Grateful Servants

In this Thanksgiving issue, IMB personnel praise God for how He is working in West Africa and express their gratitude for the privilege of being laborers together with Him.

As I washed my right hand in the bowl provided by my hosts, I thought my heart would burst with thanksgiving. I passed the bowl to two of our newest OneStory team members. God had given us a divine appointment with the core group of believers of the Senufo, the language and culture these ladies were learning. These fellow believers invited us to sit down and eat, and it was an honor to eat with our hands out of a common bowl with them. I could see my young colleagues were fighting tears as they celebrated their first Thanksgiving away from home, but around a bowl with the people they have been sent to serve. --- Judy Miller

In February 2007 our team had a leadership training retreat for Fulani Christians. After attending the retreat, the Fulani believers came back fired up about sharing their faith and began going out two by two. Since that time we have see more than 40 more Fulanis accept Christ, 33 believers baptized, and several new outreach groups. We give praise and glory to God for what He has done and what He will continue to do among the Fulani of Nigeria. --- Jay and Kim Smith

Looking over the past year, we cannot help but recall with thanksgiving all that God has accomplished among the Fulakunda. The number of Fulakunda Christians has grown from 10 to over 100! We thank God that these new believers want to lead others to Christ and have been faithful to share his Word. We are grateful that we serve an awesome God and that He is in control of everything - all praise and honor belong to Him!! --- Scott and Julie Bradford

One of the many blessings that God gave our Zerma team this year was a mother/daughter music team that came to Niger to help Zerma believers develop original melodies for scripture passages. At the end of their two-week stay, these ladies had recorded six new Zerma scripture songs composed entirely by the Zerma believers. These songs are being taught in various churches where these believers attend. --- Ben and Cindy Sustar

We praise the Lord this year for the start of the first outreach group in a Jahanka village. It has been a blessing to see approximately 20 women coming each week and enthusiastically hearing from the Word. We are also thankful for the arrival of another missionary family, thus doubling the outreach effort among the Jahanka in Senegal. --- Jeremy and Kimberly Newborn