Evenings under the stars. Football fields. Goat pens. In one of the more remote communities of West Africa, faith is taking root in places most of us wouldn’t expect. Through the faithful work of one former Muslim, the Gospel is being lived and shared in a new way. This story from our ministry partner HOPE, reminds us that church planting and Gospel advancement happens when someone says “yes” and stays faithful, even in tough or not typical circumstances.
The Journey of Yacouba
Meet Yacouba*. A young Touareg, trained at HOPE’s ministry school, once a student of the Quran, he moved to a new region with ten goats and a vision. By day he tended goats and worked the land, by night he socialized with local young men. Soon those casual chats around a fire became much more.
Because he studied both the Quran and the Bible, Yacouba found he could engage others in meaningful conversations. What began as friendship turned into a Discovery Bible Study. One evening three young men approached him:
“Because you are our teacher of the Word, we cannot let you work alone.”
They volunteered to help him two days a week with the goats and the fields which was a small gesture of gratitude that turned into something greater.
Yacouba responded:
“What I want is for you to begin working in my fields while I herd the goats, so that one day you can raise your own goats.”
They said yes. They wanted more than just help; they wanted the time with him, and in that time they found something unexpected. Freedom. Three of them quit smoking after realizing their bodies are the temple of God. They began reaching out to their peers, pointing out that the lure of going to Nigeria (in search of money) often brought back bad habits rather than blessing. They saw the truth in Yacouba’s story because he, too, had been to Nigeria, studied the Quran, but had picked up destructive habits when desperate.
Together, these young men set a goal: each would form three different Discovery Bible Study groups in the village. Because of security risks (and the danger of large gatherings at night) they shifted their meetings to afternoons and relocated to football fields. Yacouba and his friends now lead three football clubs in the area and each game begins with a Bible study.
Football attracts the youth, the parents give permission, and the gospel flows. Children stay in the village more, help with farming, live differently. The field has become a fertile place, not just for goats or crops, but for the church.
For Yacouba, the challenge is real. Persecution of Christians and harsh cultural pressures exist in his region. Yet he continues and distributes Bibles in Hausa and Touareg, mentoring young men, and planting groups one discovery study at a time.
He says:
“Follow me, as I follow Jesus.”
And many are doing just that.
Why This Matters for Church Planting in West Africa
This is a story of planting where most might give up. No pews. No building. No money. Just goats. A football field. Evening talks under stars. This kind of church planting in West Africa is raw, real, and relational. It demonstrates how the Gospel meets people in their everyday lives even amid rough terrain. It reminds us: faithfulness bears fruit.
Please pray for Yacouba, his small team, and the young men who are now leading. Pray for protection, for boldness, for wisdom. Pray that this simple movement grows into a strong church rooted in Christ and shaped by the community.
