Hi, I'm James Arkuzinsky,
communication director
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for Adventist Frontier Missions.
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AFM sends missionaries
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to some of the most
difficult places in the world
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to reach unreached people
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with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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We are commissioned to take
the good news to every nation,
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every tribe, and every people.
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The story you are going
to witness today is one that
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outlines the struggles
of one missionary family
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as they witness to an
unreached people group
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saturated with Muslim ideals
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and mixed with
animistic values such as Voodoo.
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Their unwavering trust in God
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through the
most difficult trials
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has won the respect in
hearts of the Dendi people
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that they were
sent out to reach.
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Michee and Elmire Bade as
well as their two children
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are serving as missionaries
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with Adventist
Frontier Missions.
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Michee was a pastor in his
home country of Ivory Coast
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before being called of
God to serve the Dendi people
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in the country of Benin.
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Early on in their
service they discovered
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the absolute necessity of
frequent and earnest prayer
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for they realized
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they were not fighting
against earthly powers.
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As Ephesians 6:12 states
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they were fighting
against principalities
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and rulers of
darkness in spiritual places.
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This led Michee to pray
not just three times a day
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as did Daniel
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or five times a
day as the Muslims
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in his city are doing
but seven times a day.
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Whether there was a
simple as culture shock
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or his extremist
physical and spiritual attack
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with God walking by his side
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Michee and his family
turned each trial into victory.
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Today's story begins
with the Bade's arriving
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in Benin in 2006
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preparing for their
journey across the country
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to the city of Natitingoa.
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Their journey was not
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what they were
expecting however.
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Even a simple taxi ride
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turned into an
extreme travel experience.
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So from Cotonou we
decided to go to Natitingoa
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and pay a visit to
our missionary colleagues,
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Suzy and Uli
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who have been in Benin
for almost 10 to 12 years.
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By December 24, we
decided to move to Kandi.
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That was almost Christmas.
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And many people
were not traveling
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so we waited almost
two hours at the station.
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And we entered a
nine-seat, eight-seat taxi.
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We thought that the
number of seats was--
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the number of people to expect.
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We didn't know that in
Benin that was not the case.
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So that's how the
extreme travel started.
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So a few hours after, the
driver had more passengers,
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and we began the trip.
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It was on dirt
road almost seven hours
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going up north of
Benin of Natitingoa.
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And when we got to
Kandi, we were so tired, dusty,
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and we were in pain.
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It was really
difficult, that trip to Kandi.
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Discomfort was only the
beginning of their battle.
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Dark spiritual forces
considered the missionaries
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a threat to their territory
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and were always
looking for opportunities
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to attack God's servants.
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Michee had yet to realize
the seriousness of this threat.
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Just after two weeks in Kandi,
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the only way for
us to get information
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was to listen to the radio.
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So I turned on my radio
and was listening to the radio.
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And I heard some
challenging comments
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about former
Christians and former Muslims,
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and also heard some
voodoo priests making comments
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that they can
reproduce all the miracles
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our Lord Jesus Christ did.
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So I made some
funny and smart comments.
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I had no idea
that voodoo spirits
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will hear what I said
in the privacy of our home.
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They didn't like my comment.
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So after what I said,
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I was going to share
with Elmire in the kitchen
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what I heard on the radio
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about what
people had been doing.
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And Eliora came
and wanted to with me
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so she held me by the
hand, and we were walking
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and a few minutes earlier,
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the mother had just removed some
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boiling water from the fire.
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So the pot well parked,
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carefully parked in
a corner of the house.
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And I was walking with Eliora
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and I didn't
know all of a sudden
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I felt a strange power
pulling my daughter's leg.
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And before I knew,
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her right leg just went
straight into that water
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and my daughter was screaming.
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She was scalded,
and I was scared.
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And Elmire ran into the house.
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She swathe skin that was
off, and I knew something
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foreign was really
creating that scenario.
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So before we rushed her
to the hospital we prayed,
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and I knew that a
battle was already on.
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And I knew we were to be
careful with any comments
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we make about voodoo spirits
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and any festival about
the voodoo religion in Benin,
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the new country where we are in.
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Voodoo spirits are
nothing to be taken lightly
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yet God mercifully intervened
to save Michee's daughter
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from further harm.
