Shepherd Bankel has a large herd of cows, sheep and goats. He lives in a hut on the vast steppe of northern Senegal. Bankel and his brother are the only Christians in the family. He is a member of a small house church, the only church for miles around.
A medical mission, a clinic for basic health care, has emerged from the church. Bankel is on the board of the clinic and likes to lend a hand with all kinds of chores, such as transporting rubbish. He regularly gives patients from his village a lift to the clinic, so they receive good care and come into contact with Christians. The hospital pastor takes time to pray and share the Word with them.
People under pressure
It seems so small and insignificant: a shepherd, a pick-up truck carrying rubbish, a patient, a clinic. When you zoom out, you see that this is the only Christian witness in northern Senegal. The country is weighed down by the weight of unaccountable spiritual powers and the yoke of religious rules. North of the river, open witnessing is impossible and only recently, brothers were imprisoned there.
If we zoom out even further, we can see that West Africa is becoming increasingly unstable and terrorist groups are taking over. And that climate change is causing more and more problems, especially for the poor and pastoralists who regularly face severe drought.
Called to bring healing
How does the church take its place globally amid so many geopolitical problems? What can we do about so much suffering and complex issues? Jesus gave us a remarkable example in his time of political oppression: he touched a leper, he helped a disabled person upright, he restored honour to a sick woman. It is striking how much of Jesus' ministry was about healing the sick. He also instructs his disciples in Luke 10: "And whatever city you enter and they receive you, heal the sick who are there, and say to them, The kingdom of God has come near to you". The church is called to bring healing to a broken world. Healing of the body, with good care distributed fairly. Healing in relationships, in loneliness and in self-image. And healing in relationship with the Creator.
Bankel, the shepherd on the steppe of Senegal, is your brother. He does the work on the frontline, directed by the same Master we have. Bankel's church reaches out to the sick and weak in society, to those suffering from illness, fear and a life far from the Father. Bankel's church is also our church, the global church. The church called to stand up in a world in growing crisis. Not because there is a gap due to failing governments, terrorism and retreating aid agencies, but because the Church has always been called to make God's love visible. We are part of something big: God's plan of redemption for the world.
Tabitha Kieviet, tropical doctor in Senegal
About this project
Senegal is among the poorest countries in the world. There are few opportunities for training medical personnel, resulting in a huge shortage of doctors. Tropical doctor Tabitha Kieviet works in a mission clinic in Senegal. She trains Senegalese nurses to provide basic health care in local clinics. This way, more people can use medical care.
