September 2004 MNK Update

07 Dec 2007

September 16-30, 2004

  

God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. – 1 John 5:11-12

 

“What are little boys made of?  Snips and snails, and puppy dog tails…that’s what little boys are made of!”  Every society around the world values their children; many especially boys.  For the MNK, male children are their future, their guarantee that the family name, and by extension, Islam will be carried on. 

 

What do Mandinka boys like to do?  They like to play soccer.  They like to make a lot of noise.  They like to imitate their fathers.  They like to annoy their sisters.  They like to, well, they like to do just about anything every other little boy around the world likes to do! 

 

MNK men require that their wives bear them a son.  Many a second wife has been brought into a family because the first wife gave birth to only daughters. 

 

For MNK women, sons are their old-age insurance.  When the husband dies, the wife normally marries her husband’s brother, either older or younger.  If the woman is very old, or she does not want to marry, she will go live with her son.  It is the son’s responsibility to care for his mother, give her a place to sleep, food to eat, clothes to wear.  I have heard it said a woman is her father’s daughter, her brother’s sister, her husband’s wife, and her son’s mother. 

 

From a very young age, boys are taught how to be MNK men, how to relate to other men in their society, how to relate to elders, how to relate to women, how to relate to their wives, how to relate to their daughters.  They are often taught their father’s trade, whether a musician or a woodcarver or a fisherman.  The most important lesson, however, is being taught how to be a good Muslim.  It is an education steeped in tradition .

 

As you pray this month, please pray for the male members of MNK society.  Pray that they will seek God and come to know Him.

  


 Thu, Sep 16:  Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood.—Gen 8:21  The boys are at it again!  Pushing, tugging, hitting, yelling.  Kadi just came in from the rice field, exhausted, and is ready to discipline her eldest son.  But her mother-in-law gently admonishes her; “Leave him alone; he’s just a child; God doesn’t remember these kinds of things; it’s only after he is older, married.”  For the Mandinka, personal accountability is negligible; just about everything can be explained or excused away, especially for boys.  Pray for the MNK to acknowledge that sin is a choice, which can be overcome through the power of the Risen Savior.

 Fri, Sep 17:  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.—Micah 6:8  It’s Friday, time to go to the mosque.  It is easy to spot those who have made the obligatory pilgrimage to Mecca.  Both men and women wear a very distinctive scarf, adorned with a black and gold braided headpiece.  Every eye is on them as they walk proudly to the mosque.  Every MNK boy waits for the day he can wear the headdress.  Pray that the MNK will come to know the truth of what God requires of them…to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with Him.

Sat, Sep 18:  Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.—Colossians 3:23  Modou has just gotten a government job with the department of functional literacy in the capital city.  He knows his workload will be light and his paycheck substantial.  His supervisors will not expect him to perform above a minimal level.  Islam does not connect his religious and everyday life.  Pray for Modou that above all he will see his need to serve the Lord with his entire life, not just in his religious obligations.

Sun, Sep 19:  Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses.—Proverbs 27:6  Lamin’s friend from childhood comes to the village for a visit.  Lamin’s wife, Sali, has never really liked this man, though she would never say so!  So, when he comes, they both exchange kind words…what a wonderful cook she is…what an upstanding man he is…etc…etc.  While Kadi knows that this man has cheated many men, including her husband, the MNK way is not to say so.  It is better to keep peace than to tell the truth.  Pray that the God of Truth will enter into these lives and that salvation will become a reality.

Mon, Sep 20:  I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.—Psalm 34:4  Lamin was talking with his friends yesterday about the stories they’ve been listening to on the radio.  They are somewhat different from the traditional versions, but they seem true…still, they aren’t the traditional versions.  To accept these would be to go against Lamin’s heritage and his ancestry.  As he struggles with these thoughts he remembers a verse the Toubab told him:  he delivered me from all my fears, because Lamin has many fears.  Pray that the Holy Spirit will open the ears, eyes, and hearts of those who hear Scripture to its truth!

Tue, Sep 21:  Does [God] speak and then not act?  Does he promise and not fulfill?—Numbers 23:19  It’s two o’clock in the afternoon, and Bakary has just finished lunch.  He worked hard in the field this morning and has decided to rest this afternoon.  But the children are running and screaming and fighting and laughing and generally making noise!  He threatens them…if they don’t stop…  The children are quiet for a couple of minutes before they are at it again.  Does God carry through with His promises?  Bakary is once again pondering this thought.  Pray that God will be seen as Upright and Consistent. 

