A pastor of a small church in Thies described a challenge for Protestant Christians that had grown even more challenging in recent months. Senegal is 97% Muslim, 3% Roman Catholic, and much less that 1% Protestant. Muslims are buried in dedicated Muslim cemeteries, and Catholics are buried in Catholic cemeteries. Muslims do not allow Christians to be buried in their cemeteries. Until recently, Catholic churches in the city of Thies graciously permitted the few Protestant churches to bury their dead in Catholic cemeteries. That changed in early 2023. Catholic cemeteries were filling up, and they informed Protestant leaders they would no longer have space for non-Catholic burials.
There is one other option. Thies (population ~500,000) has a small municipal cemetery that accepts all people. Usually, only the indigent without a religious family, criminals, and foreigners are buried there. No one who wants a respectable burial desires to be buried there.
To be accepted and respected by this highly religious Muslim culture, Protestants need a place for a respectable burial for their deceased. For Muslims, a proper burial is especially important, and they disregard anyone who does not think likewise. Cremation is regarded as desecration of the body and disrespect toward the deceased. No one does it, and it’s not even available.
We are collaborating with the alliance of Protestant churches in Thies to purchase a plot of land that will become a cemetery for the dozen or so small Protestant churches in Thies. Most of the pastors are bi-vocational and the churches struggle to pay them decently for their dedicated pastoral work.
The alliance has located a six-acre plot of land just south of Thies that would make a nice cemetery. The alliance churches will maintain and care for the cemetery once it is purchased and a cement block wall is built around it (to keep out roaming sheep, goats, donkeys, cattle). We are helping them raise the funds to purchase the six-acre property. The property, registration, and taxes for the purchase will run to about $35,000 plus 15% for taxes.
Thank you for your generosity to Christian brothers and sisters in Senegal who cannot say “thank you” directly on this side of heaven! You will hear from them, though, when we all embrace in the new heavens and new earth that our Father God is preparing for us.