Well, instead of a week, it took me a month to do this final report. All the better I think. With a month's passing I have a clearer idea of what was important about the trip to Senegal.

The clearest impression I have is that our Great God is working in a mighty way in Senegal! We Americans want to typecast God as being the God who we see at Sunday worship at our home church. But the God who is working in Senegal is much different to behold.

He is involved in a way that is more critical to the lives of believers. To be a Christian in the Senegalese cities often means losing your safety net of family and friends who, as Muslims, must reject you because their religion tells them to. To be a Christian in the villages means you have to combat the image that you are childish, immature because you believe in a religion that is not "serious" like Islam.

God has to strengthen believers in Senegal to face life as followers of Christ with an attitude of strong faith joined with solid commitment. I see much here to admire and use as a model.

Another impression I have after this trip is that God is guiding the mission work of the missionaries we visited with wisdom only He could be the source of. Jane Hampton has a ministry that is showing Muslim teachers and students the love of Christ on an ongoing basis. Only God could do this in a country that is over 95% Muslim.

Jose and France-Lise Oliveira started a holistic ministry ten years ago that today is an example for other mission organizations. Mission Inner Senegal (MIS) is broad in scope using many approaches to bring Senegalese to a saving knowledge. Being so diverse means there are many ways to make mistakes, many ways to choose a wrong path.

But because Jose and France-Lise never bought into the mistaken belief that they were in charge of this ministry and they could make it prosper on their own, MIS followed God's leading at every turn and He has blessed MIS in ways wonderful and powerful.

What a joy it is to be a part of something God is blessing like these ministries!

I'm going to close with a praise to God for the medical team from Providence Church of West Chester, PA. I learned so much from following these people who love God and want to share this love with the Senegalese people.

I learned many "nuts-and-bolts" things I will use with future teams from my church. I also learned how important it is to be open to being used by God without placing limitations or borders on His use of you. Most of all, I learned that what appears to be a sacrifice you are making to come to Senegal, God shows you that it is really a great honor.

To serve the One and Only True God in such a public yet intimate way is one of the greatest blessings you will ever experience!

That's enough from me. Now it's your turn to write about your trip to serve our Lord in Senegal.

Bye.