As our plane touched down on the tarmac in Ouagadougou and

Transcription

January 2015
Dear Family and Friends,
As our plane touched down on the tarmac in Ouagadougou and rolled to a stop, I think I felt both relief and gratitude.
The long trip was ended, and God had brought us safely back to Burkina Faso. As we stepped from passport control into
the baggage area, one of the baggage handlers we have used on several occasions saw us and greeted us, his cart at the
ready to assist us. It was the beginning of seeing familiar faces. After a bit of a wait, all of our luggage came out, and we
got through customs quickly. It was pure joy to see the next familiar face, that of Yendié Tindano, Roy’s helper and
colleague, who had made a special trip to the airport to greet us. We chatted and caught up with each other a bit as we
waited for our SIM colleague, Mal, to pick us up. A short ride to the mission brought us to the end of our journey, and a
supper prepared for us by Marianne, another colleague. Can you imagine how blessed we felt? Thank you for your
prayers as we traveled. God heard and answered with a resounding ‘yes.’
☺)
And so began the process of settling into life in Ouagadougou. We slept great the first night (
and woke up in Apartment #2. Ironically, we stayed here when we first came to Burkina in 2003.
Check out this old photo of Roy at the dining table from that long-ago time period! The table and
mango tree in the background are the same, but Roy had more hair and less gray then! The
apartment is upstairs, over the main part of the guesthouse, and this will be “home” for the
foreseeable future. The first week was mainly a time of unpacking, shopping for groceries, and
generally getting settled. We also attended the weekly prayer meeting, held every Wednesday
and attended by SIM missionaries and associates who live in Ouaga. Our colleagues generously
provided some other meals in the first few days so that we could give our attention to the
multitude of things involved in returning after a long absence.
How does life in Ouaga differ from life in Piela? One big difference
is that it is not wise to drink the water straight from the tap, as we could in
Piela. The mission at Piela had nice water from a deep well. The Ouagadougou city water
is treated water that comes from open reservoirs, but it is probably not safe to drink without
filtration. So a daily ritual is pouring tap water into the large water filter you see in this
photo, in order to have water for drinking and food preparation. Another difference related
to water is that we have hot water in the shower, courtesy of a small hot water heater in the
bathroom! We are feeling quite spoiled with a warm shower instead of a ‘bucket bath’ in
January! In Piela, the shower water was too cold to get under at this time of year, and so
we heated water on the stove and bathed in a bucket.
Other differences between Piela and Ouaga are that we haven’t yet seen a gecko in the
apartment, whereas they were common residents of our house in Piela. Fresh produce is
also much more available in Ouaga, and this time of year is the best season, particularly for
vegetables. So the nutritionist in me is happy with that! There is the usual gamut of city noises (traffic, loud music, and
dogs), but less of the animal noises that were common in Piela (although there is a neighborhood turkey!). God gave us
grace to live in the bush, and He will surely give us grace to live in the city as long as He desires us to be here.
We have actually just returned from a trip to Piela. We made the trip out our second week here with two main
objectives: the first was to bring back some of our belongings, most of which were stored in large barrels in a storeroom at
the Piela mission station, and the second was for me (Marilyn) to go the CREN and gather data for project reports that are
that are either due or overdue! While there, it was my joy to greet the staff after our long absence. It was a busy few days,
but productive in terms of what was accomplished. While there, we saw our former pastor, old friends, and many
acquaintances. We heard lots of “biela, biela” (which is what the Gourma people say to welcome someone arriving) and
assured everyone that we are well.
Back in Ouaga, there is more unpacking to do, but we know it is also time to start getting down to business as far as our
work goes. This coming week, I have a meeting with Haoua, the capable lady who runs the Djibo Milk Project, in order to
collect information needed to write a new proposal for the project. This is an official SIM project, supported by friends in
other parts of the world, so a new proposal is required every two years. And I will also be writing reports from all that data I
collected at the CREN while in Piela. Even before we left the U. S., Roy had been working on revisions to the modules for
the God, Nature, and Life presentations. He will continue that work, and try to meet with church leaders soon in order to
discuss where and how the presentations will be done here in Ouaga.
Air travel being what it is, one can be in a completely different environment in very short order. Perhaps that highlights
the differences between where one has left and where one arrives. I knew I was back in Burkina when I stepped off the plane
without wearing the winter coat and fleece jacket I wore when we left the U. S. I know I’m back in Burkina, because of all
the dust that settles everywhere, and because handshaking and greeting is a frequent activity. I know I’m back in Burkina
when the manager of the little grocery store gives us a gift of juice and apologizes for not having someone carry our groceries
to the car! God has brought us back, and we are looking to him for guidance and direction as we anticipate the future.
News Flash!
The well drilling in Gnagna Province is continuing. In addition to the new well at the Sirba short-term Bible school that
we mentioned last time, Friends In Action has gotten good wells at Kontongou and Bañouagou, two of the other villages that
Roy visited with FIA prior to our home assignment. We praise God for His faithfulness, His provision and His gracious help
for these people. May this work bring glory to His name, and bring many to faith in Christ!
Praises
That Ebola cases are definitely declining in
West Africa.
 For a safe return to Burkina Faso.
 For successful well drilling in Gnagna
Province.

Prayer Requests
For direction and guidance as we enter into new
responsibilities and take up old ones once again.
 For good health and the strength to do the work
before us.
 That we might continually look to Jesus, “the author
and the finisher of our faith.”

We thank you again for your prayers for our journey back to Burkina. It was good to spend time at home, and
to see many of you. But it was time that we returned. We are blessed in having such loving and gracious people
interested and involved in the work here. May we be a blessing on your behalf to the people here, to the glory of
His name.
In His love,
To contact us: SIM (Mission Protestante)
BP 1552
Ouagadougou 01
BURKINA FASO
Email: wocobf@yahoo.com
Phone: Roy 1 226 71 89 42 06 / Marilyn 1 226 71 89 41 25
CTEN
P. O. Box 291307
Kerrville, TX 78029-1307
Phone: (800) 872-5404
www.cten.org
If you would like to contribute to our work, there are two ways in which you can do so:


