Pray for Birassou Bodiankounda

Yaya with our family in his father's orchard.

A little over a month ago our family was taking one of our afternoon walks through the village seeing friends and acquaintances, praying as we walked, and looking for the people that God would put in our path. And that was when we met Yaya. He was finishing up playing in a soccer game, was covered with sweat and sand, and happened to be standing in the middle of the road as we turned the corner. We greeted him and asked his name as we walked together. He was very polite, had an inviting smile, and happened to be going in the same direction we were. As we walked by his house, he asked where we lived in Diouloulou and said that one day he might come and visit us.


And the next day he did just that. As a matter of fact, he came over almost every day that week. Usually it was for just a few minutes, sometimes longer, but we really grew to appreciate this young man. When Yaya comes over he usually helps Matt with his Diola, laughs a lot, and discusses life and all that it entails. He is one of those young men that is just a pleasure to be around. He is a student at the high school in Diouloulou, but comes from a small village about 6 kilometers from here called Birassou Bodiankounda. He lives there with his father, who is the village imam (Muslim religious leader), his father's two wives, numerous siblings, and some other members of his extended family.



Ezra with a village elder

Recently we spent the day in Birassou with Yaya and his family. We ate together, toured his father's orchard and the rice field, met many of the elders of the village, drank tea and talked about Diola culture, and laughed a lot. Thanks to the generosity of a people with very little, we left the village that evening with a sack full of oranges, a large bundle of rice, a sack of peanuts, a squash, and many good memories. And we hope that we began relationships that will open the door a little wider for the Gospel to go to Birassou Bodiankounda.

Matt and Hosanna with Yaya's father

Please pray for the village of Birassou Bodiankounda. Pray that we would have more opportunities to spend time there. Pray that God would begin to work in the hearts of the people there. Pray for Yaya, his brother Lamine, and his father, that we would grow closer to them over the coming weeks and months. And pray that God would begin to call people to Himself.

Nothing happens by accident. So the next time you turn the corner and bump into the imam's son know that God just might be up to something great!

Pray for Karongue

The director of the school in Karongue,
Mr. Sane, and his class.

Recently, we spent the day in a village called Karongue. Karongue is about 12 kilometers away from Diouloulou and Keba, one of the believers from Diouloulou, has family that lives there. We spent the day meeting new friends, talking with the chief and his family, praying for people, and visiting the small elementary school in the village. We did this with the goal of one day soon being able to start a regular Bible study in the village that is lead and facilitated by a believer from Diouloulou, namely Keba.

During our visit there we laughed, joked with the people, and talked about the things of life, but we also told them that we and our friends in America promised to pray for them and their village. And they really took this to heart. They were encouraged to know that there was a family in Diouloulou and friends in America who were promising that they would pray for their village.

And now we must pray. We must pray without ceasing. We must pray with fervency and consistency. We must pray that God, by His Spirit, would be at work in the hearts and minds of the people of Karongue. Please commit to pray regularly for the people of Karongue. Commit to pray for Keba and his standing in the village and that he would have wisdom and boldness as he prepares to lead a study there in the future. And pray for us as we seek to equip the few believers who are here in Diouloulou to take the Gospel to the surrounding villages.