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December 28, 2008
Christmas Games
We had a great time with some of the local children who came round over Christmas for an afternoon of games, including tug-of-war. Please pray for these children, that they may all come to know the love of God in Christ. Thank you.
Whatever Happened to Keith…? Dec 2008
Continue reading "Whatever Happened to Keith…? Dec 2008"
December 26, 2008
Family photo
This is our family photo from Christmas day:
| PIERRE’S | FAMILY | SEYDOU’S | FAMILY | |||||
| Naomi | Betta | Amadu | Keith | Olivia | Sara | Germaine | Chantale | |
| Asetu | Pierre | Seydou | Monique | |||||
| Lasala | Deborah | Samuel | Denise | Felix | Timothee | David |
(Everyone goes really serious for the photo, then afterwards is back to being really smiley and laughing again!)
Thanks for your prayers.
December 25, 2008
Happy Christmas!
Happy Christmas from Gorom-Gorom !
Last night we had a small Christmas service in the Fulani church that Pierre is starting in our yard. Pierre calls the church: "Church of the Nations."
It was the first Christmas for most of the congregation. "R", "A", and "I" have only come to know Christ this year. "A" came with her two children. "M" also came, who used to go to church, but had stopped. "Yusufi" came with his wife "F" and two of his children. "F" gave her life to Christ a few years ago, but rarely gets to Gorom from the remote village where they live. This was her first time with Christians for Christmas.
It was a simple service, sitting on mats, everyone wrapped up because of the "cold". We sang a few songs, without instruments, just our ragged voices. We told the story of the birth of Jesus, and celebrated the long-awaited salvation that God inaugurated that day, most of the church hearing the story properly for the first time.
We wondered together at the experience of the herders, the first people to be told the good news ("they must have been Fulani - it is the Fulani who are herders!"). And we thought about their response to the angel ("na hulbini koy!" - "scarey, man!") and the angel's message ("duum jaati na weli nande" - "now that really is good news"). And we talked about how we too should run to the Saviour, thank God for his grace, and tell people about what God has done. And we committed outselves to make every day a Christmas, to celebrate God's grace in Christ.
Christmastime in Burkina Faso is bittersweet for me - I am glad to be away from the self-indulgence of Christmas in the UK, and to be in a place where Christmas is about Christ. But it is also the time I feel furthest from my friends and family. Especially when, like this year, there has been no post bringing greetings. And I could kill for a mince pie. Or turkey and stuffing and roast potatoes...
But this Christmas service has been probably the best Christmas service I have ever been to. To be with a small group of Fulani and Tamacheq Christians celebrating for the first time the coming of Immanuel, has been wonderful. To see the church of Christ coming to birth among the Fulani, Tamacheq, and Songhai of Gorom-Gorom and the province of Oudalan, is incomparable. It is as if Christ has come to a stable in Gorom-Gorom, and these are the first few, like the shepherds, who have the privilege of recognising him.
This is what it is all about. And it is worth the pain of separation from family and friends. And mince pies.
Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for God to reveal Jesus to people here, that they too may come to know the joy of the "good news that is for all people."
This Christmas, may you know again the joy of God's gift in Christ. And the joy of sharing that gift with others.
December 21, 2008
Water in dry places
This week we finally fitted the pumps on the wells we had drilled and those we were repairing. Over these two days, we fitted three new pumps, and took four broken old pumps out and replaced them with new ones.
Thank the Lord with us for these pumps, and thank you to all who have helped us with prayers, money, and hard work.
December 15, 2008
Fulani Christian Convention
The gathering of Fulani believers in Oudalan is going well. Here are a few photos:
We get together in the meeting place in the centre of our yard. Between 15-25 local adult Christians are coming most days. We have been looking at "New Life in Christ". Yesterday, another lady said she also wanted to follow Christ. Please continue to pray for us all. Thank you.
Anita Harrington used to live in Burkina Faso with her parents, who were missionaries here. She is visiting Burkina, and has come to help with the children.
During a break, people mill around and chat.
December 13, 2008
Fulani Christian Convention
Tonight was the start of the conference for Fulani believers of Oudalan, our province, in the north-east of Burkina Faso. We finish on the morning of Wed 17th. Please pray for this, the first such gathering we have ever had in the province.
When I first started working among the Fulani, there were conferences for Fulani believers from all over Burkina Faso. We used to get about 20 Fulani, but in those days there were no local believers in Oudalan. Today we had about 25 Christians from Oudalan, mostly Fulani, but also a few Songhai and a Tamacheq lady. A number of others, whom we hoped would be here, have not come.
