Making Disciples...

Jan 2012 update from Kathy...

2012-02-10T06:43:00.000-08:00

2012 has already given so many glimpses of God’s greatnessand His goodness! Jay was in anaccident where he rolled our Toyota pick-up truck as he tried to avoid a bigtruck carrying wood into the city. He and the two passengers with him walked away with no major injuries atall. Rob and Madeleine havestarted into their second semester at school and both of them brought homeexcellent report cards from the first half of the year. Having done equally well, James endedhis fall semester at UNC and spent Christmas with Jay’s family in Boston.

Baptist believers in Burkina encourage and challenge usregularly as God is growing and expanding their vision to see His kingdom comein Burkina and all around the world. Last weekend I hosted the leadership team of UOBC for what Rob called“Mom’s sleepover.” It was aplanning meeting for the upcoming year – a little late because of someunforeseen interruptions in the lives of some of our ladies. What a joy to listen to each region ofBurkina share the ministries that they have been involved in! From sweeping school and church yardsto supporting orphans and widows with donations of grain and clothing, to goingdoor-to-door and into village markets to share the good news of Jesus withneighbors, I was overjoyed to hear how God is using His daughters to show Hislove to their communities.

A new initiative that the “co-laborers with Christ” will beundertaking this year is the working toward the opening of a center forexploited females. I amhelping to lead the steering committee for the strategic planning of thisproject. It will be exciting tosee where God will lead us as you pray. We are just in the beginning stages so please pray specifically that wewill be able to narrow our many desires to match God’s vision for this centerand that God will provide the necessary funds and manpower to renovate thebuilding and grounds that we have been given by the Baptist Union ofBurkina. If you are interested involunteering to help with the launching of this center please be sure tocontact me either on this blog or at shaftojk@yahoo.com. The opportunities for service will bemany including construction and painting as well as training leaders and theladies/girls who will be living at the center.

Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day,

Kathy

Dec 2011 update from Jay...

2011-12-21T08:00:00.001-08:00

Holiday time is upon us again, when our thoughts turn to birth of Christ, peace on Earth and goodwill to men. Africa saw its share of difficulties this year and Burkina Faso was not exempt. Many people kept us in prayer during the mutiny last spring, from which the country has emerged as strong and stable as ever.

During that time conferences were curtailed in the uncertainty, but we are looking forward to a fruitful renewal of training programs for lay leaders across the country. This afternoon I spoke with one of our top trainers, Paulin. He was in the village of Semapou this past weekend where 140 church members met to learn Acts 3:1-19 where Peter and John heal the lame man in the temple. When they went into the village to share the story, 109 people indicated a desire to follow Christ! Follow-up plans are being made to see how deep these decisions are, but already 17 have come to church! Wednesday, Paulin will be in the village of Kademan holding the same training/outreach. God’s Word changes lives!

Another fall highlight is the decision to expand the Bible school to include a Moore campus in Sanwabo and a Jula department in Koudougou. With this decision enrollment has tripled! This change has forced our trained pastors to get more involved in passing on what they received long ago when they attended Bible school. Each qualified teacher is being asked to teach a module during the year. It looks like my turn will come in the late spring!

Thank you for your support of God’s work in Burkina Faso and around the world through your giving, going, and praying. We are blessed to have such a strong and loving church as a partner in seeing God’s Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven!

Jay Shafto

01 BP 580 Ouagadougou

BURKINA FASO

(226)50-31-29-48

(226)50-36-30-72 (h)

(226)76-01-38-52 (c)

Dec 2011 update from Kathy...

2011-12-20T12:04:00.000-08:00

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

praise report from Kathy...

2011-08-23T11:23:00.000-07:00

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.

thanks from Madeleine...

2011-08-22T07:07:00.000-07:00

Thanks to you and the youth groups that partnered with us; we raised 8,940,000 cfa or about $19,865!

Here is the breakdown of where that money went. We partnered with:

Paam Laafi – 2,115,000 cfa. Through the Paam Laafi medical outreach we gave 800 children in Yagma medical checkups.

Christian World Outreach – 760,000 cfa. Through this organization we helped feed their women at their Village of Opportunity vocational school for the next year and a half.

SIM – 2,250,000 cfa. SIM was the venue in which we did our grain distribution in the village of Yagma to 400 widows and their children. We also gave a portion of this money to the Yagma school to feed the children.

Friends in Action – 3,500,000 cfa. We successfully drilled a well in the village of Yagma.

Pan Bila – 315,000 cfa. This organization will use the funds to help with their street children ministry.

As a youth group we spent 2 days in Yagma doing many of these projects. Robbie along with the boys helped Matt Durkee (one of our leaders) and Friends in Action drill a well. They worked hard, starting the day before the girls and came back covered from head to toe in mud! The girls and I participated in the medical outreach for widows and their children. In the afternoon we did a grain distribution to some of the most needing people in Yagma. Also, we partnered with SIM and Edge (a monthly English worship service) to put on a worship service in the evening of May 14, 2011. After we finished our projects in Yagma, SIM used this opportunity and continued to do ministry and did a church plant. Many people came to know Christ and now there are about 50 people who are going to Bible study every week. Please continue to pray for Yagma.

