Annual Growth

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2009-12-31T11:07:00.000-08:00

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“No More Tears” – Revelation 21.3

2009-12-31T11:06:00.000-08:00

Revelation 21.3 – “I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’”

I must admit that I don’t watch the news very often. I find it depressing. It is filled with tales of kidnapped and abused children, drug busts, robberies, rapes, murders, corrupt government officials, war, disease, and death. We live in a fallen world. The evening news is simply a daily reminder of that. The creation itself groans as it awaits its liberation from bondage to decay (Romans 8.21). We also groan as we wait.

The day is coming, though. One day God will dwell with us. He will be our God and we will be His people. He will wipe away every tear. If there was an “evening news” in heaven, all it would consist of would be the ongoing report that God’s people are worshiping Him in the splendor of His holiness. There will be no more death, or mourning, or crying, or pain. God will make all things new. The “old order,” the world corrupted by sin and death, will have passed away.

God’s love letter to us closes with the greatest promise and hope we can be given. That hope is that we will live with God. We will live in His presence forever worshiping Him and basking in His light. Living here on earth, it is hard to imagine a world with no tears, pain, suffering, or death. Yet, it is true and it is coming. We long for and look forward to that day. “He who overcomes will inherit all this” (Revelation 21.7a). All pain and suffering will be gone. There will be only joy and peace. What an eternity it will be when there are no more tears!

“Wrath” – Revelation 16.1

2009-12-30T09:32:00.001-08:00

Revelation 16.1 – “Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, ‘Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.’”

Wrath is the meting out of deserved punishment for sins committed against God. We do not like to think of our God as a God of wrath. We prefer to think of Him as loving, comforting, forgiving, merciful, and gracious. He is all of these things. However, He is also a God of wrath. It is not contradictory for Him to be all these things at the same time. He is just and offenses against Him must be punished.

This is why the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, came. Isaiah 53.5 sums it up well where it says, “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” He took our punishment upon Himself, but for those who are unwilling to accept His sacrifice on their behalf, only wrath awaits. Ephesians 2.3 says that before we were made alive in Christ, “Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.”

God’s wrath should not cause us to recoil in horror at what is coming on those who refuse Him. It should not cause us to doubt the God we serve. It should motivate us to do all we can to help others avoid His wrath. God through Christ has done all that is needed for each person to avoid His wrath and enjoy eternity in His presence. As His disciples, we need to do all we can to let everyone know the good news that they do not have to remain objects of His wrath because as described in Revelation, His wrath is coming and when it does, it will be fully satisfied.

“Every Nation, Tribe, People and Language” – Revelation 7.9-10

2009-12-29T09:48:00.001-08:00

Revelation 7.9-10 – “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’”

We live in a world filled with national, racial, and ethnic tensions. If someone is not “one of us,” they are viewed with suspicion and often looked down upon. We are a world of nations with walls and guarded borders. Even within nations, we divide ourselves based on race, religion, ethnicity, and ancestry. This is not God’s will or plan.

One day, there will be no more “us” and “them.” John was given a glimpse of heaven and what he saw was a great multitude “from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.” These were those who had come out of the great tribulation. They’re robes had been washed white in the blood of the Lamb (7.14). There was no division among them despite their differing backgrounds, nationalities, and languages. They had one thing in common and this one thing is the only thing that matters. They worshiped the Lord and this one commonality overcomes all differences.

As God’s called out people, we must set an example of how to get along and love each other despite our differences. One day we will worship next to those who have different skin colors, languages, nationalities, and cultural backgrounds. On that day, nothing should matter except that we all love the Lord. Why should things be any different now? We should be preparing for eternity in heaven with our brothers and sisters now. God is no respecter of persons and neither should we be. Let’s allow Christ to unite us in Him.

“Watch Out!” – 2 John 8-9

2009-12-26T10:51:00.000-08:00

2 John 8-9 – “Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.”

Have you ever been in a church service or been watching a television preacher and just felt like something was “off”? You felt like something was missing. The message just seemed a little off or perhaps something in the preacher’s style or personality made you ill at ease. Perhaps there was a large crowd there in person or watching on television, so there must be something redeeming and worthwhile about what is going on there, right?

I once heard a man tell about teaching a seminary class. He told the class he was going to talk about the basics of Christianity, but intentionally leave something very important out. He wanted them to try to guess at the end what he had left out. He got to the end of his description of the basics of Christianity and asked the class what was missing. No one could come up with the correct answer despite the fact that the thing that was missing was Jesus Christ! He never mentioned Jesus and this class full of Christian seminary students never caught it.

Some of the teaching that is out there today sounds really good, but is missing one very key ingredient. The message may be helpful. It may sound nice and have good stories. It may be delivered with passion, entertainment, and eloquence, but be missing what matters most – Jesus.

