Light in the Bamboo Belt
Light in the Bamboo Belt
Jo’s Song for the Wamei People of Senegal
“I realize now why God sent you here from America to live in Senegal with me: so that you would tell me about Jesus—because I need Jesus right now.” — Jo
photo credit: Edward Mendell
A People Hidden in the Bamboo Belt
Deep in the lush, southeastern corner of Senegal—near the border with Guinea—live the Wamei people, also known as the Konyagi. With a population of over 30,000, the Wamei are a vibrant, culturally rich ethnic group who still hold tightly to their ancestral ways. From palm-leaf thatched roofs to bamboo-crafted architecture, they are known for their distinctive dress, musical heritage, and tight-knit social systems.
But beneath the beauty of their traditions lies a spiritual reality that few in the West can comprehend. The Wamei world is filled with spiritual protections, ancestral charms, and rituals rooted in fear. Most have never heard the gospel clearly—and fewer than 2% identify as evangelical believers.
Breaking the Curse
Jo grew up in the heart of Wamei culture. Since childhood, he had worn four witchcraft belts—spiritual amulets given to him by his mother to protect him from curses, spirits, and harm. Like so many around him, Jo trusted these objects with his life.
But God was writing a different story. Jo began coming to our Christian Coffee Shop & Library—a ministry outpost in our town—where he asked questions about Jesus, listened to open-air gospel conversations, and wrestled with truth for months. He wanted to believe, but he knew the cost.
In Senegal, becoming a Christian is no light decision. You risk losing your family, your job, and even your place in the village. Jo understood this all too well. But one day, tears in his eyes, he said, “I’m ready. I want to follow Jesus. I want to be baptized.”
That same day, Jo burned his belts in our backyard—breaking with his past. Then we baptized him, declaring his new life in Christ.
A Test of Faith
Jo’s newfound joy didn’t last long—at least not in the way we expected. The very next day, Jo’s 24-year-old wife suddenly died.
We sat with him, cried with him, and helped provide a casket. And yet, in the midst of his grief, Jo said something we will never forget:
“I realize now why God sent you here all the way from America to live in Senegal with me: so that you would tell me about Jesus. Because I need Jesus right now. And He will get me through this.”
Despite devastating loss, Jo continued showing up—week after week—for Bible study, prayer, and discipleship. His faith only grew deeper.
A Song in the Darkness
Jo’s trials weren’t over. Months later, he was falsely accused of stealing a solar panel and quickly arrested and set to a prison in a different city. We asked the local police for information, but they refused to tell us where they had sent Jo. Without a lawyer and with no information about his location, we had no way of reaching him. Would we ever see Jo again? All we could do was pray.
Two weeks later, we received a call—from inside a prison. Another one of our discipleship students, also falsely imprisoned, had been placed in the same facility. “I didn’t do anything wrong,” he told us. “But I got arrested anyway. But, guess what? I found Jo! He’s in the cell next to me.”
Jo couldn’t read or write well, so Charles would read the Bible aloud so that Jo could hear it—the other prisoners got to hear the Bible this way as well. But Jo is talented in another way: he is a singer. With the help of his cellmate Charles, Jo began composing a worship song in his own language. Jo sang; Charles wrote. Together, they created what may be the first Christian worship song ever written in the Wamei language.
The lyrics rose from a heart shaped by grief, redemption, and unshakable hope in Christ.
A Voice for the Wamei
We’ve now recorded Jo’s song in audio format. But there’s more to be done.
We are working to produce a music video—one that will bring this worship song to life and share the gospel across Senegal and Guinea in a way the Wamei people have never heard before: in their own voice, in their own language, through one of their own.
For a people group that has been largely unreached for generations, this video could open doors, spark questions, and ignite a gospel movement.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Since his release from prison, Jo has struggled to find steady work—just like many young men in Senegal, where the national unemployment rate hovers around 20% and youth unemployment is even higher.
But we believe Jo’s best ministry is still ahead of him.
We are currently raising $16,500 to fund a bold, redemptive opportunity:
It will allow us to hire Jo full-time at our Christian Coffee Shop & Library—the only one of its kind in Senegal.
It will also provide one year of salary for three other Senegalese team members.
Together, they will help lead Bible studies, host Christian film nights, disciple new believers, and carry the love of Jesus deeper into unreached communities.
This isn’t just job creation—it’s church planting. It’s discipleship. It’s mission.
🙏 Will you partner with us in prayer and provision?
💼 Will you help us give Jo and this team the chance to lead boldly for Christ?
Jo's song may be the first Wamei-language Christian music video ever produced. With your help, it won’t be the last.