by Katie Garrett | Apr 4, 2018 | Uncategorized
Do you believe the Lord hears and answers prayer? I believe it because we keep seeing Him do it! A bunch of us, including many of you, prayed specifically for certain things regarding our two-day Easter Camp.
Jennifer, Katie, and Molly working the registration table
God graciously saw fit to grant us what we asked for:
- 87 kids attended with their parents’ permission;
- town water stayed on;
- no one got sick or injured;
- the high on Monday was only 100° and 102° on Tuesday (much cooler than the highs of 107° – 110° that we have been experiencing!); and
- the Easter story was shared clearly in Wolof through teachings, a skit, small-group discussion times, songs, and a film.
Each of the campers made a seed mosiac of a tree using green peas for the leaves, brown lentils for the trunk, millet for the ground, and rice for the sky. We talked about how a seed dies and is buried and then new life rises!
I wish I could calculate the probability of each of these things happening. The statistical probability of the town water staying on alone is so low that I am sure God’s hand was specifically intervening to bless the camp! That gives me confidence that the Lord is also answering in invisible ways the things we prayed for that can’t be seen – for example, that He was speaking into the hearts and minds of the kids who were there to let them know that He loves them and died for them.
I know that many of the kids came to camp not knowing what Easter is about. At the beginning of camp, before any of the teaching times, I got to address the whole group. I asked them, “What holiday are we celebrating?” and one of our Sunday School kids answered, “Paques!” (Easter!) Then I asked, “And what is Easter about?” It was clear that most of the kids didn’t know as only a few hands were raised. I called on one of the kids I don’t know and he answered, “Korite” which is the holiday celebrating the end of the Muslim month of fasting. I shook my head, looking for another volunteer, but no one seemed to know. Finally, another one of the handful of Sunday School kids who were there was able to help us, “Easter is about when Jesus came back to life after he died.”
Kody, Corey, and Jeff hanging mosquito nets in a classroom
By the end of the two days all of the kids had heard the whole story of how Jesus, who was perfect, took the punishment for us, dying on the cross, and then rose again, showing His power over death and confirming that He is able to save us from death too. Pastor explained this to the kids later using an analogy that I appreciated; he said that if someone gives you breakfast, it makes sense to believe that same person when he promises to give you lunch later. In the same way, Jesus’ resurrection gives us good reason to believe Him when He promises to resurrect us too!
It was a joy to share this Good News with these precious kids. We are so grateful for the partnerships that made this year’s camp possible: our SIM Kaffrine team, the local Pastor and other Senegalese believers, and all of you who were praying! Glory to God!
by Katie Garrett | Mar 17, 2018 | Uncategorized
Balloon popping race!
Would you all start praying for the Kids’ Camp that is coming up in just two weeks? There are so many pieces that need to come together as we plan this with our SIM Kaffrine teammates and our Senegalese Christian brothers and sisters from the little local church here.
Starting in 2006, for quite a few years our team organized an annual Wolof Kids’ Summer Camp at the beach. In recent years, we had switched to holding an overnight Christmas Camp here in town. This year, we are doing something new: an Easter Camp!
We are excited about this because we know that for many of the kids it will be the first time they learn about Easter. Schoolchildren here get two weeks’ vacation from school, but there aren’t many visible traditions or celebrations for the majority of the families in our region.
A Christmas message at last year’s camp
We hope that between 80 and 100 kids will come to camp at the church April 2nd – 3rd. Please pray that the Lord will bless our planning and everything that happens during those two days. You can pray specifically that there will be no water cuts during camp, and no sickness or injuries. Pray that each child the Lord wants to attend will get permission from their parents to be there. Pray for each of the messages to be clear and engaging and for the kids to grasp the significance of Easter. This is the hottest time of year with temperatures above 110° every day last week, so you could also pray for God to graciously grant us some unseasonable coolness during the camp!
May we all know and experience the great love of God this Easter as we remember all He has done for us!
by Katie Garrett | Nov 1, 2017 | Uncategorized
In rural areas in our region, a larger village will host a weekly market (called a “louma” in Wolof) where people from the surrounding villages can come to buy and sell. The village where we used to live has a louma every Wednesday. There are tables and small thatched shelters grouped together in the open space at the center of the village and you can find fabric, plastic basins and cups, farming tools and even sheep for sale. Corey is preparing to set up a new table at the louma for the first time today. This is the same village we lived in half-weeks and have done our farming project, sheep project, latrine project, and other interventions over the past few years.
From left to right: Luke-Acts in one volume, Psalms, Exodus, and Genesis
On Monday, we picked up the first few boxes of the new one-volume Luke-Acts written in Wolofal (the Wolof language written using Arabic script) at the print shop in Dakar. Thanks to all of you who have prayed for the transcription and publishing process over these last years! We now have Genesis, Exodus, Psalms, and a single-volume of Luke and Acts in Wolofal and now Corey will turn his attention from typesetting and printing to distribution and evangelism. He will have some of each book available at his table in the village today, along with some alphabet primers and sets of twenty small Wolof/Wolofal chronological Scripture story booklets.
The four published full books above and the 18 story Arabic script/Roman script booklets plus the two primer/alphabet books below
We have never done this before so we are not sure what to expect. But we take heart when we read God’s words in Isaiah 45:18-19, 22, and 23b:
“I am the Lord,” he says,
“and there is no other.
I publicly proclaim bold promises.
I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner.
I would not have told the people to seek me
if I could not be found.
Let all the world look to me for salvation!
