Fri, Apr 1: So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. – Genesis 1:27 The MNK are created in the very image of God. That means the MNK were created, just like you and I, to be a reflection of God’s character. Knowing that we are created in His image provides a foundation for our self-worth. Traditionally MNKs obtain much of their self-worth in their MNK ethnic heritage, in the kinds of clothes they wear, in the kinds of things they have in their houses, who they know, keeping up with the Jones’ so to speak. As believers, please pray that MNKs will come to know their self worth as the Image of God, and to love their Creator personally.

Sat, Apr 2: Jesus said, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” – Luke 19:10 The MNK are lost! Sounds like a simple reason to pray for the MNK, but it is the ultimate: Mandinkas do not know the way of salvation; they do not know they are lost. The MNK do not know the Savior, therefore, they do not know God. Jesus lived, died and was resurrected so that the lost might be saved from eternal separation from God. As believers, please pray that MNKs will accept their sinful, lost condition and desire to be found by God!

Sun, Apr 3: For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. – 1 Timothy 2:5 MNKs are blinded to the truth. As Muslims, MNKs have been conditioned that by asking questions, they are separating themselves from the group; independent thought is strongly discouraged. MNKs are guided throughout life by the elders to believe whatever they hear on the news, whatever they see on the television, and whatever they are told by Islamic clerics. Does that mean they believe the weekly radio broadcasts? Mid-May the lessons will begin focusing on Jesus, and the “hearing” will become difficult. As believers, please pray for MNKs to distinguish between what is true and what is false, specifically as it relates to religious matters.

Mon, Apr 4: Honor your father and mother. – Exodus 22:12 This is the 5th commandment God gave to Moses. In their desire not to dishonor their forefathers, MNKs lead their children and their grandchildren into Islam without ever asking what or why they believe as they do. Yet Jesus said, Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me (Matt 10:37). There is a strong tension here that must be broken down by the bold proclamation of God’s Word. As believers, please pray for MNKs to let go of their inclination to honor their parents, their grandparents, and their forefathers above pleasing God and following Truth.

Tue, Apr 5: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. – Galatians 5:22 MNKs need the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Indeed the entire world needs these gifts. And they are given to each of us freely, if we will but ask. MNKs do not understand these gifts as they relate to an individual’s relationship with God. They see peace in the context of not being at strife with their neighbors. They see self-control in the context of not beating someone when, according to Islamic law, they have a right to do so. As believers, please pray for MNKs to desire the fruit of the Holy Spirit and the way it is manifested in believers’ lives.

Wed, Apr 6: Salvation comes from the Lord. – Jonah 2:9 Tonight’s radio lesson, #56, is entitled God’s Prophet, Jonah. The crux of this lesson is two fold: Salvation comes from God alone, and not man, and God does not show favoritism, but his heart is full of compassion for all mankind. MNK’s believe that God doesn’t care about individuals, but rather has arbitrarily chosen some to burn in hell and some to bask in Paradise. As believers, please pray that MNKs will comprehend that every individual must make the choice to follow God or not...it is not a corporate (family, village, town, tribal) decision.

Thu, Apr 7: Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment. – Luke 16:27 MNKs are dying every day and going to hell. Bakary died of internal injuries after a fall; Fatou died from complications of giving birth; Binta died of malaria; Modou died in a vehicle accident. The average life span of an MNK in West Africa is 51 years. Half of the children born die before the age of six. Harrowing statistics to be sure! As believers, pray that MNKs will listen to the Truth when they hear it, for after death, there is no second chance, and life is not to be taken for granted.

Fri, Apr 8: There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. – Galatians 3:28 MNK women do not believe women are able to have a prominent place in religion. Just as Jewish males make sure women were kept in the back of the temple, MNK Muslims make sure women are kept at the back of the mosque, normally outside. Christ, however, enhances the role of women as equal with men before God. MNK women need to know they are loved and cherished by the Father. As believers, pray for MNK women to hear and accept the love of their Heavenly Father.

