There is a small group of believers in the village, headed up by Bonere and his wife Adja and their 3 daughters. As the story goes, his father became of follower through some workers in another village and would walk 30km or something to worship with other believers. He had a vision that someone would came and teach his people 'the stories' one day so he built two huts with the hope of this. As Brother Bob stated last fall, "God is on a fast moving train here and all we have to do is jump on". It was wonderful to see these Africans so anxious to learn more. At one point our translator told the story about the Sower and the Seed at the campfire and the next morning while we were cooking, Adja asked if she could try to repeat the story to our translator and myself. She did a great job. It is encouraging for these believers to interact with other believers from around the world. For them to know they are part of a big family because here when you become a believer you quite often lose everything and feel very isolated.
Bonere leads the group of about 20 people in worship on Sunday mornings in the small church they built for themselves, which is in much need of repair and with us 9 joining them, it was packed. I prayed that one day soon, they would overflow the building! We had the privilege of worshipping with them Sunday and got to sing the two songs we had learned Pular - one was "I have decided to follow Jesus" and the other was about "God being good".
We got to story with the women one afternoon and taught them the African or Ethiopian Eunuch story. I like this story because it is personal for them so see an African in the Word. Several of the women were able to repeat it which is our goal in discipling them so they can begin to share the Word with others. Please pray for this group of believers that they will have the courage to be bold and share what they have heard and that when we return we will find new believers added to their numbers!
IF YOU ARE READING THIS FROM MY CHURCH --- I ENCOURAGE YOU TO PRAY ABOUT GOING TO OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN AFRICA.
We spent 3 nights in the village in mosquito net tents sleeping under the stars. This area of Senegal is much more like Mali than Dakar so it was very hot. We had lunch with them around a common bowl and had some good peanut sauce and cheb which is spiced rice with veggies. And shared stories from the Word in the afternoons as we could find time with them. Each evening we started about 9pm with a campfire - Yes, imagine have a bonfire when it's 90 degrees outside! No marsh mellows or chocolate though.... Our Father's Word and tea instead.
The first night we had a full house with all the elders of the village there. After Jim (our missions coordinator) shared Creation to Return with them we had some very lively discussion with the elders asking lots of questions. And in many insistences agreeing about certain points about Esa. We also had the chance to share other scriptures about Creation.. We continued until about midnight! In the end the elders/ chief basically said, they agreed on many of the points and all that is left is for their hearts to be changed - he said that himself! I shared with them Rev 3:20 where Jesus says, "Here I am I stand at the door and knock. Whoever hears my voice and opens that door, I will come in and eat with him and him with me." I told them we can discuss everything logically and with wisdom but at some point each of us who are believers heard Jesus knock on the door of our heart we opened it to Esa. I told them I would pray that when that day happens for each of them, you will do the same.
One "Our Father" story for the week - Chief 'Sam', who is of the other people group and a M spent quite a bit of time with the men and was at two of the campfires. Each discussion was so encouraging. At the last night he asked if he had to give up smoking to become a believer even. Brother Brad (our College and Careers minister) at one point, the Holy Spirit moved upon him to ask the most important question, "Do you want to accept Esa as your Savior". The chief's response...." when I decide to follow, that will be it, no turning back and I will be baptized the same day". We were amazed and believe in his heart he has done so but making it public carries much weight and concern for him. Please pray for Chief 'Sam' to surrender to our Father.
The Holy Spirit is at work as we saw 4 people choose to follow the Esa road - PRAISE HIM! Please pray for 'Ada', 'Harry', 'Max' and 'Marty' that they will grow in their walk with our Father and have courage to be strong in face of persecution.
One special and very touching to be was "Ada". She is related to the chief so her public profession could be very difficult and costly. She asked the second night of the campfire, "What must I do to follow Esa". She had already received Him in her heart but had not made it public. She is a widow and we knew earlier that her only son had disappeared 3 years ago and they have not heard from him and her daughters are married and gone, so she is very alone. My heart just leaped as I heard her speak. I felt the Holy Spirit tell me that I needed to go hold her hand and pray for her as they explained salvation to her. So I got up and did that. She gripped my hand so tightly and I continued to pray silently for her while she listened. I just felt an energy and power surging through the two of us! After her profession, us women surrounded her and layed hands on her and prayed for her. I welcomed her to the family of believers and told her I was so proud of her for following in obedience. That night afterwards, I had tears.... it was such a powerful night as I watched my first Africans come to faith in Our Father... it still gives me goose bumps to recall that evening! ALL GLORY BE TO HIM!
God blessed us with two amazing translators and cultural guides/ teachers, Sede and Amy, both from Senegal and strong believers on-fire for the Lord. The first campfire, Amy shared her testimony and it is so powerful. She is 35 and 6 years ago after working for many months helping a 'worker for our Father' with language she surrendered to Our Father from her 'I' beliefs. The story of the prodigal son really spoke to her that she wanted to know that complete love and forgiveness of our Father. To her, "I" was just emptiness.