John warns “the chosen lady” and us to “watch out” for those who run ahead and do not continue in the teaching of Christ. Such a person “does not have God.” They may have the form and appearance of one who has authority and knowledge, but if they don’t have Christ, they have nothing. False teachers and deceivers are out there. We must be discerning. It’s all about Jesus. Let’s not ever forget that.

“Faithful and Just” – 1 John 1.8-9

2009-12-25T10:47:00.000-08:00

1 John 1.8-9 – “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

God is just. This means that His decisions are always right and perfect. Therefore, in regard to sin, God is justified in punishing sin. We have all sinned and we still sin even after we put our faith in Jesus. This is why John says that we deceive ourselves if we claim to be without sin. So, it seems odd at first glance that John would describe God as just when talking about our sins because God’s justice demands that we be punished for our sins.

This is where His faithfulness comes in. Those who are faithful are “firm in adherence to promises.” God never breaks His promises. He has promised to forgive. God says in Jeremiah 31.34, “I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” So, while God’s justice demands punishment, Jesus has taken that punishment for us. God has proven faithful to His promise to forgive us.

1 John 1.9 provides yet another promise of forgiveness. Too many people fail to realize that if they confess their sins, they are forgiven and no longer need to carry around the burden of sin. They doubt God’s promise of forgiveness. We must doubt no longer. If we have confessed our sins with sincerity, they are gone. We are forgiven. God is faithful and just to remove them from us. Jesus has done all the work. All that is left for us is to receive the benefits of His sacrifice. Let’s receive His forgiveness with thankfulness without doubting the One who never breaks His promises.

“Consider Him” – Hebrews 12.1-3

2009-12-24T12:35:00.000-08:00

Hebrews 12.1-3 – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

I am a huge sports fan and I love using sports as a metaphor for life. The author of Hebrews draws on athletic imagery for this beautiful exhortation at the beginning of Hebrews 12. After looking back in time to commend those who are members of the “faith hall of fame,” the author reminds us that this “great cloud of witnesses” surrounds us. They are spectators, or witnesses, in a couple of different ways. First, they are there to cheer us on as we run the race of life. We are running with their encouragement and we run hoping for their approval. Secondly, they are examples to us of how to run the race.

As we run, we must not let anything hinder us. Ancient Roman athletes ran in the nude. They did so in order to run unencumbered. Clothing got in the way. In the same way, sin hinders our race. It causes us to stumble and fall. We can’t run well with sin wrapped around our legs. We must throw off everything that slows us down and sin is the primary hindrance.

We must run with perseverance because the race is not a sprint. It is a marathon. It won’t be short or easy. Perseverance is essential. Our forerunner, Jesus, has marked out the race but it will take endurance to complete it. However, if we keep our eyes on Him, just as a good runner keeps their eyes ahead on the finish line, we can do it. He ran perfectly. He endured to the point of death on the cross and as a result of His perseverance and endurance He now sits at the Father’s right hand.

If we consider all those who have come before us who have run well and are enthusiastically cheering us on and showing us the way, we can complete the race running well. As we consider Him who endured so much yet finished the race, our race becomes much easier. He has shown us the way. He lives in us giving us the strength to keep running. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus and consider Him “so that we do not grow weary and lose heart.”

“Our Great High Priest” – Hebrews 10.11-14

2009-12-23T10:19:00.001-08:00

Hebrews 10.11-14 – “Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.”

Much of Hebrews deals with comparing and contrasting the priests of the old covenant with Jesus, the high priest of the new covenant. Below are a few examples of the significant similarities and differences:

There were many old covenant priests and their term was temporary because they died and had to be replaced. There was only one new covenant priest and He serves forever because He lives forever (7.23-24). Human priests of the old covenant first had to offer sacrifices for themselves because they sinned. Jesus did not have to offer sacrifices for Himself because He never sinned (9.7). The old covenant priests offered the blood of goats and bulls (9.13). Jesus “offered himself unblemished to God” (9.14). The old covenant priests had to offer sacrifices day after day and these sacrifices served as a constant reminder of sin. Jesus “offered for all time one sacrifice for sins” then “sat down at the right hand of God” because He had no more priestly work to accomplish.

I can only imagine what it was like to have to regularly and continually bring and offer animal sacrifices for sins committed. The blood of goats and bulls covered over sin, but the sacrifices would have to be made over and over because people sinned again. It was a messy, bloody reminder of sin. A priest’s work was never done. No one sacrifice could ever cover over all sins until Jesus came. However, Jesus “offered for all time one sacrifice for sins.” This is why He could sit down while the old covenant priests had to stand day after day.

Jesus’ one sacrifice of Himself was all that was needed. He was the sinless Lamb of God. His blood covers all sins. No more sacrifices are needed. His sacrifice has “made perfect forever those who are being made holy.” Thousands upon thousands of animal sacrifices over the years pointed toward the once and final sacrifice to be made by the great high priest who would offer Himself as the final offering for sin.

We should thank Jesus every day that He has opened the way for us into the very presence of God. Because we have been cleansed from sin, we can “draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (10.22). What a great high priest we have!