Below is a video about the 30 hour famine and the work in Yagma (for some reason this can only be viewed in the US. Sorry, if you're elsewhere!).

Again many thanks and may God bless your generosity, 

Madeleine

An important prayer request from Kathy...

2011-08-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

The Baptist women of Burkina Faso (UOBC) have the wonderful opportunity this week to be blessed by the teaching and training of experienced women of the faith. On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, we will be hosting a training conference for Baptist co-laborers from all over Burkina. This conference will be led by the national leaders of WMU from the US, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and Liberia.

Please pray for this time as we learn about how to start and lead missions organizations for our children and older girls, how to be involved in missions action, how to organize and lead Bible studies for women, and how to support missions with both faithful prayer and finances.

Many thanks for your prayerful support,

Kathy

May-July update from Kathy...

2011-07-28T08:56:00.000-07:00

Dear Praying Friends,

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.

Kathy

April update from Kathy...

2011-05-12T08:45:00.000-07:00

Thank you for praying and being such a vital part of my ministry! Listen to what God is doing in response:

The month of April began with the great joy of being with over 180 Baptist women and 40 of their pre-schoolers for the national conference of the Ouvrières Baptistes du Christ (best translation is perhaps Baptist women co-laborers with Christ). Amazing!! In the midst of some recent unrest in this country, this group of women sang and danced their way through curfews and rumors of impending military uprisings with joy and peace. Not one person left early. Only Jesus can do that!

We listened to superb teaching from our Burkinabé leaders on reaching the unreached people groups of the world, being Godly wives and mothers, and being fervent and zealous disciples of Christ. Among the many highlights of the week for me was giving certificates to four ladies who had been trained in three different ways of sharing their faith with others, and who had then gone back to their own regions and trained over 400 others. Word has reached us from pastors all over the country of their encouragement as the women in their churches are now regularly sharing the love of Christ in their communities. May His Word continue to spread to those who have not heard in ways that they can understand!

Another great joy was teaching two or three women from each region how to play the game of musical chairs. The competition was great and I banned those with babies on their backs with what proved to be sound wisdom. It’s always a joy to have fun in the Lord, and both those participating and those who were onlookers laughed until we cried. In the midst of uncertain times, we certainly found the joy of the Lord to be our strength.

Finally, please be in prayer for Madeleine and Rob’s outreach through the WIRED youth group this weekend. They will be ministering in the village of Yagma, through medical clinics and puppet shows for children. As His name is lifted up, pray that men and women, boys and girls, will be drawn to Him.

Kathy

March update from Kathy...

2011-03-26T10:27:00.000-07:00

Hello praying friends,

What a month this has been! I’m reminded , in the midst of unrest all over Africa, He remains our true peace. Pray for Burkina and all of Africa to experience that incredible peace that only He can give.

Tomorrow I am off to Bobo-Dioulasso in western Burkina Faso to attend the third annual national conference of the Baptist women of Burkina. This is our first year to meet with our new name. I would ask that you pray for the following things:

Safety for women who will be traveling from all over the country. Some will have two days of travel.
Continued peace during a time of upheaval in our country.
An outpouring of God’s Spirit as we pray together, study His Word together, play together, dance together, fellowship together and eat together.
Unity for Burkinabé women of many different ethnic groups and socio-economic backgrounds.
Increased vision and passion for Burkina Baptist women to be co-laborers with Christ in bringing a lost world to Himself.

Many blessings,

Kathy

a letter from Madeleine...

2011-03-02T08:06:00.000-08:00

Dear family and friends,

1 John 3:16-20 says, "This is how we know what love is:Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth."

As I walk down my street in Burkina Faso, I pass lost, hungry, people, who worry about their next meal, or whether they'll sell enough today to feed their family. When I return home to my comfortable house filled with material possessions, I can't help but be reminded of how much God has blessed me. I'm not the only one! I attend a small Youth Group, W.I.R.E.D. (walking in righteousness every day) made up of TCK's (third culture kids). A couple of years ago we began a yearly project to raise support for a food distribution. God was there and we were able to feed hundreds of Burkinabe people, but more importantly, to touch their lives with His amazing love. Through Him the project has grown and this year we are raising money to support:

•W.I.R.E.D's annual food distribution where we as students will have a hands on, face to face experience distributing food to our neighbors in the greatest need.

• Yagma – a village of families that were victims in a flood in 2009. Our project has three goals. 1. A food distribution to 180 widows and their children, 2. Drill a well in this village to provide clean water, and 3. Put on a medical clinic in Yagma.

• Village of Opportunities – a vocational school for women. Our goal is to provide the funds to feed the women at this school for the next year and a half.

• Pan Bila – a center for street kids. They provide three meals a day, medical care, clothing, education and spiritual counseling. Our goal is to help provide funds for their expenses in food.

