Written by Carleigh Davis
“…To open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison, and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness…” Isaiah 42:7
DRIME has used this verse for the last few years but since I’ve lived in Benin it has held new meaning for me. The national religion of Benin is voodoo, so it is very common and widespread. The darkness that traps them is much more tangible than what one would usually encounter in Canada. The people there are held captive by fear of the evil that is very present in voodoo practices and curses. When DRIME first visited Benin in 2008, people who watched the dramas would get the characters of Satan and God mixed up – they were so used to a god who was manipulative, controlling and angry. But through narrating the dramas and entering into conversations with people in our audiences, the truth about God and His love for us is being shared in Benin!!
We had the opportunity to visit a few villages while we were in Benin this year. One village in particular had a very strong voodoo presence and some voodoo witches actually came out to watch us. It was a little unnerving to be under their watchful eyes but we have a much greater Power than anything they throw at us! Whom then shall we fear? In that village, 30 people came forward to accept Christ and I pray that God and the local church would give them plenty of encouragement and protection.
God has really given me a heart to share his love and good news with these people so that their eyes can be opened to a God that is loving and compassionate instead of a higher power that is easily angered and wrathful; so that they can be freed from this prison of fear; and so they can experience light instead of darkness!
Carleigh, Jamie, Janna and Abigail were in Benin for 5 months to plant an official DRIME Base! So far after their times of ministry in the city of Cotonou as well as in surrounding villages, over 350 people have accepted Christ as their Saviour!! They have also found and trained leaders, and the first DRIME Benin team of 30 members started weekly ministry in June. The beginning of July marked the official launch of the DRIME Benin Base!
