« Gorom-Gorom | Main | I fly today ! »
February 16, 2006
Back to Gorom-Gorom
So, I will hopefully soon be back at Gorom-Gorom, where I lived and worked for nearly 11 years, from 1992-2003.
It is here I have been working to try to see culturally relevant expression of church started among the Fulani in the multi-cultural community there. And it is here we have done famine relief through the local Mossi pastor.
Work and Progress
It is always difficult by post or even phone to get a real idea of how things are progressing, so it will be good to see for myself. I am keen to see how the little group of local Fulani Christians are doing, and to see if they are not only persevering in faith in Christ, but also in relationship with the Mossi church. Pray for them, and that I will be able to encourage them.
I also want to see how people are coping after the food crisis of 2004-5, and its long-term effects of debt, loss of herds, etc. I had a written report this week of the food distribution we did back in September: we apparently helped 300 people with cheap grain, and 280 with free grain. The money from the grain sale will go back into providing an emergency supply for the future. Thank God for what we were able to do, and pray that they will find ways to break out of the slavery of poverty.
Friends
But above all, it will be good to catch up with the many Fulani friends I have in Gorom - both Christian and Muslim. I have written about some of them here - though without using their real names - people like Yusufi, who was baptised shortly before I left Gorom. He lives on a sand-dune a few km from Gorom, with his two wives, who both decided to follow him in the way of Jesus shortly after. And Ali, who believes in Christ, but was not ready to "go public", preferring to point people to the way of Jesus from within the Muslim community. And Ibrahim, who likes to hear about Christ, but has not yet decided to follow him. And many many others with whom I have shared nyiiri and gappal and the strong and 
sweet sahelian tea. People with whom I have shared life and death, birth ceremonies and burials, weddings and lost cows, the message of Jesus, and laughter.
And of course there are Seydou and Monique, and their children, Oli, Sara, and Timotee, all of whom lived with me for about 8 years.
It will indeed be good to be back home!
Tags: africa burkina burkina faso gorom-gorom discipleship church mission fulani
Posted by Keith at February 16, 2006 10:23 AM
