Carpentry and the gospel offer hope to Senegalese street boys

By Tim Allan

Nathan Finstad, sent by SIM USA, arrived in Senegal, West Africa, with his wife and six children just before the global COVID-19 lockdown of 2020.

While that was a devastating time for many, Nathan has seen how God used it to give him and his family more time to better learn about the culture they were coming into.

That, in turn, enabled him to see how the skills he had learned running a company that worked with insurance companies to repair damaged houses and buildings, could help bring the gospel to Senegalese young men, almost all of whom follow the majority religion.

He said, “I really enjoyed teaching young men vocational skills where I worked, and after understanding the situation of the street boys, I was drawn to help them. They don’t really get any proper education, so they can’t develop the skills needed to find good work, let alone start their own businesses.”

“I realised that by teaching them some carpentry skills, using hand tools, they could develop skills that might help them earn a living. So, I started to think more carefully about how we could make that happen.”

God eventually led Nathan to partner with two existing ministries, run by other mission organisations. They were bringing the boys in three to four days a week to teach them some basic math and French and had space for Nathan to set up a rudimentary workshop.

He said: “We started last September, mainly working with boys aged 15-18. They really love the hands-on nature of the work, and it’s great to see them growing and learning. It brings them a welcome change from the more academic subjects. I usually work with about five or six, but some days it can be up to a dozen.”

The boys also learn the basics of running a business, because they have taken on some jobs that have ranged from building a wardrobe to refinishing a table. Nathan has shown them how to put together an estimate to include covering the cost of materials, labour, and making a small profit to reinvest in tools.

A local pastor and local member of the church also play a big role in showing the love of Christ to the boys and sharing with them the truth of the gospel. They give short, Bible-based talks at the start of each session, some of which centre on specific issues the boys are facing (fighting, arguing, etc) and others linking parables to the kind of work they are doing.

Nathan would love to see the ministry develop so that other trade skills, such as welding, masonry, plumbing, and electrical, could also be taught.

Even though the ministry did not start until nearly five years after the Finstads arrived in Senegal, that time was not wasted.

Nathan explains: “When we arrived in Senegal, we didn’t really have a clear vision of exactly what our ministry would look like in an urban setting, but the leadership team here encouraged us to see that as an opportunity rather than a problem.”

“We love helping these boys by giving them practical skills, but our hearts are truly filled with joy when we see them responding to the Bible teaching and thinking through who Jesus is and what He has done for them.”