Subject: Senegal Mission Trip - 2009
Janice Snapp
Dear Ones, my hope was to complete this before the end of the year, but as
you can see, I didn't make it! The week after we returned, you received a
very complete description of our journey from Faye and Paige. So, I will
only add those things which were related to me, personally.
This time before the trip, God impressed upon me the importance of being
able to share the "Creation to Christ" story. I had never shared it with
anyone in Senegal on my two previous trips, and felt that God had
something special in mind for me on this trip. So, I spent a great deal
of time studying it. I told Faye that, finally, I had learned it but was
afraid that if I was interrupted while telling the story, I would forget
something or make some kind of huge mistake. Faye said, "Don't worry,
Janice. Amy will be interpreting for you and if you make a mistake or
leave something out, she will correct it." This made me feel so much
better and took the edge off my anxiety.
As always, it's wonderful to see friends that you made on previous trips
and they're always excited to see you again! There are many smiles, hugs,
and laughter when we finally meet. And, since many of you got to see and
hear Michelle, you know why we're always anxious to be with her again.
God uses Michelle beyond measure!
According to our schedule, not God's, I was supposed to go to language
class on Friday. As God would have it in His Perfect Plan, Faye and I
switched places so that I could go to Lummo in Kolda with Amy and Paige.
(Amy is our interpreter whom I not only have a great respect for, but whom
I also greatly love.) We were so excited as neither Paige nor I had ever
been to one in Kolda. As we walked through the dirt paths, God created
opportunities for Paige and I to share Bible stories with many people.
The owners of a newly opened restaurant even came out into the crowd and
asked us to come inside and pray for them and their new business. And, we
were able to share a Bible story with them before praying for them. We
took down names and numbers and let them know that someone would be
visiting with them again.
Then, while making our way through the crowd to the main road to head
home, we met M. J. He had a large piece of raw meat hanging, and was
selling it piece by piece. He spoke two or three different languages. He
purchased some roasted peanuts for us to share and invited us to sit and
talk with him for awhile. He carried on a conversation with Amy for
awhile, then she turned to us and said, "He can also speak English." M.
J. told us he had heard some of the stories in the Bible and was very
interrested in them. In between all of this, he was waiting on customers
and cutting off pieces of meat. Finally, I asked Amy if I could share
Creation to Christ with him? Amy said, "yes." Then, I asked her if she
would interpret for me and she looked at me and said, "Janice, he speaks
ENGLISH." You could have scraped me off the ground at that time, and I
immediately turned to Paige and said, "START PRAYING!" I honestly cannot
remember exactly what happened, except that God started feeding me and
the words came out of my mouth. You see, God did have something special
in mind for me... He wanted to use me, but he also wanted to teach me to
rely and trust in Him, and only Him. M. J. told us he would really like to have a Bible, in French I think. So, we told him we would have someone contact
him and give him a Bible, probably some time after we had gone back to
Amerik. We wrote down his name and a number where someone could call him.
The very next day, Paige and I were on our way to the food market to
purchase items needed for lunch, and when we turned the corner off our
main road, there stood M. J. across the road. God set him right in front
of us so that we COULD NOT miss him! We greeted and hugged him and told him not to move from that spot, that we would return with a New Testament in French for him. And so, a short time later, we returned and Paige was able to present him with a New Testament. We left him with eyes shining, and a huge smile on his face.
Now, back to the day before, after we left M. J. For the past three
years, our missionaries have been trying to gain entrance into the prison.
The answer was always "NO." As we left our new friend, M. J., we made our
way to the main road to catch a taxi. Usually, you had to wait awhile to
find one that was empty and could accommodate all of you. But, not this
day! The very first taxi that came down the road, stopped for us. And,
what do you think...God's Perfect Plan unfolded. Amy's brother was in the
front seat on his way to work AT THE PRISON IN KOLDA. He asked Amy who we were and what we were doing there. She told him, and that's when he said that he wanted us to go to the prison with him and meet his superiors. So we looked at each other and headed for the prison! When we arrived, Amy's brother got out, went into the office area and returned with some of his superiors. We shook hands and greeted each other. They told us that if we would return that afternoon or the next day, they would let us in the prison to visit with the prisoners!
