Blog buddies,
I am currently sitting in Smiling Dan’s wonderful home in Granada, Spain. Wireless connectivity is available here, but the upload speed is virtually zero. For example the previous post took nearly twenty minutes to upload. When I find a faster upload speed I will post many more photos.
Our time in Burkina Faso was fantastic. From my perspective, we made significant progress into the vision for five key ministries:
1. Byron and Sher called this journey, “A Divine appointment.” As a congregation we have been asking God and our Burkinabe brothers and sisteres, “What role could MCA fill in the medical needs of the Burkinabe?” These past 10 days have given us much insight into future opportunities in the medical needs we may be able to meet.
2. MCA has a long term and passionate interest in the leadership development of our Burkinabe ministry team. Is there anyway that our MCA leadership development strategies could be of help in Burkina Faso? Yes! Our team discovered that even across language, cultural, and ecclesiastical challenges, the MCA leadership development strategies can be very helpful.
3. Is there a meaningful role for us to play in pushing back the darkness of illiteracy among these dearly loved people? Yes. I wish you could see the school that your donations paid to build. You also built the teacher’s housing and helped to provide the curriculum. Over 150 bubbly, joyful, energetic students greeted us we walked into their classrooms. In my quick analysis, they are learning just as much as their American counterparts.
4. Is our Bible School strategy productive and helpful? Yes! By God’s grace we were able to visit the Bible School just outside of Kaya. Wow! The attendance has grown significantly. I have been told that this Bible School is the least resourced Bible School on earth. Most likely the annual income of each family is less than $100. We were among the poorest of the poor in material resources. However, in spiritual matters, these brothers and sisters soar. Fantastic anointing, grace, glory, and the power of God rests upon these loved friends. At this school your giving has now built four dorm buildings. Each building houses five families. You have built the home and compound for the Director of the Bibles School. You have drilled a very deep (and healthy) water well. You have provided several millet grinding tree trunks. And many other things. Our strategy has worked so well that the General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Pastor Pawentaore OUEDRAOGO asked if we would accept the sponsorship of their newest Bible School.
5. Our decision, many years ago, to bless villages and ministries with water wells is continuing to have significant impact for the cause of Christ. Everywhere we drill a well the church prospers. Where there is no well the church seems to struggle. We consider our work in Burkina to be a type of alms giving, so we don’t keep track and count the projects that we have done there. My best guess is that your giving has drilled far more water wells than we think.
The report from Burkina Faso is 100 percent fantastic. Glorious. A dream coming true.