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This experience led Michee
to take his spiritual time
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with God more seriously.
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Now the battle was
about to intensify.
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Satan uses every
means at his disposal
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to hinder God's word
and discourage His people.
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At this time
Michee was working hard
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to reach the Dendi people
by meeting with Muslim Imam's
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to create an understanding
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of religious
tolerance in the city.
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In the interest of learning
more about Muslim culture
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he decided to
attend a Muslim festival
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and photograph the event.
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Not everyone was pleased.
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After seven months in Benin,
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I decided to attend
the Ramadan festival.
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Our Muslims brothers
have fasted for 30 days
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and they had a big
prayer to end off the Ramadan.
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And they also have a place
where they go for that prayer
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for the Ramadan
fasting to be over.
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So I decided to
go with my neighbors
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who asked me to help
them with transportation.
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So about 15 of them
they loaded my truck
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inside and outside and we
left, and I had my camera.
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I was taking
pictures and making courage
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when we go to the site.
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Close to 5,000 people
were at that prayer ground,
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and because
Muslims pray divided,
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the women at the
back and the men in front,
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so we parked behind a
women but I was with my friends,
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almost 10 men
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and we had to pass
close to the women's side.
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And a Shiite
woman dressed in black
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who hated me in
town saw me coming
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and started spreading rumors
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that I have come to
defile their prayer ground.
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That I am a Christian
why I am here with a camera?
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Why am I taking pictures?
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And she said I was too
close to the women's side.
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And before I knew,
there was a big riot going on,
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and those that came with me
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were trying to reason
her that I am their guest
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and I have the
permission to be there
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from the head imam.
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But before I knew, there
were big fighting, arguing,
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and Nasiru, my
friend advised me that
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it was getting too hot
that somebody might be hurt.
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They advised me to leave.
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So I quickly packed my
things and ran towards my truck
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and headed back to home.
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Persecution is not limited
just to God's messengers.
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Those who support God's workers
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often come under attack as well.
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Michee was thankful
that Nasiru intervened
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during the festival
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but it made Nasiru the
target of Satan's next assault.
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So the first person to be
hurt was Nasiru, my friend,
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who defended me
during the Ramadan crises.
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And he woke up in the morning
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and was feeling some sore
on his right leg, some pain.
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He went to the hospital
and saw a medical doctor.
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And the doctor,
after some consultation
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didn't see
anything medically wrong.
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He even did some injections,
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and he told him there is
nothing we can do for you.
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So Nasiru left disappointed
and with some of his relatives,
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they decided to
go to a witchdoctor.
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And the witch doctor,
after some incantations,
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consulted with some
spirit and the spirit revealed
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that he was bitten
by a spiritual snake.
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Unfortunately,
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after removing 14 teeth
Nasiru didn't feel better.
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So his pain went worse.
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He barely went
back home on his own.
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He has to be
held by his parents.
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And I learned some few days
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when I returned from
my trip in Ouagadougou
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that my friend Nasiru
was really in severe pain.
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I went to Nasiru, it
was on Friday after vesper.
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I said, "God, this
is the Sabbath hours,
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and Sabbath is made for man.
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I'm going to pray for Nasiru
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and I want You
to make him accept
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that I will pray for him."
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So when go to Nasiru,
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I could read he
was in the courtyard
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and his family
members around him.
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He was really in pain on his mat
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with a bandage on his leg.
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And when his
parents saw me coming
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they had a very dirty
look at me because for them,
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I was responsible
for his misery, his pain.
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So some of them left
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because they didn't
want me to be there.
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And I just told Nasiru,
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I just heard what
is happening to him,
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and I'm very sorry.
00:11:59.84\00:12:01.38
And I offered him money
to go and see another doctor.
00:12:01.41\00:12:04.93
And I also told him that
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I could pray for
him if he wishes.
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And to my surprise,
Nasiru rejected the money
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and said I should
just pray for him.
00:12:11.59\00:12:13.73
And I quickly
praised God in my heart
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and put my left hand on his leg
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and started praying
00:12:20.60\00:12:21.72
and claiming the
promises of the Sabbath
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that the Sabbath is
made to refresh, to restore,
00:12:24.66\00:12:28.35
that God should show
Nasiru and his family
00:12:28.38\00:12:31.34
that He really sent me to them
00:12:31.37\00:12:34.44
and He should make a
miracle for Nasiru to be well.
