1 June 2002

 

Dear Faithful Ones,

 

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. – Genesis 1:27

 

This month’s Mandinka update focuses on men in honor of the American Father’s Day on June 16.  If a man is right with God, then all his other relationships should be in order.  MNK men are sons, husbands, fathers, uncles and grandfathers.  MNK men believe their submission to God makes them favorable before Him.  But for most, their religious life is far removed from their every day dealings.  They are carpenters, politicians, shopkeepers, tailors, metal workers, farmers and fishermen.  These men live under tremendous stress daily:  too little rain in the rainy season; dry, hot, dusty conditions during the dry season; malaria; too little food; not enough money; illness; death; despair.  They do not believe God is interested in their mundane aspects of life.  So they struggle on, alone and fearful.  But God did not create man to live in despair; He created him to live in fellowship with Him.  He created us to honor and worship and praise Him.  Pray for MNK men to truly seek God; pray for them to lead their families down the True Path.

 

Continue to pray for the entire fictitious, yet representative, family of Bakary, his wives, his children, and his parents.  Pray that those of us on the field will be found faithful, available and obedient to what the Lord has asked of us; pray for those God is calling out to work among the MNK. 

 

Bakary, the head of the family (early 50s)

Fatou, Bakary’s first wife (early 40s) and her children (Adama, Hawa, Kadi, Sali, Mariyama, Fatou, Ibrima)

Binta, Bakary’s second wife (mid 30s) and her children (Lamin, Modou, Tida, Alieu, Isatou)

Kadi, Bakary’s third wife (early 20s) and her children (Ebou, Nyima, Alhaji)

Lamin, Bakary’s elderly father (mid 70s)

Sali, Lamin’s only surviving wife, birthmother of Bakary

Toubob, what MNKs call white westerners

 

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Your sister on the MNK field.

 
 

MNK Update June 2002

 

Sat, Jun 1:            God testified concerning David:  ‘I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ – Acts 13:22  Scripture is replete with exhortations to and examples of righteousness.  Yet only David is called a man after my own heart.  The MNK do not believe God can be known; they do not believe that God is interested in a relationship with man, that man can actually have a relationship with God.  Pray for the MNK to see that following Christ is not a religion, but a relationship; pray for MNK men to lead their families in righteousness.

 

Sun, Jun 2:            By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. – Hebrews 11:17  According to Islamic tradition, it was Ishmael, not Isaac, that Abraham offered to God on Mount Moriah.  In the Qu’ran it does not actually specify which son, but the verses, which follow that passage, speak about Isaac.  This is where Islam diverges from Christianity and Judaism.  For Bakary to even consider that it was Isaac and not Ishmael is heretical.  That is why in witnessing to MNKs, we focus on the core attributes of God, His sovereignty, faithfulness, and consistency.  Pray for MNK men to open themselves to hear the stories from the Old Testament as completely true and complimentary to each other, building the firm foundation on which salvation stands.

 

Mon, Jun 3:            The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.  I will make a helper suitable for him.” – Genesis 2:18  When Lamin was about 30, his father chose his first wife for him.  She was a young girl of about 15.  She had no education, but she was a strong woman, who knew how to work.  She was respectful of her own father; Lamin knew that she would carry that respectful attitude into his marriage.  Over the years, this choice proved to be a good one.  She proved herself to be an excellent MNK wife.  Pray for MNK men to grasp God’s plan for a helper to be more than someone to work alongside you physically, but to be an emotional encouragement as well.

 

Tue, Jun 4:            Abram agreed to what Sarai said. – Genesis 16:2b  The Biblical account of Abram and Sarai is confusing to Bakary.  When he hears it, he cannot understand why only Muslims recognize the child of Abram and Hagar (Sarai’s maid servant) – Ishmael – as the child of God’s promise to Abram.  He does not see that both Sarai and Abram sinned by trying to help God with the dilemma of Sarai’s bareness.  He does not see that Abram should have relied completely on God rather than on the problem solving techniques of his wife.  Pray for MNK men to see their role as the spiritual head of their homes as a tremendous responsibility and privilege.