Online go to http://www.cten.org/roykeys. You can give a one-time gift, or set up a recurring gift
with either a credit card or bank account.
By mail, please print out this page and send in the response slip with your donation to the address
shown on the slip. Note that checks should be made payable to Commission To Every Nation.
Thanks, and many blessings!
February/March 2015
I shake my head in wonder as I’ve heard about the feet of snow in the northeast and the single digit
temperatures in Roy’s hometown in Pennsylvania. Here in Burkina, it feels as if we are on a different planet. The
hot weather has arrived and our fans are on duty as we take another drink of water! But it is still cooling off fairly
well at night, which is a blessing.
Settling In
Tomorrow, it will be two months since we returned from our home assignment. How the time does go by! We are
feeling pretty well settled in Ouagadougou now and the adjustment to life here hasn’t been unduly difficult. So we are
gradually getting back into work and ministry, and we thank you for your prayers as we’ve made this change. I (Marilyn)
mentioned last month that I had several reports to write for the two nutrition projects I manage. Some of this paperwork
was well overdue owing to our prolonged absence, but I’m happy to say that the Lord has helped me to complete two
reports and one renewal of a project. Also during this time, I have taken on a new responsibility. I am now the manager for
the SIM Ouaga guesthouse.
The guesthouse here is a busy place. It is viewed by the mission as an important ministry, not only helping missionaries
get some rest, do shopping and take care of business, but also enabling ministry of all types to move forward. On a recent
day, our guests included a long term missionary couple with SIM, a single missionary lady with WEC (World
Evangelization Crusade), and a number of short term missionaries with Friends in Action, the group who digs wells in
Burkina. We also host pastors, teachers coming to do one form of training or another, and visitors here for various reasons.
The guesthouse is a popular place to stay because our prices are very reasonable, and it is a well-kept facility in a good
location. So there is a lot of coming and going, and a lot of coordination required in taking reservations, which is one of my
primary duties.
My colleague in this work is Timbeni (Michel) Lankoandé, whom you may
remember meeting before in one of our newsletters. He is responsible for the
cleaning required at the guesthouse, as well as laundry, changing gas bottles, and
a multitude of other tasks. He also takes requests for reservations, and we
frequently get together to discuss arrivals and departures of guests. Michel is a
conscientious worker, does his work well, and is cheerful to boot. He is a great
blessing to the guesthouse. He is getting married in March, and we plan to
celebrate with him in his home village. His village is not far from Piela, so we will
stay at the mission there for several days so I can do some work at the CREN while
also attending the wedding and visiting our old church.
We’d like to introduce you to a new person in our lives, Sarah Drabo (photo). She is a young, married woman with 3
children and she has become our house worker. Sarah works for us two days a week in the morning hours, doing cleaning
and some laundry. She is a great help in keeping the dust (lots!) and dirt at bay, and has already become a blessing to us. It
is also a blessing for her to have some work, and she is also being trained to help Michel with the cleaning at the guesthouse
when extra hands are needed.
Be Ready . . .
In Paul’s second letter to his protégé, Timothy, he wisely instructed him to “be ready, in season and out of season” (2
Timothy 4: 2). One of the realities of our relocation to Ouagadougou, especially with us still in the process of developing
ministry here, is that one is sometimes called upon to help where help is needed. You may recall that, a few years ago, we
came to Ouagadougou for several weeks to help with the guesthouse and with the English For Everyone classes that SIM
offers. EFE is still a very thriving ministry! One of the challenges of such a ministry is finding teachers to meet the need,
including those willing to step in on short notice to fill in for someone. I (Roy) was called upon recently to do just that.
One of the instructors was sick, so Ben Griffin, the course coordinator, asked me if I could fill in. It being a simple
matter of showing a movie (The Miracle Worker, in English of course) and then discussing it with the students, I agreed to
do it. The classes are two hours long, so the second half of each class is a Bible study for which the students read the
Scriptures, and then the instructor poses questions in order to get them discussing what they read and what it might mean in
their lives. This is an important part of the course. Since some of the students are non-Christian, it is a casual way to share
the Gospel with them.
EFE also hosts a once-a-month English-language worship service to
which the students are invited. I was asked to play guitar for the
worship this past month. It was great to join together with 20 of the
students as they made every effort to sing in English songs like What
A Wonderful Name, There Is A Redeemer and Amazing Grace. They
did quite well. Afterward, Ben gave a spirited presentation of the
Gospel (photo). For the non-Christians, this is a good way for them to
experience a Christian worship service without having to enter a
church. We pray that the students will improve their English skills,
and at the same time either grow in their faith or come to faith in Christ.
God, Nature and Life is slowly moving forward. Roy has met with leaders of the EE/SIM church and the
president of the Groupe Biblique. There is interest, and now they and Roy will be considering how to
implement this ministry in their particular contexts. Please pray for clear direction for them.
Praises
Prayer Requests
For being settled into Ouagadougou and
having begun ministry activities.
 For a relatively cool month of February.
 For His unfailing love, grace and
mercy.
For clear direction for Roy and local leaders as to how to
implement the God, Nature ant Life ministry here.
 For good health and the strength to do the work before
us.
 For the EFE students to improve their English skills and
come to faith in Christ if they have not yet done so.


