Cherished Memories of Africa — Page 202
184 Spread of Ahmadiyyat in Velingara Velingara is a medium-sized town in the Kolda region of Senegal, situated about twenty kilometres from Basse in the Gambia. Because of police and customs check points at the border, the communication between these towns is minimal. The road is untarred and stony making travelling very difficult. Once Velingara’s Member of Assembly came to Nasir Ahmadiyya High School Basse with a large delegate on my request. An elaborate Tabligh meeting with the distinguished guests was organised there which resulted in bai’at by many dignitaries of the area. Amongst the guests was an Arabic ustaz Alhaj Yoro Balde who had returned from Saudi Arabia after religious education; he also performed bai’at and continued with Tabligh duty diligently and enthusiastically. His influence initiated development of new Jama’ats in the whole area. By the Grace of Allah, now there are several big mosques in the area and muallims are busy in the service of religion day and night. When Yoro Balde was blessed by Allah with his first son he named him Ghulam Ahmad after the name of the Promised Messiah (as). He was quite young when he fell ill with a disease that did not appear dangerous. However, it proved fatal and he died a few days later. May Allah grant him high ranks in heaven, Amin! ‘I am already an Ahmadi’ – Imam Once a tarbiyyati class was organised in Sare Bungari near Latmegui which was attended by many members from that area. Classes were held during daytime and in the evening they were sent to nearby villages for ta’lim, tarbiyyat and preaching. One