 

Wed, Jun 5:            Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path. – Proverbs 23:19  Bakary’s eldest son has a government job in the capital city.  He is exposed to sights that were forbidden to him as a child.  He sees women dressed shamelessly.  He sees young men and women holding hands and dancing.  He sees men consuming alcohol, forbidden by Islam.  But he also hears other West African men speaking of Christianity in a positive way.  He was taught that following Jesus was only for Toubobs; Islam is the way of African men.  But the words he heard his co-worker speak today calmed his trouble spirit, while stirring an uneasiness within him to know more.  Bakary rarely gave him advice like this.  Pray that young MNK men will be protected from the unwise paths of the world; pray they will find the right path.

 

Thu, Jun 6:            The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.  “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth…”  But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. – Genesis 6:5-8  The story of Noah, as found in Scripture, is different from the story of Noah as known by MNKs.  Noah was a prophet, yes.  Noah was a great man, yes.  Noah had a relationship with God?  No, that’s not possible.  But according to Scripture, Noah managed to keep himself rightly related to God even though everything else around him was wicked.  Pray for Christians worldwide to be in the world, but not of the world; pray for MNK men to seek after the favor of God.

 

Fri, Jun 7:            Hear, O Israel:  The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. – Deuteronomy 6:4-5  In Islam, the statement of belief is as follows:  There is no god except Allah, and Mohammed is his messenger.  These are the first words whispered into a child’s ear on their seventh day of life, just as they are named.  It is called the Shadat and is one of the five pillars of Islam.  It is repeated often, held almost mystically.  Lamin, as he has come in contact with non-Muslims over the years, has asked many times, “What is your statement of belief?  What is Christianity?”  When asked what the greatest commandment in the Law was, Jesus recited this verse.  Pray for MNK men to see the Truth encapsulated in this verse.

 

Sat, Jun 8:            Ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. – Jeremiah 6:16  Bakary’s Toubob friend was reading to him yesterday from the Old Promise.  When Bakary heard this verse, he immediately began to tell the Toubob that he needed to repent.  The Toubob was a little shocked, so he asked Bakary what he meant.  To the MNK, repentance is returning to Islam, finding the good way.  The Toubob did not have an adequate response prepared; he went away feeling like a failure.  Pray for those who work among the MNK to be prepared to give a Biblical response for every question that arises in everyday conversation (1 Peter 3:15); pray for Biblical knowledge; pray for language skills; for a constant filling by the Holy Spirit.

 

Sun, Jun 9:            It is mine to avenge; I will repay.  In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them. – Deuteronomy 32:35  Bakary came home from town today absolutely furious.  He was cheated by that Wolof (another tribe) man at the Sunday market.  As he fumed, he began planning and plotting how he could pay him back.  The man sold him meat that was old; unfortunately, Bakary didn’t notice until he began to smell something peculiar.  Now, not only was his money wasted, but he would have no meat to give Fatou for tomorrow’s lunch.  The concept of revenge is more than just a human one; within Islam adherents are admonished to be God’s hand of judgment on earth, in religious and non-religious, matters.  Pray for the MNK that as they hear the Word and become more conscious of Truth, they will indeed allow God to be God, including matters of revenge.

 

Mon, Jun 10:            The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.  – Genesis 6:5-6  God grieved as he looked upon the only part of His creation which was made in His image – man.  The story of Noah is found within the Qu’ran, though the account is different from what is in the Bible.  Mandinkas believe that God will ultimately forgive all sin; you may have to spend some time in hell after death, but eventually you will reach paradise.  Since God created man, He knows how sinful and weak we are; therefore, He will forgive all wrongdoings…He made us this way to begin with!  The argument eventually concludes that God causes us to sin.  Pray that mankind worldwide will recognize our choice in sin and that God grieves when we are separate from Him; pray for MNK men to accept their sin nature and look to God for the strength to live lives which are pleasing to Him.

 

Tue, Jun 11:            The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. – James 5:16  As MNK men age, their roles within society change.  Lamin is now of the age where his main task is to pray for the health of the village and each of its members.  When someone is sick, the elders will come by every day and ask how the sick one is.  It is considered impolite to not respond, “He/She is better.”  But truly, Lamin is concerned.  And he does pray, five times every day.  But his prayers are recited by habit and familiarity; he does not enter into communication with God, because God does not communicate with man.  Pray for MNK elders to be visited by God in dreams and visions; pray that they will come to the place where they are able to communicate directly with God, from their hearts, not their memories.

