Response 1:

What mostly gives me hope for the Fulani is that back in the 19th century, it was the Fulani who were one of the first groups in West Africa to convert to Islam. They were the ones who then became the missionaries of Islam, and they spread Islam throughout West Africa.

They’re such an influential group of people. They’re nomadic, and there are so many different dialects and subgroups. They’re not only the nomadic cattle people in certain parts of West Africa, but they are also the business and influential and wealthy people in those cities and countries. They have such significance and a huge reach.

If they could be the missionaries of Islam and spread it that wide and successfully, then my dream and my prayer is that one day they’ll be the missionaries of Jesus, of Christianity, and that it can go just as far, if not further, and just as wide, and to as many people as Islam has. If you look at how Islam has taken over West Africa, you can imagine what it would be like for the Fulani to spread Christianity. I can see this big revival, this huge spread everywhere the Fulani go, taking Jesus with them, talking about him, sharing about him. It would be like wildfire consuming West Africa. For me, that’s my vision, my prayers, and my dream.

I look at the Christian Fulani that we personally know in the hard places now. These people who are in the worst of situations are surrounded by people who are anti-Christianity, threatening and killing the Christians around them. Our friends have the most amazing faith and the most calmness about them.

I got sent a video last week of a small group of Fulani believers in one of these areas where people are getting killed and martyred for their faith. They sent me a video singing the song, ‘We have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back, the world behind us, the cross before us’. And it’s such a powerful illustration. The direct translation of ‘I have decided to follow Jesus’ is I’ve given my head to follow Jesus; he will never let me go, and I will never let go of him. This is so significant; people are being martyred around them.  It makes me feel very insignificant in my faith here in New Zealand, because there’s not much testing here when you look in comparison to the hard times. They are in horrific situations in some of the places they’re in at the moment. And yet they continue to shine so brightly for Jesus. And they’re so solid on their foundation; they know what they believe, and they know Jesus, and they know that he saves them, and they know that he provides for them because they see it every single day.

This gives me massive hope. Nothing can kill their hope. It doesn’t matter if they themselves get killed. All the Fulani around them who aren’t Christians see their hope. They see God’s protection on these Fulani Christians. They see God’s provision. They see how passionate and calm they are in the face of danger and persecution. That is their witness.

Response 2:

In Titus chapter 2:11 we read that the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people. It goes on to say in verse 13 that we are waiting for our blessed hope – the appearance of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ. Certainly, as God has reached out to all people, we know that the Fulani are included in this and just as we have the hope in the resurrection, there are many amongst the Fulani who have already received this hope.

Many of the Fulani people are shepherds, and they move around with their sheep (and goats) from place to place. Picture a water hole surrounded by trees in the middle of what is just about desert. There are several flocks of sheep and a few goats refreshing themselves from the water. As one shepherd gets up to leave and gather his flocks, he simply calls, and they follow; his flock knows his voice. As each shepherd calls his flock, they come to him and follow. If there is a weak lamb or a sick lamb, the shepherd will be holding it on his shoulders. The shepherds also carry a staff.  How wonderful that this people group are gifted with an instant image of the Lord as shepherd!

Also bringing hope to the local Fulani where we are is the translation of the scriptures for the Fulfulde speakers of this part of Africa. With the New Testament completed some years ago, the Old Testament is in the final stages of checking, harmonising and editing. Then there is the dry season Bible school. Fulani Believers from all over the country are trained in the Bible and in leadership, having courses every year after the harvest is finished. The teachers at the school are just excellent folk and do indeed demonstrate that shepherding is something well understood by their people. A good friend of ours works at the Bible School. One of the things that impresses me is his willingness to take the microscope of the Bible and to examine cultural practices against that. He is quick to speak out against things that Fulani Christians practise that are not in line with God’s Word. On the other side of things, he has also mentioned some blind spots for Western missionaries when we have chatted with him!

I don’t have any statistics on this, but I have the impression that, although they are still an unreached people group, the Fulani in general are more open to the gospel than some of the other main people groups here. To make a stand and turn to Christ in this part of West Africa usually means leaving your family, community, and all you know.  A friend of ours had his wife and children taken from him.  Pray particularly for those Fulani who come to the Lord that they would stand firm and that other believers will stand with them.

Visit here to learn more about the Fulani.