I apologize for neglecting to write these past couple of months. Those of you who consider yourselves technology challenged will relate. My email accounts have had problems, and it has been a very frustrating process for me to try to solve them. Hopefully, when you receive this, the difficulties have been taken care of.
Thank you for praying for the closing session of Sylvie and Natasha's literacy class. Several family members of students were able to attend and heard once again the Good News of Christ's love for them. No public decisions were made at this time, but three women showed special interest in further conversation about the peace that Jesus offers. One young woman from the literacy class named Rosine attended our women's camp the following week. She has now heard several times in several different ways how much God loves her. She desires very much to know this peace that He alone can bring in the midst of a home situation that is not peaceful at all, but she is hesitant because of a hostile, unbelieving husband and family. Please pray that Rosine will continue to be convicted of Truth and that she will have courage to follow Christ. Give praise to the Father for Sylvie and Natasha and for their growth as Christian leaders as they conduct these evangelistic literacy classes. 
You also prayed for our discipleship and leadership training camp at the end of April. Praise God for glorious answers to your prayers. Twelve women attended including two who are seeking. We had an incredible week of worship and Bible study. We studied the institution of the early church and took a very close look at the church at Philippi through a study of that entire book. Three of the women helped to lead studies in Philippians, and each day a different woman led in the singing and worship time. We made beautiful salvation bead necklaces to give as gifts to friends when we share God's truth with them. We memorized together Matthew 16:15-18 and took time each morning in personal devotion time (or 2x2 devotion time to help non-readers) to meditate on these verses and what they mean in the life of the church today. Watching women lead, tentatively at first, and then with increasing confidence is such a joy for me. As Paul said in Philippians 1:4, they are my "crown."
Jay continues to meet weekly with Yaya for discipleship and recently another young local church leader has joined them. Grace Baptist Church where Yaya is attending in Ouaga has asked him to be prepared each Sunday to sing a worship song in Bissa. Pray for this church to be a vibrant witness to the Bissa and others in their neighborhood and that they will exemplify God's grace to the entire the area. His Field Strategy Leadership ministry took Jay to Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire last month for church planter training along with other IMB West Africa leaders. His sessions were encouraging, and he especially appreciated the spiritual emphasis of this particular training. Thank God that this time was both a spiritually refreshing and an inspiring time for all of these missionaries. Pray that God will continue to work in the hearts of the Bissa young men with whom Jay was able to share during his time in Abidjan. As part of this FSL ministry we have the privilege to work alongside several West Africa church planting teams. One of those is the team led by Phillip and Teresa Lyons that reaches out to the Wala people. The Wala are some of the most ardent keepers of Islam in Burkina Faso and Ghana. Pray for Phillip and Teresa and their 6 children. Pray especially for their oldest son Zach who will be returning to the US to attend college this year.
This very afternoon we head to the airport for a four-plane ride to North Carolina for a summer stateside assignment/furlough. We hope to see many of you in person as we make the rounds through North Carolina, Louisiana, and Massachusetts. Thank you for praying for safety in our travels and for clarity in our communication about God's work through us to see the peoples of West Africa come to Christ.
May you experience the greatest blessings of our Lord,
Jay & Kathy Shafto
James, Robbie & Madeleine
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
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