Songhai, Tamashek, and Fulani worldview
11/29/2007 2:13:53 PM

By a worker on the field

Each of the people groups in this area were once rulers at various times. They have conquered and been conquered. They have been kings and princes as well as slaves and lower class. Now they all share the common problems of poverty, illiteracy, and lack of development that are present in all of Niger.

The Tamashek and Fulani peoples have traditionally been herders and farmers while the Songhai have been fishermen and farmers. Because of famines and continued poverty, many people are migrating to the larger towns and then cities looking for work. Sometimes they find a better life and sometimes they get trapped in their new "paradise." All are looking for a hope, something to make life better. Many ask me for a plane ticket to the USA, thinking that life would be better there.

Islam is the dominant religion of all three people groups, though each have witch doctors, superstitions, and traditional beliefs that they also follow. In order to share the Gospel, cassette tapes, radio broadcasts, and Bible storying are used. Building relationships and living side by side, demonstrating the love of God in person is one of the best ways to reach these peoples. Many of the people are quite interested in hearing the Gospel, but it is frightening for them to actually choose to follow Jesus. They count the cost and often choose family ties over Jesus. It is so important to pray for entire families to believe in Jesus at the same time! If only one member of a family chooses to follow Jesus, they will often be persecuted and sadly, the new believer all too frequently turns back to Islam.

These people groups may live in the same town, but they fight amongst themselves, each seeing their people group, or tribe, as better than the others. Often a Songhai and Tamashek will not eat out of the same communal bowl (a common practice at mealtime). Along with the government officals,each people group also has their own tribal chief that they recognize and follow. 

One of the reasons I'm excited about International World Changers coming is that the students can go from home to home, reaching each group, showing that all human beings are created equal, regardless of their tribal affinity, and that all people should have a chance to hear the Gospel. God loves everyone and desires that NONE should perish (2 Peter 3:9). I'm hoping for the students to perform a silent drama each evening, allowing local believers and I to describe the events in the drama in the Songhai and Tamashek languages. I'm hoping that the unity among the students from various areas of the U.S. will be a model of the possibility of unity in Ayorou township and that the Songhai, Tamashek, and Fulani people will see that only Christ brings healing and unity.

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