Since childhood, Nikkae has had a heart for missions and dreamed of a life on the field. It's one of the things that really attracted me to her when we first met. How we get there together has been a nagging question ever since. Nikkae has been able to participate in short term trips to Mexico and the Dominican Republic. In March or April of last year we attended a informational meeting at Oak Hills Church about their short term missions program. The trip to Burkina Faso immediately captured my interest because of the water well ministry. But the cost for a trip for both of us to go seemed overwhelming so I didn't give it much serious consideration. A couple months later, Nikkae suggested that I should just go so I could catch a brief glimpse of what life on the mission field was like and see if it really was something I could see bringing my family into. So we took a leap of faith, not knowing where the money would come from. God provided just enough at the very last minute. Thanks to all who helped make that trip possible because it was truly a life changing experience.
Despite being thousands a miles away from my beloved family in strange land so different from anything I have ever known, I had never felt such peace that this is the kind of place God has been calling me towards. It's now my pleasure to share with you a few pictures from this experience. It has been no easy task trying to narrow down some 1200 pictures to a mere 20 or so (Nikkae found great humor over my angst during this selection process). Enjoy.
Apparently we went during a very beautiful time of year in Burkina. We were told not to be fooled, for much of the year the land looks much more barren than this.
Mr. Barry is a tailor that been befriended by the team in Dano. We had tea with him one afternoon. A very nice and gracious man.
Doing laundry outside of Mr. Barry's home
Every visit to a village began with after a time of socializing much like this. The approach used by the team in Burkina is very relational and this is a very important part of building those relationships.
Getting down and dirty with a well repair!
It works!!!
Access to clean water, something so easily taken for granted in America, improves nearly every facet of life in Africa.
First time I heard a story of Geoffrey Richter (left) being thanked with chickens, I have to admit I snickered. But when you realize how little the Dagara have, and yet you see them with grateful and joyful hearts giving up an important food source during the "Months of Hunger"... you can begin to see how honorable a gift of chicken can be.
Raising up leaders is a vital part of the process of building a self-sustaining Christian movement. Here, James Massie (left) observes as Andy Johnson (center) trains Yombechelli (right--and I know I've butchered the spelling). The team gets so excited to hear of the church spreading from village to village without their direct influence. The challenge then is to come in behind the church and help build a solid foundation.
The service we attended on Sunday made a huge impression on me. Christianity so new and fresh, this must be the closest thing I've ever experienced to what it must have been like for the early church. With only a few books of the Bible translated into their native language, the Dagara are hungry for more.
In Dagaran culture, parents select which of their children will attend school and which ones will have to focus on day to day living.
At dusk...
We went to the weekly market to pick up a few items for the widows sacks. People come from miles and miles around to sell their wares.
One of the widows that received one of the sacks that contained two meters of material, soap, comb, two pairs of flip flops, a sleeping mat, pasta, tomato sauce, and the biggest hit--bullion!
The widows were so grateful and proud of their gifts. I don't know how, but somehow they figured out how to bundle it all together and balance it on their heads.
A typical mud house.
Taking my talents to Burkina Faso... teaching Miriam and Miriam how to shoot hoops!
And the children... stole my heart...
Nikkae and I have hearing God calling us towards missions and finally we believe that God is calling us to this specific place, among the Dagara of Burkina Faso. We covet your prayers as we take the next steps in preparing for this extraordinary journey.
