By Alan Ch’ng
In some of Francophone Africa’s rural villages, where populations are locked by fear within animism, Navigators are discovering ways to establish a foundational generation of believers among the poor.
Experienced African Navigator missionaries first disciple college students in major cities, many of whom were raised in rural villages. The students can speak local dialects and they have natural access to their family networks.
Working together in small teams, Navigator pioneering missionaries travel with the college students to the villages, which usually have a small primary school. The college students then provide academic instruction for the children. Our missionaries, through translation provided by the college students, share Christ with the families using “orality” (storytelling) techniques.
Due to the large populations of non-readers in Francophone Africa, where less than 40 percent finish grade school, Navigators have mastered methods for communicating the scriptural truth without using the printed Bible. As one Navigator pioneering missionary put it, “Unless we remove the Gospel message from the book, we will never reach Africa.”
These service trips require arduous journeys by car into remote parts of West Africa. The teams stay for up to 10 days in a village, often sleeping on schoolroom floors. They gain authentic rapport by sincerely serving the needs of local residents. Rural families are often curious about why their God doesn’t require sacrifices to receive his love and blessings.
“They want to know about this God who doesn’t want to be paid,” said one of our Navigator leaders. “It’s totally new to them.”
There is, however, significant opposition. Approximately 65 percent of Francophone Africans adhere to various forms of animism. This type of idol worship imprisons people with fear. They believe that failing to make sacrifices to the gods will lead to suffering, sickness, or even death.
Thus, college students who were raised in animism sometimes have ongoing struggles with fear. For example, there have been students in Navigator Bible study groups who are fearful of returning to their home villages.
The Navigator service trips have been a fruitful way to help the college students overcome these fears. During the trips, leaders help students see in the Scriptures the absolute authority of Jesus. As the students teach and translate, they experience God protecting them and giving them fruit in their labor. Discipleship and missions are completely integrated.
“We are seeing the foundation for spiritual generations among the underserved, rural populations,” said one of our African pioneering missionaries. “The college students gain missions experience, confidence in ministry, and assurance of God’s protection over their lives. They see God’s hope affecting children and families.”
I believe this ministry in parts of Francophone Africa is a good model as we seek to reach the vast populations of poor men and women around the world. Historically, pioneering Navigators have assumed that low-income and low-education populations could not provide a strong foundation for a new ministry. But our leaders in Africa are demonstrating the opposite.
If you would like to learn more about this topic, I encourage you to watch a short presentation by my good friend and colleague, Koay Chee Hoe by going to this link.
Please also pray for the rural Africans who are coming to faith in Christ. And pray that the college students in this ministry would gain strength, courage, and an unshakeable relationship with Jesus in the face of many hardships. Those interested in giving to this effort would help fund the service trips and help students get through college (room and board). Please write to: glenn.ilc.communications@gmail.com.
Alan Ch’ng is an international vice-president of The Navigators
