More Movement of God in Burkina

Today’s report from Burkina Faso includes four more salvations! Two Sambla people, one person from the Bobo people group, and one from the Bwaba prayed to receive Christ today. “Can’t describe the power of God and the excitement in this place” is how it was explained to me in the message. Keep praying for God to use the group while they are there.

Another lady we have been praying for is Mirium. We met her though her 10 year old son who stays with us the entire time we are in Badara. When we asked him about becoming a Christian he replied, “I would love to be a Christian but my mom would kick me out.” Since his father is dead, he would have no place to go. Every person from Southside that has met him weeps for his situation. The fact that his mother forbids him from being a believer is unconscionable in our eyes, but his mother will not listen to the Gospel or allow him to go to church. Mirium is a “hairdresser.” This is not like those who work at Paradise Salon. Remember, there is no electricity; there is no running water in this village. She braids hair for a small fee. Several of our ladies have allowed her to braid their hair in order to develop a relationship with her. She has been unwilling to hear the Gospel of Jesus on our previous trips. This time she allowed Jennifer to tell her the story of Jesus and how He came to save us. Mirium said she would “think very heavy on these things” and let the group know of her decision concerning this before they left the village. Pray that God will open her heart to the truth!

God has also done a work in the life of Pastor Issa, with whom we are partnering in Badara. It seems that he has felt threatened by our zeal to share the Gospel. On our last trip Issa and I had a pretty firm discussion about reaching the people of the village. His feelings were hurt as we discussed the “man of peace” concept and he was not that man. We prayed together and left with the idea that God would provide a man from the Sambla people group as a man of peace. As God began to move mightily in his village, Issa has asked forgiveness from our group for his attitude in the past. He is very excited to see the work of God in the village where he lives. We are grateful to God for this change of heart. It is crucial that we have a Christian presence in the village to work with the new believers when we are away. Continue to pray for Issa.

Now, one final thing for you to pray about. Consider God’s calling on your life. It is now more important than ever that we have people ready to go to Burkina Faso. Pray about going with a team in the near future. Even more radical, pray about staying a month or two. We need to be there. There are a couple of people praying hard about an extended mission trip, but nothing firm has been planned yet. Don’t discount this plea as just impossible for you to do. Ask God what He would have you do. You don’t have to worry about the details and working everything out. If He wants you to go, He will work things out. Just pray for now. Listen to what He says and act on it.