We often find ourselves amazed at how God has provided such faithful partners in what we are doing in Burkina
Faso. We thank Him for you, and pray His blessing in your lives even as you have been a blessing to us.
In His love,
BP 1552
Ouagadougou 01
BURKINA FASO
CTEN
P. O. Box 291307
Phone: (800) 872-5404
www.cten.org
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April 2015
The hot season is upon us!! It seems that every year we
forget just how hot it gets, until we begin to get those really
hot days. Then we remember! Interestingly, it is during the
hot, dry season here that the mangos ripen, so you see many
trees laden with the delicious fruit (photo left). The
flamboyant trees are leafing out and showing off their
flaming orange-red flowers (photo right), and the Albizzia
trees are bearing their white flower puffs and putting on new
seedpods. We hope that you are enjoying the first breaths of
spring. The times and seasons of life remind us of the
Lord’s faithful promises.
Moving Forward . . . Slowly But Surely
Things are moving forward, with the usual delays that remind us to trust the Lord for all things.
The guesthouse has been busy and we’ve had a run of maintenance issues (a malfunctioning toilet, a
fridge that wasn’t cold enough, a cranky water filter). I’m glad to have Michel back after his time away
for the wedding and a vacation! After a visit to the CREN while we were in Piéla last month, I had more
information to sift through to continue catching up/staying current with reports. The last overdue
report is nearly finished, and I’m looking forward to not having a backlog. This week, Haoua will be
coming down from Djibo to work on the latest six month report that is due at SIM headquarters.
We’re happy to report that it seems the Lord has opened a door for Roy to begin the God, Nature,
and Life ministry here in Ouaga. In our last newsletter, we reported meetings with two groups who
expressed interest, but, at present, they are not moving forward. However, another contact had been
suggested to Roy by a friend in Piéla. This was the national youth president for the Assemblies of God,
and Roy recently met with him. He was not only interested, but was also quick to agree to a series of
presentations at one of the schools run by the church here in Ouaga. We hope this ministry will
strengthen the faith of Christian youth who attend the school. It will also be an opportunity to present
the Gospel since there are apparently many non-Christians who attend the school, and the presentations
will be done in an open-air setting next to the school so that anyone from the neighborhood can attend.
This will all start later this month.
Meanwhile, Roy has continued to help out with the English for Everyone course, and he has
committed to teaching a class during a 5-week course in May and June.
Here Comes the Bride . . . .
On March 21st, Timbeni (Michel) Lankoandé married Naomi Diabouga . I’ll remind you that Michel is the young
man who works at the guesthouse, keeping everything clean and running smoothly. He is Gourmantché and hails from
the village of Bilamperga, not too far from Piéla. Since I had some work to do at the CREN, we stayed a few days at the
mission in Piéla for both the wedding and the work.
A wedding here is a time of celebration and joy, like weddings everywhere. But I
am often struck by the differences, too. At home, a church wedding is all that is
necessary to be legally married. But here in Burkina, it is necessary to have a civil
ceremony in order for a marriage to be legal. So Christians first go to the mayor’s
office for a civil ceremony, then proceed to the church for a second ceremony as they
declare their vows to one another in the context of their faith in God. Many Western
wedding customs have been adopted, e.g. a Western-style wedding dress for the
bride and a suit for the groom, but other customs are unique to their culture. Michel
and Naomi’s wedding was held in a small concrete brick church in the village. The
building is unfinished, and one of the things it currently lacks is a roof. So large tree
branches were placed over the opening and sheets of plastic went over the branches to provide shade. (I love the African
ability to improvise!) Children took advantage of the unfinished windows and crowded around the openings to watch.
Traditionally, Gourma parents do not attend their child’s wedding. However,
Naomi’s parents decided to come and her father even sang a song. It was a warm
and humid day, but that did not dampen the joy. As is common, several women got
up to dance (photo left) and a few ‘joy cries’ could be heard. The reception
afterwards was held in the village school. We crowded into the school room and ate
chicken and rice and a ‘salade composée,” consisting of assorted vegetables. There
was even a wedding cake, which is definitely not traditional! One of their expatriate
friends had made the cake. A few days after the wedding, we had the honor of
bringing the happy couple back to Ouagadougou with us when we returned.
The thing that made an impression on me at this wedding was the evident joy despite surroundings and circumstances
that many of us would find unacceptable. How we all need to be less tied to our circumstances as our source of joy!
God’s Word tells us that true joy depends on our relationship with Him through faith in Jesus. May we learn to live in
the joy only He can give!
Praises
For progress being made on overdue
reports.
 For an open door for the God, Nature
and Life ministry.
 For His unfailing love, grace and
mercy.

Prayer Requests
For the Lord’s blessing on the God, Nature and Life
outreach, that lives would be changed.
 For the EFE students to improve their English skills and
come to faith in Christ if they have not yet done so.
 For good health, and the strength and grace needed to do
the work before us.

In His love,
BP 1552
Ouagadougou 01
BURKINA FASO
CTEN
P. O. Box 291307
Phone: (800) 872-5404
www.cten.org


May 2015
We hope that you are all well and enjoying spring time! Over here in Burkina, we are working our way
through the hot season. Thankfully there is now more of that behind us than ahead of us, and we have had some
rains that brought temporary relief from the heat. These early rains are the promise of things to come as we
approach the rainy season. Just as April showers back home bring those lovely May flowers, the onset of rains
here brings farmers to their fields and a wondrous change in the appearance of the countryside from brown to
green. Summer and winter, springtime and harvest, life goes on.
Joseph and His Plumpy’Nut
As I was reviewing some stories about children who have been treated at the CREN, I was struck by the variety of
problems associated with their malnutrition. There are many factors that contribute to malnutrition in the children we treat,
and it is often not a straightforward case of “not enough to eat.” An illness is often a main contributing factor, or it may be a
case of lack of understanding on the part of the mother. An example of this is malnutrition caused when a mother
prematurely (and suddenly) stops breast feeding her child because she discovers that she is pregnant with another child. It is
widely believed that the breast milk of a pregnant woman is not good for a child. So mother stops breast feeding when her
child is not ready, and, in two recent cases, the children became malnourished.
Sometimes, there are family problems involved. That was the case with Joseph Banga, who came to us from a village not
far from Piela. Joseph’s family is poor and not able to meet its needs. This difficulty pushed Joseph’s mother to divorce his
father and to remarry. She moved to another village, leaving Joseph and his sister with their father and their grandmother.
Joseph began to lose weight because of the absence of his mother and a lack of food in the household. Joseph lived in this
state for several months; he lost his appetite and his health began to decline. Finally, his family decided to bring him to the
Medical Center to ask for help.
When Joseph was admitted to the CREN, he was about 2 years old and weighed
about 19 lbs. He was suffering from severe malnutrition, and was very weak and also
dehydrated. Medical and dietetic treatment was started right away. Joseph was given
enriched milk five times per day, but he refused to drink it. He didn’t want any food at
all. The staff tried to feed him with a nasogastric tube, but without success. Using all
known strategies, they got him to eat little by little. At the end of the first week, he had
gained a tiny bit of weight. He started drinking another type of enriched milk that
promotes weight gain, but Joseph cried much because he wanted to return home. This
caused Joseph to regress, and he lost some weight. It was then that the staff decided to
give him Plumpy’Nut (an enriched peanut paste) and let him return home for one week
as a trial. He left on his 16th day at the CREN, with the same weight at which he
entered! But, at the end of the one week trial period at home, he returned and was
found to weigh 22 lbs! He had rebounded and regained his appetite. He continued to
be nourished with Plumpy’Nut and returned every week to pick up a new ration and be
weighed. At the end of 8 weeks of this treatment, Joseph had become fat, beautiful,
and smiling! Healed from his severe malnutrition, he weighed about 31 lbs. I praise
God that we were able to help this child, and thank Him for our staff, who persevered.
God, Nature and Life at San-Yiri
It was hot and windy, and the light from the projector revealed just how much
dust was in the night air. Burkina Faso in the hot season, before the rains have
moistened the ground, is like that. So it was no surprise to have these conditions as
we conducted the first God, Nature and Life presentations in Ouagadougou. This
took place at the San-Yiri Assembly of God Church, which established and runs an
adjacent school. I had arranged to do seven evening presentations through the
national youth president of the Assemblies of God, Pastor Augustin Demé (in
photo). Augustin is himself a well-known teacher, having received several awards
from the government for his years of service.
With the exception of the last evening, we did the presentations
outdoors, where it was cooler. A storm threatened the last night, so we
decided that it would be best to move into the church for that one.
Because the audience was a mix of children, youth and older folks, and
because many from this neighborhood do not speak French, Augustin
translated for me. Translation of this material into one of the local
languages (Mooré in this case), is very difficult because of the lack of
words for technical terms. So it was challenging for both of us. But the
lessons were well-received, and especially appreciated by the pastor of
the church, Pastor Jean Tassambedo. We don’t know exactly what all
God did through the lessons, but we were told that many were blessed
and touched by them. As we leave the results to God, we also praise and thank Him for
opening up this opportunity.
Augustin and I hope to continue our partnership. Now that he has seen the presentations, he can better explain the
ministry to others who might be interested in hosting such evenings for their particular groups. Please pray that the Lord
would continue to guide us and open doors of opportunity for this ministry to go forward.
Praises
For the completion of overdue reports!
For the recent God, Nature and Life
presentations at San-Yiri.
 For God’s unfailing love, grace and
mercy.


