June 20, 2009
Wedding Greetings from Gorom-Gorom
Countdown to the Wedding
Keith and Lynne's Wedding Page
June 19, 2009
The Bells are Going to Chime
I get married tomorrow to the lovely Lynne!
Please pray for our day, and for us as we start our life serving God together. Thank you.
I won't be blogging for a few weeks... but do come by sometime after 3pm tomorrow, as Steve will be posting something here then.
June 15, 2009
Gorom-Gorom School: Sponsor A Class
€190 per month per class, or under €5 per child per month to sponsor the Christian school in Gorom-Gorom...
Building the school is in some ways the easy bit. Because we are aiming to help the poorest of the poor, the parents of the children at Wakkil Alla primary school will not be able to make enough of a contribution to cover the salaries of the teachers and the running costs of the school. This is the challenge to make the school viable.
Sponsor a Class
For the first few years, we would like to find some support for the school, until it can get established. Rather than child sponsorship, we are looking at class sponsorship. We would like to find 6 churches who would each be willing to sponsor a class of children through its 6 years of school. This would give the school time to get established and potentially develop other means of support.
We plan to take in one class of up to 40 children each year for the first 6 years, until we have a full school of 6 classes with up to 240 children. The first class is already being sponsored by Glenwood Church in Cardiff, and so we need 5 more churches over the next 5 years - starting this October (2009).
| Class | Years | Sponsored? |
| Class 1 | 2008-2014 | Yes |
| Class 2 | 2009-2015 | ? |
| Class 3 | 2010-2016 | ? |
| Class 4 | 2011-2017 | ? |
| Class 5 | 2012-2018 | ? |
| Class 6 | 2013-2019 | ? |
Cost
We are looking for a contribution of €2,300 (currently $3,200 or £2,000) per year towards the cost of supporting a class of 40 children (teacher salary, food, administration). That works out at €190 per month per class, or under €5 per child per month.
Do you think your church or group could commit to €190 per month for 6 years to help put a class of 40 children through a Christian elementary school? Maybe you and eighteen friends could each afford €10/month?
Could you help?
We need support for the second class by this October, and then support for each of the next four classes to start on each of the following four years. If you think you or your church or group could help us, do please get in touch with us at admin@acaciapartnershiptrust.org.uk.
Read more about the school at: www.undertheacacias-school.org.uk
Burkina Rugby Hero
Burkina Faso is not usually known for its success at rugby. However...
In France's 22-27 defeat of the All Blacks in New Zealand on Saturday, one of the stars of the French team was a Burkinabe called Fulgence Ouedraogo. Good man.
June 09, 2009
Don't do it Tony!
Having recently made the move to Scotland, I can say that it has many attractions. I am looking forward to setting up home here with Lynne, and becoming part of the community here.
Nevertheless, I seriously hope that Tony Mowbray decides not to return to Glasgow, where he used to play for Celtic.
Celtic have finally made an approach for the Baggies manager, seeking to bring him back north of the border. Albion however do not want to let him go, and are reportedly asking for the £2m that is in the compensation clause of Mowbray's contract to take him away. If Celtic can promise that - which some think unlikely - then they can talk with him directly.
I hope that it doesn't happen. I like Mowbray's philosophy of play, and I like his integrity. I hope that, if Celtic do decide to talk to him, he says "Thanks but no thanks." All should be revealed this week.
June 07, 2009
Runaway Stallions
Burkina Faso beat Malawi in Blantyre 1-0 yesterday, to go top of their group table - at least until Ivory Coast play Guinea today.
Les Etalons ("the Stallions") have now gone 8 games without defeat in the World Cup qualifiers, and Moumouni Dagano netted his 10th goal in the competition.
Burkina's next match is against Ivory Coast on 20th June - the day of my wedding.
June 06, 2009
A Kitchen for the Gorom-Gorom School
Rev Paul Bedford of Wellingborough URC presented me with a cheque of £5,000 a couple of weeks back, to go towards building a kitchen for the Gorom-Gorom school.
The church have raising funds over the last year, with a variety of events. In the photo are a few members of the church's mission committee, including my mum, next to Paul. And you may also spot my lovely fiancee, Lynne, by my side, where she belongs. Two weeks today...
June 05, 2009
Allez les Etalons!