Two men, who have both expressed interest for some time, stood to make a public commitment to Christ tonight. One of these men has had dreams where Jesus comes and tells him that he, Jesus, is the Saviour. Please pray for these men to follow up this commitment and to know the life-transforming power of Christ in their lives.
Please pray for the conference, for God’s presence to be real amongst us, for the Fulani Christians to grow in Christ, and for Pierre, Jodoma, Seydou, Jean, and myself as we lead and teach over the coming three days.
Thank you.
December 12, 2008
Charlie's Independence Day
Yesterday was Independance Day in Burkina Faso.
I was in Djibo on my way back to Gorom-Gorom, and there was a big festival to celebrate. Among the speeches, parades, camel races, etc, was also a horse race, and Charlie was invited to take part.
For more photos, see Steve's blog: here and here.
December 08, 2008
Well-drilling photos: Part 2
Our second two weeks were drilling in Tamakat, Cekol Koba, and Gorom-Gorom, with the help of Nigel, Andy, Tom, and Dave, from my home church, Glenwood Church.
As usual, you can click on the photos for larger versions.)
Wherever we went people gathered to watch, but also to listen. Pierre in particular was constantly sharing the good news of God's compassion in Christ that was the motivation not only for the well-drilling, but also for Christ's sacrifice to bring us back to the Father.
We had two good wells in Tasmakat. But Cekol Koba and the ground of the Gorom-Gorom school were completely dry. We managed to repair a pump that we shall be able to use for the Gorom-Gorom school, and will repair another one at Tasmakat, and another at Coffalboy.
It was a tiring month for everyone involved, and disappointing not to get more water. But we are thankful to God for what we have been able to accomplish. Thank you to all of you who have supported this work. God bless you.
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina wells pumps oudalan sahel well-drilling water
December 07, 2008
Well-drilling photos: Part 1
The first two weeks we were drilling mostly around Deou.
(As usual, you can click on the photos for larger versions.)
Deou is increasingly dry, with the water table dropping, and half the town's wells are now redundant. We had great trouble finding water, but managed to drill one successful well at the church ground. The drilling in town and at Lila were sadly unsuccessful. However, we will also repair two other pumps where there is still water.
Billy and Patrick from HICF in North Carolina came to join Friends in Action to help drill the wells. Seydou and Pierre also joined us.
Local Fulani would come and watch the drilling with much interest.
Tags: burkina faso africa burkina wells pumps oudalan sahel well-drilling water
December 06, 2008
Thanks for your prayers
Thanks for your prayers for the well-drilling on the ground of the school we will be building this year.
Unfortunately we didn’t manage to find any water on the school ground, which has been a huge disappointment. Water will be essential not only for the children to drink and for cooking meals, but also for actually building the school.
However, we have found a temporary and partial solution. A nearby secondary school, which has a good water supply, had an extra pump that was broken down. The school agreed that if we repaired it, we would be able to use the water for our school until a longer-term solution is found.
So, on the last day, the team worked until after dark, watched by crowds of school children, to take apart the old pump, and put a new pump on. What a relief it was when it was finished, and water flowed! Thank God with us for this.
Hopefully this will provide enough water for cooking and drinking, but we may need to truck in water for building. And we will need to look for other possibilities to get a water supply on the school ground itself.
Please come back for more photos of the well-drilling, and to keep up with news of progress on the school.
December 03, 2008
Well-drilling Latest
Thank you for your prayers for the well-drilling at the grounds of our new school. Unfortunately our second drill on the school ground also turned up dry, producing plenty of dust, but no water.
As you can imagine, this has been a great disappointment. We are looking at alternative temporary solutions to provide water for the school. Tomorrow we will look at a nearby pump that is broken down. We hope we may be able to repair it and use that for a year or two, while we look into longer-term solutions. Please keep praying. Thank you.
I hope to write more, and post photos when I am next down in Ouaga.
December 02, 2008
Please pray for water
This afternoon, I was sitting under an acacia tree, with my laptop on battery power, watching the well-drillers here on the school ground.
The first hole has been completely dry, and we have just started what will be our last try at the other end of the school land.
It would be really hard to build the school without a water supply. And of course it would be really hard to have a school of several hundred children without water for them to drink during the heat of the day.
We really need to find water tomorrow.
Please keep praying.
Thank you.
