The Francophone World: A Call to All French Speakers!

La Francophonie is a vast geographical area comprising 396 million French speakers spread across 90 states and governments on five continents, all of which are members of the International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF).

This Francophone community is not, as many believe, an extension or remnant of French colonialism. In the wake of independence, Francophone leaders from Africa and Southeast Asia became aware of this shared linguistic space—one conducive to exchange and mutual enrichment—and viewed it as a legacy to be nurtured and developed. While the French Empire may not have truly wanted to die, the Francophone “software” bears no resemblance to it! Its DNA goes far beyond a shared language; it is a unique cultural and intellectual archetype rooted in relationships, pluralism, literature, oral tradition, hospitality, culinary arts, and diplomacy…

From Senegal to Cameroon, via Quebec, France, French-speaking Switzerland, and the archipelagic islands, we can identify a shared narrative that eschews the prevailing pragmatism of a world that has become overly technical and spiritually empty.

What about Youth With A Mission in the Francophonie? By 2026, more than 50 locations (centers, teams, various ministries, etc.) will be active across five continents. However, the mandate to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:18) is not yet fulfilled. Unreached peoples, training, Bible translation, evangelism, and being salt and light within society (education, the economy, government, healthcare, etc.) call us to serve God in the French-speaking world. Do you speak French? An extraordinary opportunity awaits you! Does God want to prepare you and send you to the French-speaking world?

Denis Drugeau, Coordinator for JEM Francophone