“Security” – Hebrews 6.4-6

2009-12-22T08:18:00.000-08:00

Hebrews 6.4-6 – “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.”

Scholars and theologians have for centuries debated whether it is possible for a person to lose their salvation. Some say it is possible for a person to be a genuine believer in Christ and later turn away from the faith. They have their proof texts to support their belief. Others say that we cannot be snatched out of God’s hand and if anyone seems to have “lost” their salvation it is only because they were never really saved at all. This camp has their proof texts too.

Hebrews 6.4-6 talks about people who have been “enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age.” They sound like believers. Yet, it says that such people can fall away. If they do, it is impossible for them to be brought back to repentance because they have already trampled on and disgraced Christ by their rejection of what He did for them. What are we to make of this?

We must remember that the intent of the writer of Hebrews was not to write a theological treatise on eternal security. His purpose was to encourage struggling and harassed Christians to hold onto their faith. He was not above scaring them into it. He offers several warnings to those who might otherwise fall away or fail to pay attention to Christ’s message. His purpose is not to answer the question of whether one could lose their salvation, but to encourage followers of Christ to make theirs more secure.

When people ask me if I think a person can lose their salvation, I always say, “I don’t know, but I’m not going to try!” I think sometimes when Christians ask that question, they want to know how far they can go in regard to flirting with sin and still remain “saved.” They want to know what they can get away with and still remain “in the fold.” This should not be the attitude of a follower of Christ. The author of Hebrews encourages us to show “diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope secure” (4.11). Is your hope secure?

“The Crown” – 2 Timothy 4.6-8

2009-12-21T15:45:00.001-08:00

2 Timothy 4.6-8 – “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

I must admit that I am not a very good runner. In fact, I hardly run anymore even though I keep telling myself I am going to take up jogging again and get back in shape. I never ran competitively except for a few races. When I ran those races, each time I went out too fast and tired quickly. I would be the one dragging at the end of the line halfway through the race. It felt like I was never going to reach the finish line and wondered how I could make it.

However, each time I did make it to the finish line and I even made it without walking at any point during the race. I had determined in my mind that I would not walk at all and even though I went out too fast, I finished upright and running. I never won a prize for any of the races I ran, but I was very satisfied in just finishing well and not quitting or walking.

Paul is near the end of his life when he writes this letter to his son in the faith, Timothy. Paul says he is “being poured out like a drink offering.” The time of his departure is near. He does not despair of this. Instead he takes joy in the fact that he has “fought the good fight,” “finished the race,” and “kept the faith.” He knew that the prize awaited him because he had finished and finished well. The crown of righteousness awaited Paul and all those who long for His coming and who also finish their race well.

This life of faith we run is not a sprint. It is a marathon. Too often we begin so strongly and so well, only to fade as the race wears on. Some never even finish the race. They veer off course or quit altogether. The crown awaits only those who finish the race. How are you running? Are you keeping a good pace? Are you tempted to quit? Keep running even if it is slowly. Just keep running. There is also in store for you a crown of righteousness when you finish and don’t give up.

“Slowness” – 2 Peter 3.8-9

2009-12-20T07:30:00.000-08:00

2 Peter 3.8-9 – “Do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Apparently, even people who lived just thirty years after Jesus’ death and resurrection were wondering why it was taking Him so long to return. Already people were saying, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?” (3.4). Every generation since the time of Christ has thought that they would be the one that would see Christ’s return. Yet, here we sit nearly two thousand years after He died, rose, and said He would come again and we are still waiting. Many today also say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised?”

First of all, God doesn’t keep track of time the same way we do. To us, a year seems like a long time. On the other hand, God is outside of time. He is eternal. To Him, “a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” God is not tapping His foot impatiently waiting for the right time to send Jesus back to earth. He is patient and one of the reasons for His patience is that He wants to give us more time. The longer He waits to send Jesus, the more people will come to faith and be saved. He wants all people to come to repentance and is willing to wait because of His love for mankind.

While we wait, we can help hasten His return. 2 Peter 3.11-12 says, “You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.” How do we “speed its coming”? We fulfill God’s purposes and do the work of reaping a spiritual harvest by bringing people into the kingdom. Jesus said, “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24.14). We can bring back the King by getting the word out to all nations.

No matter what we do, though, “the day of the Lord will come like a thief” (2 Peter 3.10). If someone tells you they know when Jesus will return, they are lying. However, we must always be ready with our lamps lit (see Matthew 25.1-13). We must thank God for His patience and use the time He has given us to bring people to repentance. Thank God today for His loving patience.

“Be Prepared” – 1 Peter 3.15

2009-12-19T09:30:00.000-08:00

1 Peter 3.15 – “In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”

The Boy Scout motto is “be prepared.” Someone once asked the founder of the Boy Scouts Robert Baden-Powell, “Be prepared for what?” Baden-Powell answered, “Why, for any old thing.” The training Boy Scouts receive is meant to help them live up to the Scout motto.