 

Wed, Jun 12:            My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes. – Jeremiah 16:17  There is a popular belief among MNK Muslims that every person has a good angel sitting on one shoulder, and a bad angel sitting on the other.  If you inadvertently tell a lie, you must apologize quickly before the bad angel can record the evil deed.  But this doesn’t seem to apply to gossip, or slander, or revenge, or usury, or asking an unfair price, or not being hospitable.  And it seems to only apply in your dealings with God, not your fellow man.  Pray for MNK men to comprehend God’s omniscient and righteous character.

 

Thu, Jun 13: For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. – Ephesians 5:23  Bakary missed the last part of this verse as he thought about the first half – the husband is the head of the wife.  In observing non-Muslims within his society, Bakary has always been appalled with the way men allow their wives to dress, to speak, to behave.  He has little respect for men whose wives are what he considers to be rude and out of control.  Unfortunately this describes many western women living around the MNK.  To Bakary’s way of thinking, obviously these people do not truly follow their own holy book.  Pray that God will open the eyes of MNK men to distinguish between western culture and the truths of the Christian Faith.

 

Fri, Jun 14:            Jesus said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this.  Nothing outside a man can make him ‘unclean’ by going into him.  Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him ‘unclean’. – Mark 7:14-15  Forbidden for Muslim consumption are pork and alcohol.  Forbidden within some Christian circles is smoking.  Other Christian circles see nothing wrong with smoking, but prohibit the drinking of beer.  Hindus abstain from beef.  Originally designed as public health regulations, many religions have made the eating of – or the abstaining from – specific foods a litmus test for sincerity and devotion.  Pray that MNK men will understand Jesus’ words…it is not what goes into a man that defiles him in God’s eyes, but what comes out of him in word, thought and deed.

 

Sat, Jun 15:            Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife.  As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”  “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.  “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”  Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” – Genesis 22:6-8  As with most cultures, MNK men relate to their sons differently than they relate to their daughters.  As Bakary’s children listen to this story, they are impressed with the way father and son interacted.  Bakary is not overtly affectionate toward his children, but he is concerned with their well-being and their lives; he certainly involves himself in their punishments!  But what sticks in the children’s minds is Abraham’s response – God himself will provide.  Pray for MNK men to lead their families, children included, in faith.

 

Sun, Jun 16:            For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. – Genesis 2:24  No self-respecting MNK man believes that his loyalties lie with his wife over his father.  From childhood young boys are taught not to trust women; they are taught to keep their secrets from women.  If a man reveals his innermost thoughts to one of his wives, she might use it against him.  God’s intention is for a man and woman to be joined together as not only as one flesh, but also in one purpose.  When a man has 4 wives, that relationship becomes impossible to achieve.  Pray that MNK men will come to understand God’s love for them as individuals, and from that grasp the mystery of the union of marriage.

 

Mon, Jun 17:            In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. – Job 1:22  After working in the peanut field all day, Bakary is very tired tonight.  And his young son is pestering him with questions.  Why does the sun turn orange?  Where does the moon go during the day?  Why is the moon full some nights and small others?  Why?  Why?  Why?  Questioning seems to be a universal notion for the young, but MNKs are taught not to question things as adults; rather they are taught to simply accept it as the will of God.  But their acceptance is not like Job’s.  The MNK accept it because they believe God will do as He pleases and doesn’t really care about them as individuals.  Job accepted what happened to him because he acknowledged that all he had came from God.  Pray for the MNK to seek out God, to question God, and then to accept God in faith, not knowledge.

 

Tue, Jun 18:            Jesus said, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower.  Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?  For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ – Luke 14:28-30  The teachings of Jesus are very popular among the MNK, especially the men.  Bakary truly looks forward to the radio messages every week.  But this particular teaching has him puzzled.  In MNK society, when you have saved some money, you begin to build a house.  If your money only completes the foundation, it will stand that way until you have more money to raise the walls.  And it may stay that way for years until there is enough to put a roof on top and complete the inside.  Many MNK customs and traditions are contrary to Biblical teachings and applications.  Pray for the Holy Spirit to move within MNK society, spurring both men and women to seek God’s ways; pray for minds able to comprehend spiritual truths.

