NTM

Please pray for believers in this country as they live in environments where people continue to worship spirits that are not from God.  Specifically, during times of circumsision for the children in the village, believers struggle on what to do.  If they include their children in these rituals there will certainly be animistic spiritual practices.  If they do not allow their children to participate they and their children will not be respected in the village and will be missing a very important cultural rite of passage.  They may even face threats from people in their village. 

Pray for me and a co-worker as we begin formal language and cultural study this week with language partners.  There are many details involved.  Pray for our family as well as they adjust to our new habits and working schedules.  Pray for all the missionaries here who are working to learn languages so that they can communicate God’s love and truth to people here who are lost. 

Pray that our organization and all the missionaries here will grow more in unity together and especially with our Senegalese brothers and sisters.

You can continue to reguard previous prayer requests for basic needs that will continue…health, money matters, etc.

Praise God for His faithfulness and loving care in my life!  It is a joy to worship with my Senegalese brothers and sisters here. 

Wow, the food here is so good!  I am so blessed to have such yummy meals every day!  I am also learning that to have proper behavior at meal time you must change your thinking.  You have to disregard rules about germs and always think of the people you are eating with.  You eat well to please the cook who made the food and the father who bought the food.  You share the same bowl with people to show love and respect.  You even watch their portion and place the yummy stuff that they like in their space.  This shows that you are thinking of them.  You sometimes eat with your hands, too.  Which means that your hands must be washed before the meal in the presence of others.  It is not always easy to share things.  You have to not think of yourself.."I don’t want to get sick, or I don’t like this food that much, or I would like more of that yummy meat." But instead think, "perhaps my sister would like this piece of meat, perhaps my mother will be pleased if I enjoy this food, perhaps my father will be pleased if I serve him, and perhaps they all will see that we are the same and I love them if I eat out of the same bowl." You can learn a lot about Senegalese culture just from eating a meal together.  You see here, sharing is imperative in every sense.  Nothing belongs to only you.  You have to share and you need to share in a certain way.  If not you are giving the wrong impression.  Pray that I can share appropriately and always show the love of God for others here.  Pray that God will give me wisdom in how to act and change me according to His will. 

Thank you so much for praying for me. To see prayer requests just click on the word PRAY on my page.  It is on the left side of the page and it says PRAY for real needs. 

Pray also that I can get the internet soon.

Pray for safety.  We almost hit a child while driving yesterday.  Praise God for protecting the child and us.  I am reminded how important it is to pray for saftey. 

Pray for good health, nourishment from food that does not come from a "clean" supermarket.  Pray that I do not gain weight from all the rice and bread we eat.  Pray for my back and neck and freedom from headaches.  Praise God my stomach is better this week.

Pray for wisdom.  Money is used differently in this culture.  There is a complicated system for giving and lending and spending and saving.  Pray that I will give generously according to the culture and the Lords will and also spend wisely according to the Lord’s will.  People ask and lend money from eachother daily here. 

Pray that I would be a good witness and encouragement in my family, church, community and beyond.  I want to get to know the children on my street better so we can invite them to the kids club we have at church.  Pray that parents will be willing for them to come even if they are from another religon. 

Praise God for His great love and care in every way and for partners like you. 

Last night was my welcome meeting with New Tribes Mission here in Senegal.  We had a great time.  I shared a testimony, my family and some friends from my local Jola church sang some songs before having pizza with other missionaries.  At the end of the night a lady who lives near me asked if there was room enough in the van for her to ride home with us.  I said, THERE IS ALWAYS ENOUGH ROOM!  The van was one for 9 people but there were more than 15 people and two babies in the van.  Even when I thought it was full we stopped and picked up more friends!  We drove home on a road that was constructed for three lanes of traffic but had 6 lanes of cars and busses and motercycles weaving in the tight spaces inbetween.  Not to mention all the people crossing the street between all the cars.  It can be scary. Life here is like that.  On the ride home as we sang worship songs in French and Jola I was thinking of how awesome it is that there is always enough room in the arms or our Lord.  Like the hymn says, "there is room at the cross for you".  I am finding that with my African friends and family here, even when there is very little there is always enough to share and always enough to give to someone who has need.  I am learning a lot from them about giving sacrifically.  Thank you as well for giving. 

Thank you for your prayers! 

As I have just arrived I have some requests for you.                Praise God for my safe arrival with all my luggage. Praise God for a very nice family and church family.  Praise God for single ladies close to my age who I can fellowship with and learn from.  Pray that I remain in good health, for my back, my stomach, that I would have no migraines and not get malaria.  Pray for my family and I to communicate well and be unified in Christ and be used together for His glory with our neighbors.  Also for the church here as well.  Pray for wisdom in my actions. 

