Focus on the Unreached: The Hidden People of West Africa

This month's Focus on the Unreached showcases one of the first people groups adopted by School to the Nations: the Hidden people of  West Africa.

Adoption of the Fulanke

Learn.

First off, let's review the definition of "people groups": it comes from the Biblical term "nations" and refers to a distinct people who are connected through a common tongue. The significance of reaching the nations is based in Revelation 5:9, which tells us that every tribe and every tongue will be represented in God's Kingdom.

The Hidden are spread throughout dozens of villages in a West African country but share a common tongue. These kind and gentle people face drought and famine daily, and are oppressed under the ideas of folk Islam and animism. The Hidden people are in great need of being loved in truth and in deed. We have begun compassion projects of medical aid and BioSand filters for well water in the past and hope to continue those works in the future.  Their part of West Africa is currently experiencing serious political turmoil and we haven’t been able to do an outreach since January  of 2012. We have not been able to take trips there and we anticipate moving back into these areas as we sense the Spirit and it is safe.

School to the Nations adopted the Hidden in 2006 and had many outreach trips to West Africa since then. When we first arrived, there were no known believers within the 50 or so Hidden people villages, but God drew several Hidden people to Himself on our first outreach. The first Hidden believers were baptized during the winter of 2010-2011.  Since then, the number of believers has grown and an indigenous pastor has been growing the church and making disciples. The church is small and based on land that was given to the pastor by his chief; he and his family serve and live there. School to the Nations is aiding this young pastor in finishing Bible school so that he is even better equipped to spread the Gospel among the villages. He is in need of a motorbike so that he can travel throughout the villages efficiently.

Pray.

-That the funds needed for a motorbike for the indigenous pastor will be provided. Contact Randy at schooltothenations@gmail.com if you’d like to learn more about this need.

- For the elections in July to produce new national leadership that will stabilize the nation.

- For the current believers to be strengthened and begin a church-planting movement among the villages.

- For a continued and strengthened Intercessory Prayer Movement. This movement is at the forefront of our efforts and the Hidden people are a key group in our prayers. If you’d like more information about this movement, please contact us at stn.intercession@gmail.com

Stories from the Field: Real Compassion

This post comes from a personal newsletter from a STN Staff Member. 

A lady from the village hobbled towards our camp with her husband. As she lifted her shirt, we could see that she suffered severe burns down the entire right side of her body. Our medical team began to uncover the damage and found that the wounds exceeded our capabilities. The team did all they could medically and shared the peace of Christ with the couple.

Nearby a group of believers met for discipleship. By divine appointment, our team leader had decided to share on the story of the Good Samaritan. As he shared and discussed how the church should respond to the needs of the hurting around them, he turned to see the woman who had come and called the church to be the “good Samaritan”. Out of their nothingness, the church pulled their resources to get the woman the treatment she needed. Overwhelmed by Christ’s story and the love she had experienced, her and her husband gave their life to Christ. 

Jesus asked "Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

Luke 10 (NASB)

Video Friday: Who We Are - Compassion

Learn more about the Compassion aspect of School to the Nations in this short video. Share with your friends and family and help us spread the word...

Who We Are: Compassion 

Created and Edited by: 

Matt Douglas and James Copeland