00:12:34.47\00:12:37.17
And I left and went home
00:12:37.20\00:12:38.87
and I shared the
experience with Elmire,
00:12:38.90\00:12:41.66
and we prayed for him again.
00:12:41.69\00:12:43.81
And to my surprise,
early Saturday afternoon,
00:12:43.84\00:12:48.64
maybe by noon
somebody knocked at my door.
00:12:48.67\00:12:51.20
When I opened here
was Nasiru walking.
00:12:51.23\00:12:53.88
And I was surprised.
00:12:53.91\00:12:55.67
I told him, "How
are you feeling?"
00:12:55.70\00:12:57.11
He said, "Better.
Your prayer worked."
00:12:57.14\00:12:59.36
I aid, "Praise God!"
00:12:59.39\00:13:00.67
And I was so amazed.
00:13:00.70\00:13:03.43
I was thankful and I praised God
00:13:03.46\00:13:05.71
and Nasiru was very
impressed that the prayer worked
00:13:05.74\00:13:10.06
so quick and so fast.
00:13:10.09\00:13:11.64
And he told me, "I
will be with you again.
00:13:11.67\00:13:14.69
I will escort you again,
00:13:14.72\00:13:16.99
and I'm not afraid of
any spiritual attack."
00:13:17.02\00:13:19.69
So that was very encouraging
and we praised God together.
00:13:19.72\00:13:24.57
God does answer the
prayers of His people.
00:13:24.60\00:13:27.08
He turned every
attack Satan had thrown
00:13:27.11\00:13:28.94
at Michee's family and
friends into a blessing.
00:13:28.97\00:13:31.92
Yet the
spiritual attacks continued
00:13:31.95\00:13:34.02
and Satan redoubled
his efforts and preparation
00:13:34.05\00:13:36.57
for a decisive confrontation.
00:13:36.60\00:13:39.30
One of the
things we also learned
00:13:39.33\00:13:42.32
under the spiritual attack
was that even our accusers
00:13:42.35\00:13:46.05
could manipulate the bandits.
00:13:46.08\00:13:48.08
That will sound crazy,
00:13:48.11\00:13:49.15
but that's almost what happened.
00:13:49.18\00:13:51.63
It was seven.
00:13:54.04\00:13:55.83
We were only
three hours from Kandi,
00:13:55.86\00:13:58.06
and after taking
some gas Elmire suggested
00:13:58.09\00:14:01.80
that we should sleep in Parakou.
00:14:01.83\00:14:05.16
And I refused because I wanted
to reach at Kandi that night
00:14:05.19\00:14:09.30
and rest at once.
00:14:09.33\00:14:11.09
And we decided to
drive to Kandi that night.
00:14:11.12\00:14:15.31
Just 30 minutes after,
00:14:17.54\00:14:19.31
I saw a roadblock and I
saw people moving around
00:14:19.34\00:14:24.06
many cars that were parked.
00:14:24.09\00:14:26.45
And they were not policemen,
00:14:26.48\00:14:27.87
so we knew they
were armed robbers.
00:14:27.90\00:14:30.17
So when I noticed that
they saw that we stopped
00:14:30.20\00:14:34.46
and we were looking at them
I started reversing the truck,
00:14:34.49\00:14:39.48
and they were running
after us and shooting at us,
00:14:39.51\00:14:43.66
but we fell into a ditch.
00:14:43.69\00:14:46.86
And the bandits surrounded us,
00:14:46.89\00:14:47.93
and they were mad at us
because we tried to escape.
00:14:47.96\00:14:50.51
We'll be right back with
our program in just a moment
00:14:52.36\00:14:55.31
but first we would like
to give you some insight
00:14:55.34\00:14:57.50
into the country of
Benin and the Dendi culture.
00:14:57.53\00:15:00.26
The Republic of Benin
the West African country
00:15:00.29\00:15:04.01
roughly the size of Pennsylvania
00:15:04.04\00:15:06.11
is boarded by Togo,
Burkina Faso, Nigeria,
00:15:06.14\00:15:10.21
Niger and the Atlantic Ocean.
