January 20, 2011
Brian and Michelle Davis, serving in Senegal, West Africa
The following article includes adapted excerpts from two of the Davises’ 2010 reports, including their Christmas/New Year greetings.
One of our biggest challenges in these next four months is to make great strides toward building a new vocational training center for boys and young men here in Saint-Louis (san-loo-EE), Senegal.
In 2009 we moved to Pikine, a poverty-stricken neighborhood in Saint-Louis, believing God had called us to live and minister among the poor and marginalized alongside the Yoonu Njub (Way of Righteousness) Community Center. God showed us specifically how to best bring the good news to the people in Pikine. To establish our credibility, allowing us to build relationships and find those with open hearts to the gospel, He has called us to bless this community in the areas of health and education.
Significant Needs
Thousands of boys are on the streets of Saint-Louis—the result of parents giving up their children to local religious leaders for religious education. In many instances, unfortunately, these boys end up on the streets begging for food. By the time they are young adults, they have futures with little hope or promise, since most do not possess life skills or job expertise.
We are responding to Jesus’ compassion for these boys by building the Way of Righteousness Vocational Training Center, giving them the ability to rebuild their shattered lives through receiving health services, life-skills training, and spiritual instruction.
Though the figures are daunting, we are trusting in God’s ability to provide for this center. We are asking Him for $100,000 for construction and several teachers skilled in the trades who follow Jesus.
- • $40,000 for groundbreaking (foundations, septic system, perimeter wall)
- • $20,000 for housing (director’s residence and housing for street boys)
- • $20,000 for shops and storefronts (two workshops, one store to sell the products made in the shops, one hair salon, and a medical consultation room)
- • $20,000 for school rooms (four classrooms, one conference room, one library, and an office)
Ground Breaking
We have raised $10,000, so we plan to break ground this month, trusting God to continue to provide the needed finances as we progress. Additionally, one of our friends recently started a T-shirt company, spit in the dirt, committing through the sale of “wear Love”™ T-shirts to help build the center.
We are moving from a preparation phase, one in which we were learning the Wolof language, and are now eager to dive into trying a few different things, with the ultimate goal of seeing churches planted and the name of Jesus praised. We wait with anticipation for the great things that God will do here, because of who He is.
What You Can Do
• Join the Davises in praying regularly for Pikine and that Jehovah Jirah—our providing God—will supply all of the funds needed to open the vocational training center, allowing His name to be glorified and many lives transformed.
• Donate to Alliance Great Commission Ministries. In doing so, you partner with Alliance workers, like the Davises, to ensure that the Name of Jesus is lifted up in lost communities around the world.
Learn More
• Read more about the Davis family’s calling to serve their Pikine neighborhood.
• Check out the spit in the dirt Web site. Note: Clicking on this link will take you off of the C&MA Web site.