Introduction

A survey carried out in May 1998 suggests the number of evangelical Christians in Senegal totals 11,000 out of a total population of 9 million. The dominant religion is Islam (92 percent).

CBN began its WorldReach activities in mid 1999, taking an active part to make known Jesus as Lord and to change the hearts and minds of the Senegalese.

Village Film Projections

Since 1999, CBN WorldReach in Senegal has taken video projection units into places where people do not have access to television. Through this project CBN reached over 12,000 people and helped five denominations to establish 18 churches. This program has also assisted several churches in their work of evangelization. These new village churches face many difficulties to strengthen themselves and grow. These challenges include the exodus of rural populations into cities, a total lack of infrastructure of health, drinking water, and schooling of the children especially of the girls who are obliged to leave home at a very young age to seek work to support the families.

Program With The Children

The evangelical community of Senegal, having taken the measurement of the problem of children in the countryside, set up the Network of the Evangéliques Ministries among the Children at Senegal (RMEES). CBN WorldReach took an active share in the installation of this network. This network includes three sections: a Sunday.school program, a nursery and primary school program, and a special section for children at risk.

Several churches use films of CBN Superbook every Sunday to inform the children on the stories and the characters of the Bible. These churches use them in the same way to touch the children of the districts in which they are located

Christian schools use films of Superbook for the religious education of the pupils.

Several ministries involved with the children at risk project show films of Superbook to street children who attend their center.

This program is very important in Senegal. With the high birth rate of Muslims, it is necessary to invest in the children in order to reveal the love of God to them.

Radio Broadcasts.

In 2001 CBN WorldReach Senegal began interactive radio broadcasts in the capital Dakar. These programs included the audio teaching series of Pat Robertson, Answers. These broadcasts enabled us to touch an estimated audience of between 500,000 and 800,000 with the word of God. We received many phone calls to the radio station from Muslims.

Counseling

CBN WorldReach Senegal tested a project of counseling in 2001. This program consisted in informing people through newspaper ads that we were available to help them by counseling and prayer to overcome difficulties in life. To our great surprise, we were overwhelmed by calls. This experiment enabled us to measure how much people suffer behind their mask of religiosity and how much in our country people need Christ. We suspended this program for we need to find and fund two people trained to ensure it is done properly.

Television

After three years of patient negotiations CBN WorldReach Senegal has signed a contract with the national TV channel, RTS, to broadcast 26 episodes of Superbook. Previously in 2001 and 2002 RTS television twice transmitted the CBN animation special Easter Promise. The reaction of the viewers was very encouraging. CBN made a gift of equipment to RTS in a ceremony that was filmed and included in the main television news program of Thursday October 31, 2002.