Action Sports Leaders Unite in Senegal to Share the Gospel

Thanks to your support, JSAW partnered with ACTS (Action Sports Ministry Network) to make an incredible outreach possible in Senegal this fall. Through a small grant from JSAW’s Action Sports Ministry Fund, twelve action sports leaders from across Africa gathered to reach riders, share the gospel, and grow together in faith and leadership.

Over four days, the team hosted surf and skate outreaches across the Dakar area. Around 40 riders heard the gospel, and 15 are now engaged in ongoing discipleship with local leaders.

Because Senegal is a closed country, our team didn’t openly invite people to make public decisions for Christ. Instead, they leaned on the wisdom of local believers who are now continuing follow-up and discipleship efforts.

God at Work in Senegal

One highlight came during a surf outreach. While sharing waves, a team member struck up a conversation with a local woman searching for spiritual truth. When the group returned to shore, she gladly accepted a French Surfers Bible! She promised to read it and continue exploring what it means to follow Jesus.

At the same beach, the group met, a professional surf instructor who joyfully shouted “Praise Jesus!” every time someone stood up on a wave. Later he shared that he and his family are followers of Christ and active in a local church. The team gifted him a Bible and encouraged him to keep sharing God’s love with other surfers.

The action didn’t stop there. Across several skateparks, the team connected with local skaters and inline bladers through lessons, small competitions, and gospel presentations.

One of those skaters was a young woman from a Muslim background who came to faith in Jesus after He miraculously healed her from cancer. Even after being rejected by her family, she continues to boldly live out her faith—teaching girls to skate and sharing the hope of Jesus with them.

Raising Up Leaders and Multiplying Impact

The ACTS Summit wasn’t just about outreach—it was about equipping leaders. Representatives from seven African nations gathered to pray, plan, and strategize for future action sports ministry in their regions.

Among them was a local leader from Ghana who runs Senegal’s only inline skate shop as a Business as Mission. His vision is to provide affordable gear, create jobs, and use the shop as a platform for gospel impact.

Another local skater joined spontaneously after seeing the first outreach. By the end of the week, she was reciting ACTS’ core values—Gather, Validate, Resource, and Grow—and left inspired to start her own skate ministry in Senegal.

A Lasting Legacy

Through shared meals, prayer, and time in the Word, these action sports leaders grew in unity and purpose. They left encouraged, resourced, and ready to multiply the movement across Africa.

What started with a small grant and a few plane tickets turned into a powerful week of connection, discipleship, and the gospel in motion.

Thank you for being part of this story. Your giving helps riders around the world experience the love of Jesus through action sports. If you would like to give to JSAW's Action Sports Ministry Fund to continue Transforming Action Sports Culture around the world please click here.