Prayer Requests
For continued guidance for God, Nature and Life.
For the students in Roy’s English For Everyone class he
is now teaching, that their English skills improve and that
they come to faith in Christ if they have not yet done so.
 For good health, and the strength and grace needed to do
the work before us.


The early rains have reminded me of Ephesians 1:14: “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal,
the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are
God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” The promised inheritance is coming. The Holy Spirit within
reminds us that we belong to Him. And we belong to each other in the Body of Christ. Thank you for serving
along with us in the work here.
BP 1552
Ouagadougou 01
BURKINA FASO
CTEN
P. O. Box 291307
Phone: (800) 872-5404
www.cten.org


June 2015
English For Everyone, Intermediate Class
Let me (Roy) introduce you to my intermediate level
English class. I had eleven students who attended regularly.
One of them, Juge, had to travel for his work the evening we
took the class picture. So the photo shows only ten. They
include university students, business people, military and an
irrigation specialist.
This was a 5-week conversation course, so there was no
homework or exams. I can’t say exactly how much progress
they made with their English, but I did see improvement in
some areas. They all hope to attend the regular 12-week
class that starts in September.
Each class revolved around positive character traits,
including commitment, contentment, discipline and wisdom.
And we had a Bible reading and discussion that emphasized
the concepts of grace and forgiveness. Several of the
students are non-Christian, so this is the way that SIM
incorporates an evangelistic component into the classes.
The last class was more laid back — playing games (in English, of course!), and sharing some donuts. I brought my
guitar and we sang (in English, of course!), a Burkina Faso version of ‘This Land Is Your Land.’ We led into the
Bible discussion with everyone singing ‘Amazing Grace.’ Then I handed out their certificates, many photos were
taken and phone numbers exchanged (all of which are essential for any class here!). Pray for these students.
Several of them are having difficulty finding jobs, and some do not know the Lord.
Is There Room At The Inn?
As manager of the SIM guesthouse since February, I (Marilyn) am discovering just how much is involved with keeping
the facility running smoothly! I am also gaining an appreciation for hospitality as a ministry. We are commanded in
scripture to “practice hospitality” (Romans 12:13) and to do so without grumbling! (1 Peter 4:9). Hospitality is a “good
deed” (1 Timothy 5:10) and one of the qualifications of leaders in the early church was that they must be hospitable (1
Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:8). Hospitality was important in earlier times, perhaps because there wasn’t a fast-food restaurant on
every corner, nor a choice of motels nearby. Even today, hospitality is highly valued in most cultures, and that is true here
in Burkina.
I have been surprised at the different ministries represented by those who use the guesthouse. SIM missionaries, of
course, use it, sometimes just to rest, or conduct business, shop or have medical treatment. And this summer we will host a
number of short term SIM missionaries who will be passing through Ouaga on their way to bush stations, mostly to work
(Continued from page 1)
in a medical facility. But we also serve other organizations, and have recently hosted folks from New Tribes, Campus for
Christ, and Teen Challenge. And then there are the teams! These are larger groups who come for a short period to help
long term missionaries with their work. One couple is hosting a couple of teams this summer in order to help finish some
buildings that will serve boys in their region who are in difficulty. The guesthouse is a place for teams to stay when they
arrive in Burkina, and also on their way back home. Not to be forgotten are national church pastors who need a place to
stay while in Ouaga, and Bible teachers who come from overseas to assist the local church.
So, someone is always passing through, and our purpose is to support them and help them on their way. We provide a
clean room (thank you, Michel!), a refreshing shower, and optional air conditioning for a good night’s sleep when it’s hot.
One can also wash clothes in one of our machines (for a small fee), or buy a frozen pizza (thank you, Biba, for making
them!) to put in the oven for a quick meal. If you want to visit, the welcome mat is out!
English and Rugby in Burkina Faso???
Other than rugby being a popular sport in England, what do English and rugby have in common? Answer: neither of
them are commonly connected with Burkina Faso, which is a French-speaking, soccer-loving land! Nevertheless, one of
my English students approached me after class one day and explained that he was on the Burkina Faso rugby team! They
were hosting an international rugby competition in Ouaga at the time and he invited me to come to a match. Although I
knew almost nothing about rugby, I accepted his invitation because we try to build relationships with our students.
Ben Griffin, who oversees the English program, is English
AND . . . a rugby player from childhood! He happens to be
teaching the sport to a group of teenage missionary kids, and so
he was eager to take them to a match. Pete Johnstone, who works
up north in Sebba, happened to be in Ouaga at the time. Pete is
from New Zealand AND an avid rugby player. So all of them,
along with myself and Joel Gray, the current director of SIM,
headed out on Saturday morning to watch Burkina Faso (in the
green and yellow) defeat Ghana 12-0. We got to see a side of
Burkina culture we had not known existed, and Euloge (my
student) was quite pleased that we had come.
Praises
For completion of another English
class and for the students who
attended.
 For cooler weather.
 For God’s unfailing love, grace and
mercy.

Prayer Requests
For Marilyn as she juggles guesthouse reservations to meet the
many needs.
 For the students who were in Roy’s English class who do not
know Christ, that they would come to faith.
 For rain. The season started late this year, and many areas of
the country are behind the normal time for starting their fields.

