From October 31 to November 13, Dakar, the capital of Senegal, is hosting the Youth Olympic Games, the first Olympic event held on the African continent. Nearly 2,700 athletes aged 14 to 17 are competing in 35 sports, from more than 200 delegations, with about 1 million spectators and more than 6,000 volunteers.
Senegal is about 95% Muslim, and only 0.2% of the population is evangelical. According to the International Mission Board (IMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention, missionaries in the country saw the Games as an opportunity to prepare Senegalese believers themselves, not just visitors. Carson West, IMB team leader in Senegal, trained church leaders and local partners in an approach to sharing the faith designed for the event.
The main tool is the exchange of commemorative Olympic pins. Each pin comes with a card carrying a QR code that leads to online resources and to trained people ready to respond to anyone who is interested. American volunteers help with follow-up conversations. Four Baptist churches in the Dakar area are taking part, along with teams in Diamniadio and Saly.
West says the greatest impact may be on Senegalese believers themselves, many of whom are afraid to share their faith. The hope is that the habit of talking about Jesus in the streets will continue after the Games and help plant churches. The report also notes that Senegal has its first complete Wolof Bible, the fruit of 63 years of translation. The Wolof are among the least reached peoples in the country.
How to pray
- Thank God for the complete Wolof Bible and pray that it will be read and loved.
- Ask for courage and boldness for Senegalese Christians who are afraid to talk about their faith.
- Pray that God will open doors and draw people whose hearts he is already touching.
- Intercede for the four Baptist churches in Dakar and for new churches to be born among the Wolof.
Source: IMB
Illustrative image. Photo: Sweder Breet / Unsplash