• Paam Lafi – nonprofit medical organization based in Burkina Faso with a vision of creating affordable healthcare for the people of this country. Their goal is to see and provide medical services to 10,000 children a year. Our goal is to provide funds to assist them in their vision.

On March 10, 2011, we as a youth group have committed to fast for 30 hours to experience a small taste of what it is to be hungry. We are looking for friends and family who will partner with us by sponsoring our fast.

Help: Here are some ways you can join us in our 30 Hour Famine:

• Pray. Commit to pray with us and for us. Pray that God will provide the funds to care for these needs. Pray that God would work in our hearts, opening our eyes to love those around us and help those in need. Pray for those who will receive the aid, that they will experience the love, hope, and peace that only Christ can bring.

• Give. Stand beside us with the resources God has given you. Donations can be made locally to WIRED students or by mailing in the US.

To make donations please mail all donations to:

Engage Burkina

3522 Hiram‐Acworth Hwy

Dallas, GA 30157

Please be sure and write WIRED on the memo line so that it can get to us.

If you have any questions please email Hannah Greene at greenebean55@hotmail.com WIRED Youth Group – Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

A group of young people committed to knowing God, serving God and loving His people.

Thank you and God bless you!

Madeleine Shafto

"Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so, for on his account the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake." -Deuteronomy 15:10

Update from Kathy...

2011-03-01T08:02:00.000-08:00

It is truly a joy to and a source of great contentment when you have the opportunity to serve Christ as you work alongside Him in the fields that are white unto harvest. Being a part of the birth and development of Les Ouvrières Baptistes du Christ last year was a personal high mark of my ministry in Africa. Having been so greatly encouraged and challenged by Women’s Missionary Union in my own life, I look forward to helping the leadership team of UOBC to extend that same encouragement and challenge to the life of every Burkinabé young girl.

The word “ouvrière” in French is the feminine form of the word for worker. Inspired by 1 Corinthians 3:9, these ladies have such a desire to be co-laborers with Christ in seeing His kingdom come here in Burkina Faso and throughout the entire earth. Please pray that as this organization grows, that they will always keep Christ and the sharing of His gospel at the center of all that they do. Pray for the upcoming national women’s conference March 28- April 2 to be held in Bobo, the second largest city in Burkina. Pray that women will be motivated and creative in getting the money they need for their transportation. Pray for safety as they travel. Pray for an outpouring of God’s spirit which will unify us, will give us the same heart and vision for the future, and will create incredible joy in the heart of every woman present.

Kathy

Using Orality in Evangelism

2010-09-02T08:20:00.000-07:00

Orality has been especially effective in evangelism. We like to use the story of the Gadarene Demoniac found in Mark 5:1-20. In that story a man is controlled by demons and living a tormented life. When he meets Jesus he is set free and restored to normalcy. People love this story and quickly see the power of God and His love for mankind.

After discussing the story (using the questions in the last post), we take 2-3 minutes to tell our personal testimony, make this statement and ask this question: Jesus changed the life of the demon possessed man. He changed MY life. Would you like him to change your life, too?

We are overwhelmed by the number who say, “Yes!”

What is orality training?

2010-06-30T05:44:00.001-07:00

Jesus’ method of teaching, using stories and parables, is well adapted to African culture, where storytelling is part of family life and literacy rates are low. In Orality Training we take advantage of this by asking participants to close their Bibles and notebooks. The trainer simply tells the Bible story, which the students master through repetition. Once everyone has had a chance to repeat the story accurately, the following questions are asked:

What do you like in this story?

What don’t you like in this story?

What strikes you from this story?

What do you learn from this story?

To whom will you tell this story?

These inductive questions can be used with any story or Bible passage, and are easily mastered by everyone, regardless of their ability to read. Of greater importance, when people share what they see in God’s Word, it is not the leader, but the Holy Spirit doing the teaching, with deep, longer lasting effects.

Greetings from Kenya!

2010-06-28T07:38:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Kenya, where I am in a conference, freezing to death at 63 degrees!

I have a series of blog updates I will be sending you over the next few days as I have time to write. The past few months have seen the answer to some of our deepest prayers. In March I invited 60 men and women, 4 from each Association of Baptist churches in Burkina Faso, to come to Ouagadougou for a training conference. Starting with the story of the Gadarene demoniac, they were taught simple inductive Bible study methods for evangelism, Bible study and leadership training. Each team of 4 was given the responsibility of going back to their association to train as many as possible at every level: youth, women’s ministry, SS teachers and church leaders.

The response to this training has been phenomenal. Here are some highlights:

Tiebele: 60 church members gathered for a 1 day session on evangelism using the Gadarene demoniac. They were trained Saturday morning and went out in the afternoon door-to-door. The following Sunday so many people came to church they had to borrow benches from the neighbors to seat the overflow crowd!

Godyr: Four weeks ago the youth in the association were trained in evangelism and sent out door-to-door in the village of Delba. 74 decisions were made for Christ and a new church was started with consistently 70 in attendance.