00:15:11.11\00:15:12.97
Once the seat of the
powerful Dahomey kingdom,
00:15:13.00\00:15:15.85
Benin became a
French colony in 1900
00:15:15.88\00:15:18.46
and gained independence
in 1960 subsequently
00:15:18.49\00:15:21.66
becoming the
first African country
00:15:21.69\00:15:23.67
to successfully
transition from a dictatorship
00:15:23.70\00:15:26.37
to a pluralistic
political system.
00:15:26.40\00:15:29.30
Today the population
is roughly 9.8 million
00:15:29.33\00:15:32.65
and French is the
official language.
00:15:32.68\00:15:35.98
The Dendi people are located
in the northern most region
00:15:36.01\00:15:38.82
of the country,
00:15:38.85\00:15:39.89
mainly in the lush
plains of the Niger River.
00:15:39.92\00:15:42.64
Some of the Dendi live
in the high grass areas
00:15:42.67\00:15:44.88
bordering the Sahara
Desert but there is little water
00:15:44.91\00:15:47.91
and sparse vegetation.
00:15:47.94\00:15:50.07
Sizable communities can also
be found in nearby countries.
00:15:50.10\00:15:53.26
Today, many Dendi live in
00:15:53.29\00:15:54.83
rectangular mud brick houses
with corrugated tinned roofs.
00:15:54.86\00:15:58.77
Farming is considered
noble labor among the Dendi
00:16:00.57\00:16:03.13
and is for men only.
00:16:03.16\00:16:04.56
Men are often employed
to ten commercial crops
00:16:04.59\00:16:07.56
such as cotton.
00:16:07.59\00:16:09.01
The women have
gardens around the home
00:16:09.04\00:16:10.87
in which they
grow tropical fruits.
00:16:10.90\00:16:13.08
They also cultivate carrots,
tomatoes, peppers, cabbages,
00:16:13.11\00:16:17.10
and various types of squash.
00:16:17.13\00:16:19.06
Most of the garden work
is done by family members.
00:16:19.09\00:16:21.63
In addition to farming,
00:16:21.66\00:16:23.96
the Dendi also
raise some livestock.
00:16:23.99\00:16:26.39
Unfortunately,
00:16:26.42\00:16:27.64
the Dendi suffer
times of drought,
00:16:27.67\00:16:29.66
and malnutrition is
problem for many of them.
00:16:29.69\00:16:31.76
Benin is one of the
least-evangelized country
00:16:34.29\00:16:36.67
south of the
Sahara and the Dendi
00:16:36.70\00:16:38.71
are one of
approximately 70 ethnic groups
00:16:38.74\00:16:41.26
who make their home there.
00:16:41.29\00:16:43.10
They trace their origin
00:16:43.13\00:16:44.84
to the eighth
century kingdom of Za.
00:16:44.87\00:16:47.30
They embraced
Islam as early as 1010,
00:16:47.33\00:16:49.85
but it was mixed with their
original beliefs in animism.
00:16:49.88\00:16:53.32
Today the Dendi people
are almost entirely Muslim.
00:16:53.35\00:16:58.41
Every town has a mosque.
00:16:58.44\00:17:00.24
Many communities have
imams or religious leaders
00:17:00.27\00:17:03.16
who teach Islamic philosophy
and lead Muslim ceremonies.
00:17:03.19\00:17:07.20
Even though Islam
introduced new elements
00:17:07.23\00:17:09.37
to the Dendi culture,
00:17:09.40\00:17:10.97
it left the
underlying framework of custom
00:17:11.00\00:17:13.22
and tradition
virtually untouched.
00:17:13.25\00:17:15.63
Spirit
possession, magic, sorcery,
00:17:15.66\00:17:19.28
ancestor worship
and witchcraft remain
00:17:19.31\00:17:21.71
core components of Dendi belief.
00:17:21.74\00:17:24.58
In fact, Benin
is considered to be
00:17:24.61\00:17:26.37
the birth place of the voodoo.
00:17:26.40\00:17:28.14
Currently, there are some
Christian resources available
00:17:30.32\00:17:33.53
in the Dendi language.