We thank the Lord for you and your partnership.
We wouldn’t be here without you! In His love,
BP 1552
Ouagadougou 01
BURKINA FASO
CTEN
P. O. Box 291307
Phone: (800) 872-5404
www.cten.org


July 2015
CREN News
The long hot season is now over, but it was a busy time at the CREN. During that period, one of the groups
that we cooperate with, called Nutrifaso, did a survey for malnutrition in the villages. This is a great way to
find children who are malnourished, but haven’t come to a clinic or the medical center for any type of
treatment. When the team doing the survey finds a moderately or severely malnourished child (based on a
measurement of their upper arm circumference), they are referred to a center for further assessment and
possible treatment. Many of these children came to the CREN, so many
that it stretched the ability of the staff to offer them care. There were
some very long days.
Then toward the end of the hot season, there was a bit of a crisis
when there was a disruption in the supply of the supplemental foods
that are an important part of treatment for the children. I have
mentioned Plumpy’Nut before, the high calorie, high protein peanut
paste that we give to severely malnourished children. But there is also
Plumpy’Supp, a similar product that is made from a soybean base, and
enriched cereal. Those last two are donated to us through the World
Food Program, and are used in the treatment of moderately
malnourished children. One morning, I had a phone call from Esita, the
head of the CREN, asking what we should give to mothers for their children in view of the fact that they were
completely out of all the supplemental foods. As you may recall, the CREN produces an enriching mix for
porridge that we have been using for years, made from peanuts, beans, and sugar. We knew we could use this
at least for the moderately malnourished, but the demand would exceed the ability of the two ladies we employ
to make it! We quickly agreed to temporarily employ two more women to step up production. And for the
severely malnourished, we agreed to provide them with a bag of whole milk powder each week that mothers
could add to their children’s porridge. This isn’t as caloric as Plumpy’Nut, but we hope it will help.
Our solution to the problem is costing us more money, especially for the milk powder which is costly. I was
a little concerned as our “bottom line” has been trending downward. But prayer had gone up to the Lord for his
provision, and, in fact, he had been making provision even before this need arose! To make a long story short,
SIM Australia had featured the CREN project in a newsletter or two, and in June we received a large donation
from that country! The amount was over 13,000 U. S. dollars! So we are grateful that we can continue
providing what malnourished children (and orphans!) need. But please pray for continued provision and also
for the staff of the CREN, who do challenging work under difficult circumstances. And please also pray for the
supply line to open up again so we can receive the supplemental foods.
Seeing God’s Handiwork
We arrived at the Gamaliel Youth Center on the evening of June 19, just as it started to rain. Although it was
a bit inconvenient for getting our things into the center and setting up for the evening meeting, everyone there
was glad to see the rain pouring down. I had received a call that morning from the center’s conference
coordinator, reminding me that I was scheduled to speak that night. It was a surprise to me, because I had not
been informed of that engagement! Thankfully my presentation was already prepared, and so I agreed to be
there.
This was the first presentation of the God, Nature and Life series at this location, which could prove to be an
excellent venue for this ministry. High school and college students, as well as professionals and laypeople,
frequent the center, which makes for exactly the kind of audience that was envisioned for GN&L. Interestingly,
the first topic in the series is water! In it, I explain why there is only one rainy season a year in Burkina Faso,
and why it begins in June. As we watched the rain, we were actually seeing proof of God’s handiwork that very
evening! God is good!
Because of the rain, the attendance was probably a bit less than normal. But it was a good audience, and they
posed some challenging questions afterward. For example, is it a sin to waste water? I guess I had never
considered water issues in that light because the Bible doesn’t list wasting water as one of the sins of mankind.
But the discussion that followed convinced me that it could be a sin. Why? Because hording, wasting or
polluting water can negatively impact others. Jesus made it clear that we are to love our neighbor as we do
ourselves. Anything we do that hurts our neighbor is sin. It is really good (and humbling) when God uses a
situation like that to speak to the speaker and teach him or her something new!
The center would like to continue having the presentations, but it won’t be until around the end of September
when the school year starts up again. So we look forward to how God might use this new venue for GN&L.
Praise
 For the rain that is watering Burkina!
 For another opportunity to present the
God, Nature and Life series.
 For timely donations for the CREN from
SIM-Australia.
Prayer
 For continuing good rains and a good harvest.
 For peaceful elections coming up here on
October 11. The transitional government has
done a good job, but there are tensions.
 For continued provision for the CREN.
Your continuing partnership with us enables us to be part of God’s gracious handiwork here in
Burkina Faso. Thanks, and be abundantly blessed!
In His love,
BP 1552
Ouagadougou 01
BURKINA FASO
CTEN
P. O. Box 291307
Phone: (800) 872-5404
www.cten.org


