“Learning the local Wolof language made our day richer, from simple greetings to deep conversations over Attaya tea while witnessing the impactful work being done for the community. It’s a reminder of the joy found in perseverance and the strength of shared missions.”
Today began with a Wolof language class. Although only about 40% of Senegalese people are Wolof, over 80% use the language in some capacity even with French being the official language of Senegal. We put our new skills to the test at the artisan markets. Our language instructor— a prominent figure in Wolof language education and a contributor to the Wolof Bible translation made learning enjoyable. We practiced essential greetings:
This is equivalent to saying hi:
Salaam malekum: “Peace to you”
Malekum salaam: “And peace to you”
Naka suba si?: “How is your morning?”
Ja’mm rekk: “Peace only” (a versatile, safe response like “good” or “fine”)
For lunch we joined S.D, an international worker from CAMA at a local restaurant serving pizza. It is a tradition in this culture to have tea or coffee following a meal. So we got to try Attaya, a traditional tea brewed in three stages with green tea, mint, and sugar, served in small glasses all while in good conversation with S.D. He ministers in the slums assisting the poor and homeless with a focus on creating job opportunities through fishing and farming. The ministries he is involved in is called Farming God’s Way and Seeds of Hope which aims to uplift the local community with skills. We learned about the harsh realities of poverty and the efforts to make a difference in such ministries as these ones. Many people live in deep poverty here and struggle with basic needs like education and making money for basic needs. There is a need to pray for the people of Senegal to petition God to meet such basic needs and skills. Prayer for the support needed for the international workers who have been called to serve in this area in an effort to make things better both big and small.
After Lunch, we visited Dakar Academy, where M, an Envision intern, was preparing her classroom for the upcoming school year. She works with students from different backgrounds including embassy and missionary kids as well as those learning English as an additional language (English Language Learner), since English might not be their second language.
In the later afternoon we met J.D. from aXcess International, who talked about the dynamics of working in multicultural teams. He emphasized the need to understand cultural differences and how teams respond to these differences at various stages. During our visit here in Senegal, we’re connecting with international workers from diverse cultural backgrounds who are all united by a common mission: to share the way, the truth, and the life found in Jesus with others. Navigating these different cultural perspectives presents both challenges and rewards but it enriches teamwork and strengthens a team. Let’s pray for the team forming here in Senegal, asking God to foster mutual understanding and respect for their diverse cultural backgrounds. Pray for wisdom and patience as they face challenges and for strength as they share Jesus with the community. May their work bear fruit, and may they find joy together in every stage of their journey.
Verse of the Day:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4.