Making Disciples...: April 2014

Baptist Co-laborers with Christ of Burkina Faso
National Camp: March 24-28, Diebougou

WOMEN ON MISSION WITH GOD – NEW STRATEGIES TO REACH THE WORLD FOR CHRIST!

After 20 years in Burkina, I prayed a brand new prayer: “Lord, help me to have courage when I go to the bathroom with the bats flying out of the pit toilet!

The funny parts of the week: bats in the pit toilet, huge, fast spiders crawling on the walls and floors of the room we were sleeping in, sharing water for bucket baths when the wells ran dry and the electric pumps in town wouldn't work because the electricity was cut, pigs rooting around in the trash can that we left outside the door.

BUT, the truly fun and exciting parts of the week:

v Worshiping the Most High God in song and dance and learning with my Burkinabé sisters in 9 different languages

About 250 women gather in Diebougou

The church was packed and HOT and filled with love and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Singing to Him in Zarma with our sisters from Niger

v Being challenged by sisters who WALKED over 50 miles to be at camp

Such commitment!

v Learning how to be salt and light in the world as we build sincere relationships with “neighbors” – our sisters and friends from another major religion who don’t know about the saving love of Christ

Cristiane, my cherished friend from Brazil

"You are the salt of the earth!"

African missionary sister teaches about sharing with our neighbors

v Learning about good nutrition and how the cleanliness of our bodies and homes can easily help to prevent diseases like typhoid and dysentery

Great teaching from Brazilian Baptist missionary sister about nutrition

The cleanliness of our body and homes by our national president, nurse Beatrice

v Learning how to use creative ideas like henna tattoos to share the amazing truths of God’s Word

Missionary from Niger teaches about new approaches of sharing

v Being challenged to news ways of thinking after hearing a moving testimony about how God can grow in us a miraculous love for the children He gives us even if they don’t grow in our own womb

Testimony of His faithfulness

v Responding to the challenge of supporting God’s mission in the world by giving our time, our money, ourselves, and yes, even our children!

My friends, I want you to know that if you had been with us on that little hill in Diebougou, in southwestern Burkina Faso, you too, would have experienced the challenging call of our Lord Jesus Christ to offer yourself wholly and completely to Him to do His will. In spite of the bats, in spite of the spiders, in spite of the heat – He met with all 250 of us there. He doesn’t fear those things and He’s not inconvenienced by them.

Remember that wonderful hymn “I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene”? STANDING AMAZED – that’s what it’s like for me when I have the incredible privilege to stand alongside my friends – my missionary colleagues from many different countries and my beloved Burkina sisters – to worship Jesus the Nazarene -- in song and dance and learning. And to once again remember that He doesn't ask us to give to give a little; He asks us to give it ALL. And He doesn't promise us that in Him we can do a little, He promises that we can do ALL THINGS.

O how marvelous, O how wonderful

And my song shall ever be

O how marvelous, how wonderful

Is my Savior’s love for me!