Fulani Shepherd Meets the
Good Shepherd
Day 26: A Fulani Shepherd Meets the Good Shepherd
And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord. Luke 1:45
The Fulani are a nomadic herding people whose roots stretch across the Sahel, from Senegal to Niger. But rapid population growth and growing instability across West Africa have pushed many Fulani families southward in search of safety and greener grazing lands. Today, more than a million Fulani live in Ghana.
Many of them are now second- or third-generation residents. They’ve traded temporary camps for tents or mud homes on the edges of villages. Yet, even though they were born on Ghanaian soil, most Fulani are still not considered Ghanaian. This leaves them vulnerable to harassment and excluded from basic public services.
The consequences run deep. Women and children often miss essential healthcare, and many young people never set foot in a classroom. Isolated and marginalized, Fulani youth can easily become targets for extremist recruitment.
Sabir was one of them. A devoted Fulani Muslim raised in Ghana, he studied at a local Koranic school and later received an opportunity to continue his Islamic education in Libya. But once there, he was approached by an extremist group who urged him to join the fight against Western Christians—people he was told were killing Muslims in the Middle East.
Then, one night, everything changed. Jesus appeared to Sabir in a dream, warning him that if he joined the war, he would lose his life. Terrified and shaken, Sabir told the recruiters he was ill and could not go. Furious, they threatened him until he fled the country.
What followed was a long journey across several nations—one fueled by fear, confusion, and a desperate search for truth. Along the way, Sabir met Christians who helped him understand the dreams that had disrupted his path. Their compassion and guidance opened his heart, and Sabir chose to follow Jesus. He soon joined a discipleship program designed specifically for Fulani believers.
*pseudonym
HOW CAN WE PRAY
- Peace and protection: Ask God to shield Fulani communities from conflict, harassment, and exploitation—especially families who are on the move or living on the margins.
- Access to essential services: Lift up Fulani women and children who are often excluded from healthcare and education. Pray for open doors, compassionate local leaders, and opportunities for dignity.
- Pray against extremist influence: Many young Fulani face isolation and vulnerability. Pray that God guards their hearts, provides a healthy community, and blocks the lies of terrorist recruiters.
- Pray for encounters with Jesus: Ask God to reveal Himself through dreams, visions, Scripture, and loving believers—just as He did for Sabir—and to draw Fulani men and women to His truth.
- Pray for Fulani believers: Pray for courage, discipleship, and spiritual growth for those who follow Jesus. Ask the Lord to strengthen small fellowships and raise up faithful leaders within Fulani communities.