For I am God; there is no other.
Every knee will bend to me,
and every tongue will declare allegiance to me.
As messengers sent out by God, we want to boldly and publicly proclaim His message of love and forgiveness and grace; we don’t want to just whisper the good news about what God has done through Jesus in our homes while all around us people are lost and without hope. We are confident that the Lord wants more Wolof people to seek and find Him and receive His gifts of salvation and joy. Will you pray that Corey will see evidence that God is with him at the louma today, and that He is drawing Wolof people to Himself? Would you pray for many people to be interested in reading God’s Word and for them to have the courage to buy a book or booklet? Thanks! And we will let you know tomorrow how it went!
by Katie Garrett | Jun 21, 2017 | Uncategorized
Today is the 26th day of Ramadan. Every year during the 30 days of Ramadan, Muslims around the world abstain from all food and drink and redouble their efforts to be holy. Laylat Al-Qadr, the Night of Power, may be tomorrow night. Laylat Al-Qadr is the night when Muslims believe the first verses of the Quran were revealed to Muhammad. It occurs on one of the odd-numbered nights during the last last ten days of Ramadan, most commonly the 27th night. It is said that God did not reveal the exact date, so that His servants would perform extra acts of worship throughout the ten days and so attain the reward of them.
There are different beliefs and traditions surrounding Layat Al Qadr. Some Muslims believe that on this night, the fate of creation for the coming year is determined and that prayers are more powerful, sins are forgiven and the blessings and mercy of God is more abundant. It is a night to expect a special closeness to God and many reports of Muslims having dreams or visions of Jesus on this night.
Muslims observing Ramadan will increase their prayers and reading of the Quran during these last ten days. In this way, they hope to earn extra divine favour.
Laylat Al Qadr is translated variously as the Night of Decree, the Night of Power, the Night of Value, the Night of Destiny, or the Night of Measures.
**How Can We Pray?**
* Pray for Muslim families in Senegal and around the world to have a special awareness of the Presence of God as they pray through Laylat Al Qadr.
* Pray for God to supply the physical needs of Muslim people. In Senegal the rainy season is about to begin; pray for good rains this year and a good harvest with plenty to eat for the whole year.
* Pray that on this night, the Holy Spirit will give dreams and visions to those who are seeking revelation.
– adapted from material written by 30 Days International (https://pray30days.org/)
by Katie Garrett | Apr 22, 2017 | Uncategorized
- Recently, along with some others, we were able to visit three different villages on three different evenings and show movies that point people to Jesus. In one of the villages, an elder gave a speech that surprised and touched us, saying that even though he is a Mslm he knows that we Christians are living in the light. Pray for many from these three villages to be drawn to the Light!
- Praise God for two young Wolof men who say they are ready to be baptized. They have studied God’s Word for years but have hesitated to proclaim allegiance to Christ because of their Mslm relatives. Pray for conviction leading to boldness.
- Pray for the two little boys we are working to adopt from Conakry, Guinea, and for our adoption process to move forward quickly. We got to talk with the boys via Skype for the first time ever during Easter break while Emma and Molly were home from school – what a joy!
- Pray for our family’s witness in our neighborhood and for our little church’s witness in Kaffrine. Katie continues to write new Sunday School lesson plans each week and teach the children. Pray for the Word to take root in the kids’ hearts and minds.
- Continue to pray for the Wolofal Luke/Acts publication that Corey is working on. Pray that God will shepherd the whole transcription, proofreading, and printing process and use this format of His Word to draw many Wolof people to the Light.
by Katie Garrett | Dec 27, 2016 | Uncategorized
Last week, a group of six village girls spent the afternoon at our house. They asked me about the toy nativity set in our living room so I told them the Christmas story: how God had promised through the prophets to send someone, Almasi bi – the Messiah, to rescue us from sin and darkness and fear. Using the toy angel, I told how He sent an angel to announce to Mary and Joseph that Mary would miraculously have a baby, a baby who would be the promised Messiah. And then I showed the girls how Mary put Jesus to sleep in the animal feed trough and how poor local shepherds and rich foreign men came to see this special baby. They said they had never heard the story before. It is such a strange and compelling story when you hear it for the first time!
School kids here get a short vacation for “Noël” and many have heard of Santa Claus. In town, many Muslim families prepare a special meal on the 24th or the 25th and there are some decorative lights in the round point in the center of town. But otherwise, particularly in the villages, Christmas comes and goes with nothing to distinguish it from the day before or the day after. Most kids here don’t know what Christmas is….
“Mark” is one of the few Christians from the region of Kaffrine. He is now in his 20’s and attending university in a city six hours away from here. As a child, he heard about Jesus and attended a camp we used to do annually. Now, he wants other kids from this area to have a chance to hear about Jesus and to know the joy of Christmas too. So, for the third year in a row, in cooperation with the local Senegalese pastor and with us, he is spearheading an overnight Christmas Camp during his short break from school.
We expect 100 kids to come spend two days at the church school – December 29-30. We’ll eat out of 20 common bowls, play games, do crafts, sing fun songs, and hear what Christmas is about. The theme of the camp is specifically: Jesus, the Light of the World. For many, it will be the first time they hear about Jesus.
Please pray for God’s hand of blessing and protection on every aspect of the camp. We are excited that our teammates, Jeff and Amanda, who arrived in Senegal in November, will be coming to visit Kaffrine for the first time this week, so they’ll be able to help out with the camp. There is always plenty of work to do so we’re thankful for the extra hands!
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