00:17:33.56\00:17:35.08
However a majority
of these people have not
00:17:35.11\00:17:37.81
heard a clear
presentation of the Gospel.
00:17:37.84\00:17:40.43
Adventist Frontier
Missions is working to establish
00:17:40.46\00:17:43.13
Seventh-day Adventist
Church planting moments
00:17:43.16\00:17:45.25
among people
groups such as the Dendi.
00:17:45.28\00:17:47.66
They have never been exposed
to the message of Christ.
00:17:47.69\00:17:51.17
Each missionary
AFM sends conducts
00:17:51.20\00:17:54.03
an in-depth study of the culture
00:17:54.06\00:17:55.83
and language of
their target people group
00:17:55.86\00:17:58.39
in order to more effectively
share the gospel and win souls.
00:17:58.42\00:18:02.94
Once a core group of
believers has been established
00:18:02.97\00:18:05.92
they are trained to
be spiritual leaders
00:18:05.95\00:18:08.07
in their own culture.
00:18:08.10\00:18:09.90
In this way a Christ
centered culture can develop
00:18:09.93\00:18:13.29
without importing
western world views.
00:18:13.32\00:18:16.24
Michee and his
team have had success
00:18:16.27\00:18:18.31
using this model of evangelism.
00:18:18.34\00:18:20.44
But we're getting
ahead of our story
00:18:20.47\00:18:22.40
as you recall Michee and
his family were returning
00:18:22.43\00:18:25.19
to Kandi when they
encountered a group of bandits.
00:18:25.22\00:18:28.67
We started reversing the truck,
00:18:28.70\00:18:31.49
and they were running
after us and shooting at us
00:18:31.52\00:18:35.44
but we fell into a ditch.
00:18:35.47\00:18:38.82
And the bandits surrounded us,
00:18:38.85\00:18:39.88
and they were mad at us
because we tried to escape.
00:18:39.91\00:18:42.43
And they started beating
us and we saw many people
00:18:42.46\00:18:46.09
that were already on the bush,
00:18:46.12\00:18:48.96
in the bush, on the floor.
00:18:48.99\00:18:50.59
So we also joined the people.
00:18:50.62\00:18:52.95
Because Eliora was with
us, I took Eliora from Elmire.
00:18:52.98\00:18:57.11
I was the only on lying
on my back facing the sky
00:18:57.14\00:19:00.96
because I put
Eliora on my chest.
00:19:00.99\00:19:03.34
So I started praying.
00:19:05.64\00:19:06.97
Elmire was singing and
every other person was quiet.
00:19:07.00\00:19:13.65
So I was praying in my
heart, God, please do something.
00:19:13.68\00:19:16.32
Forgive me and please
don't let anybody get hurt.
00:19:16.35\00:19:21.89
And I opened my eyes
and I saw a shooting star
00:19:21.92\00:19:26.17
passing from west to east
00:19:26.20\00:19:29.23
but few minutes after I
saw another shooting star
00:19:29.26\00:19:32.00
passing from east to west.
00:19:32.03\00:19:34.03
So I understood that
it was a message from God
00:19:34.06\00:19:35.85
that He's there.
00:19:35.88\00:19:36.92
He's seen what is going
on that we should be at peace
00:19:36.95\00:19:39.77
He will intervene.
00:19:39.80\00:19:41.01
And as I was thinking,
00:19:46.41\00:19:48.82
I saw a flashing
light from a car,
00:19:48.85\00:19:53.31
and I knew that
it was the police.
00:19:53.34\00:19:56.39
And I saw the
bandits running all over.
00:19:56.42\00:19:59.21
And I said God has answered
our prayer in just few minutes
00:19:59.24\00:20:03.16
but we had been there for
almost an hour in that bush.
00:20:03.19\00:20:07.68
And the bandits just left.
00:20:07.71\00:20:10.39
So we joined the
police car and went to Kandi.
00:20:10.42\00:20:14.96
And some other policemen
00:20:14.99\00:20:17.38
took our truck and
drove to the station
00:20:17.41\00:20:20.49
and when we got to
Kandi they called me
00:20:20.52\00:20:25.00
I went and picked the truck.
00:20:25.03\00:20:28.09
I noticed that my
camera with all the pictures
00:20:28.12\00:20:31.03
that I took at the
Ramadan festival were gone.