Sat, Apr 9: Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” – Luke 5:31 MNKs are a very patient people; by and large they are also extremely tolerant. An MNK Muslim man married to a non-MNK Christian woman recently told his wife he thought she was on pilgrimage to become an Muslim; she told him God brought her here to be a witness to his family. She has no desire to become a Muslim; he, apparently, has no plan to become a follower of Christ. And the family doesn’t recognize they have a need. As believers, pray for MNKs to desire the healing power of Jesus Christ in all areas of their lives.

Sun, Apr 10: Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. – Revelation 1:3 The MNK are an oral society. Among them, the literacy rate (in Roman script) is 10-15%, which means that 85-90% of MNKs cannot read this sentence, regardless of the language! As believers, pray for MNKs to have access to Scripture, oral and written, Roman and Arabic scripts.

Mon, Apr 11: Peter & John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” – Acts 4:19-20 Societal pressure is huge within the MNK community, and permeates from every segment of the population. Are the young men who are voluntarily working to construct the neighborhood mosque doing so because they believe this will gain them “points” with God, because they really want to help out, or because they are fearful of the criticism of their neighbors? As the MNK become believers, they are faced daily with the need to stand up for what they believe and know to be true. As believers, please pray for MNK believers to be willing to defend their choice even though their character will be maligned and their businesses ruined.

Tue, Apr 12: Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. – Ephesians 5:4 It is not uncommon for an MNK father to send one or more of his sons to live under the tutelage of an Islamic teacher. This teacher will instruct this and many other children, sitting every night beside a large “camp” fire. The children will learn to recite the Qu’ran without ever understanding the meaning behind the words. In the daytime, however, these children roam the streets, begging for food; they must also go out into the bush to gather firewood They are dirty, often barefoot and wear tattered clothes. And the birth father of each of these children is paying this teacher to treat his children so! To speak to an adult who went through this “teaching”, you will hear how much they hated it...still, they talk about when and to whom they will send their own sons. As believers, pray for MNK fathers to learn to love and cherish their children, and to train and instruct them in Godly ways.

Wed, Apr 13: “Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are read as crimson, they shall be like wool!” – Isaiah 1:18 In tonight’s radio broadcast, #57, entitled God’s Prophet, Isaiah, the good news-bad news scenario of Scripture is presented. The bad news? All mankind has sinned and the punishment for sin is death and eternal separation from God. The good news? God will provide one who will pay the penalty of sin for all mankind. Unfortunately, despite Isaiah’s prophecies given 2,700 years ago, MNKs continue to work at earning their salvation, by keeping the fast, giving alms, praying five times a day, repeating the testimony, and making the pilgrimage to Mecca. As believers, please pray that the MNK will accept that God will forgive their sins through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Thu, Apr 14: Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. – Proverbs 31:30 MNK women are encouraged to fear their husbands, men in general, the evil spirits and childbirth. They are taught to always appear friendly and to never go out in public without donning their very best. They are taught to fear good and bad spirits because, among other things, women are lesser creatures in God’s sight. They are not taught, however, to fear the righteous and holy God of the Universe. As believers, pray for MNK women to come to Christ and desire to be known as women of God.

Fri, Apr 15: The Lord appeared to Solomon and said, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. – 2 Chronicles 7:14 Across the world, Muslims inhabit harsh lands. Islamic West Africa is no exception. There is only a 4-5 month rainy season in which to grow rice, corn, millet (coos) and peanuts. The rest of the year is hot and arid, with daily afternoon temperatures over 100o F in the shade. Daily, MNKs contend with the physical elements under which they live. As believers, pray for the entire MNK tribe to turn to God and ask for environmental, physical and spiritual healing.

