Day 3 (June 17) - Samorogouan via Badara

We got up early (breakfast @ 7AM) and loaded up for our overnight trip to Samorogouan. The roads are rutted and bumpy (no pavement once you leave Bobo). We stopped at Badara to greet the believers at our church there and meet Pastor Tychique and his family. They were very gracious and served us tea. We prayed with them then "asked for the road." We arrived in Samorogouan at 11AM and set up to sleep in the school there. We went to the new pastor's house and began setting up to paint and work. We had an incredible thunderstorm, but thankfully we were already pretty much set up to work inside so we got to work painting.

Meeting with the believers in Badara.

Pastor Tychique and his family.

Incredible winds just ahead of a thunderstorm in Samorogouan.

Here is the pastor's house in Samorogouan that we paid for! They will also use it as the church until they build one. This was taken as we began work.

This is a "before" picture inside the house. This was taken while we were waiting out a driving rainstorm.

Here is an "after" picture of the outside of the house (Just finishing up painting the front doors - 6 people at one time! All our girls - way to work together, ladies!)

Here is the "after" picture of the inside of the house after we painted all of it a nice yellow. It really brightened the place up. Our team did a great job. Everyone worked very hard and made a big difference.

We put a "hanger" (as Kevin calls it) on the front of the house. They will have church outside under it when it isn't raining and it will be a front porch and deck (They will later pour a concrete slab) when the church is built. I think our next project for our youth should be raising the money for the church.

This is our team along with Pastor Francois and his family (of our Banzon Alliance Church). He has been overseeing the Samorogouan church until they get a pastor in two weeks. He spoke at the evangelism (3.5 hours!) where about 800 people came and 5 men accepted Christ. We are joined by Alliance missionaries Kevin Oberg, Toby Hull, Andrew Schaeffer (and his twin sons, Paul and David), Miley & Emily (college students with Global Ventures serving 2 months with the Schaeffers - Emily goes to Malone - Jessica's alma mater!) as well as Kevin & Bonnie's sons, Daniel and Jacob. This is our Samorogouan "bush" team.

People at the evangelism in Samorogouan (about 800 of them - Praise God!)