J'ai laissé mon coeur au Sénégal

The title of this entry definitely speaks for itself.  "J'ai laissé mon coeur au Sénégal" or " I left my heart in Senegal".  I am completely overwhelmed with all sorts of emotions as I sit here and process the amazing time we had in Senegal.  The country is incredible, and the people we encountered are some of the most beautiful people I have ever met. 

Seeing God work over there was beyong anything I could have ever anticipated.  It is so easy, when going on a missions trip, to have the expectation that as a team we are going to 'help' or 'save' these people.  I was definitely convicted, and reminded, that we can't and won't save them.  We are called to love them because He first loved us.  We are called to be HIS hands and feet, and to be a vessel for HIS work.  The Lord quickly humbled me and I took a step back and watched Him work.  It was a beautiful thing.   I am sitting here, with my heart overflowing, trying to put in to words what was experienced there, and all of the things The Lord opened my eyes to. 

We were able to serve the Talibe boys for a day. Letting them take a shower, feeding them, giving them their vaccines, and even cleaning out and bandaging up any wounds they had. It was a day for them to escape the chaos of their every day lives and just be little boys. This day was extra special.  Even if just for a moment, we had the wonderful opportunity to look them in the eyes, smile at them, and let them know that they are loved and they are beautiful. 

Doing wound care

After Talibe day we drove from Dakar to Thies to stay the night before heading in to Baback.  Our time in the village was something we all had been looking forward to for months, and it surely did not disappoint.  We were welcomed with open arms and huge smiles.  They immediately treated us like family, and were so thankful and excited that we were there with them.  On Sunday morning we were able to worship with our brothers and sisters.   We were able to visit families, give gifts of love, and spend time building relationships and discussing the struggles and joys of our lives as brothers and sisters in Christ.

We were also able to help MIS with a kids club.  Hundreds of children gathered in the school yard, sang songs, danced, played games, and even heard the Gospel in their language, through the wordless book.  Darla did an incredible job sharing the Gospel with those kids.

some of the kids at kids club

Our time with the young women in the village

One of the most rewarding and encouraging moments of the trip was the time a few of us young women were able to spend with the young women in the village.  These girls are a light in their village.  They are the next generation of the church, and it was incredible being able to see their hearts for Christ and their hearts for their village.  They are regular young girls who struggle with the same things we struggle with here.  It was encouraging to see how devoted they were to being an example of Christ's love in their village.  They spend their Sundays in the church reading their Bibles and fellowshipping with one another.   Our time with them was so sweet and genuine.  They continued to come back daily, sometimes multiple times a day, just to spend time with us.  I think I can speak for all of us, that the amount of love we have for these girls is indescribable.   It is so awesome to think that one day we will be able to rejoice together in Heaven, all speaking one language.

Sometimes we forget how big God is.  I was constantly reminded that the God we were serving in Senegal is the same God we need to be serving here in the United States.  I pray that we continue to worship and love him in our every day, busy lives, the way we did in Senegal.  God has only just begun the work he is going to do over there, and I am so excited to see what else he is going to do. I am already looking forward to next year and the opportunity to continue to build on these relationships and see how much He has done in a year.  Join with me in prayer for the village as well as, then entire country of Senegal.  There may be an opportunity for us to partner with a different village, so pray for MIS as they continue to plant seeds and spread the good news!

Thank you so much for all of your prayer and support during the time leading up to the trip, as well as while we were away.  I am blessed beyond measure to have been able to experience the things I did in Senegal, and he continues to bless me and open my eyes to the plans he has for the future.  And his plans are far more than I could ever imagine. God is SO good!

" 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plants to give you a hope and a future.' " Jeremiah 29:11

with my namesake

Sunset in the village

Precious moments

True Beauty

Highlights from this year's trip

This was my 9th trip to Senegal (by God's grace) and once again God did immeasurably, abundantly more than we could have asked or imagined. God opened many doors to share not only the gospel but our lives as well. God has given me a deep love for the people of Babak as well as our brothers and sisters in Christ at MIS. Each year God teaches me things that I can apply in my life as a husband, father and Pastor. I'm reviewing our 8 days in my head and it is so hard to put into words what I have experienced in my heart. Here's a summary of just some of what we experienced for the glory of God during this trip.

• Medical clinic with the street boys (Talibe) in Dakar on the first Saturday. This was a wonderful opportunity for our team to love each of these boys who are created in the image and likeness of God. Many spiritual seeds were planted.

• Sunday provided a blessed time of worship in the village. What a joy to worship along with a youth choir that represents the second generation of Jesus followers in the village. Pastors and church planters from other villages also participated. I was blessed to be able to share a message from Ephesians 1:15-22. We gathered around the Lord's Table as well. 

• Later that day we celebrated a time of gift giving with the 24 sponsored children in the village. They are blessed through this program with help to continue on with their schooling as well as being fed spiritually through regular Kids Clubs led by MIS.

• The afternoon ended with a presentation of the gift of many tons of rice and millet from our church to two villages. This gift will touch many families in the village. Our prayer is that they would come to know Jesus as the Bread of Life. The chief praised Jesus Christ and committed to maintaining an open door for future ministry in the village.

• During the week, God allowed our team to have extended visits with more than 25 families throughout the village. There were many prayers prayed for our old friends as well as new friendships that were established.

• This year God provided for the men and women on our team to teach God's Word in smaller groups. I was encouraged to see that they have many of the same struggles and desires that we do. They desire to grow to abide in Christ, to spend meaningful time in relationship with God through time in His Word and prayer, and they desire to shine the light and love of Jesus to those in their community.

• The women on our team had multiple opportunities to mentor a group of teenage girls in the village who have a growing love for Jesus. 4 of these 5 girls were baptized during our 2012 visit.

• On Wednesday, we helped the team from MIS to lead a Kids Club for almost 400 children. They sang songs, played games and heard the gospel in their Serer language.

• I was blessed to be able to break away from our team to visit my family's child that we sponsor through World Vision. This was my second visit in two years and the depth of sharing and openness was encouraging. The family and the village chief ended our time by asking me to pray for the family and the village.

• We learned of new areas of outreach within the village. There are areas that we have never visited and, Lord willing, we will begin to develop relationships in these "neighborhoods" next year. There is also another village that the church planters are beginning to reach out to that we will begin to pray for and ask the Lord to show us what our role may be in the coming years.

• Each member of our team grew in our relationship with the Lord as well as our relationship with each other. A number of team members were relatively new to our church and they felt much more connected as a result of this trip.

• Four people were baptized on the last day in the village. Two members of our team and a husband and wife from the village of Ngonine. 

• God provided the funds this year to purchase many tons of rice and millet as well as to build a permanent storage area in a public location within the village. 165 New Testaments in the Serer language were given to the church. Funds were provided to train 2 bakers who will begin to utilize the bread oven that was constructed last year. Funds for two horses were provided as well which will directly impact outreach efforts to surrounding villages.

• While I was away, God was working at home with my wife and daughter who has been sick for some time. The week was hard for them yet they found strength in God through His children who provided meals and their physical presence. 

Our next trip is scheduled for March 20-29, 2014. Many of this team have already indicated that they desire to return. We can take 12 people on the trip. Maybe God will lead you to join us.

In Christ,Pastor Mike