November 2003

Dear Devoted Partners,

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. – Psalm 34:8

It is appropriate for the month of November to look at the way God defines blessed.  Scripture teaches that it is more than happiness as mankind understands it.  It implies the enviable state of those who are in God’s kingdom.  Scripture challenges us to experience the hope and joy, independent of external circumstances, available to us by abiding in God and His Holy Word, no matter the cost or situation. 

Blessings, according to MNKs, are the rote words uttered at weddings, greetings, partings, funerals, baby-naming ceremonies, circumcision rights, hospitals…the words are always something like this:  “May God grant you long life…may God grant you many children…blessed be the messenger, Mohammed, blessing be upon his name, honor the messenger.  If you are blessed according to the MNK, you are rich, you are happy, you have everything you want.  Whether they believe the power is in the actual verbal blessing or in the blessing on Mohammed’s name is unclear.    

As you pray this month, please pray for MNKs to desire God, to desire to know God, to take refuge in Him, and rest in His sovereignty and His faithfulness.  Our Bible studies continue, though during this month of Ramadan, we have scaled them back.  It is good to visit with MNKs during this time, and it is easy to enter into religious discussions because they are receptive to these topics, but they are not really interested in listening to the teachings that come from God’s Word. 

Praise God with us that our new colleagues are continuing to move forward in their language, culture and housing acquisitions!  We are grateful for the commitment of these 7 young adults; all are under 30!  Praise God with us that our IMB colleagues on stateside assignment are enjoying rest and refreshment in the Lord, as well as sharing the plight of the MNK.  Our son continues to heal from the wounds he received in combat; a retinal tear was discovered and repaired.  Continue to pray for him, his wife, and the men he left behind in Iraq.

If you have questions or comments, please let me know; my job is to communicate the needs of the MNK so that you can pray more effectively.  And if you no longer wish to receive this Update, or wish to access it directly on our web site, please let me know and I will remove your name from the mailing list.  Your support of our ministries is significant and important to us; thank you.  To those of you who use AOL, I aplogize for the inconvenience, but AOL now blocks any an all messages sent from our server in Senegal.  We have a friend in the US who is willing to help out in this area; please pray with us that this can be somehow resolved.  We ARE still able to receive messages from AOL; we simply cannot respond directly.

We wish you a blessed and wonderful Thanksgiving!

Your sister on the MNK field, 

MNK Update November 2003

Sat, Nov 1:  Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. – Acts 3:2  Lamin is very tired today; he doesn’t have the energy to go out begging.  He went to the mosque early yesterday and found a good place to sit, right by the entrance gate.  Many people dropped money into his lap, but the sun and heat took their toll on him, and today he is exhausted.  Surely God will bless him today for the physical suffering he endured yesterday while playing his part (begging) so that others could be blessed (giving alms).  Pray for the MNK to care for those who are physically disabled out of compassion, not out of hope of currying favor with God.

Sun, Nov 2:  Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. – Proverbs 31:28  A Mandinka woman performs innumerable thankless tasks in her home.  She rises before dawn to cook breakfast for her husband, the other wives, the old women, and the children.  She makes ten or more trips to the well daily, carrying a 50-pound bucket on her head each time.  She works from mid-morning to late-afternoon in the rice field.  She washes all the clothes by hand.  She tends a small vegetable garden for income.  She walks up to six miles to take her ill children to a health center.  She never hears the words, thank you.  Pray that MNK society will come to value half its population for more than the services they provide.

Mon, Nov 3:  A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished. – Proverbs 28:20    An old man came by the house today asking for a bottle in which to put unique wash water for a sick person.  The old man will write verses from the Qu’ran on a slate.  As he washes those verses off the slate with water, he’ll capture the water and the verses in the bottle.  Then he’ll give it to the sick person along with elaborate instructions on how to properly bathe with the water in order to be healed.  For knowing which verses from the Qu’ran to write, he will collect a fee and garner respect from the family.  Pray for MNK men to look to God for their blessings; pray they will see Scripture as the true word of God, available to all men, free of charge. 

Tue, Nov 4:  Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord.  But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. – Jeremiah 17:5,7   Trust is not a common concept among the MNK, except to say they don’t have it!  Men don’t trust women, women don’t trust men.  There is not a segment of society that garners everyone’s trust.  They think they trust God, but they have no assurance of anything save that God is capricious.  Pray for those who work among the MNK to teach and reflect the trustworthiness of God’s character.

