Angèle has been living and serving among the Fulani people for the last six years. We can’t say exactly where you’re serving, but can you tell us a bit about what it’s like?
80% of the country is in the Sahara and so I live in a giant sand pit! The average temperature is 40°C, with some big towns and a couple of roads, but most people live in small communities in the middle of nowhere, connected by dirt tracks.
The rainy season is just ending which means the desert is green, people are planting and enjoying their crops. Eating leaves boosts their diet. Everyone is trying to cultivate food for the next year, but famine is common, most years they can’t grow enough.
What are people’s homes like?
They are square mud brick houses, covered in cement, if they can afford it. Communities are spread out, with two to three kilometres between homesteads. Families live together and when children get married, they build a new home nearby. As it is a polygamous society, each wife has her own house, near her husband and parents-in-law.
What is the local Christian community like?
Two local men, five women and a number of children and young teenagers attend our regular church gatherings, with two people currently away at Bible college. There are also believers living in two other communities that I visit most weeks, with members of those communities joining us as we spend time together in the Word.
On Sunday we meet on mats under a tree, with the men on one side, women and children on the other. Since the team arrived we have read through Matthew, Acts and 2 Peter all in the local language. We pick up cultural issues as we read, discussing the text to help people focus. In their oral culture most people are illiterate and learn by hearing and repeating.
How do you see the church growing?
People are coming to faith through conversations among families which is wonderful. Local Christians are evangelising their friends and family! People come regularly to our gathering, but for those who have a long walk, families invest and disciple each other at home too.
We would like to see local people become church elders, but they are still young in their faith. The vision of our team is for a group of elders to lead the church, a group who can rely on each other.
What excites you about ministry?
I am excited that we have a Fulani family who have joined us as missionaries. My colleague Josiah, has a real heart to mobilise the people in this country, there is lots to learn but it’s a great new stage.
It’s also wonderful to see the local believers evangelising and sharing testimonies of what Jesus is doing in their lives. It’s a great joy to see them spread the good news themselves and to be here to support and encourage them.
And one thing that you really miss from home?
One thing that I miss is privacy. Living here in community it’s impossible to do anything without someone seeing or asking you about it, wanting to know your business. Most of the time I’m fine with it, but on a bad day it can be tough and really tires me.