Disciples of Jesus are also called to be prepared, but not for any old thing. We are called to be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks us to give the reason for the hope that we have. A few things are required to be prepared in this way.

First, we have to have hope. We must live as if we believe what we say we believe, looking forward to the blessed hope of eternity with Christ. Secondly, the hope we have must be evident in our lives. If no one sees this hope in us, they will never ask us why we have it. Third, we must have an answer. We must know what we believe and why we believe it. I think we would be amazed at how many Christians would look like “deer in the headlights” if we asked them to give an answer for the hope they have. Finally, we should expect people to ask and have an answer ready when they do.

We must also always do this “with gentleness and respect.” Don’t say, “Because I’m not going to hell like you are!” What a turnoff that would be! We must always answer with love, sensitivity and respect. We must never be demeaning or condescending. Remember, you get more flies with sugar than with vinegar. This does not mean we sugarcoat the truth or water down the gospel, but we must always answer with love, gentleness, and respect.

Unlike the Boy Scouts, we aren’t called to “be prepared” for everything. We are only called to be prepared to give an answer for the hope that we have. Do you have hope? Does it show? Are you prepared to tell others why you have it?

“Set an Example” – Titus 2.7-8

2009-12-18T09:54:00.000-08:00

Titus 2.7-8 – “In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.”

Do you know someone who seems too good to be true? They always seem to have it all together. They are never frazzled. They are always kind, happy, generous, thoughtful, and friendly. They are the kind of person that one has a hard time saying anything negative about. If anything, they might be criticized for being “too sweet”!

We know that no one is perfect. People that seem too good to be true usually are. However, Paul tells Titus (and us) that we should live in such a way that no one has anything bad to say about us. Even if they dig for dirt, even if they go over our life with a fine-toothed comb, they should not be able to find anything bad to say about us.

This seems unrealistic. As I said before, no one is perfect; but God doesn’t call for us to be perfect. He simply calls us to be an example. We are to live in such a way that God would be pleased for others to live as we do. Paul wrote the Corinthians saying, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11.1). If we let Jesus live through us, no one will be able to say anything bad about us unless it is a lie.

What kind of example are you setting for those around you? Would you be pleased to have others live as you do? Is it easy for people to find something bad to say about you or would they come up empty in their search for “dirt” on you? Let’s all set an example by doing what is good so that others will see Christ in us and be drawn to Him.

“Contentment” – 1 Timothy 6.6-10a

2009-12-17T09:25:00.001-08:00

1 Timothy 6.6-10a – “Godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into may foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”

“Contentment” is defined as “the state of feeling or showing satisfaction with one's possessions, status, or situation.” Those who are content don’t want any more stuff than the stuff they have. It takes different things to make different people content. Some people are content with very little. Others need quite a lot to feel content. Still others will never be content regardless of what they accumulate.

Paul writes Timothy saying, “If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” Do you know anyone who would be content with only food and clothing? I don’t. We think we also need a large home (at least a thousand square feet per person!), the best clothing, the nicest toys, a few cars in the garage, a boat, four-wheelers, regular vacations, etc. Without all these things, some people would be depressed.

However, Paul reminds us that “we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.” If only we all could be more like Job who when it seemed everything had been taken away from him for no good reason said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (Job 1.21).

Are you content with what you have or are you always seeking more? Remember that people who want to get rich fall into all kinds of troubles. Do you love money and things more than God? Which would you more easily give up if you had to choose? We are called to seek godliness over wealth because “godliness with contentment is great gain.” May we trust in the Lord and not things and money.

“Rubbish” – Philippians 3.8-9

2009-12-16T09:22:00.000-08:00

Philippians 3.8-9 – “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.”

There was one thing that mattered to Paul above all else. This one thing was knowing Christ. Paul was willing to give everything else up. The word that is translated “rubbish” here literally means excrement, or dung. So, what Paul is saying here is that everything is vile refuse compared to knowing Jesus. Knowing Jesus was his consuming passion.

Paul did not just want to know Christ in the sense of knowing all that there is to know about Him, but he wanted to know Him in an intimate way. He wanted to be “found in Him.” Paul wanted to experience union with Christ so that Christ lived through him. When we experience such an intimate and personal connection, Christ becomes our righteousness through faith. We will look differently and sound differently from the world when we know Him and are found in Him.

Nothing compares with knowing Jesus. Paul was willing to give up everything in exchange for knowing Jesus. Are we willing to do the same? Would you be able to honestly say that you consider everything a loss compared to knowing Christ Jesus your Lord? What have you placed before Him? It’s all rubbish. Do your priorities need to change? Let’s together seek Jesus and be found in Him.

