No dull moments in the life of a missionary in Burkina! These past months have been filled with opportunities to be a part of His kingdom’s advance. Amidst soaring temperatures, power cuts and political unrest, it still remains a joy to find out where He is working and join Him in it.
Perhaps my favorite times have been those where I’ve had the opportunity to train women to share their faith with their families and friends. In the village of Goudhi, a couple of hours outside of Ouaga, an association of Baptist women were awaiting the arrival of some of the national leadership team of the Baptist Co-laborers of Christ. UOBC (a French abbreviation) is the Burkina Faso equivalent of WMU. We traveled the first 1 ½ hours with ease and the last thirty minutes was on one of Burkina’s worst “national routes.” We bumped along in and out of some huge holes that spanned the entire width of the road, and some smaller, but equally annoying ones.
Arriving in the village, we asked directions to the church and received simple ones. In my 4x4 I turned on to what would seem to be a small walking path, but which was actually the main road to the center of town. I wound around several mud-walled courtyards, mango trees, and tied-up goats and came to a school yard. We asked directions again. Oh, yes, a little ways on the other side of the school yard. We pulled up to an empty church and went to find the pastor. This one was not the Baptist church, but another protestant church. The Baptist church is on the opposite side of the school yard.
We drove back to the opposite side of the school yard to find yet another empty church building. We asked questions and heard that the church has relocated on the edge of town. We headed back out to the wider, but bumpier “national route” and came across two Baptist sisters on a moto on their way to the meeting. We eagerly followed them, trusting that we’d arrive at no more empty churches.
Taking precious time away from their fields, 86 women were there to learn how to offer living water to those around them in a dry and thirsty land. At times those around us are so thirsty for truth that we are able to share the entire gospel message with them. At other times we may only share a few drops of water and the listener may not want to hear more. Whichever the case may be, let us be faithful to share part of the story or the whole story. God has promised us that He will bless it –that His Word will never return empty.
Thank you for praying.
Thank you for praying.
Kathy