God so smiled and made His face to shine upon us and His imprisoned
children that day. He opened doors, and made the way wide and clear when
we weren't even asking! As Paige so perfectly put it into words, "God
allowed us to watch Him move."
One night, at the end of May or the first part of June before our Senegal
trip, God told me to go to the Checkered Lily and send an e-mail to
Michelle. When I'm in Picayune, I don't have a computer at my home, so
Rebecca permits me to use the one at the Checkered Lily any time I need
one. But, this was 7:00 p.m. and I was already in my P.J.'s and ready for
a quiet night at home. So, of course, I asked God "Are you sure you want
me to do this?" and He made the answer perfectly clear, "YES." Send a
message to Michelle and tell her to read John 14:6 and John 3:16 to Amy S.
Then, ask her if any other profit ever claimed to be the only way to God.
So, I got dressed, drove into town, and sent the message. When I was
comfortably at home again, I asked God to please reveal to me at some
future time that He had really asked me to do this.
While in Kolda one evening as the three of us were taking showers and
getting ready for bed, Faye told us that God told her to read John 14:6 to
Amy S. It was my turn to shower right after she said this, so I started
thinking about it as I showered. When I came out, I ran to check my
notebook where I had written down what God had asked me to do back at the beginning of the summer and there it was, John 14:6. I was so excited
that I could have jumped up and down, and told Faye and Paige my story.
The next day I asked Michelle if she had received my message. She said,
"yes," but she was working on so many things at that time, that it slipped
her mind. I can certainly understand this, as Michelle doesn't have
enough hours in a day to do all that she would like to do. I would have
loved to have shared these verses with Amy S. while I was there, but God
did not tell me to do so. However, God did answer my prayer. I needed to
know He was talking to me and that it was not just "me," "myself," and
"I." God is so good, just when you need it, He bends down to listen to
you and then kisses you on the cheek!
Amy S....she is such a joy and I love her so much. As her student, I must
me a great disappointment to her as I have not spent the endless hours
that Faye has studying Pulaar. But, we have such a good time when we are
together, one of many reasons why I continue with my classes. She
radiates love as I hope we do and, she is still "searching." She knows
what we do and why we are there. At the end of my second class on this
trip, we were constructing sentences. She made a sentence with "God" in
it. I can't remember it, as I forgot to bring my notebook with me to
Columbia, but I do remember that it was a true sentence and that it was
good. So I told her that it was a wonderful sentence and that it was very
true. She just smiled that big beautiful smile at me and we hugged
tightly.
At the end of my last class, she made another sentence with God. So, I
knew she was wanting more from me. I asked if I could share my testimony
with her and she immediately said "yes" with another huge smile and ran
into another part of her home and returned with a recorder in her hand.
Did this scare me..."yes." Who am I to be saying anything that needs to
be recorded! I prayed that God would use my testimony to bring her one
step closer to Him. We had a good talk and shed many tears. I look
forward to seeing her again, not only in this world, but also in the next.
No, I don't believe she has taken that step of faith yet, but I continue
to pray that she will. God promises in His word that if you SEEK Him, you
will find Him.
Faye's idea to teach our friends in Kolda how to crochet rugs was a "God
sent" idea. They were able to learn a craft that allowed them to help
themselves. It gave us a reason to invite them to come together all at
one time, and an opportunity to show our love for them and to let His love
shine through us.
Time always passes quickly, and before we know it, we are on our way home.
Once again, God uses this time to reveal His message to us. He reminds us
that we are not promised a "tomorrow" while on this earth. We must make
the most of evey day, not fearing or worrying about the past or tomorrow.
"This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it."
(Psa 118:24)
God has truly blessed me by allowing me to be a part of this team and
trip. I will always be thankful to Him who directs my path. Every time we
go to Senegal, it seems to be better than the time before. But as we
leave, it doesn't seem as though it could get any better! We get to visit
and spend time with old friends and make many new ones as our love for
them grows, and God always provides opportunities for us to share His word
with them.
It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send
it. (Isa. 55:11)
Thank you for praying...your prayers make a difference.
I will always love you, Janice
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