Reo: The church in Sandié has been using Orality for several months now in Bible studies and outreach. During that time attendance has gone from 40 to 120!

Pray for training conferences scheduled in Ouagadougou, Bobo, and Boré this summer. God is doing something special.

Flood Relief, November 2009

2009-11-25T07:11:00.001-08:00

The Baptist youth of Ouagadougou once again rallied their force to bring relief to those who were worst hit by the flood on Sept 1. After our first construction effort several sites still needed to be completed. We did not expect the same level of participation as our first outing, but were overwhelmed with both the number of participants (60+) and their hard work. With only two volunteer masons, the teams split up by task, with the masons finishing up two old sites while three teams dug foundations at three new sites. A sixth team went to the home of a young widow to make mud bricks. When we ran into a snag and had to repair one foundation, a third mason was hired from the neighborhood and within a few hours the foundations were dug and the work progressing. As one site was completed, that team joined forces with another team to accelerate the work on their site. By 4:30 three old foundations were completed, 1 foundation repaired, and 3 new foundations dug from scratch. In addition, the brickmakers made over 1100 bricks for the widow and 650 for Autone, who was both a mason and one of those being helped.

It is always encouraging to see believers helping and serving others. Still, it was especially touching to arrive where they were making bricks to see 8-10 children from the church joining in. Their feet and hands were caked with mud, but the smiles on their faces were priceless. Working side by side with their parents and deacons and older brothers and sisters in the Lord, they gave their strength and joy to their neighbors for the glory of God!

Thank you for your prayers and support of this effort, funded through personal gifts, the Lottie Moon offering, and Disaster Relief Funds. In John 13:1 we read, “Having loved his own who were in the world, he (Jesus) now showed them the full extent of his love.” Jesus then proceeds to wash the disciples’ feet. It is through this act of service that Jesus was able to show them the full extent of his love. Likewise, through these days of service to a suffering community, we have been able to show a different level of love to our neighbors; one that is more complete. It is a level of love that cannot be expressed or experienced in any other way but through sacrificially serving others, and it was a privilege to both express it and experience it together alongside so many.

Flood Relief, October 2009

2009-10-22T09:15:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, October 17, over 100 Baptist youth from across Ouagadougou joined forces in Secteur 16 to make a difference for 20 families devastated by the flood of Sept 1. Gathering at 7am at l’Eglise Baptiste Wendbenedo, prayer, singing and worship set the tone for the day before dividing into 7 teams and spreading out across the neighborhood. A mason from a sister church, along with a mason from the neighborhood had been to each site the day before to trace out the dimensions for the foundation, so the teams got straight to work digging out the trench while others began making mud bricks. Working under an unforgiving sun, the work moved forward as the day got long. Several pastors came to encourage their members, joining a refreshment team delivering drinks, food, and words of encouragement from site to site. The planning committee was also in action, arranging the delivery of rocks, sand, and gravel as needed. One team, while waiting for a delivery, struck up a conversation with a passerby which led to spiritual questions. Before long, he and another had prayed to receive Christ! One stayed to join the team! A team of 20 something girls, at first minimized for their inferior strength, set to making mud bricks, finishing 600 at one site and 200 at another. This acted to motivate the guys, who worked into the night to finish at their second site, where the late delivery of materials slowed the team down, but would not stop them.

By the time the exhausted but tireless Baptist youth sang their way back to their respective homes, 15 foundations had been laid, 1000 mud bricks had been made, 5 people were led to the Lord, and a whole neighborhood was inspired. Yaya, a young volunteer from Grace Baptist summed up the event saying, “Since I have been a Christian I have never participated in anything like this. We came from different churches, but everyone came together as one. When we got tired, someone would start singing and our spirits would be revived. People stopped to ask what we were doing and why, so we told them about the love of Christ. I never dreamed of being part of something this fantastic.”

Newsletter, Summer 2009

2009-09-30T09:33:00.000-07:00

Hello to all our praying friends! It has been a long, long, time since I’ve written with an update. I apologize and am grateful to those who have continued to lift us up to the Father, even in the absence of news.

The spring and the summer saw many changes come to the International Mission Board. We are now “imb connecting,” with the continued mission of assisting Southern Baptists to fulfill their obedience to the call of Christ to take the gospel to all nations. We see God’s hand at work and are grateful for the tapestry of faith that He is weaving in our lives.

Jay has begun a new ministry as a result of these changes – a calling that he is excited about and privileged to do. He will be the liaison between the mission and the Baptist Union of Burkina Faso. This union has the same purpose as our own convention in the US, and its leaders have tremendous vision to see Burkinabé Baptists do their part in going to the ends of the earth. We anticipate great joy in serving them and serving alongside them. Thank Him for speaking to our hearts and sharing a new vision and direction for our lives and ministry. Thank God with us for the renewal of our passion for ministry here in Burkina.

These past months of ministry have certainly not been without excitement. With a praise-filled heart, go back with me to May and the Bissa language conference.

