How do we do “holistic ministry” in an urban setting?
We hear about “holistic ministry” a lot but I wonder if many of us understand or can get a visual of what that means. Quickly, holistic ministry has to do with giving wholeness to the people who so desperately need Jesus. We seek to demonstrate the Gospel of Jesus in deed and action. We also speak the Gospel clearly in the language of the people with whom we work. That is a holistic approach.

In a village setting it can be seen in efforts to bring running water to people who have none. It could mean setting up a health clinic for a whole rural community who has no access to good medical care. It could also be providing literacy classes for the children and adults who have never gone to school.

In a city of 1 million people where there are schools, hospitals and running water what can be done to reach people with the message of Christ in deed and word? We have seen that the small town of Ouakam values education. There are schools but these schools are in need of upkeep, repair and restoration. The classrooms sometimes need painting, new windows, fans and new lights.


What do the Wheaton College Football team, United World Mission, and the Evangelical church of Ouakam have in common?
Wheaton Football Ministry Partnership (WFMP) shares the passion for holistic ministry in Senegal. Ouakam church leader, Balla Konate, realizes that followers of Jesus will have more impact for Christ in the community when they are seen as contributing to the progress of the community rather than as enemies of Islam or infidels to the faith. UWM Senegal team seeks to be active in insuring that the Gospel is available to every man, woman and child in their language and in a way that they can understand the message of Jesus.

These partners in ministry have made forays into the town of Ouakam seeking to build trust and show the love of Christ through a few different activities. WFMP joined together with UWM Senegal to renovate two classrooms in a historic village school house in Ouakam a few years back. More recently, the partners came together last year to paint two more classrooms in a different school in Ouakam. Their efforts were a huge success. This past month, we made one more step in demonstrating the love of Christ for people and for their needs when we visited the school where the most recent painting was completed.

Balla Konate and I went to the school to present “cahiers”, 50 and 100 page notepaper books, to the children ages 11 to 13. These cahiers are used all the time by all the students to do homework as well as take notes in class. It was a small gesture with potentially large return in long term impact. The director of the school knows that we are an evangelical mission. He introduced Balla Konate, as a great man who is concerned for the school children of our neighborhood. He gave credibility to the church as a partner in the betterment of the community. I was able to thank God for providing the cahiers for the children so that they could continue to study in front of the 110 students and 15 teachers and staff. We were able to communicate that we were not only interested in the children knowing about the world but that they would also know the creator of the world. They are in school for a short time but they have their whole lives before them. The larger question of our purpose here on earth will also demand their attention. Knowing how to read and study and think will allow us to reflect upon the questions of life.

This was another step in reaching those who don’t know Christ in Ouakam. Our conversations with the school leaders and the village leaders has continued. We are gaining credibility to speak into their lives as we serve them and demonstrate the Gospel through these actions. I have had multiple conversations with our contacts throughout the village leadership on a one to one basis.

Thank you to WFMP and to the work that they did to paint the classrooms and renovate the study areas for these kids. Thank you to Balla Konate and the Ouakam Church for their contributions toward the purchase of the “cahiers”. Thank you to all the supporters of UWM Senegal. Your contributions allow this type of ministry to take place. May the Lord bless you as you serve Him where you are.

[This post comes from Rodney Duttweiler, our team leader.]