Greetings from Burkina Faso! I hope all is well in your part of the world. I have now moved into my house, gotten some orientation on the task ahead, tried to learn to get around Bobo, and completed my first research trip. David also gave me a list of things to do, including review much of the information they have already gathered on various people groups, become familiar with the volunteer job requests they have made thus far, brainstorm for some ideas for future job requests, skim a few books, and pray for some of our upcoming work.
As I said, David and I recently completed my first research trip. He did most of the talking while I observed and took notes (about the information they gave us). We went to an area just west of the center of the country to research the Lyele people (pronounced lay-lay). If you click on the “Burkina map (languages)” link on my website (kerryspencer.blogspot.com) and find #29, that’s where we were. We had heard they had been somewhat evangelized and that there were a number of churches there. Our task was to verify this information. Some of our research will be to confirm or solidify some info we already have, whereas other times we may know almost nothing about the people. We went with a list of three pastors to search for. The Lord wonderfully worked things out for us to meet with 6 of 9 Baptist pastors in the northern part of the region (there are 3 different areas/dialects among the Lyele). On Sunday morning we found a church, but the pastor was not one of our contacts. However, because all the churches in the area were exchanging pastors that particular Sunday, one of our contacts came to that church. After the church service, which was completely in Lyele, several of the other pastors came to meet with us. We were able to get a lot of the information we needed from these pastors. We also were able to listen to, pray for, and encourage these pastors in their ministry. We visited several of their homes and churches and stayed the night with one of them. Like most Africans I’ve encountered, they were a tremendously hospitable and generous people. During our time there we acquired a dozen eggs, a woven hat, two chickens, and two unidentifiable vegetables. All in all it was an excellent few days.
I’m actually back in Ouaga now, but leave tomorrow. From then I’ll remain in Bobo until the 20th. Then David and I will go on another trip to the far southwest of Burkina to research 4 different people groups who we know less about: the Dogoso, Dogose, Khe, and Khisa. That trip will be a bit longer. Here are some things you can pray about:
* Praise God for safety, health, and success in this past research trip.
* Pray for these Lyele pastors and churches, that they would be bold in sharing the Gospel and that many more Lyele will come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
* Pray for our next research trip beginning on the 20th of this month.
Know that your prayers are heard by God and felt by us. God bless you all!
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