West Africa Ministry 2009 Trip

Day 3 - Burkina Faso

Dear Family and Friends of Crio: Mon. Aug. 3, 2009

We have just finished our third day of ministry here in Burkina Faso. We just found out the word "Burkina" means integrity and "Faso" land, so the nation literally means "land of integrity". That blessed me as I taught my two sessions on how Christian leaders are to develop a servant’s heart with integrity! This is the key principle I try to establish in my seminars as so much leadership today is focused on the people serving the leader. The message was well received because Janice and I have found the people to be very honest here and have not had anyone even on the streets try to take advantage of us. We cannot say that about many other nations in Africa.

One of the highlights today was a meeting with the King of the village we are working in. Bro. Alassane said he had heard there were visitors from U.S. and wanted to meet us. So that was very important as the chiefs here can give us land for free if they see good for his people in it.

When we started the service this morning, we were in for a treat as several of the girls in the primary school had worked up a song and dance team complete with costumes. They sang two songs in French and two in More (their native tongue). For some of them being only 4 yrs old we were impressed. We have video and you will be amazed if you can see it how good they were. I will have to check Janice’s bag for any stowaways as they presented her with a gift and gave their memory verses to her. Afterwards they had a graduation ceremony for all twelve children for being promoted to the next grade. Janice then went to the school with them to teach them some English (Pastor Alassane wants them to learn English too).

She had purchased beginning English curriculum at the Christian bookstore for home-school teachers and showed the teachers how to use it. She said the teachers were more excited about the lessons than the students as they will be learning along with the children!!! One particularly touching ceremony followed as Pastor Alassane introduced three people in his church who sponsored three of the students in the school. One was a grandmother who was very poor yet sacrificed to help her grand-daughter go to school (the way they stress education here is so special to watch).

After our seminars were completed we walked two blocks away to see one of the first churches we roofed in B.F. This is the Carters’ church and the pastor was so proud to show me how the roof and cement floor they had provided had given them momentum to grow. It is a new church and holds only 20 people but for a few years old they are doing well.

Next we left the church compound for the original church we helped that was Pastor Alassane’s first church here and near his home (one of his elders now leads it). After arriving Janice used one of the "Bible Boxes" the Friths help us obtain that has figurines of key Bible stories for children. We then gave out stickers and small rubber toys, which resembled a Wal-Mart sale on Black Friday, ha.

We then traveled for one hour over muddy and bumpy roads out into a rural area to see the church that the African Church Builders Club members had financed. This church is one of the largest churches we have here as they have 140 members. This is the church we have on our web-site, so now I can add my picture in front of it.

We then returned to the hotel and had our first food all day long (the Lord is making up for us over eating in Paris!), and visited with Pastor Alassane. He is such a humble man to be around with many visions from the Lord for his village that is such a pleasure to just visit with him about building the Lord’s Kingdom.

We are doing very well in spite of the heat (we had clouds in the morning but it got hot again in the afternoon), but continue to pray for heart’s to be changed as we share His Word.

Because of Him, Ron and Janice