"The spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Him, the more intensely missionary we become." -- Henry Martyn, missionary to India and Persia

My Utmost For His Highest

It's not everyday that I go in and read my Utmost For His Highest. Every now and again I feel an impression to go there. God always speaks to me through it. This was today's message.

The Method of Missions

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations . . . —Matthew 28:19

Jesus Christ did not say, "Go and save souls" (the salvation of souls is the supernatural work of God), but He said, "Go . . . make disciples of all the nations . . . ." Yet you cannot make disciples unless you are a disciple yourself. When the disciples returned from their first mission, they were filled with joy because even the demons were subject to them. But Jesus said, in effect, "Don’t rejoice in successful service— the great secret of joy is that you have the right relationship with Me" (see Luke 10:17-20 ). The missionary’s great essential is remaining true to the call of God, and realizing that his one and only purpose is to disciple men and women to Jesus. Remember that there is a passion for souls that does not come from God, but from our desire to make converts to our point of view.

The challenge to the missionary does not come from the fact that people are difficult to bring to salvation, that backsliders are difficult to reclaim, or that there is a barrier of callous indifference. No, the challenge comes from the perspective of the missionary’s own personal relationship with Jesus Christ— "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" ( Matthew 9:28 ). Our Lord unwaveringly asks us that question, and it confronts us in every individual situation we encounter. The one great challenge to us is— do I know my risen Lord? Do I know the power of His indwelling Spirit? Am I wise enough in God’s sight, but foolish enough according to the wisdom of the world, to trust in what Jesus Christ has said? Or am I abandoning the great supernatural position of limitless confidence in Christ Jesus, which is really God’s only call for a missionary? If I follow any other method, I depart altogether from the methods prescribed by our Lord— "All authority has been given to Me . . . . Gotherefore. . ." ( Matthew 28:18-19 ).
-- No author assigned in CUT

Its monkey fun!

Last night Jerome, Marcel, Joe and Charles came over to cook the monkey and feast. Joe did all the cooking I just assisted with the supplies. I thought the monkey was absolutely vile. It smelled vile and it tasted vile. But as you can see from the faces, they loved it and ate all of the monkey.

Would you like some MONKEY?

Yesterday I was in Ziguinchor working on my paperwork for my residential identity here. My friend Offie Bolie loves bush meat and I had promised the pastors in Oussouye I would try and get some monkey for them. Their wives refuse to buy bush meat or cook it. Especially monkey because monkeys look like men. This is what Offie's wife says anyways. Finally the restaurant that only serves beer and bush meat had some to offer me. I thought I would be walking in to purchase a nice package of meat in a plastic bag or something. Instead, he opens the freezer and pulls out this huge whole frozen monkey. Teeth bared to scare off the weak of heart. I tried not to flinch. He thought I might just want the whole monkey. I am looking at my backpack, then back at the guy, thinking about doing the rest of my shopping in Ziguinchor with a monkey in a baggy. Perhaps some feet sticking out the top. I said I was only looking to buy a couple of kilos. He then proceeds to lop off the backend. Showing me that I could purchase the whole backside and a couple of legs, stub of the tail included. It was still too big. I said how about a leg and half the bum. So he proceeds to chop off a hauch, leaving me the stub of the tail. He puts it in a plastic bag and I pay my $3. Then Offie and I went to have a drink and eat our porcupine. It tasted just like chicken.

Later I went to the pool and asked that my monkey be kept in the freezer for a couple of hours. Laughter. Everyone thought I was joking. Tee hee

The Guardian

My dog has now relaxed into the guardian lifestyle. He sleeps all day and most of the night. When he does decide to prowl around at night he is an excellent guard dog. He barks at everything that moves. I highly doubt that anyone that knows I have a dog would enter the premises at night. My neighbors have even commented that they hear him about night. So for now, as long as he's awake, prowlers beware!!!

The Kitchen

Slowly but surely

Facts and Figures

People
Population 12,521,851 (2007 estimate)

Urban/rural distribution
Share urban 51 percent (2005 estimate)
Share rural 49 percent (2005 estimate)

Largest cities, with population
Dakar 2,079,000 (2000 estimate)
Thiès 228,017 (1996 estimate)
Kaolack 199,023 (1996 estimate)
Ziguinchor 180,555 (1996 estimate)
Saint-Louis 132,425 (1996 estimate)

Ethnic groups
Wolof 44 percent
Fulani, Tukulor 24 percent
Serer 15 percent
Diola 5 percent
Mandinka 4 percent
Other 8 percent

Languages
French (official), Wolof, Serer, Diola, Mandinka, other indigenous languages

Religious affiliations
Muslim 87 percent
Indigenous beliefs 6 percent
Christian (mostly Roman Catholic) 5 percent
Other 2 percent

Life expectancy
Total 56.7 years (2007 estimate)
Female 58.1 years (2007 estimate)
Male 55.3 years (2007 estimate)
Infant mortality rate 60 deaths per 1,000 live births (2007 estimate)

Literacy rate
Total 42.1 percent (2005 estimate)
Female 32.6 percent (2005 estimate)
Male 51.7 percent (2005 estimate)


Number of radios per 1,000 people 141 (1997)
Number of telephones per 1,000 people 23 (2005)
Number of televisions per 1,000 people 37 (2000 estimate)
Number of Internet hosts per 10,000 people 0.65 (2003)
Daily newspaper circulation per 1,000 people 5 (1996)
Number of motor vehicles per 1,000 people 14 (1999)
Paved road as a share of total roads 29 percent (2003)

Rice

My friend Mary took me out to her family plots in the rice field to see how its done. Unfortunately there has not been enough rain this year so the rice is actually quite dry. It was interesting to see the plots that were not cultivated. When I asked about it Mary explained that when someone dies the family does not plant rice in their plots for one year. The following year the family will use the plots of the deceased.

Prayer Walks

The villages I have been praying in are a part of the Oussouye District: Senghalene, Kahinde, Calobone, Djevant, and Edioungou. Here are some pictures from the prayer walks.

Marie Claire and Immanuela

These are photos of Gerard's wife and his baby Immanuela. She was born two months early and is now three months old. She is sooooo tiny. It is a miracle that she survived being born so tiny.

At the Market

Salutations

Self Portrait

Rice

I was born in a farming village, surrounded by grape vineyards, fruits of all kinds, farmers and their families, I understand a bit about the seasons of a farmer. The Cassamance region is a farming region. Everyone plants their rice. Rice is for the family, some is for food, some is for sale and some is just to save and display your wealth. If you can save rice for 40 years, like my friend Leopold in Mlumpe, you are wealthy. Rice is the substance of the region. Men, women and children plant and harvest the rice. Students go home to their relatives, to uncles and cousins to plant the family's rice. Families come from as far as Dakar to plant in the rice fields the family owns. Rice is the Cassamance region, and this is her season.

Baptisms

For several months this spring Jerome (the assistant pastor here) seriously fasted and prayed about which young men to take under his wing and disciple. Assine was one of those young men. On Sunday morning he was baptised.