Day 13 (June 27) - Home

2008-06-28T13:50:00.000-07:00

After 28 hours of travel, we arrived safely and uneventfully back in Moses Lake. We are so thankful to God for His grace to us during our trip. The weather was great. The travels were smooth. The people were amazingly hospitable. Our team was unified and worked great together. Our missionary hosts were so generous, well prepared, kind and helpful. I think we all left with our hearts expended for the Burkinabe people and for our missionaries and pastors there. God is working there in amazing ways. People are hungry for Jesus. Unlike our easy faith, they have to give up something to follow Jesus. They suffer real persecution, yet are on fire for Jesus. I think we were all convicted and challenged. We thank God for those like the Schaeffers, Hulls, and Obergs who are willing to give their lives for Christ and the Gospel. They are amazing. Our admiration of them has grown. They love the Lord and it shows in what they do for Him and in His Name. Thank you so much to the people of Moses Lake Alliance Church for sending us, supporting us, and praying for us. We hope to prove that it was money, time and effort well spent. Finally, thanks so much to Kevin, Bonnie, Daniel, Jacob, Abby, and Emma. We love you guys and are so thankful to you and for you. You will remain in our prayers and in our hearts.

Day 12 (June 26) - Ouagadougou to home

2008-06-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

We visited the Ouagadougou Central Alliance Church and met Pastor Thomas. The church is a large one and was hosting Compassion children. Thomas shared his testimony and his heart for reaching Burkina. We also visited an Alliance elementary school before seeing the other side of Ouaga. Despite all the poverty in Burkina, there are those who are building huge homes across the street from mud huts. We also saw the President's home which is IMMENSE. It reminded us a little bit of America. After a great lunch at "Verdoyant," we went to the "Village Artisanale" for some souvenir shopping. We all were able to spend our money and do some bartering. Thank God for Kevin and Toby being such willing and able translators! We ran back to the guest house, loaded the van and headed to the airport. We said goodbye to Kevin and Toby and headed out for Seattle via Paris. We had a great trip, but I think everyone was ready to go home.

The "Eiffel Tower" of Ouaga

A cityscape of a different side of Ouaga

A large home under construction in Ouaga - a sprawling and growing city

A new basketball arena under construction

Day 11 (June 25) - Bobo-Dioulasso to Ouagadougou

2008-06-28T13:17:00.000-07:00

Today we toured some of the C&MA ministries in Bobo. We began by visiting the President of the Burkina Faso C&MA at his office. His name is Job Dao and he is an amazing man. He is very gifted and has a lot on his plate as the leader of all the churches in the country. He has a heart for evangelism and was very gracious to take some time to tell us about his vision for God's work in Burkina. We gave him Yum Yum as a gift. He told us that his brother was getting married on Saturday, so the sheep would prove very useful.

Yum Yum goes for his last ride

Visiting the President

Next we visited ACCEDES, which is an Alliance social action program which includes a medical clinic. Peggy Drake has given her life to helping the Burkinabe people as a nurse. They see about 800 patients a month and deal with everything from AIDS to malaria. They always use the opportunity to share Jesus with those who are hurting. We were all impressed by how well stocked and state of the art the clinic is. They are doing good work in the name of the Lord.

Missionary nurse Peggy Drake showing us around the clinic at ACCEDES

We also saw the Colma Alliance Church which also has a Christian elementary school with plans for a new high school. Many students are coming to faith through the school and it is a tremendous ministry to the city. We also visited the C&MA radio station and even got on the radio live! We all said our names and Jay gave a greeting from Moses Lake which Toby translated. The radio station broadcasts the Gospel and Biblical teaching along with music to a very wide area.

The foundation of the new C&MA Christian high school

After another wonderful lunch at the Schaeffers and saying our goodbyes to the Obergs, Schaeffers, and Hulls, we headed to Ouaga with Kevin and Toby to get ready to head home on Thursday. We cannot thank our hosts enough. They made us feel like family and made their homes a "home away from home." Thanks you to the Schaeffers, Hulls, and Obergs.

We arrived in Ouaga around 6PM and ate at "La Vita" Restaurant. We had some Lebanese and American food and it was great. We headed back to the guest house for our last night and shared what God had done in our lives during the trip and watched a great movie about Africa, "The Ghost and the Darkness," before going to bed.

Day 10 (June 24) - Bobo to Banfora

2008-06-28T13:02:00.000-07:00

Tuesday was a purely fun day. We drove down to the south of the country through sugar cane fields (some of them irrigated!) to visit Banfora Falls. There isn't much water in Burkina, so this is a rarity. It was worth the trip. We swam in the pools between the falls and enjoyed a picnic lunch with ham sandwiches and other goodies. It is much greener and cooler in the south of Burkina. We all had a great day together. In the evening we shared our testimonies with Kevin and Bonnie. it was good to hear everyone's story.

Banfora Falls

Our team

(L-R) Kenna, Toby, Colby, Daniel, Jacob and Kevin take the plunge

Day 9 (June 23) - Bobo

2008-06-28T12:47:00.000-07:00

Today was a refreshing and relaxing one. We slept in a little before working from 10AM until noon varnishing 100 boards which will be used to make benches for the churches. Kevin is very good with his hands and has made much of what is used by the churches he has helped plant. The Salem Alliance Church team that is coming in a few weeks will take the benches out to the churches and assemble them. After lunch we went to a "French club" to go swimming. We had a great time. It was much needed.

