West Africa Ministry 2009 Trip

Day 4 - Burkina Faso

Dear Family and Friends: Aug. 4, 2009

Our first four day conference has come to a close here in this nation of dear people hungry for God. We are sad to be leaving but our last day here started off with a second visit to the King as he said he had a special gift for us. We also needed to get photos of us together as he was not in his official robe yesterday. First he offered a drink from a large bowl of sugar, corn meal, butter and water. Fortunately Alassane said he wouldn’t be offended if we didn’t drink, so thankfully we didn’t have to claim Mk. 16 that we can eat deadly things and not be harmed, ha. Then he had his attendant bring out a rooster as a gift! This is a very great honor here as chickens are their main source of meat and also give eggs as a protein source. So to part with one is a big sacrifice. Dad, my poultry judging came in handy as it was a nice Black Leghorn rooster. So after getting some pictures (see attached) Janice found some neighborhood children to give out "Jesus Loves You" bracelets and was swarmed again. The rooster serenaded us while on to the church and later Bro. Alassane took the chicken as I don’t think we could get it through U.S. customs, ha.

As the teaching was to begin the pastors gave me two of the polo shirts that Alassane had made for the conference delegates complete with the Crio logo and Crio Burkina Faso printed on them (Alassane is so creative). I then presented him with a T-shirt from my home church of Hosanna Chr. Fellowship for all his hard work on the conference. I then felt the Lord wanted me to commit to them on their roof requests. So if any of you want to help let me know as this is such an ideal project for Crio’s main purposes of planting new churches who only need roofs. This also will be our African Church Builders Club Project for the second half of 2009.

The last day of teaching focused on the five types of leadership styles and managing priorities and time. I then challenged them to stay in unity after the conference and stay committed to preaching the Gospel as it is the world’s most important calling.

We then took group pictures and they began packing up for the bus rides home. They all filed past me to shake hands and thank me for taking time to visit their country.

Pray for the next leg of our trip via bus (ten hour ride) to Kumasi, Ghana, the second largest city there. We will have four nations represented as well as my partner and dear friend in African ministry, Bro. Winston Lynch.

Keep praying for our trip as we have gone four days straight without rain here in what is their "rainy season". They say when it rains it is a deluge and you have cancel services as the sound on a tin roof is deafening! So God given us favor and I know it is because of your prayers.

For His Kingdom to be on earth as it is in Heaven, Ron and Janice