It started with a complaint. The church was across the highway in another village several kilometers away. As families were growing, it became more difficult to get everyone to church. One of the men approached the pastor and explained the problem, “This long walk to church is especially hard for our wives and children. Would it be possible for us to open a new church in our village?”
With a new toll booth being built on the highway between the two villages, his request was strategic. In this country, toll booths attract road-side markets and people.
This conversation initiated a chain of events that led to the construction of a modest little church building. From the initial group of fifteen believers, they are now at fifty, with a continued response to the Gospel. It also led to the drilling of a well that will serve the whole village. The two – living water and potable drinking water – go hand in hand and minister to both body and soul.
After church this past Sunday, our team met with this new church family to dedicate the well. Pastor Daniel introduced the man who had donated his property for the church and well. We were surprised by how young he looked and touched by his generosity.
In West Africa, where the vast majority of people farm, property size represents earning potential. Land is both your life savings and your family’s inheritance. Large landowners have enormous influence in their communities. So, it is a huge sacrifice to part with any of your land, especially to give it away. But it was a price that this man was willing to pay so that others could hear the Good News about Christ. We praise the Lord for this church plant. We consider it a privilege to be able to partner with believers who are committed to planting a different kind of seed on their farm land.
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