When we first arrived in Senegal a year and a half ago, it was the height of the hot season. One of the hottest places we frequented was our church, which was usually packed with worshipers and, of course, has no A/C. Dan would be sweating from head to toe by the time the service got out, and would be anxious to get home and cool off.
A couple of months after our arrival, ITES (the bible school where we serve) offered a course on understanding Islam, which Dan and I eagerly signed up for (even though we'd already taken a similar course before coming to Senegal). The first day of class, we met a student named Sammy who said, "I know you guys! We go to the same church!" We felt bad that we didn't recognize him, which was obvious to him. He gently replied, "It's no surprise, since you're like most missionaries that clear out of church the minute we close in prayer, without sticking around to talk to people."
We were so humbled! He was right about us, and while he might not have understood Dan's sweat problem, he kindly pointed out to us how our behaviour may well have been perceived by the majority of brothers and sisters at our church. Sammy's bluntness had a significant effect on us for the better.
Since then, we've made a point to greet and mingle before and after church, and have had various members of the church over to our home. We've become members of our church, and are currently serving on the missions committee. Most importantly, we've grown to genuinely care for the brethren at
Église Baptiste de Dakar, and praise God for Sammy and his much-needed kick in the pants.
Pastor Pièrre & us at Isabella's Dedication
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