, another man walked up and it turns out he is a believer, Protestant, "Bob" tells me.  His name is "Enoch" and he lives next door.  He did not speak French or English so I hope to bring a Bambara speaker back with me.

A large part of the work needed here is evangelism and discipleship.  Most of the believers do not understand Esa's command to GO and TELL.  So if teaching them the stories and helping them see how to share with others is very important.

The church I've been attending, Bethel Baptist, the pastor "Samuel" is truly on fire for the Lord and has a huge evangelism ministry to the prisons and homeless.  He is an ex-con himself witnessed to by one of our fellow co-workers actually many year ago!  He goes each day somewhere to visit and witness, yet no one in his church ever goes with him.  In the weeks I've been there, no encouragement of evangelism or invitation to come with him is given.  I know I am truly blessed to be in a church family whose pastors and members have evangelism in their blood and on their hearts day-in-day out!