This is what Chase said every time we went out. You would not believe the number of sheep we have seen in town over the past week! They lined the main roads with their herders somewhere in the middle. The air was heavy with their baa-ing… and their smell. They were here because of the Muslim holiday called Tabaski. On this day, every family goes to the mosque with their sheep to pray over it, so that it will take on their sins. The sheep is then sacrificed to atone for those sins. They cut up the sheep and barbecue it, and then everyone feasts for the rest of the day. In the evening they all put on their new clothes and go around visiting their neighbors. They ask forgiveness from everyone they meet in case they have offended someone, even unknowingly.
For those of us who know that Jesus is the only true Atonement for our sins, this is really a very sad holiday. We know that all of the praying and sacrificing does nothing to pay for anyone’s sins. Sadder still, is that even after the sacrifice, a Muslim still has no assurance that he will go to Paradise when he dies.
We often feel helpless amidst the millions of people who are deceived and lost. What can just one person do? We have learned that we can pray and we can share the Truth with those nearest to us. We ask that you would pray for the millions of Muslims who are lost. Especially, we ask that you pray for our neighbors with whom we are building relationships. We so want to share the Gospel with them and see their lives truly changed. We want each of them to know the joy and peace of accepting Christ – the True Sacrifice.
Please pray for:
Nane and her husband and family.
Abby, Mohammed, and Leila
Pape, Djibi, Tham, and Chantal
Moustapha
We are asking the Lord that their hearts would be open. We are asking for wisdom and boldness in sharing. We are also asking that we will be able to speak their language well enough to share.
Thank you for praying with us and for us! Each of you is important in the Lord’s work here in Dakar.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Monday, December 19, 2005
Who is Praying for Fallou?
We hope all is well as you prepare for celebrating our Savior’s birth. While we don’t have cold weather here, we still seem to have the “Christmas spirit.” There are Christmas parties, Christmas shopping, caroling, and gift exchanges going on.
We are also preparing for the arrival of Caleb. We have found a bassinet for him, but it needed a new cover – since the old one was pink. Caleb probably wouldn’t mind, but his father does! So, finally I (Crystal) braved the very busy fabric market to find fabric. My friend Helene went with me. We searched and searched, and finally came across just the right one – in blue. Then we had to find the tailor. Well, he had not shown up at his shop, yet, so we just sat down on a curb in the shade to wait. We were deep in the market and there were no other white people around. That didn’t seem too strange to me, but we sure received second glances when people rounded the corner and saw a white person sitting there! Helene and I had several good laughs.
The ones who were the most fun to watch were the children. They would just stare. I would greet them, make faces at them, or wave. After greeting one little brother and sister who lived right across the street, they decided they were brave enough to come over and shake my hand. Every time the little boy came out of his house after that, he came over and shook my hand. His name is Fallou. We decided that he must be less than two years old. Finally, he came over and just sat down beside me and leaned over on me. I patted him and talked to him. He was very content, even though his family kept coming to try to drag him away. I assured them that he wasn’t bothering me.
While we were talking I noticed the gris-gris (gree-gree) on his wrist. This is an amulet that parents put on their children to protect them from evil spirits. My heart broke. I thought, “I pray for my own children every day, but who is praying for this precious little boy?” Needless to say, I spent the rest of the time praying that Fallou will be able to know the salvation that God sent to us through His Son!
There are so many children like Fallou. Will you please spend some time praying for them this Christmas? There are not enough Christians here to reach everyone. Please pray for a powerful moving of God’s Spirit to draw people to Himself to be saved!
We thank you for your prayers!! We pray that each of you has a wonderful Christmas filled with awe of all that God has done for us!
We are also preparing for the arrival of Caleb. We have found a bassinet for him, but it needed a new cover – since the old one was pink. Caleb probably wouldn’t mind, but his father does! So, finally I (Crystal) braved the very busy fabric market to find fabric. My friend Helene went with me. We searched and searched, and finally came across just the right one – in blue. Then we had to find the tailor. Well, he had not shown up at his shop, yet, so we just sat down on a curb in the shade to wait. We were deep in the market and there were no other white people around. That didn’t seem too strange to me, but we sure received second glances when people rounded the corner and saw a white person sitting there! Helene and I had several good laughs.
