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Jonathan Mackwell interview
Name: Jonathan Mackwell
Nationality: Scottish
Place of residence: Senegal
Role within WEC: New worker – Fula language learner, treeplanter, webmaster
What does being a Christian mean to you? From my earliest memories, God was fully real to me. I had a friendship with him. When I spoke to him, he would answer me and I always felt relaxed, at peace and complete. Throughout my life I've seen how God has stepped in with mighty, awesome, supernatural power, yet also felt the Holy Spirit's loving peace and gentle leading.
How did you become part of WEC? A friend invited me to a Mission&Me. I was at Bible College at the time and had started exploring different options. The warm personal welcome and follow up continued to draw me. When I then looked into the principles and practices of WEC, I knew I had found an organisation I could work with.
What does your role involve? I live in Senegal, West Africa – parttime in a town called Vélingara and parttime in a mud hut in a small village. The people of the village are Fula Fouta and I'm there primarily to learn their language and culture. During the past rainy season I have been involved in establishing a fruit orchard for the village family of which I am now a part.
I am also the WEC Senegal webmaster. One other essential role is publishing a monthly children’s missionary newsletter called MackTrack. God first started calling me into mission as a young child, and I hope MackTrack will bring a similar challenge to the next generation!
What motivates you to do this? Knowing there are people in the world who have never experienced the amazing free gift of God's grace. Some have never even had the opportunity to hear (let alone respond) to the gospel.
What are you expecting God to do in the next year? I have my ideas of good progress with language and culture studies and hope that people I am in contact with will move closer to God. God, however, has the habit of doing more than we ever expect in the most surprising ways. The key for me is trying to keep up with him.
What has been your biggest challenge? Heat, humidity, mosquitoes and illnesses – especially when all coincide at 3am!
Tell us three of your favourite things.
• Preparing and drinking the local sweet tea with friends.
• Seeing and photographing the amazing plants and animals native to West Africa.
• Eating fresh papayas, mangoes and bananas, and other more exotic fruits.
More information about Senegal
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