Our Story
We first felt the call to Senegal during a global missions dinner at our church in 2007. Despite not even being able to locate Senegal on a map, we felt drawn to serve there. I (Leo) went on my first short-term trip to Senegal in 2010. I then returned with seven additional short-term teams. Those trips were where God first gave Michele and me a love for the Senegalese.
Since 2010, we have witnessed the incredible growth of the Senegalese Christian church. We have seen this growth in our church’s partner village, where its church has grown from two Christians in 2008 to presently over 100. This birth of the village’s church was due in part to the Christians in their neighboring village. This same spreading of the Gospel in Senegal, from one village to another, continues today. As more Senegalese come to know Christ, there is a greater need for training and equipping pastors, church leaders, and church planters.
In December 2012, God began to lead us to long term missions in Senegal with United World Mission (UWM). Over the course of six months, after a lot of prayer; seeking God’s direction; seeking counsel; and even trying to walk away from our calling, we knew that God’s desire was for us to work in Senegal.
We feel God is calling us to prepare and train Christian leaders in Senegal, equipping them for discipleship, church planting, and sharing the Good News to their fellow countrymen and women.