About the People

Approximately 3.5 million strong, the Malinke have spread across much of West Africa. There are populations of Malinke in Guinea, Senegal, and other countries, including Mali. Almost 100 percent of the Malinke people are of the Muslim faith. Kangaba, Mali, is a very significant place to the Malinke people. In the 1200s, a great king known as Sundiata Keita (the original Lion King) raised the Malian empire to greatness. Sundiata Keita made Kangaba his capital and built a sacred hut there that still stands today. Kangaba was known as the seat of the Malian empire’s spiritual power.

Imagine living your life in fear of the evil eye and other spiritual forces. Imagine living in a country twice the size of Texas, but with only three Seventh-Day Adventist churches. Imagine living your whole life in such spiritual darkness that you never hear the name of Jesus spoken. Such is the lot of the Malinke of Mali.

About the Project

Since 1996, there has been an Adventist Frontier Mission project located in Kangaba, Mali. Phillip and Naomi Polley, with their children, spent 12 years nurturing relationships among the Malinke. Homer and Debbie Curry, with their family, also spent some years in Kangaba. The efforts of these families bore fruit. For a time, there was a small company of believers worshiping every Sabbath in Kangaba. Although both families returned to the States in 2007, they left behind many valuable resources, including a complete set of Bible studies produced in Bambara, the local language, and audio Bible stories recorded in Bambara and French. Neil and Holly Lovitt also served on this project from 2008-2016. Now the Tooray family, just finishing up their training, will continue the work in Kangaba.

People-Group Facts

• Population: 3.5 million
• Language: Malinke
• Religion: Islam