September 2008 Update

Beats the mortality rate!

Sunday at the African church I attend, an old man got up and said in Tamashek, today I am 73 years old. It is only by God’s grace because if not for being a child of God I would be dead by now. (Not an exact quote) Then he proceeded to worship the Lord in song and dance. He does this every week faithfully. I too praised the Lord for his life in Christ.

 

An African Church

I arrive at 10:30 and the service is in full swing and I do mean swing! I love the music. There is a key board, many kinds of African drums, percussion instruments with the people singing in many rhythms. I can not stand still, I must move my feet, clap my hands and sing as best I can, for I do not speak French. But I am getting to know the songs that are sung over each week. The men come forward dancing and singing with such smiles on their faces and you can not help yourself, you join in and smile and know that the Lord is good. But this dancing to the Lord is amazing. All of this continues to perhaps 12 noon and then the pastor, a very fine preacher of God’s word, will give his sermon. (Interpreted for me) He is so animated that he can not stand still and is all over the church. At the end when it is time to worship the Lord with giving. A basket is put on a table and all will give what they can as they all come forward in dance, and clap to the music as they put their offering into the basket. It is awesome to see smiles as they give.  I am always so blessed to go and worship among people from every tribe, nation and tongue as it should be. Thank you, Lord, for such a great blessing.

 

A Godly wife

One of my students asked me to pray for him. I said I would and asked what is your need? He said he wants a Christian wife. He wants, a women who loves to follow Jesus, she doesn’t want to paint her nails and face and wear tight clothes. He said there are not Christian women that truly follow Jesus. He is 43 years old and loves the Lord. So I prayed, then he prayed in the Tamashek language. You see in this land of Islam, a Christian women, is very hard to find. But with God nothing is impossible.

 

Rain and Malaria

Praise the Lord for all the rain we have had. We have been getting rain every night and sometimes in the day as well. I have never seen the millet here in Niamey so high. But along with all this wonderful rain the mosquito that carries malaria is very plentiful as well. I have medicine I have to take each day I live here to prevent me from contracting this disease. Unfortunately, the African does not have the knowledge or the funds to take preventive medicine. So many contract malaria and suffer.  Many die. So please pray for these lost souls to survive another day to hear about the love of Jesus for them.

 

Ramadan

During this month of Muslims prayer 5 times a day and fasting each day I would ask that you pray very aggressively for the Holy Spirit to convict them of sin, to see the futility of their lives, and to seek to know the truth of God’s Word. 

 

I thank all of you for your continued prayers.

God bless all of you,

Bonnie McMinn