As we mentioned in our August newsletter, we have decided on a church to plug into. It is a small (40ish people on an average Sunday) church with Senegalese leadership. The service is held in French and Wolof, the largest local language here in Senegal. While the sermons go back and forth between French and Wolof based on who is preaching that week (they are always translated live into the other language), most of the songs we sing tend to be in French. However, this last week all of the worship songs were in Wolof. The woman who usually leads worship on a keyboard just starts singing a song and everyone else joins in. There is no projector with lyrics and although they do have hymnbooks, the song being sung is not usually announced.
This last week, however, someone in the congregation shouted out the number of each song as it started which allowed Selina and I to follow along and do our best at pronouncing the words to the songs. Thankfully the worship is very lively and we are in a small room, so I don’t think anyone heard our voices!
Above is a picture of one of the pages from the hymnbook. While we had no idea what we were singing, it was a joy to stand alongside our Senegalese brothers and sisters in Christ, praising God in Wolof. It was a great reminder of why we are here. We know that amongst the Senegalese, there are those whom God has called, but who have not yet come to call on His Name and be saved.
As Romans 10:14-15 says, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?”
We are so thankful to be here in Senegal, and to have the opportunity to proclaim the good news of the Gospel to the Senegalese. And we are thankful for all of you who have sent us. Without you all, we would not be here. Please join us in praying for the harvest here in Senegal, that many would come to call on the name of Jesus for salvation and that God would raise up local churches passionate about reaching their own.
-Adam