The Harvest is Plentiful!

Praise the Lord for he is good! Thank you to everyone who has been praying and who has given to have things sent over for the youth camp. It went very well. God moved a lot in many people’s lives. It was wonderful to see the spiritual growth. It is an honor to be involved in the work here and just to witness God moving throughout this nation and many nations in West Africa.

Around 150 people came from all over West Africa for the youth camp. All the people were divided into different groups that then got to do activities, games and small groups together to discuss the lessons. The lessons were deep, spiritual truths encouraging people to seek God. Many of these lessons led to deep conversations about the gospel and who Jesus is. Please continue to pray for those that heard the gospel clearly during the youth camp, and are deeply considering what it means to follow Jesus. People from all different people groups, villages, and languages gathered together for this camp. It was wonderful to see the fellowship and unity between everybody. A small glimpse of what heaven will be like.

One of the most exciting things that happened this youth camp was the four people that got baptized. Three Young men and a young girl. Baptism is something that we are commanded to do when we follow Jesus. For some of us when we get baptized in our home nation, it is special and significant, but it is not scary the way that it is scary here. Often when you are baptized here in West Africa and your family finds out, this is when the most heavy persecution comes. This could mean being kicked out of your home having all your belongings burned. If you’re a man that’s married it could mean losing your wife and children. It could also mean someone tries to physically harm you or poison you. Following Jesus is not promised to us that it would be easy, but it is worth it. Please be in prayer for these new believers that have walked in obedience to be baptized. Pray that they might have good Christian community and that they would hold true to the faith and following Jesus, even in the midst of the persecution that will come. Do not forget our brothers and sisters in your prayers.

I am extremely excited to share with you some amazing news. This year three students at our Bethlehem Christian Academy schools in West Africa, excepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior! Praise God! This is what these schools are all about. To reach the children for the gospel and reach their families. Education is a blessing and needed, but that is just the tool that we get to use to open the door to show the love of Christ to these students and their families. We praise God for these three students. Pray for them as they begin their walk with the Lord and continue to pray for the other students. They are on summer break now, but will return to school in October and we ask your prayers for the coming school year for all the students that God would continue to call them to him.

Luke 10:2

“And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Right after the youth camp, we headed to another village to get to do ministry for a few days. Though it was very hot it was nice to slow down and get to continue to build relationships and share the gospel with people. It was a privilege joining the team from the states that came for the youth camp and for village ministry. I love getting to work with believers from all over the world, including all over my home country. It has been a wonderful privilege to have spent the past six weeks working with Lucy and with Jainaba. They are both now back in their home countries and I will miss them terribly, but I’m grateful for the time we had serving the Lord together and for what God has for them next. Seeing God working through them is a tremendous blessing and I know he will continue to do so wherever they are.

Please be in prayer for the new believers that have chosen to follow Jesus and the persecution that they will face because of this decision. Pray for those that have been obedient to the Lord and been baptized, and now have publicly proclaimed their faith. Pray for their growth in their walk with the Lord Jesus and strength in the difficult times ahead. Please continue to pray for those that are considering what it is to follow Jesus and if he is truly God’s Son and worth following. Thank you for your prayers. You join the harvest by actively praying for the work here whether you get to physically go join or not you are joining in the spiritual work when you pray so please pray.