 

Wed, Jun 19:  “What is truth?” Pilate asked. – John 18:38  Pilate asked these words just before he handed Jesus over to be crucified.  He knew what was truth and what was false; he knew the right thing to do; he did what was expedient and easy for himself.  Bakary is distressed.  He simply cannot tell his friend, Modou, that his father has died; it would hurt him too deeply.  For an MNK, if the truth hurts it is better left unsaid.  Bakary will instead tell Modou that his father is very ill and he should rush home.  Someone else can tell him that his father is dead.  From childhood Bakary has been taught not to be the bearer of bad news; he will be available to comfort Modou, though, in his time of grieving.  Pray for the MNK to know that real Truth, God’s perfect Truth, can never be harmful.

 

Thu, Jun 20:            Above all, my brothers, do not swear – not by heaven or by earth or by anything else.  Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned. – James 5:12  One thing Bakary has noticed about his Toubob friend is that he never swears.  MNKs regularly say, probably 50 times a day, “I swear to God.”  But this Follower of Jesus never uses that Mandinka expression.  Is it because he doesn’t know it?  Is it because he is not afraid of God’s wrath if he tells a lie?  Is it because he is ignorant of God’s laws?  Is it because he has powerful ju-jus?  Is it because he is a Toubob?  Bakary must remember to ask him the next time they are chatting.  Pray for those who work among the MNK to have speech and demeanor that exemplify the spirit of the Living God; pray for MNKs to notice a difference that goes beyond race and cultural heritage.

 

Fri, Jun 21:            These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  Impress them upon your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. – Deuteronomy 6:6-7  The spiritual training of children is the responsibility of the father; this is Biblical.  In most MNK families, the eldest son is sent away to a Qu’ranic school for 6-8 years; the middle son is sent to the local western school; the youngest son stays in the village and helps his father with farming, etc.  In the Qu’ranic school, boys learn the prayers of the Qu’ran; they learn to read Arabic script, and develop a limited working knowledge of the Arabic language.  They are being trained, basically, to become prayer leaders within the community.  They recite the words to the Qu’ran – in Arabic – day in and day out, droning on and on.  The belief that the power is in the reciting of the words over their meaning is paramount.  Pray for MNK children to be able to hear the True Words from the very beginning of their lives; pray for Scripture dissemination within the MNK community.

 

Sat, Jun 22:            Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness.  But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.  But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. – Joshua 24:14-15  Mandinkas are Muslims by heritage rather than by choice.  Just as with many Jews, Hindus, and Catholics, MNKs are born into religion.  These words spoken by Joshua are frightening to Bakary, since he does not believe man has a choice in either religion or sin.  These are ordained and designed by God, and man is more puppet than participant.  But Joshua makes a powerful statement about not only his choice, but his choice for his entire household.  Pray for MNK men to stand up and lead their families to serve the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joshua.

 

Sun, Jun 23:            Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. – Colossians 3:23  Bakary is a subsistence farmer; his friend, Modou, is a fisherman.  He has other MNK friends who are carpenters, metal workers, mechanics, bicycle repairmen, shop keepers, tailors.  They all meet on Fridays (if they can make it) at the mosque for prayers.  Their religious lives, however, do not carry over into their professional lives; just how interested is God in the price a tailor charges for an outfit to be sewn.  In comparison, how many Christian lawyers, teachers, doctors or plumbers do you know who allow their faith to be part of their “work” lives?  Both Islam and Christianity present a case for religion encompassing all aspects of life, but does it?  Pray for MNK men to truly seek God in all things, for God will be found if He is sought wholeheartedly.