August 2015
Bits and Pieces . . .
. . . that sort of describes our lives and work since we last wrote. It’s been a little of this and a little of
that. We are happy to report that it has rained well here in Ouaga during the past month, and we pray
for it to continue long enough so that the grain in the fields can mature and give an adequate harvest.
CREN Update: In our last letter, we reported that there had been a disruption in the supply of the
supplemental foods we use to treat malnourished children. That situation still exists, and we have
heard that the problem is at the national level, i.e. not just confined to our region. Please continue to
pray that the supply lines will open up again so that we can have access to these foods.
Meanwhile, we have been giving the severely malnourished who recuperate at home a bag of whole
dried milk powder each week, and Esita tells me that the children are doing O.K. with that. We
continue to give a ration of PEMI (enriching mix for porridge) to the moderately malnourished, and we
no longer need the extra workers we had hired to help make PEMI.
New Responsibilities
There have been a number of SIM missionaries out of the country this summer (or part of the summer).
At least a couple of those have administrative responsibilities, and their departure left a noticeable gap!
So we were asked to fill some of those gaps, which include:
Personnel: We’ve mainly been helping to welcome new arrivals (short term teams and individuals) and get them on their
way to their place of service in Burkina. This has included airport pick-up, coordinating/preparing meals for a day or two,
and attending to other needs these folks may have. We’re also helping returning long term missionaries get re-settled.
Housing: SIM Burkina rents several houses, and owns one, that are used by SIM missionaries who live here in Ouaga.
Someone needs to be the “point person” for any problems that arise with the houses, and, right now, that’s us! “Problems
with houses” means anything having to do with an absent missionary’s domestic situation, such as problems with guards
and pets, as well as maintenance issues like a leaky roof (not unusual in the rainy season!) on any house (including rented
ones). Lots of little details there!
Leadership Team: the SIM director asked if we would join him and some others for leadership team meetings every other
week. This is a time of sharing issues for which input from the team is desired, as well as informing everyone of what is
happening in our areas of responsibility, and praying for various needs. It has been eye-opening to see the array of
administrative details that accompany the functioning of the mission.
English for Everyone: Ben Griffin has been directing this program for several years, along with Alison Dixon. Ben’s
wife, Liz, fell seriously ill and was not responding well to treatment. So it was decided to evacuate her and the family to
England, their home country. That means that Ben will be absent at a time when they should be gearing up for the fall
semester that starts in September. Roy has volunteered to help Alison with this, so that it all doesn’t fall on her shoulders.
He will also be helping with classes. So please pray for the Griffins, especially for Liz, and for Alison, Roy and
others who will be preparing for and starting the fall semester of EFE.
The Steward and the Household
The pastor of the Zogona EE/SIM church asked me if I would prepare a message on ‘Christians and the Environment,’
which I delivered on August 16. I had been reluctant to agree to this request because the Word of God, in my opinion,
doesn’t really say much about this subject. But as I dug into it, the picture became more and more clear. It turned out to
be a really good exercise for me, and hopefully provided some insight for the members of the congregation.
In the course of that message, I referred to the word ‘ecology.’ It is derived from the Greek oikos (house or household)
and logia (the study of). So ecology is the study of this ‘house’ we live in, the earth, with all of its components, and how
they interact with each other so that the ‘house’ functions. ‘Economy’ is also derived from oikos (with nemein to form
oikonomia), which means the management of a household. A related word, oikonomos, is the person who is the manager.
That is the Greek word that is used in the parables about stewards that Jesus taught in Luke 12 and 16. He described a
good steward as being both faithful and wise in fulfilling his obligation to manage a wealthy household. Paul referred to
himself as a steward of the Gospel, and said he must be found faithful in preaching it. When he wrote to Titus to describe
the qualities of those who could serve as elders in the church, he referred to them as stewards (Titus 1: 5-9).
All of us, in some way, are stewards. All we have and all we have been given belong, in reality, to God. Whether it be
the talents and skills God has given us, our families, our responsibilities at work or school, the creation, or as ministers of
God’s Word, we are all stewards over what God has given us in our lives. His desire is for us to be faithful and wise in
fulfilling that role. Some of the qualities that Paul required in church elders were being hospitable, a lover of what is
good, sober-minded, just, holy and self-controlled. A good steward would not be self-willed (but seeking to do God’s
will), not quick-tempered or violent (but gracious and gentle), not given to wine (but temperate), and not greedy (but
content with what one has been given). Good qualities for all of us to possess. In the parable in Luke 12, if the master
returned home and found his steward being faithful and wise, it says that he would make that steward ruler over all he has.
Do we approach all we do in life with good stewardship in mind? Perhaps in some areas, but probably not completely.
May the Lord enable us to understand what it means to be good stewards, ones pleasing to Him. For me and Marilyn
right now, we are trying to be good stewards in all of these ’bits and pieces’ that have become part of our current ministry
here in Burkina Faso. In doing so, we recognize our constant need to depend on Him for guidance, enabling, grace and
wisdom. He is THE faithful and wise one, of that we can be certain!
Praise
 For the rain that is watering Burkina!
 For timely donations for the CREN
from SIM-Australia.
 For safe travels for the many people
who have been coming and going
Prayer
 For continuing good rains and a good harvest.
 For peaceful elections coming up here on October 11.
The transitional government has done a good job, but
there are tensions.
 For the English for Everyone team as classes start
again in Ben Griffin’s absence, and for the Griffins.
Thanks for being faithful partners with us in all the ‘bits and pieces’ of ministry. Burkina Faso may be a long way
from where you are, but your partnership brings you effectively near!
In His love,
BP 1552
Ouagadougou 01
BURKINA FASO
CTEN
P. O. Box 291307
Phone: (800) 872-5404
www.cten.org


September 2015
By now, most of you have probably heard that there was a coup d’état in Burkina Faso last week. The
coup is now over (details to follow, based on what we know and have heard) and calm has been restored.
We would like to assure you that we are both well and were never in any immediate danger during the whole
affair. The Lord answered the prayers of many and showed great mercy to the country.
As our readers know, there has been an interim government in place in Burkina since a popular uprising
last year ousted the former president. Elections were scheduled to take place on October 11 th, and we have
been asking for prayer that the process would be fair and peaceful. Around September 14 th, an investigative
commission looking into the shooting of civilian demonstrators by the Presidential Guard (RSP) during last
year’s popular uprising, recommended disbanding the RSP (which had been established to protect the former
president). On the afternoon of September 16th, the RSP stormed into a government meeting and took the
interim president and prime minister hostage. The RSP declared itself to be in power, and they named one of
their generals as acting president. The interim president and prime minister were forced to resign.
This action aroused the population to resistance, and there were demonstrations in the streets. The RSP
fired on some demonstrators, and we hear that there were 10 deaths and many wounded. We heard gunfire
Wednesday night and on into Thursday morning. A nighttime curfew was put in place and we were advised
by both SIM and the U. S. Embassy to stay put at home even during non-curfew hours. The borders and the
airport were closed. The populace declared a nationwide strike in protest of the coup, and shops, service
stations, banks, etc. were closed. Roadblocks were set up on main roads to enforce the popular strike.
A delegation of two presidents from other West African nations came to negotiate a settlement. They put
forth a proposed agreement, which was to be voted on by the union of West African nations. That proposal,
which was rejected by the people of Burkina Faso, was also rejected by the union. In the middle of all this,
the regular army, who had sided with the populace against the coup, demanded the surrender of the RSP. A
large force from outlying cities arrived in Ouaga and surrounded the part of the city held by the RSP.
Negotiations continued, which included the traditional king of the largest ethnic group in Burkina as well
as another delegation of six West African presidents. Ultimately, the RSP general agreed to surrender and to
order his troops back to their camp and begin disarmament. The regular army agreed to withdraw from the
city once the disarmament is complete. The interim president has been reinstated, and the general strike has
been relaxed. At this writing the curfew is still in place, but things are getting back to normal.
There is much to be thankful for, and we don’t think we can say it any better than Joel Gray, the director
of SIM-Burkina, did in an e-mail we received this morning. With his permission, here are his thoughts:
What has happened in Burkina is truly significant. Great restraint was shown by all involved
and a complete disaster was avoided. I am thankful for our God who answers prayer. I am
thankful this crisis never became an ethnic problem or a religious one. I am thankful that
during the standoff when Diendere and the RSP were surrounded by the Burkina military for
hours on end no one nervously pulled a trigger and set off a war. I am thrilled that no looting
was reported as often happens when chaos reigns. It has been meaningful to see Burkina
citizens in the streets sweeping and cleaning. "We got through this now lets clean up" is what
they seem to be saying. I am thankful that all our missionaries are safe and accounted for.
Amen to all of that! We would like to thank all of you who prayed for us and for the country during this
tense time. Please continue to pray. We hear that the elections have now been postponed until November,
and we still need to pray for a fair and peaceful election and transition to a new government. The battle is
not yet over. May the Lord continue to show his mercy to the country of Burkina Faso.
A Brief Ministry Update
As you can imagine, our work basically came to a halt during the coup. English For Everyone, which had just
met twice before the coup, had to cancel classes due to the curfew and strike. Roy has two classes, one his
own and one for which he is substituting for Ben Griffin who had returned to England due to the medical
evacuation of his wife, Liz. She has recovered, and the family was planning to return when the coup happened
and flights were cancelled. We hope they can return soon.
Good news about the disruption in supply of supplemental foods we use at the CREN: perhaps two weeks
ago now, the CREN received a shipment of Plumpy’Nut, one of the most important foods we use! Please
continue to pray that the other foods we use would be restored, and that supply lines would stay open.
Praise
 For the rain that has continued!
 For a restored supply of Plumpy’Nut
at the CREN.
 For a quick resolution to the coup.
 For safety during the coup.
Prayer
 For a good harvest this year.
 For peaceful elections coming up, probably to be
rescheduled for November.
 That the country can get back to normal so that people
do not suffer.
During tense times like this past week in Burkina Faso, it is good to know that God is the One on the
throne, to know the One who rules over all things. Thanks for partnering with us, even and especially
during difficult times. God is good!
In His love,
BP 1552
Ouagadougou 01
BURKINA FASO
CTEN
P. O. Box 291307
Phone: (800) 872-5404
www.cten.org