Wed, Nov 5:  Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. – Matthew 5:5  The boys have spent the last several weeks under the care of men other than their parents as they have healed from the physical act circumcision.  During this time, they have been taught what it is to be MNK men, how to be strong, how to respect their elders, how to treat women, including their mothers, sisters, and future wives.  They have been taught not to show weakness of any kind, for it can be used against them.  They have been taught many ideals which are contrary to Scripture.  They have been taught that meekness is something to be avoided.  Pray for the Word of God to break through the cultural traditions of the MNK; pray for the Word of God to become the standard by which MNK men and women stand.

Thu, Nov 6:  Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion.  For the Lord is a God of justice.  Blessed are all who wait for him! – Isaiah 30:18  As Fatou listens to this verse, she hangs on the middle of it…For the Lord is a God of justice.  On her way to the market this morning, one of the women in the compound down the street refused to greet her.  Fatou doesn’t know why, yet she is sure God will take care of it…He will repay this woman for her rudeness.  Pray for MNK women to appreciate that Scripture cannot be applied according to man’s conditions; pray for MNK women to learn to apply God’s Word to themselves first and allow God to take care of the rest.

Fri, Nov 7:  Blessed is the man who does this, the man who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps his hand from doing any evil. – Isaiah 56:2  The drums sounded all last evening, reminding MNKs that today is Friday.  But the only thing holy about Friday to an MNK is that they don’t normally go to the fields to work, but they do everything else.  Aside from literally running to the mosque at 1:50 pm in order to get there by 2:00 pm sharp, little is different about Fridays.  At the mosque, men, boys, and old women perform the ritual prayers, listen to an 8-minute sermon, and run home in time for lunch.  There is nothing about worshipping the God of creation within this society.  Pray for MNKs to desire to keep one day where they focus on God and their relationship with Him, setting the world and its cares aside.

Sat, Nov 8:  Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. – Matthew 5:4  Sali delivered twin boys early this morning.  Because the midwife had some place else to be on a Saturday, she was sent home within a few hours of delivery.  All her friends came by her house to see her, to see the boys.  When the missionary arrived it was a festive atmosphere, with much laughing and smiling.  The sheet was pulled back so Daba could see the babies…one had good color…the other’s lips and feet were blue.  She touched the baby and he was cold.  “Oh, he’s just sleeping.”  She told a friend the baby was cold… the friend just went home, unable to be the one to concede what everyone else was ignoring.  Daba’s heart was heavy with grief.  Pray for wisdom and stamina for those who live and work among the MNK.

Sun, Nov 9:  Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. – Psalm 1:1  Alhaji has been listening to the radio broadcasts.  At the mosque this past week, he heard comments that made him feel embarrassed for listening to non-Islamic teachings.  Yet, what he listens to on the radio encourages him and gives him a sense of hope, something he never perceives from the Friday sermons.  Pray that MNK men will be able to stand for Truth in the face of opposition, ridicule, and scorn.

Mon, Nov 10:  Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. – John 20:29  The US state of Missouri is known as the Show Me state; they want proof of everything!  MNKs are much the same way.  The gaining of knowledge is extremely important to them, especially in the realm of religion.  They will often quote the knowledgeable ones.  They don’t know who they are or where they got their knowledge, but they are the ones who know and tell everyone else what to believe.  Pray for MNKs to listen to the Word of God and believe it, in faith, learning more as they grow in God.

Tue, Nov 11:  Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit. – Psalm 32:2  Modou’s father died 40 days ago today.  Prayers were said for this dead man’s spirit on the day he died, on the third day, on the seventh day, and again today at 40 days.  This is the day, MNKs believe, Modou’s father’s spirit will truly leave the body and go before God.  At every gathering, the Qu’ran is being read aloud.  It is not the understanding of the words that is important; there isn’t a man present who understands the Arabic language.  It is the uttering of the words that has power.  Unfortunately for Modou’s father, God judgment was sealed the instant he died.  Pray for Modou and other men as they consider death; pray they will desire to have their sin’s forgiven prior to meeting God face to face.

Wed, Nov 12:  Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. – Psalm 33:12  The founding fathers called the United States a “nation under God”.  Islamic states believe they are the only nations who will be blessed, for their entire law system stems from the teachings of the Qu’ran.  Ethnic nations, such as the MNK, believe they are following God as a group.  Pray for the Mandinka nation to rise up, with one voice, and call God Lord. 

Thu, Nov 13:  Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the son of Man. – Luke 6:22  Being excluded in a community-oriented society is a terrible thing.  Believers are often excluded from village-based decision discussions and gifts that come to the village from outside.  These are difficult to bear, but manageable.  What is really thorny is their sons and daughters going unmarried, unless they agree to “repent” and return to Islam, and the most testing problem of all:  who will bury me, and where.  Pray that the Holy Spirit will recreate community within MNK life that is so attractive, it is inviting to non-believers.

