Since Fati left town

It took an entire month of recovery from West African bush life for me to discover the reason why I was there and how God truly worked in the hearts of the people of Boubon. Last week, a precious group of women were able to spend time with some of my favorite Boubon ladies, and there was even more exposure to the Gospel. My heart swells with love for these sweet villagers, and I am thrilled to know that God continues to work on their hearts even after Fati & Mariama left the village.

"The poor & needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs. I will put in the desert the cedar & the acacia, the myrtle & the olive. I will set pines in the wasteland, the fir & the cypress together, so that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it." -Isaiah 41:17-20

After hearing how God is still at work in Boubon, I am ashamed to remember the doubt that Satan sometimes slipped into corners of my heart while failing for the 3500th time to conjure up the right words in Zarma to share the real reason we were in Boubon. Satan's lies always included whispers that God didn't care about the Songhai, I was inadequate for the job, or that our work in the village was useless. It was easy for my exhausted body to listen to the lies. Thankfully, God is faithful when we are faithless- and I rejoice in that!

God will not forsake the poor & needy souls of Boubon- of that I am sure. Although I would give my right arm & leg to be able to return to that sweet village soon, I know that God's plan for me right now is to finish school and plan to marry my fiancee in May. Rather than spending my days wallowing in the fact that I cannot see my village momma or hug the necks of my favorite little ones, I want to be able to serve right where God has placed me. He has put hundreds of international students and refugees and classmates right in front of my face who need Jesus just as much as the people in Boubon. My heart longs to be sharing Christ in a place where people would never get the chance to hear of Him, but for now... I pray that the Father will give me humility & willingness to serve right where He's placed me.

God is good, and He has not forsaken Boubon.