I have arrived!!!
God is so good! I have arrived here in Senegal and I am staying with my Senegalese family. This is a picture of my host parents. They are taking great care of me. They have even given me a name as their daughter (Atom Diatta) and taken me in as one of their own. They are teaching me Senegalese culture and helping me to improve my French as well. I hear at least three languages each day and none of them are English. I speak French with my family and everyone I meet. They speak Jola with one another at times because my family and the members of my small church here in Dakar are Jola. (it would be interesting to look up this people group on Google). I also hear Wolof which is a major language here in Senegal and is used for shopping.

The church here is excited to partner with missionaries to reach the unreached people who live in the villages. They are so generous to take me in as one of their own. I feel loved and protected every day and find comfort in being able to follow their examples and ask them questions about life here.

There are so many needs here. In my family, for example, we have no refrigerator and my “parents” use luggage to store their clothes. They hope to buy a chest of drawers soon. We cook with one small gas stove and a small charcoal grill and buy food each day. Right now, gas is not even available here. Wow, the food is good!!! We eat very well! I have to learn to cook well if I am to be respected as a woman here. Oh, there is so much I could tell you but I don’t have the time right now. I will say as well that the sounds are new and strange to me. I hear loud prayers each day and in the middle of the night from loud speakers at mosques near our apartment. It reminds me to pray for the people here. Music and joyful greetings are something I hear a lot of as well.

Pray that God would use us here for His glory among our neighbors and through the work at the church as well. I have already begun to work with a group of children that meet each week. There are many people around me who do not know the great salvation of our Lord and savoir Jesus Christ. Pray that we are salt and light every day. I love you all! Check out my new photos. I’ll add them when I can. I do not have internet at home right now.

Please pray for me as I prepare to move to Senegal.  I am speaking at churches and reconnecting with ministry partners.  I am also spending time with family and trying not to think too much about the upcoming goodbyes.  I have much packing and sorting and throwing out of "stuff" to do.  I am making some regular maintenance doctor’s and dentists visits and getting some shots for work in Africa.  Thank you for all your prayers.  Please also pray for an increase in monthly partnership.  I am currently receiving 65% of the recommended level of financial partnership. 

Well, finally I have completed a year of French studies!  Yea!  I received a fancy diploma that said that I received a title of "assez bien".  Translated, that means "good enough".  HA!  That’s a very encouraging grade!  I think that really means something like a "B" in American grades.  It reminds me of why I wanted to learn how to speak for myself in West Africa in the first place…because translations are never quite the same as being able to communicate directly.

It was difficult to say goodbye to friends in France and I spent more hours than usual with them before leaving.  I received my grades after spending about 6 hours with a friend.  After an entire day speaking French and not feeling tired of it, I decided that no matter what my grade was, I had met my goal.  Being able to communicate and counsel a friend in God’s truth while never saying a word of English is a great accomplishment! Thanks for the part you all played this year! 

Grace a Jesus-Christ, nous sommes tous assez bien avant Dieu!  ….Thanks to Christ Jesus, we are all (believers) good enough before God. 

Living in France this year has allowed me the opportunity to walk through some beautiful vineyards.  I was able to watch the vines be pruned in the spring and watch the grapes grow throughout the summer.  This fall the mountains and hillsides were covered with green vines that were full of gorgeous grapes that were ready to be harvested.  I have never tasted such a delightful variety of flavors in one kind of fruit.  After a year of daily labor by hand of pruning and caring for the vines, the fruit was ready to be enjoyed. 

Of course I was reminded how vital it is for us to be abiding in Christ.  Being a missionary does not automatically mean that I am daily abiding in Christ.  Resting in Him, enjoying His presence, reading His word, seeking His will…these are choices that each of us have before us daily.  It is so easy for the pressures of life, and all our different responsibilities to be our focus that we can forget to live our days out with the Lord.  And when that happens things always start to fall apart.  I personally stop feeling what it means to truely live.  If God is the only source of real life, we have to remember Him in everything we do.  It is only then that our lives will produce fruit. 

Please pray for me while I am studying for final exams and saying goodbye to dear friends.  I will be home in Georgia for Christmas.  I will be packing my bags and moving to West Africa by March.  I would love to talk with you while I’m home.  Pray that even in all the busy moments that I would abide in The Vine, walking with my Lord, seeking His will, and enjoying Him every day. I am praying this for you too.