As a novice biologist in a former life, visiting Côte d’Ivoire presented me unexpected gifts: A roadside vendor selling a freshly dead Civit Cat for travelers to take home to Mom in the city, seeing cashews grow on the bottom of an edible fruit and drinking in the glorious greens of lush West African jungle.
It was a deeper gift to hang with the “beautiful feet” group of women and men who have pledged themselves to bring good news to the most unreached parts of their country. They will live lean and largely unseen, save for a small audience of supporters and a Father who must be delighted in their sacrifice of service.
I was also reminded of our tendency to stereotype and look down on parts of our country or state as backward or wrong-headed. For instance, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1.46) “The South,” California or in Colorado: Pueblo. In the Ivory Coast, many look down on Bouna, the city and region where our new missionary friends are working. The idea, both in and beyond the Ivorian Church that “up there” is backward and unsafe contributes to a dearth of gospel effort.
Finally, when I began to advocate for unengaged people groups a couple years ago, God gave me the Bozo of Mali as a challenging example: They’re fishermen who live in tough places. They’re also nomads, so it’s a different tough place from time to time. But get this: One of the local missionaries we met is moving this week to a Ivorian village where Bozo live! I saw them there, fishing nets drying in the sun! The kingdom is breaking through for the Bozo.
Thank you so much to Muslim Connect readers who gave over the past year to allow this trip to happen. I believe your gifts have contributed to kingdom advance. Want to see and hear a bit of Côte d’Ivoire? Watch the 90 Second Muslim Connect videos I’ve posted. I’d be thrilled to have you subscribe to that channel and receive ongoing, fresh content. Thanks.