Well, dear friends, once again too much time has passed since I’ve written. Rest assured that my lack of communication doesn’t at all signify a lack of action by our great God. He is certainly at work as always and we see His hand in so many ways in our lives and ministry. Our reasons to be thankful this holiday season are many.
Through these past months I have had the privilege of teaching second grade at the International School of Ouagadougou. What a joy it has been! My students have filled my days with joy and laughter and the heart-satisfying fatigue that every teacher knows. My long ago years of experience in a high school science classroom did very little to prepare me for this journey. Seven year olds bring their own special qualities which make for a unique learning curve for their teacher. 21 children (most do not speak English at home), 11 girls, 7 boys, 14 different nationalities, many different reading levels – all of these and more have presented me with a job that has required much time and professional creativity. I loved almost every minute and have truly felt God’s pleasure as Eric Liddell did when he ran.
It has continued to be a blessing to work alongside the Baptist women of Burkina, “Les Ouvrières Baptistes du Christ, Baptist co-laborers with Christ. We meet regularly to talk about God’s vision for His work among Baptist women in Burkina. In November I had the joy of training women and other young adults of one of our Baptist associations to use Bible stories to share the “living water” of Christ with those whom they encounter in their daily lives. I also serve on a committee of the national leadership team to plan for a West Africa-wide Baptist women’s conference to be held here in Ouagadougou next summer.
My “mom” job is still one of the most rewarding of my life. It’s always a joy to talk with James and to see how the Father is molding him into a young man who is an answer to my longtime prayer for my children – that they love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. He has had a challenging, but successful year at UNC Chapel Hill and will be spending Christmas with Jay’s family in Boston. Robbie gives us equal reason to be proud as he is a leader in the local youth group called WIRED (Walking in Righteousness Every Day). His senior year is going great –with terrific grades thus far and three university acceptance letters! He serves the Lord with his music as an excellent guitarist. His band often leads at an Anglophone worship service that is held here in Ouagadougou. And sweet Madeleine… a momma could never ask for a better daughter. She is responsible, reliable, and respectful. She loves to cook, and this year, her pies (including home-made crusts) and Grampy Shafto style stuffing were much appreciated at Thanksgiving. She’s a straight A student and shares interesting insights with her daddy and me from her Bible reading in her quiet times.
Counting my blessings would never be complete without mentioning the tremendous blessing of my dear husband. This year of work and ministry for him has been one of the most emotionally demanding of our lives, and I am always encouraged and challenged by his desire to see God’s Word applied to every situation that he finds himself in.
To all of you who have supported our ministry through prayer and giving to Lottie Moon and the Cooperative Program, we say a heartfelt thanks during this time when we celebrate the birth of our Savior. The gift of His life is truly the greatest reason for celebration and thanksgiving. Without your generosity we couldn't be here living and serving in Burkina Faso.
With much love,
Kathy for all the Shaftos,
Jay, James, Robbie, and Madeleine
