While in the UK, I am giving only occasional updates on whatever happened to Keith. Thank you for your support and encouragement during this time.

SIGNS OF PROGRESS
As you know, the goal of my sabbatical has been rest and renewal, and I have continued to prioritise this. I met recently with my church leaders, and they acknowledged what I already knew – that a significant amount of progress has been made. While there are still ongoing issues, we have agreed that I should now look more actively into ways back into ministry, although maybe not yet to a full-time return to Burkina Faso. Please pray as I seek God for how to move forward. Thank you.

In the meantime, I have continued also to structure more activities into my life:

* Church. I continue to be help run the church missions and justice groups, and to speak and teach occasionally. I also continue to seek spiritual input and renewal – including a highly recommended course in North Wales (4-20 November), called Face2Face, for which I would appreciate your prayers.

* MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY. I have been involved with the Make Poverty History campaign, which seeks to get a better deal for poorer countries in Aid, Trade, and Debt. Following the build up to Live8, world leaders at the G8 summit made some good moves on Aid and Debt. However, world trade is weighted unjustly against poorer countries. Burkina’s cotton industry for example is undermined by US cotton subsidies. Join the campaign, and call for action at the World Trade Organisation meetings in December.

* My website. I continue to write regularly on the “Latest” page of my website with news, stories, reflections, and photos about Burkina, faith, mission, and justice. Keep up to date with me there!

* Travel. I was very blessed by visiting the folks at Hatteras Island Christian Fellowship, one of my supporting churches, in the US, and catching up with friends there. I also had a great holiday scuba diving in the Red Sea. I have tended to short-cut a bit on holidays, so this was a real privilege. See photos here.

NEWS FROM BURKINA

* Fulani Believers. Good news: the Fulani believers from Gorom continue to move forward in faith and join with other Christians. Some even made their own way 200 miles to Ouagadougou to go to a conference with other Fulani Christians.

* Famine in West Africa. You have seen the tv pictures of the famine in West Africa It was caused by poor rains and a locust invasion that devastated last year’s harvest. Fortunately the Burkina government and NGO’s acted quickly. We did food aid in Gorom and Djibo. Thanks to all who gave. This year, the locusts have stayed away and the rains have been good, so it looks as though we are through the crisis, and that this year’s harvest will be good. Thank God.

* Radio Station. There is progress with the radio station we are starting in Djibo. Documentation, land, and finances are coming together. We hope to be able to cover a radius of 100km, which will reach the border with Mali – the area we visited on the trip that birthed the vision. We hope the radio station will give access for the gospel to many unreached villages, and also contribute to the social development of the region, with programmes on health, education, AIDS, etc. Read more here.

* Steve. Steve is doing really well in Djibo. As well as continuing the radio station and evangelism, he now has two Brazilian co-workers, Christiano and Irenaldo. Pray for them. Read more at Steve’s website.

* Seydou and Monique. Life has not been easy for Seydou and Monique recently. Seydou has not found long-term work to support his ministry and so they are struggling financially. Please pray for them.

* Education fund. I have re-started the Gorom-Gorom education fund to help put orphans and other needy children through school. It will also be used to give grants to some vulnerable girls to go away to school in safer situations.

* Corruption and justice. Some local political figures in the north of Burkina were arrested for stealing food aid (not ours!) recently. It is encouraging that corruption like this is being clamped down on, which was not always the case.

* Elections. The presidential elections take place in November. There has been some disagreement over the current president (Blaise Compaore)’s decision to stand again. Pray that the elections pass off peacefully.

If you want to give to the Radio station, the Gorom education fund, or to support Seydou and Monique, please send a cheque to World Horizons at one of these addresses given on the mission's website.

Please Pray
* For direction for my way forward, and for the Face-to-Face course in Nov.
* For the Fulani believers, and for Seydou and Monique
* For Steve, the Djibo radio project, and the work among the Fulani there.
* For justice for the poor in the WTO meetings.
* For the elections in November to pass off peacefully.

Many thanks