March 19, 2009
By Andrew Schaeffer, serving in Burkina Faso
Editor’s note: Andrew Schaeffer’s March Madness update introduces strategic Kingdom play action carried out by his “ultimate dream team” in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.
March Madness has already begun in Burkina Faso.
My son Mark and I enjoy shooting hoops together. But I am not talking about basketball tournaments in the United States. I am referring to the flurry of team ministry activity that the month always seems to bring.
We enjoyed a wonderful visit with teams from Ohio, New York, and groups from two West African nations this past weekend! Now we’re looking forward to the arrival of a team from Salem, Oregon, on March 22.
But in this report I would like to introduce you to our missionary team in Bobo.
TEAM: Together Everyone Achieves More
It has been a great joy to lead the Bobo team this past term. As far as I am concerned, they have been the ultimate dream team, made up of 11 adults and 17 “missionary kids”:
- Mary Crowgey, our next-door neighbor, is from New Orleans. For many years she has worked on the Jula Bible translation, dedicated in November 2008. Currently, she is serving at Maranatha Christian School where enrollment hovers around 1,000 students.
- Peggy Drake and Jetty Stouten are nurses who work at Life Clinic, a medical ministry of ACCEDES, the relief and development arm of the Burkina Alliance Church. From different countries (Peggy is American and Jetty is Dutch), they have lived and worked together for more than 20 years.
- One couple and their four children are from out West (Oregon and Washington); they naturally felt drawn to minister in the Kenedougou region, Burkina’s westernmost province! This unreached region has very few churches, so they are involved in evangelism and church planting.
- Another couple from the United States arrived in Burkina in August 2000. Although they hail from Florida, it is no wonder that they have also served in the Kenedougou region; they have also ministered to unreached peoples in the Banfora District. They have four children.
- An Alliance couple from Virginia work in radio. I am convinced that radio is the best way to sow the gospel seed widely here in West Africa. Over the past year, this couple has helped to birth three new FM radio stations. Additionally, they teach at Maranatha Bible Institute; they also have four children. (Perhaps it has something to do with Bobo water!)
As you follow March Madness in the United States, please remember to pray for our teams serving in Burkina Faso!
What You Can Do
Please pray:
- Pray for the new district superintendents and their committees, elected in each Burkina Alliance church district over the past couple of months.
- Pray for elections that will take place at the Burkina Alliance Church’s Annual Council, March 25-29. Pray for Field Director Larry Burg and Andrew Schaeffer who will speak to the delegates.