She prayed for 3 months and finally got up the courage to tell her husband. He would not give her the time to talk ever until one day, as afternoon prayer came, her husband sent for her and she did not come. He listened after that. He called her father as well. Her father gave permission for her husband to divorce her. He kicked her out and she left that day with her baby and 6 year old daughters and nothing else. She said that is their plan to let you go knowing you won't be strong enough to make it alone and will come back.
She knew God would give her the strength. She managed to find a place to sleep that night at a friend's but had to rise and leave before the rest of the family got up. The second night she spent on the floor in a hut she was able to find to rent, telling them man, she would pay him at the end of the week. She had nothing and made a pillow for her daughter in her lap. Her daughters cried they were so hungry. She wept too but continued to find courage in her faith
The next day, her friend had heard what Amy had done and was looking for her. She found her finally and offered to help her but Amy refused saying, "my Father will help me". She did accept a few used household items and asked for an advance of money that she would pay back. Amy knew Our Father would help provide for her because she could sew and make other handicrafts to sell.
She did overcome and today her eldest is in school in Dakar. She has purchased land and built her own hut. Her mother lives with her and helps take care of her daughter when Amy is out on translating jobs. You see her father kicked her mother out of the house after Amy's decision to convert. Amy is still the only believer in her family and has not seen her father, or 15 brothers & sisters in 6 years because of it. Our Father had a call upon Amy's life and she has known that from the beginning. She speaks 8 different languages. And through the help of mission teams coming, she is able to go to her people and be the bold witness our Father has made her.
I did something I haven't done before - I became part of a street cleaning crew. In our village we sweep our compound every morning but I've never seen street sweepers. As part of the team was leaving one morning to go to market, they called back and said the women were in the village center sweeping. So I went to walk down there to participate. Turns out we did not just sweep the square like I thought we were but worked our way out every street! They do this once a month and were doing now because they had guests (us!) The ladies had fun with me helping and I made some new friends.
The last afternoon we went to another Konagi village where Bonere's sister lives. They had greeted the chief last November and we did again this time. We hope to do a campfire there with the next team. But while we talked, we asked what we could pray for. He said for the children and their education.... we then shared the story of Jesus and the children. There are no believers in this village but the chief asked us to pray that 'their hearts will be open to hearing what stories from Our Father's Word that we have to share next time'..... that can only be the Holy Spirit at work.
One afternoon, Katie and Ashley had brought crayons coloring pages to do a little story telling with the kids. Team also brought salvation soccer balls. Ashley explained the symbolism of the colors on the ball and then we went to play. It was in the heat of the afternoon but never too hot for soccer (or football here). The funny part is that the women that were around starting joking about playing (or so we thought). Turns out the pregnant women (there were enough to make up a team) played against the younger, single girls.... it was quite fun to see these women all taking a break from work and laughing and enjoying themselves. The men from our team and boys incidentally were on the side practicing skills while we ran the field and boy did those women run!
Before we left Dakar, we went to Goree Island, which initially meant "good road". This is a difficult place to visit, as it is the slave trade island. This is where men, women and children from all over West Africa were taken to and held by slave traders before getting onto boats be shipped to US, Europe, etc. Many of the people were lured here by promises of 'beautiful, better life". There were about 20-25 slave traders that lived on the island and would have held 150 or so at a time. The rehabbed house we saw, the master lived upstairs and the slaves below in different rooms. There was a place where they would weigh them - the men had to be 60 kilos before they could be shipped. There was room specifically for feeding the slaves fat to gain weight. We saw the back door - the door of no return as they called it. It was literally on a cliff about 20 feet above the water and the boats would dock right out the door and there would be a gang plank leading straight from the house onto the boat.
Today about 1500 people live on the island, as it was given to some of the families of the last slaves found there. Our guide made the point of saying of the people, about 600 follow the Esa road and about 900 are M but we get along and live peacefully together. It was hard to walk in the streets knowing what took place there and right around the corner, the church build in early 1800's where the slave traders would have attended.
Before the team left for the airport that night, we went to dinner at Le Recif which is on the western most tip of the continent of Africa. It is right on the water and was a huge treat for me. I enjoyed lamb curry! But equally as fun.... they had a walk along the rocky water along with a beautiful flowers and a huge patch of dark, green, luscious grass. The first green grass of any significance I've seen since I've been in Africa. I could not resist .... I slipped off my shoes and walked around on it barefoot. I loved it so much before dinner, I did it after too. The grass was cool and slightly damp... just like a spring day at home. One of the little things we take for granted to be thankful for!
I returned to North Star the end of last week and met my new team mate Michelle who arrived last week while I was gone. God is truly working here and calling people to continue the work here. We also found out that two "Hands-On" college girls will be coming in August! PRAISE HIM!
And on a final note.... I saw my first rain since arriving in Mali yesterday. It actually got cloudy and thundered but only rained a bit. My teammates told me it rained last week here for about 3 hours and made lots of big puddles.
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