Fri, Nov 14:  Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. – Matthew 5:6  As Bakary listens to this verse on the radio program, he thinks, “Yes, this is right!  I have been hungry and thirsty for three weeks now, and God will repay my diligence!”  The month of Ramadan is a difficult time for the MNK, but they do it because they believe God will bless their work.  Bakary believes that he is earning his way to heaven by denying himself food and water from sunup to sundown for 30 days.  Pray that MNK men like Bakary will understand that God’s desire is for mankind to be as focused on Him, as we are on food and water.

Sat, Nov 15:  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! – Matthew 21:9  These are the words shouted by the Jews as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey the week before they called for His crucifixion.  As missionaries walk among the MNK, many things are shouted after them…Hello, Toubob…give me a pen, Toubob…give me money, Toubob…where are you going, Toubob...take me to America, Toubob…give me your clothes, Toubob.  Pray for those who walk from village to village to share the Gospel to be seen as men sent by God, men who come in the name of the Lord!

Sun, Nov 16:  As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”  He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” – Luke 11:27-28  From her earliest childhood memories, Kadi remembers being told to be tolerant and patient with people, to wait for the proper time to exact revenge.  During the fight with her husband this morning, all the other women were telling her to be patient, to calm down.  Her anger stems from the fact that she isn’t guilty of what her husband accuses her.  One of the older women was saying under her breath, wait, just wait, your time will come.  Pray for MNK women who are easily swayed by the words of those around them to find the Truth, and be blessed for obeying the word of God. 

Mon, Nov 17:  Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right. – Psalm 106:3  Within MNK society, doing the right thing is highly regarded, but that does not always mean doing what is right!  While it is touted that high Islamic ethics pervade every aspect of life, in reality the sinful nature of man is evident throughout society.  It is not a dilemma for a shopkeeper to charge a stranger a higher price for cooking oil.  When given planks of wood to make shelves, a carpenter has no problem keeping the left-over wood for his own uses.  A mason has no difficulty saying he will need 10 bags of cement to do a job, when eight is more than enough.  A religious leader finds no contradiction in charging for blessings prayed upon someone.  Pray for the MNK to desire to be righteous in God’s sight, allowing His Spirit to encompass every aspect of life.

Tue, Nov 18:  Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven. – Matthew 5:11  The missionary has been asked to leave his work among the MNK because of jealousy.  His colleagues are jealous of his relationship with MNKs, jealous of things he has been able to accomplish in a spiritually hostile environment, jealous of his language skills, just plain jealous!  It is not rational.  It is not Scriptural.  It is not of God.  But God, in His sovereignty, is allowing it to happen.  Pray for those who work among the MNK to walk so closely with God that Satan will not have the slightest foothold in their hearts and minds; the MNK must have the opportunity to hear the Gospel.

Wed, Nov 19:  Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. – Psalm 84:4  During fast month, after breaking fast at night, all the men, non-pregnant, non-menstruating women and children go to the mosque for prayers.  The prayers are not special; they are rote and in a language not understood by most present.  Still, they recite them, believing it will satisfy God.  Pray that MNK men, women and children with one voice will lift up the name of God in praise, and that they will enjoy a personal relationship with Him.

Thu, Nov 20:  Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. – Psalm 84:5  The deepest desire of every adult MNK man, and most women, is to make the Hajj, the holy pilgrimage to Mecca.  They will trace the steps of the millions who have gone before them, performing one of the five pillars of Islam.  Everyone on the hajj wears the same clothes, presidents and peasants alike.  They stand shoulder to shoulder with complete strangers, uttering the same words in Arabic.  It truly is an arduous task.  And upon completion, they wear a distinctive headdress that bespeaks of their accomplishment.  They have now attained a specific status within MNK society; they have an exclusive title, and they will forever be addressed with reverence for this achievement.  They have seen sights they will never again see in their lifetime.  Yet they return home just as spiritually empty as when they left, no closer to finding the God of Salvation.  Pray for MNKs to have the desire to make the spiritual pilgrimage that will bring them into true fellowship with God.

Fri, Nov 21:  Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek out your decrees.  Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. – Psalm 119:155,2  Maintaining a regular Bible study with MNKs is an ordeal.  They often aren’t really interested, just being polite.  The weather is always a constraint…it may be raining…or too hot…or too windy…or too many bugs…  Retaining attention with chickens, children, and goats running through the middle of the group is a challenge.  And MNK men and women do not believe they can know God, and therefore it is pointless to seek Him.  Pray for MNK men, women and children to desire to know God, to be hungry for His word, and to seek Him with all their heart.