00:20:31.06\00:20:34.49
My PDA, where I also
copied them was gone.
00:20:34.52\00:20:37.64
Elmire's camera, our
passports, our cell phones,
00:20:37.67\00:20:42.50
our wallets,
everything was gone.
00:20:42.53\00:20:45.03
So when we got home that
night we prayed about it.
00:20:45.06\00:20:49.72
We couldn't sleep.
00:20:49.75\00:20:50.98
We spent some
minutes at the police
00:20:51.01\00:20:54.80
telling what happened
and recording our deposition.
00:20:54.83\00:20:59.52
And we became
very quite for sometime
00:20:59.55\00:21:03.48
because the rumor in town was
already that we were punished.
00:21:03.51\00:21:09.54
People heard that my camera
was gone, so they were happy.
00:21:09.57\00:21:12.79
They also learned that
I lost all the pictures,
00:21:12.82\00:21:14.86
so they felt that
their prayers were answered,
00:21:14.89\00:21:19.20
and we were very sad.
00:21:19.23\00:21:22.17
Michee story didn't end there,
00:21:22.20\00:21:24.34
God was about to
turn the tables again
00:21:24.37\00:21:26.64
working behind the scenes to
convenience leaders in the town
00:21:26.67\00:21:29.89
that Michee had been sent by God
00:21:29.92\00:21:31.68
with a message
they needed to hear.
00:21:31.71\00:21:33.57
Well, the
vindication part of the story
00:21:33.60\00:21:36.73
is where I really
praise God and I was so happy
00:21:36.76\00:21:40.88
because we serve an awesome God.
00:21:40.91\00:21:43.78
After two months, when
everybody else almost forgotten
00:21:43.81\00:21:47.47
what's happened I
had a police call.
00:21:47.50\00:21:51.92
They found out my camera and
some stuff that belonged to me
00:21:51.95\00:21:54.69
and so they called me
to come and identify them.
00:21:54.72\00:21:57.47
So I went and I saw my camera,
00:21:57.50\00:22:01.64
I saw my PDA and I checked,
00:22:01.67\00:22:06.29
the card was still in,
all the pictures were intact
00:22:06.32\00:22:10.17
and I was surprised.
00:22:10.20\00:22:13.38
I was saying in my
heart, God, You are wonderful.
00:22:13.41\00:22:16.79
So I returned to
Kandi with the news
00:22:16.82\00:22:20.05
and people were kind of
saying that's not possible.
00:22:20.08\00:22:24.26
After two months?
00:22:24.29\00:22:25.66
He retrieved his camera
with all the pictures in?
00:22:25.69\00:22:29.00
Well, that was a
time for us to praise God
00:22:29.03\00:22:31.29
and to show that our
God was more powerful.
00:22:31.32\00:22:34.52
And He really--
I mean, assured us
00:22:34.55\00:22:39.35
that we need to trust Him,
00:22:39.38\00:22:41.01
and He will be in charge of how
the mission projects will move.
00:22:41.04\00:22:47.04
Michee's efforts have
not been without results.
00:22:47.07\00:22:50.27
He and his family have been
working with the Dendi people
00:22:50.30\00:22:52.67
since 2006 and in spite of both
spiritual and physical attacks
00:22:52.70\00:22:57.66
they have established
a Seventh-day Adventist
00:22:57.69\00:22:59.69
presence in Kandi.
00:22:59.72\00:23:02.17
In 2011 they held their fist
baptismal for new believers.
00:23:02.20\00:23:06.84
Since then 29 have joined
00:23:06.87\00:23:08.88
this growing company
of Seventh-day Adventist.
00:23:08.91\00:23:12.95
Often members come to the church
00:23:12.98\00:23:14.39
after hearing firsthand accounts
00:23:14.42\00:23:15.93
about answered prayers,
00:23:15.96\00:23:17.46
deliverance from
spirits and miracles.
00:23:17.49\00:23:20.51
They come seeking freedom
from spiritual harassment.
00:23:20.54\00:23:23.21
Michee and the church members
gather around these people
00:23:23.24\00:23:26.02
and ask for God's
divine intervention.