October 2015
We are pleased to be able to begin this newsletter with the good news that things are once again calm in Burkina Faso!
With the surrender of the Presidential Guard troops and the re-instatement of the transition government, life here has pretty
much returned to normal after the coup. We are not yet completely out of the woods. The presidential election still has to be
held, and the political tensions that are present in the country could impede those proceedings. The election is now slated for
November 29, so we ask your prayers for a peaceful election, that people of integrity and those seeking the good of the
country would be placed in office, and that there would be no post-election unrest.
It is a wonderful testimony to God’s love and grace that we have heard that even non-Christians are talking about “how
much God must love Burkina Faso” to bring about such a conclusion to the earlier crisis. May He continue to shed His grace
upon this nation and enable it to remain peaceful and be prosperous.
Progress In Learning English
We are halfway through the semester in the English For Everyone
classes. I (Roy) am still filling in for Ben Griffin’s advanced class. Liz
Griffin’s health condition had not been completely taken care of, so
they had to extend their stay in England. The last we heard, she is
doing well and they have scheduled their return for October 30. In the
meantime, we continue to work through grammar lessons and some
poetry, the latter being a challenge for the students. In the photo at
right, you see the students working through a group exercise. This kind
of exercise provides an opportunity for everyone to be speaking, while
forcing them to listen to each other at the same time. With Burkina
being a French-speaking country, it is difficult for the students to have
opportunities to speak English outside of class unless they make a
concerted effort to do so. So to practice speaking in class is essential.
My Level 6 class (photo at left) continues to improve their
English, too. We have had some very good classes lately, with a lot
of good interchange among the students. That is encouraging for
them, as well as for me! As you can see in the photo, I also use
group exercises with this class to give them more speaking practice.
The last half-hour of each class consists of Bible reading and
discussion. Both classes include students who are Christian and
those who are Muslim. We pray that the Lord would use these
times as a means to sow His word into the hearts and minds of
those who do not yet know Christ. The classroom is a non-threatening
environment (i.e., a non-church environment), which hopefully makes hearts more open to
receive. Although we teachers can share the Gospel, it is also a great opportunity for the Christians in the group to share
their faith. There have been students give their lives to Christ through this ministry, and we pray that would be the case
this year as well.
The CREN Now Has Wheels!
Who among our readers remembers home visits? These were
visits to follow-up on severely malnourished children who had been
cared for at the CREN, but had finished their treatment. We
typically waited at least a couple of months after the last visit to the
CREN before going to the home to see how the child was doing in
his home environment. We also tried to follow-up on children who
had abandoned treatment to see how the child was doing and
encourage the mother to return to the CREN for further care if
needed. During these visits we measured the child’s upper arm
circumference (an easily obtained indicator of growth and
nutritional status) to see if he was continuing to make progress. We
would talk with the mother or other caregiver about what the child
was eating, and offered simple advice as needed. We also shared
the Gospel with non-Christian families using the Wordless Book.
My indispensable companion in this work was Louta, one of the
health aides at the CREN.
When we moved to Ouaga, the home visits were put on hold. I asked Louta if she wanted to continue the
work, and she answered in the affirmative. But there was a problem – transportation! When we lived in Piela,
we used our personal vehicle for the visits. Solution? A motorbike for the CREN (see photo)! We have
recently been able to purchase a “moto” that can be used for the home visits. We are waiting for the paperwork
on the license to go through, and then the bike can be delivered to Piela and put into service. There will be a
small amount of training for Louta to be able to do the paperwork that I used to do, but it isn’t at all complicated
and so the training won’t take much time. I am hopeful that the visits can be re-started early next year!
Praise
 For God’s provision of a motorbike
for the CREN home visits.
 For rain that continued into this
month.
 For continuing peace in the country.
Prayer
 That elections scheduled for November 29 will be
peaceful.
 Several SIM missionaries have had various serious
illnesses. Pray for health for everyone.
 Pray for English students to come to faith in Christ.
Time seems to be flying by and the year is nearly over. The Lord keeps us day by day and it is good to
remember to give thanks for all things he gives us and does for us. We thank him again especially for all of you
who support us in many ways as we continue to pursue God’s purposes here in Burkina. May He cause you to
overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).
Yours by His grace,
BP 1552
Ouagadougou 01
BURKINA FASO
CTEN
P. O. Box 291307
Phone: (800) 872-5404
www.cten.org


