A man stands in a village

Islam is the world’s fastest-growing religious group—but thanks to your support, Christianity is growing in a community that has traditionally practiced Islam.

Joseph* is an evangelist with the Christian Reformed Church in Sierra Leone, one of your Resonate ministry partners. For many months, Joseph kept thinking about a village in his country that is predominantly Muslim. He felt the Holy Spirit leading him to share the gospel with this village.

Because of your support, the Christian Reformed Church in Sierra Leone was able to send Joseph to this village—and he didn’t just go to visit for a day, a week, or a month.

He moved into the village.

Captivated by the Good News

Joseph was welcomed into the village, but not everyone was happy he was there—and he expected some resistance. But God surprised Joseph. A number of people were immediately captivated by the good news of the gospel.

Several people of the Limba ethnic-minority group lived in the community, and they were often treated unjustly by the ethnic-majority groups. Many of the people belonging to the Limba group were particularly drawn to Jesus, who spent most of his time on earth with people who were often looked down upon or cast aside in society. People like them.

One by one, people started to confess their faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

But that made the majority groups in the community even more contemptuous toward the Limba group. Some people in the majority groups started making daily life for these new Christians difficult by slandering them and blaming them for destroying the community’s crops. Eventually it became unbearable—nearly impossible—to live there. So the believers fled to a nearby village for refuge.

A Secret Follower of Christ

Your support made it possible for Joseph to follow. You and Joseph knew that these new Christians needed someone to support and disciple them in their faith so that they could continue to grow. When Joseph arrived, he went to introduce himself to the village chief and elders. He was nervous. He wasn’t sure if the village would welcome an evangelist.

Thankfully, the chief welcomed Joseph to the village—and then took him aside privately. He too was a member of the Limba minority group.

“I am a secret follower of Christ,” the chief told Joseph. “The village and my family would not have crowned and sworn me in as chief if they knew that I was a Christian.”

Christianity Is Growing

With your giving and the chief’s influence and support, Christianity is growing in the village. Twenty-six people there are now professing Christians!

“More are willing to come to Christ,” said one of your partner ministry leaders. 

With your support, Joseph continues to share the good news, and the village recently donated a large piece of land and an unused building for the ministry. Joseph has started a church that worships in the building. While the chief has not publicly confessed his faith, he attends worship from time to time.

Thank you for helping to share the good news with people who haven’t had the opportunity to learn about Jesus! There’s still so much more work to be done in this ministry. Please pray for the chief to publicly confess his faith in Christ, for the church to continue to grow, and for Christianity to spread.

*Name changed for security