00:23:26.05\00:23:28.54
God has really opened doors for
us to reach our Muslim friends
00:23:28.57\00:23:33.53
through our
deliverance ministries.
00:23:33.56\00:23:35.77
We've had imams
sending, in secret,
00:23:35.80\00:23:39.31
their children to us to
pray for them because of their--
00:23:39.34\00:23:43.56
they had been demon possessed.
00:23:43.59\00:23:45.78
We've had Muslim women coming
to us with their children.
00:23:45.81\00:23:49.85
We've been
invited in Muslims homes.
00:23:49.88\00:23:52.58
And the
deliverance ministry has put us
00:23:52.61\00:23:55.90
also in a very
hectic spiritual warfare.
00:23:55.93\00:24:00.82
The resulting testimonies
of deliverance and peace
00:24:00.85\00:24:03.89
help spread the news of a church
00:24:03.92\00:24:05.69
encouraging
more people to visit.
00:24:05.72\00:24:07.88
To encourage growth
from a single church
00:24:07.91\00:24:10.51
to a church planting moment
00:24:10.54\00:24:12.38
Michee has began training
members in leadership roles
00:24:12.41\00:24:14.89
such as elders,
deacons, song leaders
00:24:14.92\00:24:17.60
and Sabbath school teachers.
00:24:17.63\00:24:19.82
He also teaches
techniques in person evangelism,
00:24:19.85\00:24:22.86
Christian living and
healthy lifestyle among others.
00:24:22.89\00:24:28.11
The faith dialogue center
has become a center of influence
00:24:28.14\00:24:31.06
in the Kandi community.
00:24:31.09\00:24:32.67
It is well known for
being a place of open discussion
00:24:32.70\00:24:35.48
between Muslims and Christians
00:24:35.51\00:24:37.34
where both feel
welcome and at ease.
00:24:37.37\00:24:40.22
Due to the rapid growth
of the church membership
00:24:40.25\00:24:42.88
the Faith Dialogue Center has
become too small to accommodate
00:24:42.91\00:24:45.65
the members and the
Muslims are starting to see it
00:24:45.68\00:24:48.50
as an exclusively
Christian building.
00:24:48.53\00:24:51.30
For these reasons
the Dendi mission project
00:24:51.33\00:24:53.43
is seeking funds to
build a new church building.
00:24:53.46\00:24:57.24
To enhance security and
prevent property encroachment
00:24:57.27\00:25:00.09
the Dendi
project is constructing
00:25:00.12\00:25:01.84
a wall enclosing the
Faith Dialogue Center.
00:25:01.87\00:25:05.09
Thanks to the generous
gifts of donors like you
00:25:05.12\00:25:07.78
the construction on this project
00:25:07.81\00:25:09.29
is expected to be
completed this year.
00:25:09.32\00:25:13.24
The Dendi are not the
only unreached people group
00:25:13.27\00:25:15.47
waiting to hear the gospel.
00:25:15.50\00:25:17.43
Over 6,000 others
will never hear of Jesus
00:25:17.46\00:25:20.42
unless someone
goes to tell them.
00:25:20.45\00:25:23.31
If you feel
called to be a missionary
00:25:23.34\00:25:25.50
please give us a
call at 800-937-4236.
00:25:25.53\00:25:31.55
AFM missionaries also need your
prayers and financial support.
00:25:31.58\00:25:35.41
We invite you to
support the Dendi project
00:25:35.44\00:25:37.96
or similar ones that target
other unreached people groups.
00:25:37.99\00:25:41.39
Simply send your gifts to
Adventist Frontier Missions,
00:25:41.42\00:25:45.06
P.O. Box 286, Berrien
Springs, Michigan, 49103.
00:25:45.09\00:25:50.57
That's P.O. Box 286,
Berrien Springs, Michigan, 49103
00:25:50.60\00:25:56.38
or you may call
us at 800-937-4236.
00:25:56.41\00:26:01.33
That's 800-937-4236.
00:26:01.36\00:26:05.47
You may also visit us
online at afmonline.org.
00:26:05.50\00:26:09.67
Giving is easy and secure.
00:26:09.70\00:26:12.28
Thank you for helping
to reach the unreached
00:26:12.31\00:26:14.64
with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
00:26:14.67\00:26:16.45