Sat, Apr 16: And the Lord said, “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. – Deuteronomy 11:19 Bakary (bah’ kah ree) was born a Muslim. On the 7th day after his birth, his father had a naming ceremony for him, which among other things, consisted of someone shaving his head and repeating the Islamic creed: There is one God, Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet. At this point, Bakary became a Muslim, in the same way his father, his grandfather and his great-grandfather did. Since Bakary has never heard any other teachings, he does not realize he has a choice. As far as he knows, he is a Muslim. He was born a Muslim, he will marry a Muslim, all his children will be Muslims, and he will die a Muslim. As believers, pray for MNK men like Bakary who need to know they have a choice in how to follow God; pray for MNK believers to take teaching their children about God very seriously.

Sun, Apr 17: Jesus replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” – Mark 9:29 MNKs have no advocate. Just as Abraham pleaded with God for the people of Sodom (Genesis 17), so the MNK need someone to plead with God on their behalf. With a total population of 1.5 million, we can identify fewer than 100 followers of Christ; these believers are not all in one place, but scattered here and there, with no church, no pastoral leadership, no support. The MNK nation requires our intervention. As believers, please intercede on behalf of the MNK; ask God to spare this people until they have had the opportunity to hear the Gospel.

Mon, Apr 18: How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? – Romans 10:14 There are fewer than 50 missionaries who speak MNK and utilize this language to share the Good News among Mandinka. That translates to one missionary for every 30,000 MNKs! How many people do YOU know?! I can assure you, none of us relates to 3,000 MNK, let alone 30,000. More witnesses among the MNK are required, for the work is slow and hard. As believers, please pray that more followers of Christ will answer the call to live and witness among the MNK in West Africa.

Tue, Apr 19: Paul encouraged the church this way: “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline. – 2 Timothy 1:7 MNKs live in a world of fear. They fear the spirits that “roam” at night; they fear the spirits that might “steal” their children; they fear the amulet power someone might wield over them; they fear their present; they fear their past; they fear their future; they fear death. Sadly, they find no comfort in Islam, for there are no assurances in their religious teachings. For the MNK, God is as faithful as he “feels” like being at any given moment. As believers, pray for the lives of MNKs to be characterized not by fear, but by their confidence in the steadfastness of the Creator of the Universe.

Wed, Apr 20: You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. – Jeremiah 29:13 Tonight’s radio broadcast, #58, is entitled God’s Prophet, Jeremiah. Jeremiah warned the people of Judah, the only remaining Jewish nation, to heed God’s Word. As Jeremiah spoke words from God, false prophets spoke other words. In the end, on judgment day, what is true and what is false will be brought clearly to light. MNKs now live under the lies of Satan and false prophets. One day all MNKs will acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God, but will it be before they stand at the Throne of Grace. As believers, please pray that MNKs will seek God with all their heart, and accept the Truth, even if it is different from traditional, MNK, Islamic beliefs.

Thu, Apr 21: A woman had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” – Mark 5:26-28 When an MNK is ill, their first thought is not “what disease do I have”, but rather “who has caused me to become sick”? They may seek help from a traditional healer, one skilled in the knowledge of herbs and roots. They may seek help from the western physician, including western prescriptions. They also often pay money to an Islamic “medicine man”, who will give them amulets to wear, powders to drink, or potions to wash with. They may ask followers of Jesus to pray for them. Basically, they are covering all their bases. But as with this woman, God heals in direct proportion to faith. As believers, pray for those of us who live and work among the MNK to pray with confidence and faith to the Great Physician; pray for those around us to see God’s Hand at work and believe in His healing power.

Fri, Apr 22: Jesus said, “I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. – Matthew 5:34-37 MNKs use this phrase constantly...Nii Alla sonta (knee all’-a song’-ta)...meaning “If God wills”. An MNK carpenter friend is making some chairs. He says they will be done on such and such a day, if God wills. The workmanship will be good, if God wills. No one will steal the wood, if God wills. As a rule, MNKs deny responsibility for their own actions; they tend to afford all “credit” to God. Their fatalistic perception of life carries over into their religious life...if God wills they will make it to heaven, after paying their debt in hell, of course. And God’s decision has absolutely nothing to do with what they may or may not do, believe or not believe. As believers, stand in the gap for MNKs, praying for them to accept the privilege and responsibility of being directly accountable to God.