 

Mon, Jun 24:            The angel of the Lord said to [Hagar]:  “You are now with child and you will have a son.  You shall name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery.  He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers. – Genesis 16:11-12  This is the prophecy given to Hagar about Ishmael, her son by Abraham.  While Scripture is clear as to God’s plan to make Abraham into a great nation, His word is also clear as to Ishmael’s place in history.  And Ishmael is the lineage through which Muslims trace their heritage.  Before his birth, God knew the kind of man Ishmael would be.  Before our birth, God knew what kind of people we would become.  Before the first MNK lived, God knew that some day thousands would lift this people before Him asking for mercy and grace in their lives.  Thank God for those who faithfully intervene on behalf of a people who are dying and going to hell every day; pray for the MNK to know God.

 

Tue, Jun 25:            Boldly and without hindrance [Paul] preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ. – Acts 28:31  These closing words of the book of Acts speak about Paul’s tenacity and steadfastness in sharing the Gospel.  Unfortunately, within MNK society there are fewer than 50 believers, and even fewer persons who are willing and able to preach boldly and without hindrance.  The MNK need to hear the Gospel.  Pray for more laborers to work among the MNK in The Gambia, Senegal, and Guinea-Bissau, as well as Europe and the United States.

 

Wed, Jun 26:            “We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.” – 2 Chronicles 20:12  In his prayer to God, Jehoshaphat began by acknowledging God’s ultimate power of all things.  He continued with the desperate situation in which he and his people found themselves.  And he finished with the statement that our eyes are upon you.  Lamin was intrigued when he heard this story told by the Toubob.  Where does a man find the ability to be so completely dependent upon someone?  MNK men are taught from the time of childhood to depend only on themselves and their own abilities.  You cannot really depend on Allah because he is far away and changes his mind frequently.  Pray for MNK men to put their eyes on the One True God to meet the challenges of their daily lives.

 

Thu, Jun 27:            When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.  She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. – Genesis 2:6-7  Traditional MNK Islamic belief is that Adam ate the apple, but did not swallow it.  Just as he was swallowing, God sent an angel who stuck his hand down Adam’s throat and retrieved the apple, leaving his mark, the Adam’s apple.  Therefore, Adam (man) did not sin; rather Eve (woman) sinned.  Now this is story is not found in the Qu’ran, but nevertheless it is held as truth within the MNK Islamic society.  How many so-called Christian truths do we hold which are not substantiated by Scripture?  Pray that MNK men will be able to search Scripture, either by hearing or by reading, to know the Truth for themselves.

 

Fri, Jun 28:            Can anyone teach knowledge to God since he judges even the highest?  One man dies in full vigor, completely secure and at ease, his body well nourished, his bones rich with marrow.  Another man dies in bitterness of soul, never having enjoyed anything good.  Side by side they lie in the dust, and worms cover them both. – Job 21:22-26  When Lamin was a young man, he spent most of his time with his friends, playing soccer and drinking tea.  As he got older, much of his time was spent attending weddings and naming ceremonies for his friends and their families.  Now, he spends a lot of time attending funerals; he spends a lot of his time thinking about death.  He is a typical MNK man; he has no assurance of anything when he dies, except that his body will lie in the dust and be covered with worms.  Pray for the MNK to consider that every created thing decays, except the soul; pray for the MNK to have peace with God.

 

Sat, Jun 29:            Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. – Deuteronomy 6:8-9  Like the Jews before them, MNK Muslims take these words quite literally.  Every person is adorned with ju-jus.  Children wear these small leather pouches across their chests; women wear them pinned into their hair and around their waists; men wear them around their waists, upper arms, and across their chests.  These pouches normally hold words from the Qu’ran or numerology charts; they are believed to hold power for protection from illness, spells, evil eyes, even death.  Essentially, faith is in the ju-ju, not in a personal God.  Pray for MNK men to place their trust in the all-knowing, all-seeing God; pray that they will have faith in the all-powerful God and not in their human incantations.  

 

Sun, Jun 30:            I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.  And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes – I, and not another; How my heart years within me! – Job 19:25-27  What a powerful testimony of faith Job gave in the midst of his own personal tragedies and sufferings.  Faith and confidence in God – two characteristics that are not strong within MNK Islamic society.  Pray that MNK men will become men of faith; pray they will come to know the Redeemer; pray they will stand up and declare the Truth of the One God of all Creation.