The below story is from Operation Christmas Child Canada, and tells of how God's love is going forth even into a nation that is 95% Muslim. http://www.samaritanspurse.ca/rss/operation-christmas-child/impact/operation-christmas-child-impact-story_helping-children-in-senegal.aspx
Maxime Kouda, a church pastor and
head of the National Leadership Team in Senegal, Africa that
coordinates Operation Christmas Child in the
west African nation, is thrilled that more than 341,000 shoe
boxes from Canada have been distributed there during the past six years,
after 9,000 in Year One.
However, he wants the number
of Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes contributed by
Canadians to continue growing each year because he knows first-hand how many
hurting children there are in Senegal, Africa and other parts of
the developing world for whom an Operation Christmas Child shoe
box can be life transforming.
"It tells them they are
loved," Kouda says. "It gives them hope." And often, "it
introduces the children and their families to the saving power of
Jesus Christ."
When distributing the Operation
Christmas Child shoe boxes in partnership with local churches,
in Senegal, Africa Samaritan's Purse offers each child an illustrated
booklet in his or her native language that tells the story of Jesus' life,
death and resurrection. Children aren't required to accept the
booklet, but many do.
Also, a couple of weeks after
Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes are distributed, local
churches partner with Samaritan's Purse in offer a voluntary Bible study -
known as The Greatest Journey - to children and
families.
"People here in Senegal (where
the population is 95 per cent Muslim) are generally hostile to the
Gospel," Kouda explains. "But when we distribute the Operation
Christmas Child shoe boxes, and show we really care about the
Muslim children as well as the Christian children, we see an
openness that wasn't there before."
For example, in one Senegalese
village where an Operation Christmas Child shoe box distribution
happened in 2005, the village chief - a Muslim - remains one of the program's
biggest fans of Operation Christmas Child.
"I'm very happy to work with
the Christians (including local church leaders)" to
help children receive Operation Christmas Child shoe boxes,"
says Salion Gueye, 81, who joined the local Islamic imam in officiating at the
2005 shoe box distribution in their village. "We're glad to have
received shoe boxes, and we thank the people of Canada."
Gueye still has the photos of the
mother and daughter from Canada who packed an Operation Christmas Child
shoe box that his grandson received in 2005. "I'd like to meet those
people and say 'thank you' to them for the happiness they brought to my
grandson and my village."
Kouda says at least
2,000 children and adults in Senegal, Africa have publicly committed
their lives to Christ through Operation Christmas Child and
its discipleship program.
"Entire families have made
commitments," adds Pastor Victor Dyatta, another member of Senegal's
National Leadership Team for Operation Christmas Child.
Dyatta recalls
one child who dedicated her life to Jesus, then began attending a
local church. Her mother wasn't happy with this, and arrived at
the church one Sunday to order her daughter home. The mother couldn't
get her daughter's attention, and had to wait until the service ended before
speaking to the girl.
By then, Mom had heard the pastor's
message of salvation. It pulled on her heart so much during the next few days
that she began attending church with her daughter, and eventually
made her own commitment to Christ.
"We have many stories like
this," Kouda says. "Operation Christmas Child is helping
our churches grow in Senegal."
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