Getting ready for a "chicken fight"

Jay testing out the dive

Patti got the heave ho in to the pool

We had a great dinner at the Obergs'. They have been wonderful hosts. They are so generous and giving. Their kids are a lot of fun and so well behaved and kind. We loved hanging out with them. We couldn't have asked for better hosts.

Dinner at the Obergs'

In the evening, we had the privilege of being broadcast back to Moses Lake for our VBS via Skype. It was great to see everyone back home and to encourage the kids to raise a whole bunch of money to buy motorcycles for pastors here in Burkina. Most of the kids were able to see and talk to their parents and I loved seeing Jessica and Mackenzie. We thank God for the technology to be able to do that. It was a great day. God is good.

Day 8 (June 22) - Sirasso to Bobo

2008-06-28T12:07:00.000-07:00

We woke up with the roosters again (roosters don't wait for sunset to begin crowing - they like to start around 4AM!) and began setting up the church for service. We were seated up front as guests of honor. It rained very hard from 6:30AM for about an hour and that kept some people away (some travel as far as 10-15 miles on foot or moto to get there). But, there were well over 100 people there. The women all dress in their finest (with skirts reaching their ankles and their heads covered) and looked beautiful. The women and kids sit on one side with the men on the other. A choir and a kids choir sits up front (but not on the platform). They love to sing (and dance) in worship. Their songs are very repetitive and many of them learn truths about Christ and God from song because most of them are illiterate. They use two different kinds of drums played by hand along with a marimba and some kind of bowl with shells attached to the top which is moved up and down for percussion. They asked us to sing two songs in English. We sang "Awesome God" and the chorus to Audio Audrenaline's "Big House." They seemed to enjoy it. Toby taught us a Jula chorus and we sang a song with them. Toby preached in Jula (with a translator into Bobo) on the Fall from Genesis 3. The service also included communion (only taken by those who have been baptized) and an offering. We gave over $100 to go toward buying grain for 5 families in the church who are currently unable to plant their own fields because they have to work on other farms daily for food to live on (they are a living example of what it means to pray for "daily bread"). The service lasted about two and a half hours. The kids sat quietly and attentively the whole time.

The kids choir in Sirasso

The choir singing (and dancing) during the Sunday service

After the service they greeted all of us. We formed a line and EVERYONE (including children) came by and shook our hands saying "nee-chay," which means "thank you" in Jula. We replied with "a-meen-a," which means "amen." We then went out front and had our picture taken with everyone together. After lunch (you guessed it - but, we were also served "to" this time), Kevin "asked for the road" and we got it. However, we had to greet everyone again before we left. We took back Pastor Marcel to stay with his children in Bobo so he can see a doctor. I gave him a "Dunamis" shirt as a gift. We also took back three other men (and a moto) in our trailer. What a ride they received! On our way back, we saw a station wagon (not even a big one) loaded with 19 men as well as 2 motos and other stuff!

All of us along with the Sirasso church after the Sunday worship service

Some of our girls trying to learn the African dances

We arrived back to the Obergs' around 6PM. Bonnie served us a wonderful enchilada casserole for dinner (praise God that rice and sauce is done!) and everyone loved it. We all cleaned up. It had been about three days since we had a real shower. Most of us were tired and went to bed early. It was a full and memorable day. I continue to be impressed by the believers' faith despite what they pay and give up for their faith. Their trust in God and their commitment is admirable. We could learn much from them. So ends our time "in the bush." We were all glad to be back, but also glad to have experienced it. We will not soon forget the people of Sirasso and the northern Kenedougou region.

Day 7 (June 21) - Sirasso, Katana & Temetemeso

2008-06-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

We woke up Saturday and after coffee and bread for breakfast began painting at 7:15AM. Everyone worked very hard and we finished around 1PM. We also painted a huge C&MA logo on the front wall. Kevin had thought that it would take us all of Saturday and part of Monday morning to finish, but we worked very hard and quickly.

Our team working on whitewashing the front of the church. We had a very hard-working team.

Natasha and Patti did a great job on the C&MA logo on the wall of the church.

The "finished product" set up for church.
They will later stucco the bottom four feet of the wall.

In the afternoon we rested a while (it was very hot and humid - especially high up in the church where many of us were painting) before going to greet the believers in neighboring villages. We visited with Blaise who is a teacher in Katana along with several other believers in this village, including Omar who has been talked about a lot in Bonnie's e-mails. Blaise is well educated and speaks French very well. He has been the main reason that there are now believers in Katana. We sat and talked with him and a few other believers for a while. When we left he wanted his picture taken with all of us (first the twins - they were viewed as quite the novelty - I told them more "freaks" than "novelty," then with all the girls, then with me, and finally that left Blaise and Jay). He had his own camera (not digital), which is a pretty rare thing around here.

