Muslims Coming to Jesus in Large Numbers in Africa's Deadliest Region

American missionary Carole Ward is training fearless believers in Africa's Sahel region, one of the world's most dangerous areas where more than half of global terror related deaths occur, and witnessing Muslims coming to Christ in large numbers.

The Sahel stretches across ten African nations from Senegal to Eritrea, characterized by scorching heat reaching 115 degrees, shifting sand, and deadly danger from Boko Haram, ISIS, and Al Qaeda. Ward has spent decades running toward conflict zones, previously serving in northern Uganda during the Lord's Resistance Army brutality and in South Sudan during civil war.

"You can't live here until you've already died. You've died to yourself, and the devil can't kill a dead man because your life isn't your own," Ward told CBN News.

Ward's missionary heritage runs three generations deep. Her grandparents served 30 years in China. Her parents spent 62 years preaching gospel in regions terrorized by Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines. "Fear is contagious, but so is faith," Ward explained. "I grew up in a home that, even though Abu Sayyaf was looking for my own father's head for 45 years, he had no fear."

Ward launched a nationwide prayer movement in Chad, training over 150 Chadian missionaries who know the land, language, and cost of following Christ. "We've had some Boko Haram come to Jesus in our missionary training school," Ward reported. Some missionaries have gone east into Sudanese refugee camps where 202 people were baptized at the first missionary training school.

Digba Katsala, a street evangelist, rides his motorcycle through N'Djamena preaching openly despite Chad being over 50 percent Muslim.

"Sometimes people are not very receptive, at times it gets a little confrontational, but afterwards, when people see that you persist with the Word of God, then they get used to you. And when you preach, at the end there are people that start giving their lives to Christ and that's extraordinary," Katsala explained.

Abdoulaye Mayangar, a traveling evangelist and former Muslim whose father trained with Islamic extremists to target Christians, now walks into the same regions with the gospel. "I was a fervent Muslim. I prayed 5 times a day. I fasted during Ramadan, and I did not like Christians at all," Mayangar said. "There is hope because many Muslims in these countries are open today to listening to the gospel. God is really working in the Sahel. They are coming to Jesus in large numbers, and their lives are being transformed."

Ward calls these Chadian believers the tip of the spear, reshaping the spiritual map through prayer, sacrifice, and God's love in one of Africa's most dangerous regions.

THE CRUSADER'S OPINION

The Sahel. Where half the world's terror deaths happen. Where Boko Haram, ISIS, Al Qaeda operate freely.

And Muslims are coming to Jesus in large numbers.

Carole Ward trains Chadian missionaries. Former Boko Haram fighters attend her training schools. Muslims converting. 202 baptized at one school. Street preachers riding motorcycles through majority Muslim cities proclaiming Christ openly.

This is what real missionary work looks like. Not conferences. Not fundraising tours. Dying to self in 115 degree heat where the devil can't kill a dead man.

Three generation missionary family. Grandparents in China. Parents in Philippines with Abu Sayyaf hunting them for 45 years. Now Carole in the Sahel where most won't go.

Her father had no fear despite terrorists seeking his head. He loved people who burned Bibles and threw them back in his face. That's the gospel lived out.

Abdoulaye's story captures everything. Father trained with Islamic extremists to target Christians. Son now travels same regions preaching Christ. Former fervent Muslim who prayed five times daily and hated Christians now witnessing mass conversions.

Digba rides motorcycle through capital city. Sets up audio. Opens Bible in French or Arabic. Boldly proclaims Jesus in majority Muslim city. Gets confrontational sometimes. Persists anyway. People give lives to Christ.

This while Western churches debate pronouns and seeker sensitivity. While comfortable believers worry about offense. Chadian missionaries walk straight into terror strongholds.

Ward maps unreached people groups. Terrorism zones. War regions. And says let's go.

150 missionaries launched. Training more. Muslims responding. Lives transformed. In the deadliest region on earth.

This is Great Commission Christianity. Not theory. Not marketing. Actual people dying to self and advancing gospel into Islamic darkness.

Ward's heart is moving farther north into more Islamic darkness. Because if we're not advancing as rapidly as terror groups, we've lost.

She's right.

TAKE ACTION

Pray for Sahel Missionaries: For Carole Ward's ministry training Chadian believers. For former Muslims like Abdoulaye facing danger from former associates. For street evangelists like Digba preaching openly.

Support Sahel Missions: Research organizations working in Chad, Niger, Mali supporting indigenous missionaries advancing gospel in terror zones

Rethink Missions: Western church spends billions on conferences and buildings. Chadian believers evangelize where half of global terror deaths occur. Redirect missions funding to frontline workers.

Bold Witness: If Chadian believers can preach Christ openly in majority Muslim terror zones, Western Christians can speak biblical truth in their safe contexts without fear.