Dear friends and partners in ministry,

Our time in Gambia was cut short this year due to health issues that Sol is continuing to experience but even in the two short months that we were there, we experienced God’s grace and witnessed His work in this nation.

Two Teams Hosted during our Stay

During our time there, we hosted two teams from the US that came scouting to see the opportunities available for future team trips and ministry development.

We were so blessed by Daisy and Jim from Living Hope Church and the skill and passion they brought in their hearts. Jim was quick to help Sol with some repairs to the construction truck that was donated and shipped over last year and he replaced the doors in the girl’s bathroom that desperately needed to be replaced. I was amazed to see how quickly he finished the job and it showed us clearly again how much we need to teach skills and hands on trades in Gambia.

One day I was sharing with Daisy my dream about a fun and effective program that would teach the students how to memorize Bible verses. Daisy was so excited and started writing in her book and within an hour she had it done! The next two days she spent time with the teachers and the students and she taught them “The Army of the Lord Drill Team.” It was amazing! And it is still going strong in the school and the Sunday school with the children from the neighborhood. My heart leaped with joy every time I heard the children singing during their lunch time. “I don’t know what you’ve been told, Jesus Christ is on the throne!” Ok, you just had to be there! These are Muslim kids chanting that Jesus Christ is on the throne, how can you not just smile and pray quietly for God to grow that seed of truth in their hearts and reveal to them His Lordship!

We also had opportunities to visit some of the ministries we are partnering with and to share the Gospel with them. Pastor Robert’s church in Youna was blessed by multiple visits from the teams we hosted. The church has grown from the few young adults and children they started with 4 years ago to about 30 adults plus children! The moment you step into that building and hear the worship, you know that the Holy Spirit is present and the Joy of the Lord is in that place.

The team from Life Bridge Church from Fort Wayne, IN was with us in Gambia for only 3 and a half days; you could wonder, what can possibly be accomplished in such a short time? Well, more than we could’ve ever imagined! For one thing, Sol didn’t feel well the whole time they were there and for the first time in 17 years, I had to step up and do everything by myself… So this season has been a growing time for both of us, things like counting on the Lord and not on my spouse, trusting Sol to God’s care when I had to leave him behind when he was not feeling well, trusting the Holy Spirit to guide us about where to go and who to speak to. We had to make decisions by listening to the Holy Spirit.

Our dear friends, Pastor Bill and Grace, and Roger and Shelly ministered to us personally at a time we needed it so much! They just loved on us, brought comfort and encouragement as well as challenged us to see the bigger picture of what God is doing in Gambia and how He has positioned us to be a part of it. They challenged us to work, not only from the bottom up by educating the children and waiting until they would obtain influential positions, but that we could work toward having a voice and influence today with the present government. Since we returned, several people have confirmed that vision and that God wants to use us in a greater way in Gambia. We need to ask God for direction about a new approach in the way we do ministry.

Prayer is Needed

We are asking for your prayers for us, for God to show us clearly what doors He is opening for us to walk through in obedience, not based on our ability or knowledge but knowing that He is sending us and preparing the way for something bigger than we can imagine. We are open to be used however God wants to use us, even though it is totally out of our comfort zone, we are saying, “Let His will be done.” If we are to have influence and see a whole nation changed, we have to start thinking bigger then we have been. It means doing things that we are not comfortable doing and relying on the Lord to do the work through us. It means total surrender to His will. It is comforting to know we are not the one doing the work, so we surrender to His purpose completely.

Please continue to pray for the school and the students that are graduating from EMC and that the Word of God that is being planted in their lives will grow and produce fruit that will last. Pray for the ministry partners and the school staff; they are stepping up to fill in the gap in our absence. It is a growing time for them to take on the leadership roles they are called to. This is His ministry and He will care for it in ways we cannot.

Thank you for your faithfulness in giving, praying and loving the lost. Thank you for partnering with us in changing a nation and establishing His Kingdom in Gambia. We cannot do what we do without you.

Blessings to you and your families!

Much love,

Sol and Manuela