Blaise with Carl and Chad (he wanted his picture taken with them first).

We then continued from Katana to "the end of the road" (literally) to Temetemeso. It is near the Mali border. A year ago there were no believers there. Now there are about 100! They gather together to pray EVERY NIGHT! People have been coming from all over to be prayed for. They have been given a great piece of property by the chief, who has been very supportive of the work even though he isn't a believer. They just finished a pastor's house where the church currently meets. They don't yet have a pastor, though (Please pray for one). Pastor Marcel pastors them (even though he must travel about an hour one way on a moto on terrible roads to get there). Kevin is very excited about this group of new believers and believes they will be used to reach neighboring villages. We gave soccer balls in Katana, Temetemeso, and Sirasso as gifts to both the village and the church. They were all so excited.

Some of our ladies in front of the pastor's house in Temetemeso

Temetemeso - a typical "bush" village

Kevin showing us the well the C&MA put in at Temetemeso

We returned to Sirasso around 7PM for dinner (you can guess what) then Kevin showed the movie "The End of the Spear" on the wall of the church using a generator. Even though they couldn't understand the language, about 75 people came out and seemed to enjoy it. We slept outside that night (no mosquitoes yet, so no nets needed - thank God) on a very muggy night. We thank God fof the opportunity to visit and work in places where Christ is so desperately needed and places and people for whom we have been praying.

Emily sharing some mango with some village boys in Sirasso.

A "bush" bathroom - a place with which we all have become way too familiar!

Day 6 (June 20) - Sirasso via N'Dorola

2008-06-28T11:20:00.000-07:00

We drove from Bobo to Sirasso (about a 3 hour drive) stopping along the way to greet and visit Pastor Samuel and his wife Elizabeth in N'Dorola. Samuel is a very busy man as he ministers to several villages (as do most Burkinabe pastors). We visited with and prayed for Samuel and his ministry there.

Pastor Samuel, his wife Elizabeth and two of their three children.

We stopped for a roadside lunch of peanut butter, banana
and French bread sandwiches along with mangoes.

We arrived to a warm welcome in Sirasso. We were served rice w/peanut sauce and chicken for lunch at Pastor Marcel's house. We then set to work painting the church, which is a very large building able to hold about 350 Burkinabe. It was just finished two months ago. We worked until dark when we were served dinner (guess what? rice and sauce - not a lot of variety here!). Everyone worked very hard and we got a lot done in just a few hours of work.

That evening we prayed for healing for Pastor Marcel. He has been very ill after prostrate surgery. Kevin said he has lost about 15 lbs. in 10 days. Please pray for his healing. He has been cursed by the local witch doctor and animists and his continued poor health or death would be viewed as a victory by them over Marcel's God. We slept in the church during a beautiful and powerful thunderstorm. They said that they didn't get enough rain, though. They are all farmers and are at the mercy of the weather.

We were witnesses to an amazing lightning display in Sirasso at night!

Emily trying her hand at pulling water up from the well.
There is no running water or electricity in Sirasso.

Carl and Toby painting the trusses - high and hot work!

Burkinabe women pounding grain to make "to."
Not like driving down to the corner store for dinner, is it?

Day 5 (June 19) - Bobo-Dioulasso

2008-06-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

We visited an Alliance Church where they minister to Compassion International children every Thursday year round. They get breakfast and lunch. They learn songs about Christ, memorize and recite a Bible verse, and receive a Bible lesson. It is a great program. We played with the kids. They mobbed us. They are soooo cute and precious! Our group in total adopted 6 of the children (60 of the 200 who come have not yet been adopted). Some got to meet their child. I adopted one for the youth group, but didn't get to meet her b/c she went home sick. Her name is Bereniece. We gave them a soccer ball and left for lunch.

Trying (fairly unsucessfully) to teach the kids "over/under."

Trying to leave as Compassion kids mob the van.

We had lunch at the Schaeffers'. Andrew & Esther Schaeffer teach at Maranatha, a pastors' school in Bobo. They are so gracious and hospitable and such a great family. We loved visiting with them.

The Schaeffer Family

We then went to the Bobo market. It was crazy. The people are all over you there. Everyone sees white skin and instantly dollar signs register in their heads. It made my skin crawl to have so many people poking you, rubbing up against you and trying to get your attention. I just wanted to get out of there, but the kids loved it. We bought some stuff, but we ready to get out of there because of the pushy people. They followed us all the way to the van and were reaching in to try to sell us stuff. It was quite the experience.

Leaving the Bobo market

We went to visit a group of believers who meet for discipleship on Thursday nights in Sakabi here near Bobo. 11 men came to faith just two weeks ago. They sang a bunch and we were welcomed by the former village chief Timothy (He had to give it up b/c of his faith). We met in his courtyard (Toby Hull wrote an article about him in the April aLife). There were about 40 people there as we sang and prayed together and Toby showed a "storying" video (tells the story of the Bible in 80 minutes). It is amazing to feel the connection between believers who live in such a different world and speak a different language. God is using Timothy and the new believers in Sakabi.

