Dala to YWAM

“Do you know any good dance teachers?” I asked a friend. Her answer led me to a great dance teacher, Dala. After negotiating a price over the phone, Dala showed up a couple of days later. After our first hip-hop class, I looked at Daso and said, “Well, he’s really fun!” Over the next few weeks, Dala became part of our friend family, joining us for meals and fellowship regularly. He had a hunger for and sensitivity to the Word of God, never giving “Sunday school” answers but thoughtful, honest reflections that were obviously from the Spirit of God working in him.

After a year of teaching dance classes to both my kids, missionary kids, the neighborhood kids, and our group retreat, Uncle Dala, as we call him, said he wanted to go to Bible school. This didn’t surprise me, as he has always said he doesn’t want his dancing to be “only dancing.” He wants there to be power, impact, and purpose to his dance, whether as an instructor or as a performer. We had spent long conversations about what his vision was, and his desire to disciple and impact his world. He said, “I want to know how to share the gospel better.” After thinking about it, I recommended YWAM, and a good friend said he had gone to the center in the Philippines because he, too, is an artist. He said they have a special focus on outreach for artists. Uncle Dala has never intended to travel abroad, and I had my reservations, but we’re stepping out in faith, praying that God will do the impossible. Although Nigeria has a YWAM, it is focusing on Oral Bible Translation this year, which is awesome, but not what he’s hoping to be involved in. YWAM Philippines is a good fit because it has a three-month discipleship course that will equip Dala to do what he wants to do. Following the discipleship course, is a three-month practical outreach, which will put legs to that teaching and give him experience with others who are passionate about similar things before he returns to Nigeria to minister.

Uncle Dala has a platform among performing artists here in Jos and more broadly, a group of creative, motivated individuals who have great potential to reach many with their artforms. Uncle Dala wants to be part of walking alongside them and others to draw people to Christ through art.

Thank you for considering being part of this unfolding story!