Guinea-Bissau is populated by Muslims (51%), animists (40%) and Christians (9%). By God’s grace, the gospel is reaching animists and Muslims, mostly when they are teenagers or youth. They face many troubles in their families, and in some cases, they are prevented from eating, suffer physical violence and are expelled from home.
In our church plant, there is a girl called Nani. She is 15. When she accepted Jesus as her Savior, she faced a lot of difficulties within her animist family. Her mother didn’t allow Nani to participate in our services and Bible studies, and sometimes, Nani secretly attended church.
Sometime later, Nani was very sick. She couldn’t walk, and her body was wracked by pain. Her mother attributed the pain to Nani attending the church and decided to look for a sorcerer, hoping to solve the problem. The sorcerer concocted a substance for Nani to drink and use ceremoniously, but she refused. “If you do not participate in the ceremony, you will have to leave the house,” her mother said angrily.
“God, why am I going through this?” she asked, still believing He had a purpose and a plan. “God, show my family that your power is above the spirits.”
On Sabbath morning, she began feeling better, intriguing her mother by the turn of events. A few days later, Nani fully recovered. Her mother then recognized that God had restored her health. Afterward, Nani’s mother agreed to allow her to return to the church because she understood that God protected her daughter. Nani’s prayer was heard. Praise be to the Lord!
Nani is now living with her sister, and her family received us warmly when we visited them. We are working to cultivate friendships with them and hope to soon welcome her family for a visit to our church. Nani continues to testify to them about the power of God, and although her mother has not accepted Jesus yet, we know the Spirit is impressing her. We are praying for her and asking God for the opportunity to present the message to her. We have no question about God’s power nor the Holy Spirit’s ability to continue moving this family’s minds and hearts to know Jesus’ salvation.
Please join us in prayer for Nani and her family. Nani is growing in faith, and God will certainly use her to reach many people in her area. Pray for our church-planting efforts as we receive many young animists into our Bible classes. Family is an important factor in their decision to turn to Jesus. If we pray together, God will do great things.
“How great you are, Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears” (2 Samuel 7:22).