This is how our team liked to ride around town. They were pointed at a
lot and heard a lot of "too baboo," which means, "white person" in Jula.

Day 4 (June 18) - Samorogouan to Bobo

2008-06-28T10:22:00.000-07:00

After a surprisingly cool night, we woke up with the roosters and donkeys around 6AM. We finished painting and finished the hanger on the front of the house until about 2PM. We had lunch at Samson's house. He is a policeman and one of the believers in Samorogouan. We were served rice and sauce (soon to become all too familiar to us). The sauce had goat meat in it (Carl and Jay saw it butchered). It wasn't bad. We greeted the school director, thanking him for allowing us to stay there. Greeting is a big deal in Burkinabe culture. Everyone shakes everyone else's hand when you come and when you leave. It shows respect and honor. We greeted the former owner of the land on which the church was built. He was very glad to visit with us. We gave two soccer balls (one for the church and one for the village) and they loved them. The believers gave to us as a gift a sheep (we named him "Yum Yum"). This gift is worth almost a month's wages. It is humbling to receive such a big gift from those who have so little. We tied him on the trailer and headed back to Bobo - all ready for a shower, but feeling glad to have been able to serve them. The people are all so gracious and hospitable. On the way home, we bought 10 mangoes for about 20 cents. We were glad to get back to the guest house and clean up. Some were feeling the effects of the rice and sauce (aka diarrhea). But, everyone maintained a great attitude. We have an awesome team. We thank God for being able to visit and serve in our "adopted" village.

Look at that pot of rice! We hardly made a dent in it.
The Burkinabe people are so generous for having so little.

Yum Yum!

Roadside mango buying.

Day 3 (June 17) - Samorogouan via Badara

2008-06-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

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!)

Day 2 (June 16) - Ouaga to Bobo

2008-06-28T09:36:00.000-07:00

We left for Bobo at 10AM. The van was packed (we fit in with the other vehicles on the road!). The roads were filled with donkey carts, motos, bicycles and overloaded vans and trucks. Whenever we stopped, we were mobbed by people (especially kids) looking to sell us stuff or get a handout. People here live their lives outside - not many "office jobs" here. Most raise crops to live and sell what they can to live. The average Burkinabe makes $80/month. We ate French bread (amazingly good and sold everywhere fresh) and ham and swiss sandwiches on the road. The van was really slow (and warm) because it was so weighed down. We arrived in Bobo-Dioulasso at 4PM. Bobo is the second largest city in Burkina (500,000). Still, most of the 14 million Burkinabe live in rural areas. We went to "the Rocks" with the Obergs, Hulls and Schaeffers for dinner. It was a beautiful setting. We fed huge catfish in the water and walked down to the rocks under a (currently) dry waterfall. We had a wonderful dinner of pulled pork sandwiches and got home late. We all got to bed early to be rested for our first trip "into the bush."

Typical scenes on a Burkina road.

Alexis and Natasha return from the first "bush" bathroom experience.

"The Rocks"

Day 1 (June 15) - Arrival in Ouagadougou

2008-06-28T09:22:00.000-07:00

After 28 hours of travel, we arrived in Ouagadougou, the capital city of Burkina Faso. Kevin and Toby Hull picked us up and took us to the CMA guest house. We were heavily loaded as we navigated the streets which were FULL of motos (Ouaga is per capita the moto capital of the world!). 2 million people call Ouaga home and it is growing like crazy (with no city planning). It is a different world. We were struck by how many people were selling things everywhere on the streets just trying to get by. The guest house was great and we had a wonderful lasagna dinner. Kevin & Toby were gracious hosts. We prayed together and got to bed. We were all tired. We got up early and began the long drive to Bobo-Dioulasso.

Chad helps load up our overloaded van.

Moto capital of the world!

Hangin' out at the guest house after a long day (or two) of travel.

Africa!

2008-06-13T07:18:00.002-07:00

Hey all,
I suppose most of you know that I will be leading a group of ten on a missions trip to Burkina Faso, Africa beginning this Sat. We will be gone for almost two weeks. I had hoped to be able to write far enough ahead in the devotionals to be able to send all of the ones for the time I will be gone before I go. However, the best laid plans sometimes don't come to fruition. So, I will obviously be taking a break from sending them while we are gone, but will resume when I get back.

Thanks for reading them. I hope you'll miss them. If you do miss reading it or perhaps after you do your daily reading and devotionals, it would be greatly appreciated if you would remember to pray for our team and for the people we minister to. Please pray for safety, unity, that we would be a blessing to the Obergs and the Burkinabe people, and that we would help bear fruit.

Thanks for partnering together for Christ and His Kingdom.

In Him,
Michael