 Wed, Sep 22:  By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.  He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. – Hebrews 11:24-25  Tonight’s radio broadcast begins a 15-weeks series on Moses.  While MNKs are aware of Moses, his story is told most frequently in the Qu’ran, and know variants of the Biblical story associated with him, very few have ever heard that Moses chose to walk away from the palace of Pharaoh.  Most MNKs cannot understand why Moses chose to follow the path of God over a more physically and socially comfortable way.  Pray for MNK men and women to grasp the faithfulness of God in this lesson; while other babies were being killed, Moses was being nourished by his own mother, nurtured in the house of Pharaoh, and watched by God Almighty.

Thu, Sep 23:  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.—John 1:1-2  The children attend Qu'ranic classes daily, boys and girls.  They learn by rote specific prayers and verses from the Qu’ran.  But they have no idea what they are saying…everything is in Arabic, which they don’t understand.  But in the evening they listen as the elders discuss Islamic beliefs.  Since few people understand Arabic, everything they know about the Qu’ran is from someone else.  The children are taught that the Bible has been corrupted, that cannot be trusted.  Pray that as the Word of God spreads MNKs will hear it as Truth.

 Fri, Sep 24:  Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.—Isaiah 55:6  As Lamin ages, he has more and more vivid dreams.  Sometimes he hears voices; sometimes he sees things that frighten him; often his dreams involve “the prophet Jesus”.  His family says he’s just old, he’s not in his right mind.  But Lamin spoke to a follower of Jesus who told him that God was preparing him for death.  Pray for Lamin that he will recognize that God is seeking after him, and will find Him before it is too late; pray that his sons will listen also.

 

Sat, Sep 25:  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  It is difficult for MNKs to hear what the Bible teaches about Ishmael.  Muslims believe that he was the son Abraham took up on the mountain to offer as a sacrifice to God; the Qu’ran is not specific.  Scripture is clear as to why there is such hostility in that area of the world.  Pray that the MNK will recognize the true son of promise to Abraham, and that God is the God of Peace, Promise and Faithfulness.

 

Sun, Sep 26:  You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.—Genesis 2:17   A favorite story for boys is listening to how God did not allow Adam to really eat that apple; he sent an angel who stuck his hand down Adam’s throat and grabbed it…hence the Adam’s apple on men.  So, Adam didn’t really sin; and even if he had, God would have forgiven him since God made him able to sin…it wasn’t Adam’s fault...it was Eve’s!  Pray that Truth will be declared clearly so that MNK men (and women) may understand their position before God:  forgiven or not.

 

Mon, Sep 27:  How long will you waver between two opinions?  If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.—1 Kings 18:21  A group of elders has just finished listening to the history of the prophets, as told in God’s Word.  They acknowledge that these stories are true.  They acknowledge that what Scripture teaches about Jesus is true.  A Qu’ranic teacher tells them yet more stories, which he says have been left out of the Bible.  They believe these stories as well...and the men pass this along to their wives and children.  Pray that the Holy Spirit will reveal the one source of Truth to MNK men.

 

Tue, Sep 28:  Nothing impure will ever enter [the Holy City], nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.—Revelation 21:27  At every MNK funeral a loose-leaf version Qu’ran is split up among the people and read out loud.  It is not the meaning of the words that is important, for no one is listening because most MNK do not understand Arabic.  It is the recitation, the sound of the words on the wind in which there is power.  At the end of the day, an accounting of the number of verses read, and the number of times, is made.  If there are enough, this will help the dead person get into heaven.  If there are too many, the extra may be added to one who didn’t have enough at his/her funeral.  Pray that the MNK will focus on being clean in spirit, rather than trying to trick or outsmart God.

  

Wed, Sep 29:  God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.  This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” – Exodus 3:14  Tonight’s radio broadcast, Lesson 31, is entitled Moses Meets God:  I AM WHO I AM!  Three of God’s attributes are brought out in tonight’s lesson:  His holiness, His faithfulness and His mercy.  Each of these is acknowledged by MNKs, but the perspective is skewed.  Pray for MNK men to discover these attributes personally and teach them to their wives and children.

 

 Thu, Sep 30:  For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.—Jeremiah 29:11  The boys want to have a party in the neighboring village tomorrow night.  They’ve been working very hard in the fields, and have come to Bakary to ask permission.  He agrees, but not without strenuously warning them about the things they must avoid:  marijuana, alcohol, etc.  “Who, us?” is the response, but Bakary knows the temptations of being young men.  Yet he doesn’t worry too much, since they are just boys.  Pray that young MNK men will see their need to follow a God who wants so much more for them than they can possibly imagine!

