Maman Aissatou, who lives in Parakou, is the first of three Dendi Adventist converts we know of. The Dendi are one of approximately 70 ethnic groups in Benin, the least evangelized non-Muslim country south of the Sahara. The Dendi are 99.9 percent Muslim, so you understand how greatly we value and cherish our few converts and praise the Lord for them.

Maman Aissatou is in her late seventies—very old in this culture. As a retired teacher, she has a passion for acquiring knowledge in all aspects of life. For the past 20 years since she joined the Adventist Church, her passion has been to gather more knowledge about her faith and share it with her Muslim relatives and friends. Abandoned by her husband in her early forties when she became a Christian, Maman Aissatou challenged the Lord Jesus Christ not to abandon her and her five children, and He proved Himself faithful to her.

After about 15 years in an evangelical church, Maman Aissatou became a Seventh-day Adventist and made it a top priority to make known her new faith by all means. She distributes literature widely and witnesses publicly. Her passion can be seen clearly in the scripture verses she has decorated her house with inside and out. As a very active member, she is a church delegate at many local levels, and even on the Division level. In 2000, she was privileged to serve as a delegate to the GC session in Toronto.
In 2007 when we began our mission project among the Dendi people in Kandi, you cannot imagine our joy when we were introduced to Maman Aissatou. We praised God even more when we later learned that she was from Kandi and in fact was a niece of Kandi’s chief imam.

Because God blessed her with children who now work all over the world, Maman Aissatou has been to the Middle East, the United States and various African countries to visit her grandchildren.

She did not hear about our first baptism in July 2011. But when she heard about the second baptism this past February, she did not hesitate to travel the 134 miles from Parakou to spend three days with us in Kandi. It was a blessing to have her. Her joy and excitement infused our programs. Among the 11 baptismal candidates was a 14-year-old Dendi girl, Leatou, who grew up as a Muslim with her mother and grandmother. For health reasons, she came to stay with her father Lateef. After being part of our first baptism, Lateef prepared his daughter to be part of the second baptism. Besides Maman Aissatou, they are the only other Adventist Christian Dendi people we know of.

Maman Aissatou is so glad that, after so many years, she now has two fellow Dendi from Kandi in her faith. Praise the Lord! As our team members, your prayers and support have contributed to this rejoicing. May God return a blessing to you.

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