Dearest Friends and Family,
Our First Show
The very first show we did is always full of problems, as we are trying to sort out a new set of equipment. It seems we feel the spiritual attack the strongest as we try to begin a new work. We had four air plane flights to get here, including an unexpected stop in Mali which is on the verge of civil war. We weren’t allowed to get off the air plane while they quickly unloaded and reloaded passengers. Non of the people going to Burkina Faso expected to make this stop in Mali. Needless to say, we arrived exhausted, but God is good to us. Our friends warm welcomed refreshed our hearts.
This morning we met with our new puppet team for a time of prayer and planning. All of these people we are working with are devoted to children’s ministry, but they have never had access to the kind of equipment we brought. As we opened the boxes and showed them the things their faces lit up. They reminded me of children on Christmas morning. I was told that some of these men regularly walk great distances to work with the children they serve. They use their own money to paid for things so they can help the children.
One pastor feeds fifty children a day. They are orphans he cares for and he provides them with an education. The school he built is literally made out of mud. He has so little, but he does so much with what he has. It is impossible to see his sacrifice today and not be convicted that each one of us most do more for the Kingdom.
Our first show today was at his school, but we chose to set up in the street so that everyone could come. The children laughed and carried out all of the benches out to the dirt road. Even some parents came. It was hot, but the building provide some shade for us to use for the children.
I wish you could have heard them praying. It was a wonderful way to begin our time in Burkina Faso. Please pray for these children to have a strong faith. Many of the children have seen terrible things during the fighting in the Ivory Coast. All have much to forgive and much to forgot. Please pray for Joel Hayslip our missionary friend that we are working with here. He has had a really hard time with a recent bout of malaria and is still not strong. Please ask God to also strengthen his wife as she has four more people in her house. Please ask God to make all of us focus on the children and their needs.
In Jesus,
Linda for Seth, Paige, Heather