You prayed and, once again, the Father has responded in tremendous ways! How do I communicate the depth of gratitude that I have for the vital role that you play in my ministry?
Consider what He has done and give Him praise:
Last minute details for the women’s training conference left me in a frantic state. The flight of Debby Akerman, US WMU president was delayed. She would be one day late. Terri Willis, IMB representative arrived on time with loads of encouragement –very helpful to me under such stress. On Wednesday at noon, at both the guest house where Burkina Baptist women were to be housed and at the church where the conference was to be held, I saw almost no participants. Many helpful people from Good Shepherd Baptist Church were setting up lunch and the sound system. The guest speakers, including Baptist women presidents from neighboring countries, had all arrived safely and soundly by bus and by plane. We were to eat lunch together and then begin at 2:30 p.m. I should have rested in the thought that you all were praying and that our great God was working His usual plan. But my heart was racing and my mind was questioning, “Where are all of the women? How on earth will we begin on time if no one is here yet? (Not really a necessity in Africa, but helpful to a western mind.)
At starting time, I was out in the city picking up a couple of women from a bus station. When I returned from the station, the church was filled was singing women –more than we expected! Where did they all come from at the last minute? I don’t know, but I was so excited to think about the fact that the mattresses that I had left at the guest house might not be enough.
The next 3 days were filled with wonder. We experienced heartfelt worship through singing and dancing (I love worshiping with African sisters), excellent Biblical teaching from west African regional women’s leaders, and encouraging fellowship over meals and coffee breaks where iron was sharpening iron. We were challenged to consider how we could involve girls – young and old – to be on mission with the Father in the work of advancing His kingdom on this earth, to support missions endeavors through giving and praying and going. Félicité Onibon, Baptist women’s president of West Africa; Tayo Olusipo, Secretary/Treasurer of Baptist women for West Africa; Dr. Rachel Lateju, executive director of Nigeria WMU; Chantal Akodigna, Baptist women’s president of Benin; Elise Kpanou, Baptist women’s president of Togo; Jacqueline Harris, WMU worker from Liberia; and Elizabeth Koffa, national GA leader for Liberia were present and ready to offer encouragement and ideas to the Burkina Baptist women. Debby Akerman arrived safely from the US and we sat under her inspired and inspiring teaching about leading children to be on mission with God and about strategic planning. I appreciate her great efforts to prepare teaching that was culturally appropriate and understandable to oral learners.
At the end of our time together, Beatrice Zoma, UOBC president for the Baptist women of Burkina said to all, “After everything that we’ve learned this week, we certainly cannot go back home and go to sleep.” Join me in praying that Burkinabé women will rise up and teach their children the great commission, that they will rise up and be His witnesses to the ends of the earth, that they will rise up and pray for the Son to be lifted up so that He may draw men, women, boys, and girls to Himself.
A very special thanks goes to my colleagues Alice Jenkins and Jane Anne Gibbs, who helped out in a number of ways when our translators fell through and I was called on to help with translation.
After the incredible time here in Burkina, Debby, accompanied by colleagues Alice and the Gibbs family, and by UOBC president, Beatrice Zoma, continued on to Nalerigu, Ghana, home of Baptist Medical Center. There she experienced and participated in God’s incredible work among the peoples of northern Ghana through the ministry of that hospital.
Once again, thank you, thank you, for praying.