Sat, Apr 23: The Lord said to Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.” – Jeremiah 1:5 Before Jeremiah was born, God knew who He was and what kind of man he would become. MNKs are not just a race of peoples in West Africa. They are individuals whose very hairs God has numbered. They have names, personalities, joys, sorrows, and purpose. As believers, lift up the names (initials) of individual MNKs who need to know Christ – F, D, M, I, K, S, and M...all precious creations of God.

Sun, Apr 24: Jesus said, “In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.” – Matthew 18:14 It is not God’s desire for any MNK to enter the gates of Hell! MNKs believe they can appease God to allow them to eventually enter Paradise, even if they must first endure Hell for a period of time. But God’s Word is clear; neither Heaven nor Hell have two way doors. Once you are in, you are in! And it does not bring pleasure to the God of Love for any part of His creation to perish eternally. As believers, pray for MNKs to desire God above everything else; pray for MNKs to desire to reside eternally with their Creator.

Mon, Apr 25: Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” – Matthew 18:18 Matthew records multiple times when Jesus said, “I tell you the truth.” Even when the words were not “sweet”, Jesus said them anyway, often prefaced with this expression. Within MNK society, telling the truth is valued, but less so than not offending someone or keeping the peace. If the truth will bring hardship or embarrassment, then a lie is deemed acceptable. As believers, pray that MNKs will come to accept the God of Truth, and have an honest relationship with Him; pray MNKs will see that anything less than truth is unacceptable to God.

Tue, Apr 26: And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. – 2 Corinthians 11:14 Satan has been allowed so much access to the MNK that they are unable to distinguish between the Truth of God and the lies of Satan. But this is Satan’s work, for he pretends to be what he is not, and has no desire for MNKs to come to know God. Satan’s desire is that mankind should perish with him, eternally separated from the Living God. But this is not God’s desire. As believers, please pray that the things Satan uses to blind the MNK will be removed, and that True Light will shine among the MNK.

Wed, Apr 27: Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe! – Proverbs 29:25 Tonight’s radio broadcast, #59, entitled God’s Prophet, Daniel, cuts to the heart of what keeps MNKs in darkness – fear! This lesson focuses on the unequaled power of God. God’s power was sufficient to save Daniel from the lion’s den, an otherwise certain death sentence. But is God’s power sufficient to save MNKs, indeed all mankind, from the jaws of sin and death? As believers, please pray that MNKs will learn to fear God and find that in Him, we are released from all other fears.

Thu, Apr 28: May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. – 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 Paul’s blessing to the church at Thessalonica are words that continue to bring encouragement and comfort to believers. The MNK do not know God; they do not know how much He loves them; they do not have access to eternal encouragement; they have no hope. As believers, please intercede on behalf of the MNK to have access to the eternal encouragement and good hope.

Fri, Apr 29: A wife of noble character who can find? Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. – Proverbs 31:10-12 MNK men live their adult lives with a nagging sense of “fear” of their wives. An MNK husband will never confide in his wife, for she might gain the upper hand through his “weakness”. MNK men ought to have to have a wife who will bring him good, not harm. God created the institution of marriage for the benefit of both man and woman, and He desires for MNK men to enjoy the Biblical benefits of marriage. As believers, pray for MNK men to first, come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and second, to have marriages that are both pleasing to God and man.

Sat, Apr 30: Jesus said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” – Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus commanded us to share the Gospel with the MNK! Yet, their eyes and ears are covered by the power of Satan and they cannot see or hear the Truth. Only prayer and the compassionate grace of God can loose the bonds which hold MNKs in darkness and bondage. As believers, please maintain your place on the wall, defending the MNKs right to know the King.