As our little flock grows and attracts young people, we face challenges in guiding them, meeting their felt needs and building their confidence in the word of God. At times we get bogged down with these challenges and get distracted by their personal problems. Yet, their energy breathes life into the church and the work.
Despite all their problems and challenges, these teenagers are responding very positively to the three angels’ messages. It is amazing to see teenagers in this setting standing for Bible truth. It is a challenge for kids their age to resist peer pressure and not follow the crowd. This year, three of our young members, Oumar Deen Keïta, Bintu Ifono and Mariam Honomou, stood up for the Bible truth they have come to understand. Like the three Hebrew boys, they said in effect, “We are not worried about the national exams (which often fall on the Sabbath). Our God whom we serve is able to perform a miracle and allow us to pass our exams. But if not, be it known unto you, our dear non-Adventist parents, teachers and friends, that we will not break the fourth commandment of our God by going to the exam halls on Sabbath.” Indeed they did not. While their friends were in the exam halls, they were in church singing praises and pouring their hearts to their God.
On July 15, I heard a loud, impatient knock at our gate. When I opened the gate, Bintu came bouncing in, singing one of our praise choruses, “God has done it again.” “God has proved to me that the Sabbath is real!” she exclaimed, bursting into tears of joy. “Deen and I made it! We passed the exam!”
I was dumbfounded, and tears of joy sprang to my eyes as well. When I found my voice, I shouted, “Praise the Lord! This is a miracle!”
Later, as I reflected on our students who have faced this challenge, I recalled Marguerite Bonnet and her brother. Why didn’t God perform this miracle for them and let them pass? I believe it was to motivate us to create the BDAS, an internationally recognized equivalent exam that we can administer ourselves to avoid Sabbath conflicts. But He allowed Deen and Bintu to pass this year’s exams so everyone would see that nothing is impossible for Him.
Over the past eight years of our project, God has worked powerful miracles, each appropriate for its time. People around town—even Muslims—are testifying that the Jesus of the Adventist church is alive and powerful.
Indeed, we serve a wonderful God! Despite all the negative pressure from the local educational authorities this year, our school produced the best primary school results in the region. We presented 17 students to the Junior High School entrance exams, and all of them passed—14 of them with distinction. For the Junior High to Senior High School entrance exams, we presented 14 candidates, and 11 passed.
Thank you for your prayers and your support for the work here among the Susu Muslims, where the banner of Jesus is rising higher and higher.
