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July 22, 2010

July Flood Update

Another letter from Alan Dixon in Ouagadougou. If you would like to make a donation which will benefit homeless families and/or reconstruction, you can make a secure online donation here. In the box titled 'Missionary or Project Name', please type BF General 93918 Ouagadougou Flood Relief. Thank you so much.

Mariam had been camping under a tree surrounded by her few possessions. She had been allocated a small building lot, 20 roofing sheets and 30 sacks of cement, but had nowhere to sleep. The tree at least offered some shelter from the wind and rain. She was discovered by another newcomer to Yagma living nearby in a newly constructed home and invited Mariam to take shelter with her. Mariam’s situation was brought to our attention. When Alison and I visited Yagma on Saturday Mariam’s building lot was occupied by a new house, half-way to being completed. Mariam’s house is the thirteenth we have built in the last three months and will be the last till the rains abate in late September. In addition to building these thirteen houses we have been able to provide microcredit loans for small businesses to 49 widows who are now able to provide some measure of income to support themselves and their children. We have continued (till school closed July 15th) to provide a noon meal to the 400 students of the Yagma primary school, a school currently under the shelter of UNICEF tents. Thanks so much to each of you who have helped us to make a difference in the lives of the Mariams of Yagma. Please pray for Ismael, Boukary, Ablassé, Paul, and Jeanne, all working with us faithfully in Yagma.

Alan and Alison

Posted by sahelsteve at 05:56 PM