In scorching temperatures surpassing 100 degrees, we met in a small Assembly of God church. With not even a fan to move the air, representatives gathered from local churches who all have a desire to see the Barka dialect of their language gain a government approved orthography. These faithful servants worked long hours to hammer out some agreed upon basics about how to write their language. The next step is mine (Kathy). Using a program which includes the extended alphabet of Bissa and other languages, I will be publishing a preliminary rough draft text to present to officials. Once we have an approved orthography, Sylvie and Natasha, dedicated Baptist believers who have for years been sharing God’s love as they teach people to read, will be able to apply for compensation for their many weeks of committed service. Thank God for these, His disciples who want to see literacy used as a means to share His love and to help young believers grow in the knowledge of His Word. Pray that I will finish the tedious work of editing and publishing the rough draft of the orthography.

June saw the arrival of our six student missionaries. It’s impossible to describe the joy and the inspiration that comes from working with college students. Their zeal always encourages us and challenges us. These six were no different. Our first two weeks, we ministered to children at Bengaleezay nutrition center, which is associated with one of our Baptist churches. At least 100 children daily heard the gospel truth with their ears, saw God’s story acted out by our summer team, and felt His love through the hugs and care of the students. We sang songs and played games and as many children as possible scrambled to hold the hands of the summer missionaries. In the afternoons, we visited families of the children. The guys played soccer in the neighborhood near the church and several young men with whom they shared made decisions to follow Christ.

After tearful good-byes, we headed to northern Ghana where the team stayed with 4 different Bissa believing families. The goals of this part of the summer term included discipleship and mentoring of local Christian youth and neighborhood evangelism. What a joy to see both American and Ghanaian students be mutually challenged and encouraged through this relationship. Pray for these young Ghanaian believers to continue to bold witnesses in their community.

September 1 brought a huge rain storm to Ouagadougou. It dumped more rain on this city than has been recorded since 1919. Around 150,000 people lost their homes and food supplies, a staggering 10% of the city’s population. Jay began immediately to work with the Ouaga association of Baptist churches to give some relief to both church members and communities surrounding our churches who were affected. Thank God for the faithful and generous giving of Southern Baptists which allowed us to apply emergency funds to this relief effort. Pray that He will continue to give Jay wisdom as he and local pastors continue their efforts to minister to those in need. Pray for the churches to be faithful witnesses of the gospel of Christ as they help their neighbors.

Blessings,

Jay & Kathy Shafto

James, Robbie & Madeleine

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Newsletter, March 2009

2009-04-03T09:39:00.000-07:00

Each week Jay goes into the “non-zoned” area of Ouagadougou to conduct discipleship and leadership training classes with Bissa believers. Some call this part of the city a slum area. It is here where many rural immigrants have come to settle and have built small mud block houses to live in. There is no electricity and no running water, and the alleyways are often narrow and littered with trash. Last month you began to pray as Jay was splitting this class and beginning to work with two specific leaders who were then to lead the others. God seems to be leading this group in yet a different direction. Some who had indicated a keen interest in the gospel have dropped out of the group – perhaps because of persecution, perhaps because of lack of commitment, at least one because of work responsibilities. Two young men remain committed and are obviously growing in their faith. They are faithful to attend, to learn Bible stories, and to share them with others. Please pray that Jay will remain encouraged as these two men grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord. Pray that through their outreach efforts, others will hear how God loves them and will choose to believe Him for salvation.

During the first week of April we will joyfully welcome a new family to our Burkina Faso mission family. The Blacks and their three children (and fourth one on the way) will arrive in Ouagadougou to study French for several months before continuing on to Bobo, the second largest city of Burkina, to be witnesses among the Jula people. Be in prayer for a smooth transition for this dear couple and their three children, ages 5 and under.

In January, you prayed for a nation-wide conference which was to be held for Baptist women from all across Burkina Faso. Join us in praising the Father for His abundant provision as around 100 women gathered to learn about carrying living water to a dry and thirsty land. We met at Camp Bethel, the national Baptist camp on the edge of Ouagadougou. Daily temperatures hovered around 105 degrees, and most women slept outside because the cement block dorm rooms had one small window and very little ventilation. We prayed and sang and danced at night by the light of lanterns. During the day we studied Bible stories about water: the living water offered to the Samaritan woman, the water of service as Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, the waters of obedience of Moses at Miriba. We were blessed by the presence of the Spirit of God in and among us, and all the women expressed a sincere desire to come together again next year. Thank you, thank you to all of you who prayed for this week. God visited us and I believe that the community around us knew that we were Christians by our love for one another.

Blessings,
Jay & Kathy Shafto
James, Robbie & Madeleine
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Newsletter, February 2009

2009-02-16T12:51:00.000-08:00

2 Timothy 2:2 Jay’s discipleship group in Ouaga will soon take on a new twist. Two leaders in the group will begin to guide those new believers through this early portion of their Christian journey. Jay will continue to meet with these two young men to offer them leadership training and more in depth discipleship and they, in turn, will teach the new believers what it means to really be a follower of Christ and how to grow in their faith. One of these young men is literate; the other is not. Both of them are young men who have shown a sincere desire to lead lives that are pleasing to the Father. Is the ability to read a Biblical requirement for leadership? No, so pray for Kahdair, that as he hides God’s Word and His stories in his heart, as he shares that Word with these new disciples, as he lives out a Godly life before young believers and others, that this “unschooled and ordinary man” will have the courage of Peter and John in Acts 4 and that all around him will “take note that he has been with Jesus.”

