O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
Usually living in settlements of round, mud or thatched dwellings with straw roofs, the Dendi are located in the northernmost region of Benin (buh·neen), mainly in the lush plains of the Niger (nai·jr) River. Settlements along the Niger River contain many rice fields and garden plots. Villages farther from the river are surrounded by bush areas and cultivated fields. The Dendi are almost entirely Muslim. Even though Islam introduced new elements into the Dendi culture, it left the underlying framework of custom and tradition virtually untouched. Spirit possession, magic, sorcery, ancestor worship and witchcraft remain vital components of the Dendi belief system.
There are some followers of Christ among the Dendi. Pray the Lord will send teachers to help them become firmly established on the truths of scripture and send pastors to shepherd them.
Pray for the Dendi to turn from occult practices and trust in God, and stop believing the lies of Satan and his parlor tricks.