 

 

 

September 1-15, 2004

  

  However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has give me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. – Acts 20:24

 

Within Christian circles, we use a lot of jargon which those inside the circle understand, but to those outside the circle there is often confusion.  Are you saved?...are you experiencing God’s grace?...have you been sanctified?  Believers can either explain these terms easily, or know someone to ask, or will personally search the Scriptures for the Truth.  The MNK are not believers; these terms are like a foreign language to them; they don’t know who to ask; and they don’t have the Scripture references available to them.  MNK Muslims must be able to understand these concepts in order to accept and grow in Christ.

 

Probably the most confusing term for an MNK Muslim is the term repentance.  They use this term to indicate someone who is turning to Islam.  For instance, in order to marry a Muslim, the other partner must repent.  They take on a Muslim name, this person is now recorded in the mosque as being a Muslim, and they are expected to perform all of the five pillars:  praying 5 times a day, keeping the fast month, giving alms, making the Hadj to Mecca, and reciting the creed (There is no god but god and Mohammed is his prophet.).   We have been asked on occasion, “Have you repented?”  To which we can honestly reply, “Yes!  I repented long ago.”  “Ah, so you are a slave of God, then?”  “No, I am a child of the King...let me explain!”  It is not always easy to explain the differences between being followers of Jesus and followers of Islam, and language differences make the challenge even greater.  Another consideration is that what an MNK Muslim imagines when he hears the word repent, and what a follower of Jesus means when he says repent, are very often polarized.

 

As you pray for the next 2 weeks, ask God to open the ears and minds of the MNK to discern God’s definition of these terms.  Ask God to enable those of us who live and work among the MNK to have the vocabulary skills and the clarity of thought needed to express these Biblical truths.  Ask God to keep us from mixing in our own religious heritage into these conversations.  Ask God to enable us to share ONLY what Scripture teaches, for that is the foundation on which all teaching rests.

 

We now have a small, yet growing group of persons whom we are calling our Banner Group (Ex 17:10-16), available for emergency and specific prayer.  If you would like to join this group, please let us know.  As always, if we can help you in any way, or if you would like more information about ministries among the MNK, or missionaries working among them in West Africa.

Wed, Sep 1:  Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the spirit of God? – Genesis 41:38  Tonight’s radio lesson (#27) is entitled Joseph’s Exaltation.  Joseph was imprisoned; now he is Pharaoh’s right-hand man.  The lesson points out life-situation similarities between Joseph and the Messiah.  Forgiveness, specifically the righteous of God’s forgiveness, is a foreign concept to the MNK.  Pray for those who are listening tonight to hear and contemplate these similarities; pray for clarity during the broadcast.

Thu, Sep 2:  So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders. – Acts 14:3  Grace is defined as the free unmerited love and favor of God.  The early church witnessed God’s grace in unprecedented ways.  MNK men and women need to comprehend that they can do nothing to earn God’s grace...it is free and unmerited by man!  As of now, they work very hard at keeping the five Islamic pillars in order to achieve grace.  Pray for the MNK to joyfully receive God’s grace.

 

Fri, Sep 3:  Jesus said, “Sanctify them by truth; your word is truth.” – John 17:17  To be sanctified means to be set apart for sacred use, cleansed and made holy.  As believers we are sanctified by believing and obeying the Word of God.  Jesus was praying that knowing and applying God’s Word on a daily basis would keep His disciples on the path of truth.  MNK value knowledge of Scripture; many memorize large portions of the Qu’ran; unfortunately they memorize it in Arabic, a language they do not understand.  Continue to pray for the MNK Bible translation work; pray for those MNKs who are involved; pray for those missionaries who are involved; pray that as MNK become believers, they will value the memorization of God’s Word.

 

Sat, Sep 4:  Zechariah, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied:  For you, my child, will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. – John 1:76-77  The difficulty with the word salvation is that implies “being saved”, and the MNK have no concept of needing to be saved from anything.  They have resigned themselves to God’s judgment and His whims...they have no assurances of anything, save physical death itself.  Pray for the MNK to acknowledge their need for salvation by acknowledging their sinful nature

 

Sun, Sep 5:  For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. – Romans 3:28  Justification implies that we are pardoned and accepted by God through faith in the Savior and Messiah, Jesus Christ.  For the MNK, being pardoned by God denotes keeping the fast, giving alms, going to Mecca, doing all the things a good Muslim does.  Faith does not enter the thought process.  Pray for the MNK to desire to acquire faith, to understand faith, to live by faith in the One Holy and Just God.

 

Mon, Sep 6:  Jesus said:  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. – John 14:27  Webster defines peace as “the absence of mental stress or anxiety”.  This certainly was the kind of peace Jesus was describing.  Few MNKs know peace.  They discuss a great deal about living in peace with one another, keeping peace between families and villages, not creating discord within relationships.  But it is impossible to live in the absence of mental stress or anxiety unless you know the one who is Peace.  Pray for MNKs to discover the peace which passes all understanding and allow the peace of God to guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4).

