We now have 10 days of our time in Cote d’ Ivoire in the books and there has been so much that has taken place. All that has occurred to far has us and our team encouraged that God is on the move (as He always is).
Here is a picture of what the trucker port stop looks like where the glory of God you are about to hear about has been dwelling.
Upon our arrival in to the country last Tuesday we rested and prepared for our ministry to the truckers coming from all the surrounding countries the following morning. We woke up and had a “briefing” with the men who have started this ministry here and had a prayer walk around the ports scheduled following our meeting. We prayed our way to the ports from the host church (appx. 30 minutes) with the ministry leaders. When we had made it there our main leader and translator showed us the place where they have church every Sunday morning. It is two wooden posts with a peice of tin on top that is connected to a cinder block wall that separates the trucks and a factory. Thank our Lord that the church is not the building and He is Spirit because if it was about the looks He would pass by. Under the tin roof was a few old wooden benches to sit on that the truckers could retreat to from the beating sun. As we approached the meeting area fresh from praying we were greeted by a woman who the truckers called “Mom.” She was there to help the truckers find the loads they came to get (which is extremely important there because the loads can often take weeks to get and prepare for transport back to their home country). We began to talk with her and our leader felt that we should share with her. He asked me (Matthew) to share to share the story of the demoniac who was shackled and chained in Mark 5. This was not exactly what I was thinking as far as my go to Gospel story but I shared and as I did I began to see the relation. Almost all of the men and women that are in the ports are Muslim and from the countries of Burkina and Mali. See to them, they know of Jesus but He is not God to them. This story tells of Jesus’ overwhelming authority in the spiritual realm and allows for the teller to ask “Do you want freedom?” Because it is now established that Jesus possesses that. As I asked that question, the “Mom” said she wanted to be free. From there we shared the Gospel with her and planted deep seeds in her life. She left thanking us for speaking with her and how important what we are doing at the ports is because “they really need the Good News.” And to think that one of the most influential people in the ports was touched by God on the very first day while we only had the intentions of prayer walking. What if God could take your every day life activities and do something greater than you could imagine with them? What if we just gave Him space to work? What if what doesn’t make sense for us to say or do what is unplanned is actually what God wants to use for His glory? We experienced this on the first day and those seeds planted in our lives early will become trees by the end of this thing 🙂
Just a few days later on Friday we returned to the ports to share the Gospel. This is a big day as it is the Holy Day in Islam. We were able to share with 44 people in our split up groups and from all of those groups combined 4 new brothers were added to the family of God and many of the others who were shared with were open but not fully ready to surrender.
The following night, we went back to the port area to show the Jesus Film in their language and around 50 people showed to to see the film including children and women. The film was shown right in the truck area on the cinder block wall formentioned. 10 individuals professed that they wanted to accept the sacrifice of Christ Jesus (Some of these individuals were those who we shared with the day before). The party in heaven is growing louder. Also Kalyn got to love on the kids of the port families SOOOOO well. They love her.
Then, Sunday we held our church meeting in our little covered area and it was so cool to see again some of those that we had shared with on Friday attend. Jesus was so glorified and truth was given in our midst.
Our most recent glory story just finished yesterday (Tuesday) as we returned to the ports to follow up with those we had shared with on Friday and showed the film to on Saturday. I (Matthew) saw a young man as soon as we walked in who had a Charlotte Hornets jersey on. He had no clue who they were but it was so cool to meet him and build a relationship immediately that moments later led to something beautiful. As my new friend and I began to talk, some of our friends we shared with on Friday gathered around and we shared the gospel again through a new story and all three of them accepted the Lord as their Savoir and Father. PRAISE!!! God is working amongst the African Muslims. (Our translator and ministry leader is the second from the right and he is AMAZING!!).
BUT IT DIDN’T STOP THERE!! The young man in the middle in the picture above wanted us to go see his truck a little ways down the truck area so we followed him. When we arrived two more young men came up to us and one had already received Christ through the ministry and brought his friend to us because he was asking about Jesus. Our translator allowed me to share again and another soul was added to the Kingdom through the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins!!! (The young man in the middle was the one whose faith drove him to bring his friend to hear the Great News and the young man on the left is now forgiven!!)
God is moving and shaking the ground here and it is not of our doing but of His love. Stories gallore are happening all around us here. This is not an easy ministry but SOOO used by the Lord. All of these men that have accepted are from the Northern Countries of Africa and if you remember from an earlier blog the picture that shows this area being a breakthrough for Followers heading to the North. This is truly how and why. God is so good and this is just the beginning.
Please join us and pray for those we have mentioned that we as the body can break the soil up in His name.
Just in case you were wondering we as a couple are still doing well and so thankful to still have some time to have fun and try the local cuisine. This is rice with pistachio sauce and beef on the left and rice with eggplant sauce and beef on the right (very very very popular here). Love this place but if you are ever here ALWAYS chose the pistachio sauce 🙂
Thank you to all who read and are encouraged in Christ. If you finished this blog and actually got to this sentence we are praying for you and so thankful for you making this possible. Until next time just know the glory stories are still happening here as they are all around you! Go God!