“Group Meditation.” In my ladies’ discipleship group, that’s what we’ve begun to call the process of repeating a Bible story or verses to be memorized. We, the church, gather together in a building – with a straw roof and a dirt floor. Before our meeting one servant heart has come to sweep the floor of its wind-blown debris and goat and sheep droppings. Some of our ladies are not readers, and this “group meditation,” this repetition, is helpful to them and to all of the rest of us as well. We listen carefully as someone tells the story. Then we go around the group repeating the story and listening intently to see if correction is needed. If we see that some are struggling, we act it out. During the telling and retelling and correcting of the story (with much celebration for those who tell it without fault or help), we find that the Holy Spirit is whispering to those hearts who are meditating on His spoken word. Recently the story was about Mary and Martha. “What has God said to you through this story?” I asked. Wow!! To one, “When we have visitors in our homes, we should give them more than just food. We should talk about spiritual things and what Jesus would talk about.” To another, “As women, we often skip out on the worship service and teaching time if baptism or some other church celebration is taking place. We are the ones who must prepare the food. Maybe we should make more of an effort to hear the teaching on those days.” To yet another, “We talk too much about others. Martha wanted to point out what she saw as her sister’s weakness to Jesus. But He saw it in a different way.” Knowing that God has spoken to us, individually and corporately, we pray together, commit to share what we’ve learned with our children and others. And I, the missionary, marvel at the great goodness of my heavenly Father who allows me this phenomenal privilege – to hear His voice in fresh ways through the voices of those whom I have come to serve in His name. Thank God with me for these ladies who, according to Colossians 3:16, are letting the Word of Christ dwell in them richly as they teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as they sing psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in their hearts to God.

A word about those Shafto kids... All parents should be able to boast in the Lord and share thanks for their children’s successes. This month we boast about James, who was named “co-most effective delegate” of the Security Council at the Model United Nations conference in Accra, Ghana. Students from international schools from the countries of Burkina Faso, Ghana, Niger, Lebanon, and Germany participated in this conference. We boast about Robbie who received an A+ in his guitar class. Kids from his class performed at the Celebration of the Arts at the end of the quarter. All who attended (not just the proud parents) would agree that Robbie’s performance of his own song was one of the best, if not the best, of all. What a joy to hear his guitar ring through our home as he sings praise to the Father! We boast about Madeleine with her straight A report card, creativity without end in her school projects, and her selfless compassion as she faithfully goes each Monday afternoon to a local orphanage to bathe and feed and play with babies and toddlers. Thank God with us for these precious ones, “our heritage and our reward.”

Blessings,
Jay & Kathy Shafto
James, Robbie & Madeleine
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Newsletter, December 2008/January 2009

2009-01-15T09:11:00.000-08:00

The New Year is well underway, but we want to give you a traditional West African blessing for the beginning of 2009. The Bissa would say, “Hunsu tee dohlar nohgo kahn. Dohlar ing, o bee kahn lahfee kee, hourou nyohn kee.” “May God give us a good new year! In this year may we eat in health and peace and joy.” In addition to those wonderful blessings, we pray that this year will be one for you of growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

As we said good-bye to Todd Groff and T.K. Uhrich, our two Hands On student missionaries, our hearts were heavy because of their leaving, but joyful because of what God had done through their presence here in West Africa. As their time drew to a close, Todd and T.K. were able to share God’s truths openly with several men and women with whom they had become friends. Five young men professed their desire to follow Christ. Jay met with these young men and others and they learned how to speak to God through prayer. What a joy to see men working together as they learn stories from God’s Word about prayer and discuss together how to apply it in their daily lives. As most are not readers, they repeated the story of the prayers of the Pharisee and the tax collector to each other until all could say it without error. As others joined the group, this interchange took place in 3 different languages. Pray with us for this group of men to grow in their knowledge of Christ and His truths. Pray that they will begin to experience His abundant life on a daily basis. Thank God with us for young adults like Todd and T. K. who sacrificially give of their time that those who have never heard of God’s love may hear.

Walking to my truck after an outreach literacy class, my friend Sally and I talked about her precious daughter, Oumou, who was quietly riding on her mommy’s back. Sally shared her concern that Oumou’s legs don’t seem to be gaining strength. She is a beautiful child of 17 months, but for some reason the muscles in her legs don’t seem to be developing properly. She sits alone well and is very alert. Sally’s husband has recently returned to the village for several weeks to see if the family there has any food to spare. His work contract ended in Ouaga, and they are trying to get by on the few small things like bags of peanuts that Sally is able to sell in the neighborhood. I was reminded of the blessing that I have to know that no matter what circumstances I find myself in, my God will be there to see me through. Please pray that this little girl will soon gain the muscular strength and coordination to be able to walk. Pray for her father to find work. Pray also for her mother and her friends who weekly hear stories from God’s Word in Sally’s courtyard. Pray that these ladies will know the hope that comes from living life for God.