November 2015
It gives you a funny feeling to look out your driver’s side window and see your rear tire (complete with rim)
rolling alongside you and even passing you up! This isn’t normal! But that is exactly what happened not long
ago as we were making our way to SIM’s annual Spiritual Life Conference being held in Fada N’Gourma. This
section of highway is full of potholes in many stretches. There were so many that, when the left rear of the car
dipped down, I just thought I had hit one of them. But when it didn’t come back up, and a strange sound reached
my ears, I knew something wasn’t quite right. Seeing the tire roll by confirmed that! Thankfully I was able to
keep the car under control, and we pulled over and stopped safely. And praise God there were no cars, trucks or
bicyclists coming the other way.
I retrieved the tire (with the wheel cover still on
it!) that had rolled to a stop quite a distance away.
All the lug nuts, however, were gone. We called a
team member who had already arrived at Fada to let
him know of our trouble, and he made plans to come
out to us (about 20 miles). As we waited for him,
some other members of our team, who had been
some distance behind us, pulled up. Our colleague
arrived from Fada, and soon afterward a pastor
associated with SIM, who happened to be traveling
from Fada to Ouaga, saw us and stopped. SO, we
had lots of help! Actually, it was a bit like a party with all of those folks around. We got the car jacked up,
straightened a few bent lug bolts, and swiped three lug nuts from the other wheels so that we could put the errant
wheel back on. Thank God for turning a problem into a blessing as we experienced his provision through our
colleagues. We made our way to Fada, enjoyed the conference, and returned safely to Ouaga a few days later.
Our conference speaker is a missionary to Arabs in Israel. He spoke
from the book of Philippians, and also about ministry to Muslims. There
were times of
worship, good
fellowship and
shared meals.
The photo at
right shows
one of the
outdoor shelters where folks could sit, eat and chat.
The photo at left shows the group at the Fada
Mission Station as we prepared to take the annual
group photo.
Praise
 That we did not have a serious
accident when our wheel came off.
 For a good Spiritual Life
Conference.
 For continuing peace in the country.
Prayer
 National elections are scheduled for November 29.
Pray that the peace will continue after the elections.
 The English classes will end the second week of
December. Pray that the Word of God would work in
the hearts of students who don’t yet know Christ.
Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord, our God, our Maker.
For He is our God, and we are the sheep of His pasture, just the sheep of His hand.
What an amazing thing. Our Creator came and dwelt among us and became our Savior.
May Christ’s love and grace surround you this Christmas and throughout the New Year.
In His service,
BP 1552
Ouagadougou 01
BURKINA FASO
CTEN
P. O. Box 291307
Phone: (800) 872-5404
www.cten.org


December 2015
Another Term of ‘English For Everyone’ Completed
December brought the end of the term for EFE. The
last class is always a laid-back affair, with games, a meal
(being served in the photo below), the presentation of
certificates, and the obligatory class photos. You see me
here with most of my level 6A students. Of 18 students,
14 earned certificates for this level, so I was pleased with
how well they did. We closed out the term with a final
Gospel presentation built around the Christmas story.
Half of my students this term were Muslim, several of
whom were my better students. One of them is the man
seated in the photo. He is severely crippled, but he gets
around town on a motorized trike. Otherwise, he wears
heavy work gloves and drags himself along on the
ground with his hands (not a pleasant thing to do in a
place like Ouagadougou). But he rarely misses a class!
The final exam we give includes both a written and an oral part. In
the oral part this year, my first question was, “What do you like to do in
your spare time?” One of the Muslim students said he liked to read,
especially the Quran and the Bible. After our final class, he and another
Muslim asked if they could buy a Bible. I bought one for each of them
as a gift. I won’t tell you their names, but please pray especially for
S. B. and A. B., that the Lord would open His Word to them (and their
hearts to His Word), so that they would come to faith in Christ.
At the end
of term, we
teachers
usually have a
fellowship dinner (photo right). This term there were teachers
from Australia, Canada, the U. S., Northern Ireland, England,
South Africa, Nigeria and Burkina Faso, so the students got a real
mix of accents! The woman at right, in front, is not formally a
teacher. But she opens her home up several times a week for any
students who want to practice English outside of class. During
those sessions, they discuss the Scriptures and the Gospel. So the
EFE ministry is really a team effort, and we trust that God is
touching hearts with the Light of the World, His Son, Jesus Christ.
We praise the Lord for the peaceful election that took place here on November 29!
Everything went smoothly. One candidate won a slight popular majority, and the runner-up
graciously congratulated him on his victory. It was truly a shining moment in this nation’s
history. President-elect Roch Marc Christian Kaboré will take office on
December 29. We want to thank all of you who were praying.
And Where Did You Say You Are From?
In a few days, we will celebrate the birth of our Savior. This will be our first time spending Christmas in
Ouaga, so our celebration will be a bit different than in Piela. One difference is that we plan to attend the carol
service on Christmas Eve at the International Bible Fellowship (IBF), our church here in Ouaga.
IBF has been a great blessing to us as we’ve made Ouaga our home. It is unique in many ways, the most
essential being that it was established to serve the English-speaking international community in Ouagadougou.
Its members come from many walks of life, many countries and many professions. So on a given Sunday
morning, there can be Australians, Asians, Europeans, Canadians, Americans, South Africans, Nigerians, and
Ghanians in attendance. Some are French-speakers from West African countries who want to improve their
English, among whom are students from English For Everyone. Many are missionaries, while others are here
because of their work. Among the latter are the U. S. ambassador to Burkina Faso and his wife. Perhaps it is
just a glimpse of what heaven will be like as the redeemed from all over the world worship our King forever!
There is no pastor at IBF; rather the church is directed by a board of elders. The elders share the preaching,
and others are occasionally invited to preach as well. Everything is done on a volunteer basis, from leading
worship to cleaning up. The church rents space for services at a facility owned and operated by a Christian
media production company. Since there is no paid staff, tithes and offerings that exceed operating costs go to
support mission and church projects in Burkina Faso and elsewhere. Thank you, Lord, for IBF!
Praise
Prayer
 For a peaceful and successful election.
 For completion of the fall term of English
 For the newly-elected government of Burkina
For Everyone and the way God worked to
provide teachers and draw students.
 For the EFE students who are non-Christian,
Faso as they take office.
that God would use the seeds sown during Bible
discussions to draw them to Christ.
We praise God for His faithfulness, and thank Him for the great support team He has provided
for the work here. We pray that He will richly bless you in the coming year.
In our Savior’s love,
BP 1552
Ouagadougou 01
BURKINA FASO
CTEN
P. O. Box 291307
Phone: (800) 872-5404
www.cten.org



As our plane touched down on the tarmac in Ouagadougou and

Transcription

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