 

Tue, Sep 7:  Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. – Hebrews 11:1  Faith is difficult.  To have unquestioning belief in anything is thorny, but to do so in a religious context is complex.  Various Christians argue that absolute faith implies the absence of rational thought processes.  The MNK lack faith because they lack confidence in anything outside their physical control.  The expression, “If God wills,” is used to excuse laziness, lack of desire, or intentional deception.  Pray for the MNK to find faith in the One who is always Faithful.

 

Wed, Sep 8:  You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. – Genesis 50:20  Lesson 28, Joseph:  The Rest of the Story is tonight’s radio broadcast.  As the story of Joseph closes, so does the first book of the Bible, Genesis.  MNKs have been listening for nearly seven months to how God created the world and how sin entered the world.  Revenge is a strong concept among the MNK; Joseph’s willingness to forgive his brothers is a startling notion.  Pray for the eager souls who to listen to these messages regularly, though perhaps clandestinely. 

 

Thu, Sep 9:  Jesus said:  I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. – John 15:11  Joy is often defined as being happy or delighted, an emotional state.  The joy Jesus described is so much more.  It is a state of being and a state of thinking.  MNK men rarely express emotion, especially joy.  They may appear happy when a baby is born or a marriage is cemented or a new mosque is built, but to see the evidence of joy reflected in their faces is non-existent.  Pray for MNK men to find the joy that Jesus came to give to us...He gave us His joy so that our joy would be complete...in Him.

 

Fri, Sep 10:  There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.  The one who fears is not made perfect in love. – 1 John 4:18  Love is a nearly foreign concept to the MNK.  They believe that in caring for their children, caring for their spouses, caring for their parents, they are expressing love.  But in reality, love exposes them to attack, to ridicule, and to destruction.  Pray for the MNK to come to know the One whose love is perfect and give peace.   

 

Sat, Sep 11:  Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. – Hebrews 10:22  Many believe that hope is only hope if there is sufficient reason to believe the things we hope for will come to pass.  But to the believer, hope is true confidence that God will fulfill all His promises and that all will be renewed.  To the MNK, hope is another of those terms that translates with great difficulty, for hoping that it will rain is not the same as hoping to see the glory of God.  Pray for the MNK as they listen to these translated terms to hear and grasp Truth with God’s ears and heart.

 

Sun, Sep 12:  Like a city whose walls are broken down is the man who lacks self-control. – Proverbs 25:26  The MNK value self-control and rarely speak quickly or haphazardly.  In any discussion among the elders, each has an opportunity to express his opinion, usually in a long, drawn-out, dispassionate manner.  Flashing anger is a thing of shame.  This does not mean the MNK do not harbor resentment or anger or frustration; they do, and when an explosion occurs, it is quite disastrous.  Pray for the MNK as they encounter Western believers who often display their negative emotions; pray for missionaries to allow this fruit of the Holy Spirit to cover every frustration which occurs every day!

 

Mon, Sep 13:  But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. – Romans 8:25  Now here is a term that MNKs present with abundance!  From earliest childhood, they are taught, admonished and exampled how to be patient...patient with their spouses....patient with their children...patient with their elders.  It is a warming sight to observe MNK adults displaying this characteristic with annoying adolescent boys!  But patience in religious terms implies waiting powerlessly for whatever decision God makes regarding the eternal soul, personal accountability and responsibility aside.  Thank God for the characteristic of patience that the MNK display; thank God for His patience; pray for the MNK to seek God as He patiently waits for each one.

 

Tue, Sep 14:  I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus. – Acts 20:21  Ninety-nine percent of MNKs are Muslims.  Many are as zealous for spreading Islam as we are for sharing Christ.  A colleague who works with another people group recently stated in a public forum that she and her husband were not the first missionaries to live in their village; many years before, an MNK religious leader came and lived there, and the village converted to Islam.  This is not the only tribe to have been so affected by the presence of the MNK.  To an MNK, repentance means turning to Islam.  Great care must be taken when sharing this concept with MNKs.  Pray for MNKs to repent of their sins against God and turn to the One through whom salvation comes.

 

Wed, Sep 15:  Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. – Romans 15:4  The Righteous Way radio broadcast tonight is Lesson 29, Review of the First Book of the Torah (Genesis).  The MNK are encouraged to read and examine the Torah (first 5 books of the Bible), the Psalms, and the Injil (the Gospels), yet most have never read any of the books.  They rely entirely upon one another and the Qu’ran as the final revelation and believe that whatever is found in the Bible is also in the Qu’ran.  Pray for the MNK to develop an unnatural hunger and deep desire to discover for themselves what the Word of God teaches.