When believers in central Africa purchased land for planting crops and digging a well, they had no idea the income-generating project would yield surprising fruit.
In the heart of Africa, where the desert meets the savannah, the gospel is spreading in a land-locked, Muslim-majority, French and Arabic-speaking nation — all because of a well.
It started when OM workers began a farming project in an impoverished area outside of a city. The goal was for the farm to not only provide food for those working the land, but also to generate income for them as they sold the excess produce. The group purchased the land, dug a well and started planting.
The workers prayed and planted both long and short-term crops, from mango, guava, lemon, orange and banana trees to rows of onion, garlic, okra, peppers, sesame, peanut, sorghum, millet and maize. Some of the crops take longer to grow and produce than others, but already the garden has started to provide for the more than 20 workers who are part of the project.
However, the physical food is not the most surprising fruit from the farm project.
This resource-rich nation experiences annual wet and dry seasons. During the dry season, many villages suffer from water scarcity. Some communities migrate in search of water, and when that happens, people drink from rivers and do not have access to sanitary bathroom facilities and sickness is common. Practising Muslims also need clean water for ritual washing.
In addition to providing food and the possibility of income for the workers, the farm project has also become a source of clean water for the surrounding community.
“When we began the farm project and dug the well, people began visiting the farm in order to access the well, seeking clean water both for themselves and for their cattle,” shares Isaac*, the OM leader in the country. “And, if they do not have work to return to, those who come for water will hang out at the water point.”
The believers began conversations about religion with those who came to the well, and slowly realised that people were more open to these discussions than they’d expected. Within 18 months, the group moved from one-on-one evangelism to starting a Discovery Bible Study (DBS) group at the well. As of the end of 2024, 25 people meet regularly in the garden to study the Word of God.
While people go the well for water, the OM team has seen how visits satisfy a spiritual thirst as well, as they hear the good news of Christ.
Multiplication instead of addition
Around the time the farm project began, Isaac had just attended a discipleship training in a neighbouring country. There, he learnt to think and pray about the multiplication of believers. “We were just doing addition before,” Isaac remembers. He returned home and sat down with the believers on the garden project, encouraging them to each go and start a new group. They went to their own villages and did just that.
The next year, other believers went to the same training and came back inspired as well. Now, there are 25 group leaders. Two groups are in other regions, several are in different refugee communities and three others are in villages with only one believer. In addition to the group leaders, 15 others are a part of OM nationwide.
“We thank God this garden is bringing a lot of fruit, both spiritual and physical. People are hearing the gospel and believing in Jesus through this project,” shares Isaac. “We are also trying to think of different income-generating activities so we can sustain the workers. As all of us are Believers from Muslim Backgrounds (BMBs), we cannot ask for financial support from families or friends.”
“God has given me a dream for multiplying groups of Jesus followers and farming projects together. These projects are not only income-generating and practically providing food and water for the workers, as well as their communities, but also are safe places where believers and seekers can study the Bible together.”
Please continue to pray for the farming project; for the multiplication of gardens and wells throughout the nation, and for the gospel to spread with them.
*name changed