Faith!

Six or seven years ago, some of the missionaries from our Kaffrine team began teaching the Bible stories to the children in a village about 15 km outside of Kaffrine. Abdou was around 12 years old at the time. His father was the only baptized believer in the village so the children’s storying group was held at their home. Abdou came to the group each week and was quick to participate, answering the questions boldly. When it came time for him to move into Kaffrine to attend high school, his family wouldn’t have been able to afford it, except that the Lord provided for his education through the Scholarship Project. During the last three years he has lived in the town of Kaffrine in order to attend high school, all the while faithfully attending the guys’ Bible study groups and Wolof church meetings. However, whenever he was asked about his own personal faith, he always identified himself as a seeker who was still studying, looking for the truth.

Last week, Bennie Bonthuys, our SIM Senegal director who has been working with the Kaffrine Wolof guys’ youth group during the last three years, had a conversation with Abdou while they were driving in the car out to a Wolof Sunday morning village service together. When Bennie asked Abdou where he was in his spiritual search, Abdou said, for the first time, that he believes in Jesus! He immediately added that he is afraid of persecution. This declaration of faith is an answer to many years of prayer! Pray for the Spirit to bring courage and boldness, and for strong faith and an understanding of the depth of God’s love that will drive out Abdou’s fear. Pray for Abdou, for his younger siblings in the Scholarship program, and for his mother, to all choose to follow Christ and to be baptized. Pray for his father, who has just recently lost his long-time job. Pray for the family to see that God provides for all of their needs, and for the family to be a shining witness for Christ in Kaffrine and in their home village. Praise the Lord for Abdou’s decision to believe in Jesus and pray that God will use the discipleship and education he is now receiving to further His Kingdom!