People hungry for the truth

Twenty-five years ago a Roman Catholic priest came to the village of Nangoula not far from where we live in southern Mali. A number of the men of the village decided to believe in the God that the priest talked about. Unfortunately the priest didn't return to teach the people. So when the men of Nangoula, now older men, heard that we were not far away, they sent for them so that they could learn more about the God they believed in.

The Nangoula village surprised everyone. The 6th grad students took the exam that they must pass in order to enter 7th grade. Normal passing rate is about 75 to 80 percent. But 96 percent passed. Of their 50 students only one did not pass and that student was a dumb-mute. The village was thrilled with the results.

When the villages around heard about the success rate of the Nangoula children they wanted to know what type of sorcery or what charm or magic they had used so that their children learned so well. The village told the others that they made a covenant with God giving him the children in their village and asking God to bless them in their school studies. They believed their children's success in school was a direct blessing by God on their children because of their prayers.

While studying at Denver Seminary, God laid southern Mali on our hearts. Now we are working there and finding remarkable openness to the gospel among the Supire, a Senoufo people who tend to be animists or spirit worshipers.

Mali has 33 spoken languages. Of those languages only four have more than 1 percent believers in Christ. There are 11 languages that have no missionaries working among them at all. 

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