This week Jay and Kathy traveled in their 4x4 Toyota pick-up (thank you, Southern Baptists!) to Garango, the town where we lived for the first years of our ministry among the Bissa. Jay met with pastors, and Kathy with the women leaders for a time of leadership training. This year will be a year of transition for the women as Kathy helps them to begin to meet on their own and teach themselves. Rather than weekly meetings, Kathy will be with them twice a month only. Praise God for the enthusiasm and confidence of Hawa, who will be teaching the ladies next week.

A common sight in West Africa is a young woman who is transporting water—perhaps in a bucket on her head or pushing from the community faucet or well a cart with jugs of water in the cart. At the end of March, Baptist women from all around Burkina Faso will gather for a week long conference with the theme “Living Water.” This conference has been made possible by the printing and successful selling of Baptist cloth. Women in leadership roles and pastors have worked many hours for the success of this project. Pray for this conference to be a source of encouragement and challenge for all Baptist women in this country, and that they will begin to see themselves as those who are to bring living water to their homes and communities, and even to the entire world.

Our year ended with a precious visit from former colleagues and dear friends, the Curtis family. We thank God for the time that we were able to once again minister together and fellowship and laugh together. What a joy to see them reunited with old friends and to see their spiritual children be encouraged and refreshed from time with those who first brought them the Words of Life. What a blessing for us to share old memories and make new ones together. We especially enjoyed a trip with them and other family friends to northern Burkina to ride camels. Thank you, Father, for Your family, which is ever an amazing source of strength for your children.

Blessings,
Jay & Kathy Shafto
James, Robbie & Madeleine
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Newsletter, October/November 2008

2008-11-24T09:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our praying friends!

On Friday evening twenty-two IMB missionaries to Burkina Faso and northern Ghana and their children will gather for a time of thanksgiving, worship, and good eats. Just like you, we will eat turkey, cranberry sauce, gravy, sweet potatoes, green beans, apple pie, and any other traditional Thanksgiving foods that you can imagine. As we sit down to worship and offer thanks, one of our greatest blessings is your faithful prayer support. Thank you for reading this newsletter and going before the Father on behalf of the Shafto family and all of the Bissa people of West Africa.

Twice a week Kathy, T.K., and Todd head into the nonzoned, shanty town of Ouagadougou to share the gospel with Bissa immigrants to the city through evangelistic literacy classes. The students arrive with babies on their backs and books on their heads. We sit in a small circle under a straw hanger and help mothers and young men learn to recognize drawings in a book so that they will learn to hold it right side up. We write on old-fashioned slates and chalk boards and hold fretful babies while mothers try to form the letter “a.” And in the midst of a reading lesson, we share truths from God’s Word. “How do you think this world came into being? The sun? The moon? The stars? Let me share a story with you.” Pray for these students and their children, most of whom are hearing the gospel message for the very first time in their lives. Pray that God’s truth will resound in their hearts above the noise in the streets and above crying babies.

You prayed for Kathy’s dear friend Solange Ouedraogo and her surgery. Praise the Father that her surgery on one hip was successful and that the doctors will monitor the other hip in the months to come. She left the hospital in Benin today and will be returning home in one week. Please continue to pray for her complete recovery and rehab and that God will bless her return to ministry among the Baptist women of Burkina Faso.

It has been such a privilege and joy to have Todd Groff and T.K. Uhrich as fellow Bissa team members for this short time. They have a little less than one month left in their HandsOn term. Todd and T.K. have been faithful witnesses here in Ouagadougou and in northern Ghana as well. Pray that they will finish well as they travel out to Garango and Soumagou in Bissa land to encourage the believers there. Continue to pray especially for their friend Adam to be convicted of the truths they have shared with him and that he will make a decision to follow Christ.

Jay’s Field Strategy Leadership ministry has taken him to the Gambia for most of this month as he participates with colleagues in church planting training. He has been blessed and challenged by both the fellowship and the training. Pray that God will help him and Kathy to put these new ministry principles learned into practice in their ministry among the Bissa.

You prayed for James and Robbie and Madeleine and their ministry in southern Burkina Faso. Thank the father with us for a fruitful ministry there. To see how your prayers were answered, click here.

As we approach this holiday season, the great celebration of our Lord’s birth, we are constantly reminded that the generosity of Southern Baptists makes our life and ministry here in West Africa possible. The simple truth is that we couldn’t be here without your gifts to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Those gifts are the means by which we devote ourselves to full-time ministry, providing us with a home, food, medical care — even schooling for our children. Thank you! Please know that many people around the world are truly celebrating Christmas for the first time this year because of your sacrifice for God’s Kingdom.

