July 2023 Blog
As I mentioned recently in a newsletter, we lost another evangelist this one named Mahmoud of Sokode, Togo. He was a disciple of Asad’s from Burkina Faso. We had utilized his services on several occasions and he, for his part, continued to preach at least weekly in the marketplace. According to Asad, his father and some religious leaders talked his brother Ghalib into killing his blood brother. His death was secondary to a beating he took with a stick to the back of his head and neck. The next day after I told him to forgive his brother, he informed me he had already met with the family and forgave Ghalib publicly. He leaves behind two, two-year-old twin boys and a widow who is not being helped by his family. An anonymous donor contributed some money we hope eventually gets to her. We sent Asad who stated there were village protocols which prevented him from directly handing her the money. “These people can hurt me”, he explained. This is part of the oppression of women in islamic culture. Before Mahmoud’s death he told me, “Nothing can stop me from talking about Jesus.” Nothing but death of course.
His second objective was to take the evangelism equipment and pass it on to Zaki the disciple of Mahmoud who will carry the gospel torch. He will also visit Asad for training soon. The third objective was to share the grace of God with Ghalib who is in prison for murdering Mathias. Ghalib was repentant and willing and ready to receive Jesus. He said he will follow Jesus no matter the consequences. We thank God.
Pastor Kasim is reaching five more Pulaar villages in The Gambia. He had 180 decisions on his first night. Pastor Cahil is working with a pastor from Conakry to discover Maan and Kuranko villages for ministry in January. We are hopeful this doctor/pastor will fulfill his commitment to this mission. Cahil recently returned from another mission in Senegal this one with his pastor brother Isaac to Salemata. They went to several Pulaar villages and found the going tough. About 30 total came to Jesus and some were described as hungry for the Word of God. Follow-up I think will be important here. Their rented vehicle overheated numerous times requiring them to leave it in Tamba and take public transportation to Salemata. Then they rented motorbikes to get to the villages near there. Three villages reneged on their promise to let them come and minister there, causing them to have to adapt to a changing environment.
Fahad wishes to go to two villages in northern Cameroon in July, Prince is in the Borno state of Nigeria. We received funding for Mifta in Keyes, Mali ($1,000); and Traore Yves (Burkina Faso), and a local pastor in Ferkessedougou, (Cote D’Ivoire), are wanting to reach muslims in Cote D’Ivoire in September. As I contemplate the work of the Holy Spirit this year, I see there has been less fruit and more difficulty than ever before. I believe the Lord has us in a season of persevering through trial as He entrusts us with reaching out to more and more difficult places and peoples. Anyone can go to the cities and gather church crowds of thousands to hear the Word of God. Yet, we are called to go to “go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that (His) house may be filled”, Luke 14:23. The work has been difficult this year for sure. Thanks for bearing the burden with us.