Sat, Nov 22:  Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. – Psalm 32:1  On day 27 of the Islamic fast month, Ramadan, Muslims will sit up all night chanting verses from the Qu’ran.  Mohammed first received revelation of the Qu’ran during this Night of Power.  Some MNKs will remain in the mosque for hours making requests to God.  Yet the one request they don’t make, because they don’t know they need to, is for their transgressions to be forgiven.  They believe God eventually forgives all sins of a Muslim, since He is ultimately responsible for sin anyway!  Pray for God to visit MNKs this night, to appear to them in visions and in dreams, to audibly call them to Himself.

Sun, Nov 23:  I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. – Psalm 7:17  Americans will celebrate Thanksgiving Day this coming Thursday.  MNKs will celebrate the end of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, tomorrow.  Both holidays are characterized by visits with family and friends, and a feast fit for a king.  The MNK will certainly not invite the King of Kings to fellowship with them tomorrow.  Rather they will focus on how well they kept the fast, if they have any days they have to make up, and all that they did to appease God.  But how many Christians will spend more time watching a parade or a football game than worshipping God?  Pray that all men’s hearts will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and goodness.

Mon, Nov 24:  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. – Matthew 5:8  When the baby died less than 24 hours after his birth, he was buried somewhere in the compound.  He wasn’t really a person…he didn’t have a name…he wasn’t seven days old yet…he was just a baby who died.  His mother finds some comfort in that.  Pray for MNK women to come to an understanding of love, the tremendous, faithful love of the Heavenly Father.

Tue, Nov 25:  The blessing of the Lord be upon you; we bless you in the name of the Lord. – Psalm 129:8  Blessings in MNK society are given as freely as “Hey, how ‘ya doin’?” in western society.  There is a blessing for meeting, a blessing for the day, a blessing for a newborn, a blessing for the dead, a blessing for an old person, a blessing for the night, a blessing for the food.  These blessings are taught to children from birth, and they repeat them throughout life and teach them to their children.  But no one ever stops to really think about what they are saying.  The New Testament is also full of blessings.  Pray this blessing on the MNK:   May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

Wed, Nov 26:  Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding. – Proverbs 3:13  Old men and women are sought after for advice as MNK society deeply values age and experience.  They are considered wise as it pertains to matters within the social order, marriages, families, etc.  But none have an understanding of man’s need to seek the wisdom of God, and thereby gain understanding as He sees it.  Elders are not inquired of for matters regarding the character of God; rather, religious leaders and witch doctors are queried for advice on how to appease God, how to exact revenge, and which prayers to recite in order to get well.  Pray for MNK men and women to find wisdom and understanding through the spirit of God. 

Thu, Nov 27:    Blessed is the man you discipline, O Lord, the man you teach from your law. – Psalm 94:12  MNK society values discipline, but it is not the discipline of adults or of men.  Women discipline girls strictly and tolerate bad behavior in boys prior to their circumcision; afterwards, the discipline is left to their fathers who do so in heavy, albeit infrequent, doses.  Men discipline their wives in heavy-handed ways.  But men are never disciplined.  And certainly God does not discipline them during their earthly lives; He does not interact with mankind in this way.  Pray for MNK men to discover the blessing of being so loved by God that His discipline, while painful, will enable them to develop and grow into His likeness.

Fri, Nov 28:  Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him.  Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth.  Blessed is the man who quiver is full of them – Psalm 127:4-5  Barrenness among MNK women is as shameful a condition today as it was in Biblical times.  Men will take a second wife if the first wife does not bear him children, especially a son.  Men must have sons to carry on their name, and women must have a son to take care of her in her old age.  Biblical stories that talk about God’s mercy to women like Sarah, Hannah, and Elizabeth…these all give hope to women who otherwise live fatalistic lives.  Pray for women like Kadi, Fatou and Isatou who live in darkness and despair to find hope and light through God’s faithfulness to women in Scripture.

Sat, Nov 29:  Blessed are the merciful, for they shall be shown mercy. – Matthew 5:7  Islam teaches that God is merciful, but it does not teach that His mercy is just; rather, His mercy is whimsical.  According to Scripture, God’s mercy is what provides the way of salvation to all who believe.  But the most difficult aspect of this verse to the MNK is the command to show mercy.  They may outwardly forgive a misdeed, but they never forget it and usually wait for the opportunity to either exact revenge, or to rejoice in the suffering of the one who wronged them.  Jesus’ command was clear.  Pray for MNKs to be able to rid themselves of the vengeful concepts pervasive throughout their culture and heritage. 

Sun, Nov 30:  Blessed are those who wash their robes, who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. – Revelation 22:14;7:14   Before every prayer time, MNKs wash themselves ritually.  They wash their hands, forearms, face, ears, head, and feet.  They are washing away anything that will keep them from communicating with God, except for the one thing that separates God and man…sin.  Pray that MNKs will be completely cleansed by the red blood of the lamb.