By the time you read this article, we should be among the Dendi people of northern Benin. Thanks to all of you who made this a reality.

The Dendi live in Niger, Nigeria, and Benin and number about 150,000. They belong to the 1.5 million-strong Songhai group of central West Africa. About 45,000 Dendi live in Benin. They are the second largest of 57 ethnic groups in Benin. Benin is the least-evangelized non-Muslim country south of the Sahara. Though a high percentage of people in Benin practice traditional religions, statistics show that the Dendi remain 99.9 percent Muslim.

In Benin, the Dendi are found mainly in the lush plains of the Niger River. Some of them live in the high-grass areas where there is little water and sparse vegetation. The Dendi are the second largest cultural group in northern of Benin. They are mostly farmers, and they also breed cattle, which they put into the custody of the nomadic Fulani. The Dendi place a high degree of importance on spirituality, and the practice of religion is an important part of daily life.

The Dendi have mostly converted to Islam, and the laws of Islam dominate their daily lives. The clothes they wear, the calendar they follow, the naming of their babies, and their funerary practices are similar to those of other Muslims around the world. Nevertheless, their underlying framework of custom and tradition is virtually untouched. They also perform voodoo, which about 70 percent of Benin’s population practices. Spirit possession, magic, sorcery, ancestor worship, and witchcraft remain vital components of Dendi belief.

Currently, there are very few Christian resources available in the Dendi language. A majority of these precious people have not heard a clear presentation of the gospel. As we team up to reach out to the Dendi, we pr

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