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Tito of the Mandinka in Senegal

TITO OF THE MANDINKA IN SENEGAL: WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA

West and Central Africa contains 24 countries with approximately 500 least-reached people groups remaining. The countries of Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Gambia, Mauritania, and Niger lead the way with over 80% of their populations still least-reached. Nigeria has over 45 million people still considered least-reached, even though these only represent 34.7% of its total population. Islam had already reached the powerful tribes of West Africa long before the French colonized much of the region during the 19th century. For many centuries, Islam was mainly the religion of the chiefs and the elite. Arabs were primarily interested in profiting from the slave trade and not interested in making converts from it. When slavery was forbidden by the colonial powers, then Islam

spread faster in 50 years in this region than it had in the previous eight centuries. Islam here is a layer of the 5 pillars of Islam spread on top of their animistic traditional religions and animistic practices. These are particularly diverse—voodoo, fetishes, ancestor worship, and idolatry. The church has grown rapidly especially in places like Nigeria which is now also a sending base for missionaries to other continents. Large churches exist, with one group having over 2 million members and another having 450,000. However, a great challenge remains even in their midst. AIDS in Africa now overshadows the future of the entire continent, and the specter of poverty looms large over much of this region. Pray that God will empower our brothers and sisters in this region to rise to these challenges, with good news and good works leading to transformation of those around them. Here is the story of one individual whose life has already been transformed: My name is Tito and I was born into a Muslim family in Senegal. As a youth, I went to Guinea Bissau to help my brother build his house. While there, I came upon an evangelistic group preaching Jesus is the Son of God. This teaching surprised me, for I had always been taught that God had no children. So, I asked the man: “Why do you say that Jesus is the Son of God if God never had sexual relations with a woman? We only recognize Jesus as a prophet.” Right then, the man handed a New Testament to me and asked me to wait for him to finish his teaching. Afterwards he began to share with me personally how Jesus is the Son of God and invited me to his evangelism group. I began to go to the missionary’s home regularly. He taught me a lot about Jesus and especially about John 14:6. He also came to my brother’s place to see me and read portions of the Bible to me there. My brother got very upset, furious that we had read the Bible in his home. He kicked me out of his house. For a while, I stayed with friends or even slept on the streets, but I knew I needed a place to stay, so I asked God for help. He answered me and met my needs with a place to live and a job. I once again began to live a respectable life of my own, and during this time, I accepted Jesus in my heart. I went through many difficulties, yet the Lord carried

me through. Even so, I still longed to know more about God and how to live as a good believer. The Lord answered this prayer as well. The missionary that led me to the Lord asked me if I would work with his mission. I agreed, and continued learning the Word of God and working with him. I worked there until war broke out, which forced me to return to my home country of Senegal in 1998. The next year, I met my wife and was married in 2000. I had been able to do some medical courses and am currently studying at a correspondence Bible school. I continue to learn more and more about my Lord and how I can be closer to Him. We also continue to serve the Lord through medicine, as well as sharing His word wherever we go, especially among the Mandinka and Fulani people. The Mandinka represent 5% of the Senegalese population. They are originally from what was known as the Mali Empire and the valley of Niger. They live mainly in the Southern region of Senegal. They also have a large population in Gambia. Their main religion is Islam, and their livelihood comes from farming and

trading. Only two out of every ten can read. They have the New Testament in their language as well as a few portions of the Old Testament. There are very few believers among them. Pray for: MIRACLES OF HEALING & DELIVERANCE: Pray that miracles of healing and deliverance (even for those battling HIV/AIDS) will open doors for faith among the more than 500 Least-Reached Peoples of West and Central Africa.

POWER OVER DEMONIC ACTIVITY: Pray that believers walk in the Holy Spirit’s power and prevail over all demonic depression, oppression, and attacks of every sort, demonstrating that Jesus is truly King of kings and Lord of lords on earth and in heaven.

ONCE FOR ALL SACRIFICE: Pray that all Least-Reached Peoples recognize that Jesus is the Lamb of God, the once-for-all sacrifice that forgives all our iniquities and heals all our diseases. Pray that they apply this finished provision to their lives.

BINDING OF ALL BACKLASH OF THE ENEMY: Pray that believers apply the authority of Jesus to bind all backlashes of the enemy to their work for Him. Pray that they can penetrate the strongholds of darkness and see those set free transferred to the Kingdom of Light in Jesus.

BREAKING GENERATIONAL CURSES: Pray that generational curses that have come as a result of idolatry, immorality, injustice, and independence from God will be broken. Pray that believers will walk in true freedom of Jesus Christ as a testimony to those who do not yet believe.

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