Every afternoon between 3–5 p.m., brightly painted wooden canoes line the Gambian coast.
The fishermen aboard cast nets into the ocean, while their colleagues wade from shore to drag the catch to land. Some days, their nets hang heavy with fish—sustaining the coastal nation’s diet, culture, and economy. The fish are loaded into plastic buckets, which women carry on their heads to be sold and cooked at the vibrant beachside market.
Occasionally, ABWE missionaries join them in pulling in the day’s catch.
“This reminds me of Jesus finding his disciples among simple fishermen—men who were willing to follow him as he began his ministry,” Joan Schmitz said over crashing waves to the young fishermen beside her. Interested, they listened as she shared stories from the Gospels while, together, they tugged a net to shore.
She and ABWE teammates often strike up conversations with unreached Muslims around the city.
“It’s very relational here; it’s called the ‘Smiling Coast’ for a reason,” Joan remarked. “You just have to be willing to talk transparently about your love for Christ. When you ask the Lord to help you, he opens doors and gives you words to say.”
She met one seller at the Bakau fish market, known locally as “B.B. King”—a Muslim who enjoys discussing spiritual truths and often introduces her to others in the market.
The team prays that these relationships will break down barriers and lead Gambians to become disciples of Christ—and that more “fishers of men” will join in his mission.
