Partnerships Expand God’s Work in West Africa

By an Alliance worker, serving in West Africa

It wasn’t any larger than many Sunday school rooms in the United States. Yet the new church’s dedication celebration that Sunday morning was a big occasion.

For the first time ever, Weledigula had a church!

Church leaders had traveled from hours away to join the festivities. Believers from many of the surrounding villages—as well as a number of non-Christian village chiefs and the mayor of a nearby town—were there to celebrate, too.

Dust Cloud Marks Celebration

And there was dust. After a prayer of dedication at the church’s door, the crowd was invited to march around the new building. For many celebrants, one trip wasn’t enough.

As the worship team beat the drums and guitar riffs filled the air, the marching evolved into dancing, creating a dust cloud that arose around the small mud-brick building.

After the dedication service that morning, 12 Christians from Weledigula and the surrounding villages were baptized. It was a powerful testimony to this village—whose residents largely follow West Africa’s dominant religion—that God is working through the Christian community!

Help from Afar

The church building also was a testament to the hard work and initiative of its 20 or so members, who began construction several years ago with the materials they had available.

But when the rainy season approached, congregants were concerned their work would be washed away. So they approached a local Alliance worker to help them lay a tin roof.

Through a series of contacts, an Alliance youth group in the United States, inspired by four-year-old Caden Folkestad, raised funds to purchase the needed supplies.

 

It Takes a Body

That day I couldn’t help but marvel at the people and partnerships God is using to accomplish His work here.

  • At the forefront is the fledging group of Christians in Weledigula. They actively share the good news in their community, and they took a leap of faith to begin building their church facility.
  • The pastor also is the product of generations of Alliance workers who have faithfully served here and developed schools to equip pastors and church planters.
  • And there is the current team of Alliance workers in this region, who are supported through their churches and friends who give to the Alliance Great Commission Fund.

The dust cloud in Weledigula that Sunday was a testament to the way God takes all of these things and creates something good.

Could all this have happened without one of these elements? We know God can do anything. I also know that it pleases Him greatly to see everyone in His Body doing his or her part to raise some dust in a West African village. Thank you for giving to the Great Commission Fund!

What You Can Do

Pray

  • Praise the Lord for the new church in Weledigula! Pray that God will shine His light through this congregation to push back the spiritual darkness in this village and surrounding communities.
  • Your prayers strengthen Alliance workers, who disciple new believers as well as share the love, truth, and power of Jesus with those who have had little or no opportunity to encounter Him. Use the weekly Alliance Prayer Requests to assist you in praying for our worldwide team.

Give

  • When you give to the Great Commission Fund (GCF) you partner with Alliance workers, who pour themselves out to share the light of Jesus with those who are spiritually blind.
  • Give now

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