Despite cultural, language, and socioeconomic barriers, 13 teenaged girls from Appleton (Wisconsin) Alliance Church formed strong attachments with their Burkinabé peers during the summer.
Alice Brokopp and her husband, Pete, who serve with Envision, hosted the teens, members of the church’s short-term ministry team that visited Burkina Faso in July. Outreach efforts focused on working with Pan-Bila, an Envision-Burkina ministry partner that assists street kids, especially marginalized girls.
Pan-Bila administers a school, sponsorship program, and the Center for Street Kids, which provides housing, medical and educational assistance and job training for girls up to 18 years of age who were homeless. Most of the residents are pregnant or have babies.
“Some of the girls have run away from bad home situations or abusive husbands,” Alice observed. “Others have been kicked out because they got pregnant. Ultimately, the goal is to reconcile these young women with their families—if possible.”
Ministry Highlights
Building relationships with the young women at the center and playing with their babies was a significant part of the U.S. group’s experience. “When I first arrived at the center, I was a little shocked,” said Sydney, a team member. “They were ready and willing to just hand over their babies to us—that isn’t the norm in small Appleton, Wisconsin!”
Sydney also recalled the day her team helped to dig a foundation for a nursery at the center. “Everyone, including outside community members, jumped into the action. Wheelbarrows, shovels, rakes, and picks were constantly going and only stopped to rotate people in.”
Distributing Toms Shoes to the Pan-Bila School’s more than 300 students was also a high point for the Dairy State team. “One of the Appleton girls was quite excited—distributing Toms Shoes had been on her bucket list!” Alice said.
Heart Language
Pan-Bila Night was the culmination of the teens’ fruitful outreach. During the evening’s festivities, the girls at the center shared their testimonies and demonstrated several local games and how to pound grain.
“It was tricky to communicate with the girls because I know only a little French,” Sydney said. “But that night we danced, sang, and played games together. I finally could appreciate the saying, ‘We all smile and laugh in the same language.’
We didn’t need language to have fun. Laughs, smiles, high fives—we all were enjoying ourselves!”
Because some of the Appleton team members had contracted a stomach bug during the trip, Alice said, “The Pan-Bila girls gathered around the team during the party and prayed for them out loud―African style. It was a rich time of mutual encouragement.”
Prayer Strengthens Bonds
“Leaving the Pan-Bila girls was one of the hardest things we had to do,” Sydney observed. “Hugs were given and tears were shed—we all had connections with the girls because we prayed together many times throughout the trip.
“I was holding an adorable baby whose mother wouldn’t take him the three times I tried to give him back. Later I was told she knew we couldn’t leave while I was holding him.
“For as strong as these young women are, it was heartbreaking to see them so emotional when we left. I will not soon forget my time at Pan-Bila.”
Pray
Join the Alliance family in praying for our international workers, including those serving with Envision, who are proclaiming the good news of Jesus’ grace and truth in some of the most spiritually dark places on earth. Use the Alliance Prayer Requests to assist you.
Learn More
Read about the various outreaches to marginalized women in the October 15 issue of Alliance Life magazine.
Check out Alice’s photos of the Appleton team in Burkina Faso. Note: Clicking on this link will take you off of the Alliance Web site.