In the mountains of West Africa live the Yalunka people, a tribe spanning across Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Mali. Decades ago, the Missionary Church began ministering to the Yalunka in two of those countries, but an unreached group resided on the other side of the mountain range. In 2011, Steve Nelson and a small delegation of believers met with the unreached Yalunka in Mali and began sharing the gospel. Today, there are many believers amongst the Malian Yalunka, but up to this year, they had yet to meet their fellow Yalunka in Sierra Leone or Guinea.
This past March, the leaders at Burkina Faso decided to send missionaries and leaders along with Steve to bring the Malian Yalunkas to the other side of the mountain. After a three-day ride over rough terrain, they gathered in Guinea. News of their arrival spread, drawing 68 representatives from Yalunka villages to the meeting. There was a great deal of excitement, celebration, storytelling, and praise as Christ followers and family were united in a “constant churning of fellowship,” Steve says. Previous years of war and hardship had left many of the churches in this region discouraged but gathering with their Malian brethren brought joy and songs of praise.
“It was incredible,” Steve Nelson recalls. “They were sharing what God had done from their side of the mountain. I just wept at seeing what’s happening and what God is doing.”
On the final day, after a noon feast, representatives departed across three countries to share what had happened in Guinea with all their other relatives. One man gave his life to Jesus days after the event when he heard the testimony of this gathering. “What an incredible multiplication process this is going to be,” says Steve.
The Yalunka leaders are eager to meet again, this time on the Mali side of the mountain during the dry season in February or March.
