We were wrapping up our church training one Monday afternoon when a visitor named Pascal asked the group a question: How can we know that Saturday today is the same as the Sabbath in the Bible? He had asked his friend Bernard, who had suggested he come and ask our church group. Ever since that day, Bernard and Pascal have both been coming regularly to the Monday meetings.
Recently, Pascal told us about his father who had been a professional singer in the traditional Otammari folk style. He had been popular, and Pascal wanted to follow in his footsteps. His father gave him one interesting piece of advice. Although he was not a Christian, he told Pascal he should never go to the fetishes to get power to sing. If he sought the help of a fetish, people could then use the fetishes to curse him since he would be under their power by his own choice. Pascal followed his father’s advice. As his popularity as a singer grew, he saw the curses of his enemies fall powerless against him.
Here in Benin, demonic activity is very visible, and fetish worship is rampant. Nearly every person has been dedicated to the fetishes as a child and has performed spiritual ceremonies further binding them to demons. It may be that Pascal is the only living traditional Otammari singer who has not sought the fetishes for his strength and power. And I believe it’s no coincidence that he found his way to the little study hut behind Toussaint and Uli’s house!
For some time, our team has been searching for methods we can use to communicate the Gospel to the Otammari people. In her research, Suzy, together with Hyacinthe, concluded months ago that songs in the traditional Otammari style would be a good spiritual hunger-development tool. Songs that tell stories in a way people can hardly resist listening to. Songs like Pascal sings.
At church one Sabbath last September, Pascal quietly walked up to the front and told the program leaders he wanted to sing a song. As he began, all eyes focused on him, and the congregation sat silently, absorbed in the music. A few minutes into the song, the entire congregation started singing along with Pascal. I wondered how they all knew the song, but later I was told they were just singing a short refrain. As Pascal’s song ended, the appreciation in the church was tangible. He had touched something deep inside of them—something that doesn’t get touched very often. He had sung the Gospel to them in their heart language, a song their souls needed to hear.
Hyacinthe translated for me afterwards. Pascal’s song was about how he had served the devil in the past, but now he was going to serve the Lord. As Moses and the Israelites left Egypt to serve God, he was going to leave idolatry behind and follow Jesus. He had written the song especially for the occasion, and this was the first time he had sung it in public.
Pascal is now writing and recording songs to air on Hyacinthe’s weekly radio program, matching his subjects. This is a small beginning of something we hope will continue to grow, as God’s workings tend to do. Pascal came to our little training program to have a question answered. Now he is answering one of our biggest questions by using his God-given talents to tell others about the message he is just beginning to understand.
