SENEGAL — “Don’t let these men die.”

Kwashie, a respected local pastor, pled with Crossworld worker Dan on behalf of isolated Senegalese pastors he knew whose work stretched them to the point of exhaustion. “They’re alone out there, and they can’t carry heavy loads. If they don’t get the rest they need, they’ll burn out.”

With Kwashie’s words ringing in his ears, Dan trekked to a small village with concern for Alassane, a solitary pastor with a growing flock of believers in Jesus.

As Dan entered Alassane’s simple brick home, he heard children laughing, laundry sloshing and lunch plates clattering. After the meal, Alassane spoke of his many responsibilities: disciple-making, church planting, shepherding, teaching, discipling new believers by having them move in with his family, evangelizing at the local penitentiary, and supervising the church building program. Alassane is one busy guy!

Through it all, Dan listened. He affirmed. He asked questions. He prayed. Basically, he acted as an “ugly stick” to Alassane.

As pictured above, before adding a roof to a new brick house, the builder pulls long, slender poles from his donkey cart. These rustic beams ─ ugly sticks ─ support the structure-in-progress until it’s stable enough to hold the roof. The temporary job of these sticks ensures long-term benefit for many. And that’s exactly what Dan’s strong support did for Alassane that day.

At the end of Dan’s visit, the grateful pastor said, “Thank you for coming. You have encouraged me to take a day of rest every week. I needed to hear that, and I’m going to start doing it.”

Italicized names were changed to protect identity.