Over the past ten years, the Susu Project has endured disappointment when three of our first converts left the Church; mourning when an elderly pillar of our church died; and discouragement when people we knew collaborated with thieves and poisoned our dogs so they could break into our houses and steal from us while we were in church. But to us, these are indicators that we are doing God’s work and thus angering God’s enemy.

We have also tremendously enjoyed God’s blessings, which are too many to count. We have seen Him answer prayers and fulfill His promises. Our faith in Him is stronger than ever. I would like to tell more about one of His blessings in particular.

I used to think that my work was done once someone came to Christ and was baptized. However, when three of our members left the Church, I realized that, instead of stopping at the baptismal pool, we are called to mentor people to maturity in Christ. Making disciples as mandated by Christ means spending time on your knees for yourself and for them, sharing with them, caring for them when they are sick, being there for them at all times, crying with them, laughing with them, helping them to find their way out of their cultural spiritual maze, opening your door to them, helping them make plans for their lives, and the list goes on.

When we return to Guinea, one of the first events will be a wedding ceremony. The bride and groom, Margeurite and Niouma, are among the first group of young people we met who gave their lives to Christ. They grew up as if they were our older children. They are pioneer students of our school.

Margeurite was the first to take the officially recognized BDAS test we created to help students avoid standardized tests on Sabbath. She is now studying international development and also teaching in our school and serving as the secretary for the Primary section. She is also actively involved with the children’s Sabbath School, and she is the secretary of our women’s ministry group.

Niouma was the first student from our school to take the national college entrance exams (they didn’t fall on Sabbath that year). His score was the highest in our entire region of Guinea.

These two have been faithful to God and their church. When they started their friendship, they came to us and explained their feelings for each other. We told them to pray about it and be faithful to the word of God. We told them to talk to Marc and Cathy Coleman who were the Susu Project directors at the time. Since then, Marc and Cathy and my wife and I have been heavily involved in praying, counseling, guiding and supporting this young couple.
When Niouma left for seminary in Cameroon, Margeurite cried in the arms of my wife. A few months later, she came to my wife and said, “I don’t think he is going to come back to me.” My wife tried her best to encourage her to remain faithful and prayerful.

In May last year, a few weeks before we came to the States for training, Niouma returned from Cameroon. Brother George and his wife have been working closely with the couple. They have also gone for counseling to the president of the Mission Station in Conakry, Guinea. We are so thankful to the Lord for the example this young couple is setting for those behind them.

This could not have happened without the support of you, our teammates. The prayers you offer and the money you give is opening doors for people to fellowship with you in heaven someday. Because you pray and give, eternity will be different—for others and for you.

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