Blessings,
Jay & Kathy Shafto
James, Robbie & Madeleine
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Newsletter, September 2008

2008-09-22T12:46:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,

Thank you so much for your continued prayers for our family and for our ministry. Although our stateside assignment time was hectic (7 states in 9 weeks), we were able to accomplish all of our goals, including wonderful, refreshing visits with family and friends, encouraging visits with supporting and partnering churches, attending debriefing conference in Richmond, VA, and touring 6 universities with James and Robbie. We screamed our way through roller coaster and water rides, relaxed at the beach with friends, canoed on an Arkansas river, jumped off a bridge into the North River in Massachusetts, attended a Boston Red Sox game, and cried when my 94 year-old Aunt Ora passed away. We reconnected with family at two fantastic reunions and enjoyed having Adam and Lydia, Jay's niece and nephew, with us for a couple of weeks. A resounding thank you goes to our home church family at Scotts Hill Baptist in North Carolina who rented us a mini-van for our extensive travels.

We are back once again in Burkina Faso, where we are enjoying the privilege that it is to be ambassadors for Christ among peoples who need desperately to hear the good news of His love and sacrifice on our behalf. The children have returned to school, and this past weekend we celebrated Robbie's birthday at the new paintball course in the city of Ouagadougou. The last week of October, our children will be joining other members of their youth group on a mission trip to southern Burkina with the intent to share Christ with the children of a village where a Christian Peace Corps worker lives. Please remember to pray for James, Robbie, and Madeleine, who are not just missionary kids, but kids who are missionary. They very much desire to have an intentional witness in their school, the International School of Ouagadougou. Pray that God will give them opportunities to share Christ with their friends. Pray also for the preparation of this mission trip as they learn how to share their faith in several different ways.

We are privileged to have two Southern Baptist churches "partnering" with us to reach the Bissa for Christ. As you pray for us and for the Bissa, please include Scotts Hill Baptist of Wilmington, NC and First Baptist Church, Clarksville, Tennessee in your prayers. These two churches are going the extra mile in helping the Bissa hear the gospel. Both are regularly sending evangelistic mission teams to West Africa.

Scotts Hill has adopted and engaged the Bissa people of Accra, Ghana. As reported from the team from Scotts Hill:
The Scotts Hill team continues to stand in awe of the work that God is doing among the Bissa in Accra. The team has made contact with Bissa in seven areas of the city. They are continuing to share the Gospel through various methods of personal evangelism and the Jesus Film. In September the team baptized three new believers. They have also seen a bible study formed in Maamobi with four of the believers attending weekly. Dramane, a young man who first heard the Gospel in Garango and who prayed to receive Christ in February 2008 was one of those who were baptized. He is leading the bible study in Maamobi. The team will return to Accra in February. Please praise the Father with us for Scotts Hill's commitment to push back darkness in Accra as they share the truth of the Light with the Bissa there.

First Baptist Church Clarksville, Tennessee has adopted and engaged the Bissa of northern Ghana. This very week, a team from FBC Clarksville is doing both evangelism in villages and health care ministry at the Baptist Medical Centre of Nalerigu, Ghana. Many Bissa from northern Ghana, as well as others from other people groups, seek physical healing at BMC. When they arrive, they find both their physical and spiritual needs attended to. Pray for FBC Clarksville as they share Christ with Muslim Bissa men and women who, for a long time, have been closed to the gospel. Pray for those who minister at the BMC to have the compassion and vision to offer both physical and spiritual healing to the patients who come to the hospital.

We are pleased to share that we have two new members on the Bissa team. Todd Groff and T.K. Uhrich are semester missionaries through the HandsOn program for young adults offered by the International Mission Board. They are presently in northern Ghana and, with Jay, will be working alongside the Clarksville team in village evangelism ministry. We've been amazed and very proud of the progress that they've made in Bissa language study. Already they've been able to share the gospel with several Bissa families who live here in Ouaga. Pray specifically for a young Bissa man named Adam whom they have befriended. He is fasting and praying during Ramadan. Ask the Holy Spirit to use T.K. and Todd's witness to convict his heart of the truth of God's word as he seeks God during this Muslim holy month.

Some of you have been praying for my friend, Solange. She is the president of Baptist Women in Ouagadougou and a tireless worker in Baptist women's ministry in the entire country. Solange will be traveling to northern Benin on October 12 for hip surgery. She has advanced arthritis in both hips and will have replacement surgery in mid-October. Please pray that the hands of the visiting doctors who do her surgery will be guided by the Holy Spirit. Pray for quick recovery so that she can return home to her family as soon as possible.

Many thanks to all of you for your prayerful support. A special thanks to our Southern Baptist friends. We are reminded regularly by the daily needs in life that without your financial support of the IMB through both Lottie Moon Christmas offering and the Cooperative Program, we would not be able to continue this ministry.

Blessings,
Jay & Kathy Shafto
James, Robbie & Madeleine
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Newsletter, April/May 2008

2008-09-19T08:44:00.000-07:00

Hello, praying friends.

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