Burkina Faso travel to Malawi for the second game in the World Cup and African Nations Cup qualifiers on Saturday.
Burkina Faso won their first game, beating Guinea 4-2.
Allez les Etalons!
June 02, 2009
Website Design
As you know, I have been hoping for a year to get a website designed for my new charity, the Acacia Partnership Trust - for as little money as possible... As you'll see if you follow the link, I currently just have a holding page.
Maybe you are in the same situation, in which case you will want to enter a competition being run by Laura at Actually Laura. She is offering a week of her graphic design skills. For details, go here.
In the event that I don't win...
a) I hope you do.
b) Is there anyone out there who might be willing and able to help design me a website for the charity?
Cheers.
May 29, 2009
Pentecost - birth of a missionary community
Part 1 – A town in Israel, 1st century
The church is born – the day when God came to live in and among his people by the Holy Spirit. That day transformed a group of fellow disciples into the family of God. Just a few days beforehand, Jesus had told them that it was about to happen. These were apparently his last words to them before he returned to his Father – a sort of “DON’T FORGET what I’ve told you….” Rather like parents going away for the weekend. Just before they leave they repeat – again – that one most important thing to remember:
“When the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and to the very ends of the earth.” And off he went. (Ac 1:5-9)
The day of Pentecost for Christians is not only about the birth of the church and the equipping with the Holy Spirit for our communion with God, power for living, and gifts for service of the saints. At the very heart of this day is the passing from Christ to us of the baton of God’s purpose to bless all nations – the gospel announced in advance to Abraham (Gal 3:8).
It is the day when the tide changes from a centripetal force, calling all nations to the temple at Jerusalem, to a centrifugal one, thrusting the temple out from Jerusalem into the nations. And, with the coming of the Holy Spirit, that day is marked by people from all nations, hearing the good news for the very first time in their own languages, before returning with it to their home lands.
It is a day when not only God comes to dwell among men, but also when his presence overflows beyond Israel to the world, beyond Gen 12:2 (I will bless you) to 12:3 (and all nations will be blessed through you). It is the day of moving beyond xenophobic self-interest to xenophilic other-centredness, that the whole earth may be filled with the glory of the Lord! The kingdom of God and his presence are now for all peoples, all tribes, and all languages.
This central feature of the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost - the proclamation of the wonders of God in other languages to people “of every nation under heaven” tells us something. Its message is that we are and must be a missionary people. Our identity is inescapably tied up with mission. We are not only the recipients of his grace, but the channels of it to the world. When we are not missionary, we are not the church.
At Pentecost, God declares: “Today I am pouring out my grace to every nation and people, and I am sending you with this grace,” and so he says: “Go therefore…”
Part 2 – A village in Burkina Faso, 20 centuries later…
The darkness of the night was only accentuated by the few paraffin lamps scattered around the open ground. In the darkness, the shapes of small groups of people could be made out.
This was one of the early Fulani conferences, when the few Fulani Christians from around the country gathered together. Most were used to being the only believer in their village. And so these conferences had become a huge encouragement, as they met with other Fulani who were following Iisaa Almasiihu – Jesus Christ. The previous year we had had a record 40 people. This year there were about 80. Still small beginnings from a population of about 1 million Fulani in Burkina, but hugely significant as Pentecost began to have its effect with the birth of the church among them.
Being mostly new converts from Islam, they were unused to singing in worship, and the songs had been sung with serious intent, but uneasily, and somewhat stiltedly, as though they weren’t sure they were doing it right. I looked across at two of the old men, sitting straightfaced on the ground. They were clearly not yet convinced singing was a valid way of worshipping God.
Then, almost tangibly, everyone grew still and silent. And, in the darkness, a single, beautiful voice sang out clear through the night:
Bernde am na weli ko mi rewi Iisaa
Bernde am subi ko mido rewa Iisaa
My heart is glad that I am following Jesus
My heart has chosen to follow Jesus
I looked again at the old men. They were convinced. There was something pure, unpretentious, and spiritual about the song. The presence of Jesus was felt, the church was being born among another people. Men and women were coming to know God. The kingdom of God was touching people’s lives. The praises of God were being sung in new tongues. Pentecost was continuing to flow.
(reposted from 15/5/2005)
