A Look at Missions in North Africa

Introduction

Our missionary partners frequently update us on their work among the unreached, sharing stories of how God is making himself known in the darkest places. The story you’re about to read comes from the Langleys, one of AIRO’s missionary partners in North Africa.

The LangIeys partnered with The Go Fund, a program of AIRO, to have their student debt eliminated before leaving for North Africa in 2021. This was made possible in large part by The Ropeholders, a faithful group of monthly donors dedicated to eliminating barriers for the gospel’s advance. We are so thankful for both the Langley’s and our Ropeholders’ passion to leverage their lives for the cause of Christ. Please enjoy this Field Report from the Langleys!

Field Report | March 2024

“For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” – Galatians 5:14

Imagine: You’re not from The United States. You’re from a third-world country. In your bones, you know that every crumb of bread is miraculous. The average salary is $400 a month. One wrong financial move, one unexpected utility bill, and you’re sunk. Increasingly, this piece isn’t hard for many North Americans to understand. But, imagine. Nearly 50% people between the ages of 15-30 are jobless. The pressure. The insecurity. Imagine: Economically, your dream is “over there” in strange, far-away lands like Europe or Canada. But, you’re stuck. “They” don’t want you there. 

Increasingly, this is the characterization of this corner of North Africa where we live. It’s a microcosm of the growing fear, despair, and isolation people are experiencing globally. 

One sister of ours recently said “It is hard to articulate the grief we bear, as we local people, who hold great love for our land, send our sons and daughters to the sea in pursuit of lives of opportunity, purpose, and dignity in places that do not welcome us.”

The world is on the move. In 2023, 6.1 million people became “permanent” immigrants, marking a 26% increase from 2022. This is one of the highest year-on-year increases of international migration ever recorded. Fueled by humanitarian and labour migration, people are leaving their homes in search of new lives, new opportunities, and the search for dignity. 

As foreign workers, we are experiencing this everyday in our North African home. Many of the young people are leaving. Churches are losing their youth. Communities are becoming grey. Leaders are at wit’s end to find solutions. It is desperate. 

Truly, it is an act of pure, counter-cultural, self-forgetfulness for young people to remain in North Africa right now. It is a life to which not everyone is called. God calls them to it. Abject poverty, hopelessness, lack of economic mobility, and lack of meaningful opportunity for North African youth is driving many of them to seek lives in new places. 

Don’t get us wrong – their land is full of rich culture, beautiful people, and natural beauty. However, it is plagued by economic difficulty and political instability. It’s a hard place to live. It’s a challenging place for the Church and its youth. 

Unfortunately, the alternative to staying in North Africa is full of obstacles. My one, dear friend spent 13 months pursuing a Student Visa to attend university in a European country. This is also a hard calling from the Lord. In the process, they face suspicion, lack of support, jealousy from their peers, and the crippling fear of failure always nipping at their heels. Once in Europe, they have nothing. No community, no job, and no family. 

So, we pray: “Oh Lord, what can we say to these things?” It’s a major challenge. We know any anguish in our hearts is only magnified in the lives of our friends and their families. And, we know there’s hope. Though many families this Ramadan are grieving the empty places around the table as they celebrate, we know a Table at which we’re all invited to feast in the Father’s House. 

As we approach Easter, which reminds us of Christ’s resurrection, we are fighting to plant the banner of our faith in that land of hope where Love and Justice reign. Our faith has us fighting for our friends’ hope, too. We’re fighting to be fellow beggars showing other beggars where to find the Feast. We fight in opposition to the spirit of despair gripping North Africa. Fear and isolation from our neighbors is not the answer. Hopelessness for our situation is not the answer. But, how do we fight? What is the answer? 

Truthfully, we don’t have an answer. But, we know how to fight. We fight in prayer. We pray to a God who hears. Who loves us. Who is mighty to save.