The ones who were the most fun to watch were the children. They would just stare. I would greet them, make faces at them, or wave. After greeting one little brother and sister who lived right across the street, they decided they were brave enough to come over and shake my hand. Every time the little boy came out of his house after that, he came over and shook my hand. His name is Fallou. We decided that he must be less than two years old. Finally, he came over and just sat down beside me and leaned over on me. I patted him and talked to him. He was very content, even though his family kept coming to try to drag him away. I assured them that he wasn’t bothering me.
While we were talking I noticed the gris-gris (gree-gree) on his wrist. This is an amulet that parents put on their children to protect them from evil spirits. My heart broke. I thought, “I pray for my own children every day, but who is praying for this precious little boy?” Needless to say, I spent the rest of the time praying that Fallou will be able to know the salvation that God sent to us through His Son!
There are so many children like Fallou. Will you please spend some time praying for them this Christmas? There are not enough Christians here to reach everyone. Please pray for a powerful moving of God’s Spirit to draw people to Himself to be saved!
We thank you for your prayers!! We pray that each of you has a wonderful Christmas filled with awe of all that God has done for us!
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Lottie Moon Christmas Offering
We hope you are well and enjoying your preparations for Christmas. Here in Dakar, it doesn’t feel too much like Christmas because it is about 90 degrees each day. However, we are seeing quite a few Christmas trees around. Today, we were driving downtown and we even saw a guy trying to sell a decorated tree as he walked along with the other vendors on the street! It made us laugh at first, but then we realized that we live in the midst of 2 million people with only a very few having any idea of what Christmas is all about. The picture they have gotten is a worldly and materialistic view. There is no spiritual or deeper meaning for many of them at all.
We are seeking to make known our Savior to these people. We have written about many of our neighbors, helpers, workers, friends, and acquaintances like Ibrahima who is very open to hearing the stories of the Bible. These are the ones with whom we have a chance to make a difference. Please pray that we will have many opportunities to share Christ during the “Christ”mas season. We hope that each of you will have divine appointments as well.
We want to thank you for your support through your prayers and finances as well. Many of you give faithfully to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the Cooperative Program. You are directly supporting our work and the work of over 5000 missionaries throughout the world. It is so exciting to see God changing lives!
However, there is still much work to be done and many places where we have very few or no missionaries. We would like to encourage you to continue to give during this Lottie Moon giving season. We know you have been stretched as many of you have given to the tsunami and hurricane relief efforts. We do pray that you will still be able to give so that we and our colleagues can carry on in the international work to which God has called us.
We do thank you and appreciate each one of you!! We pray that your Christmas season is blessed.
In Christ,
Chad, Crystal, Chase, and Caleb Reynolds serving in Dakar, Senegal
The angel said unto them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11
We are seeking to make known our Savior to these people. We have written about many of our neighbors, helpers, workers, friends, and acquaintances like Ibrahima who is very open to hearing the stories of the Bible. These are the ones with whom we have a chance to make a difference. Please pray that we will have many opportunities to share Christ during the “Christ”mas season. We hope that each of you will have divine appointments as well.
We want to thank you for your support through your prayers and finances as well. Many of you give faithfully to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the Cooperative Program. You are directly supporting our work and the work of over 5000 missionaries throughout the world. It is so exciting to see God changing lives!
However, there is still much work to be done and many places where we have very few or no missionaries. We would like to encourage you to continue to give during this Lottie Moon giving season. We know you have been stretched as many of you have given to the tsunami and hurricane relief efforts. We do pray that you will still be able to give so that we and our colleagues can carry on in the international work to which God has called us.
We do thank you and appreciate each one of you!! We pray that your Christmas season is blessed.
In Christ,
Chad, Crystal, Chase, and Caleb Reynolds serving in Dakar, Senegal
The angel said unto them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:10-11
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