March 27, 2015
Our dry cool season (mid-November to mid-February) is a busy ministry time for us. Last month, as we dug wells and spoke of the Living Water, we saw the greatest response to the good news we’ve ever seen among the animist Dogose.
Until several years ago, when a main road was repaired, the Dogose had little Christian influence due to their remote location in southwestern Burkina Faso.
New Family Members
Daniel, who pastors a church plant in Kwere, reported that in the first-ever evangelism campaign in neighboring Bogote, five Dogose villagers accepted Christ—two students and three women. One of the women has been troubled by evil spirits and is now coming daily for prayer.
We’ve also recently heard from Adama, a new believer who came to Christ last July. He decided to follow the “Jesus road” (as did his family of 12!) and burned his fetishes through the example of Innocent, an Alliance pastor who hand-dug a well for Adama’s village.
Adama loves to tell his story and recently brought a new believer to meet us and pray. Pray that his testimony will continue to bear fruit.
Generous Support
God also is working through Burkinabé Christian professionals among the nurses, school teachers, and policemen our government dispatches to serve in rural areas. Several of these mature believers have helped us begin new churches in remote areas.
In Burkina Faso, just two out of every five children have opportunity to obtain more than a grade school education. This illustrates the value of Christian schools to equip future lay missionaries and why a Dogose mayor’s recent gift of property to open a Christian high school is significant.
Resistance, Prayer Needed
God also is moving in another people group in the western part of the country. In one location, more than 700 believers gather to meet under a tin-roofed shelter (they have no church building). Church leaders are seeking discipleship resources to provide this Body with solid biblical teaching. A false prophet in this community is trying to profit off of the Christians.
The false prophet’s influence is one of the enemy’s attempts to stem the increasing flow of Living Water in this spiritually thirsty land. His ploys have recently included equipment breakdowns during evangelism events and a freak accident that damaged our ministry vehicle.
As one of my colleagues here has said, “Much collaborative work is taking place to advance the Kingdom throughout this country, but the enemy yields his ground so reluctantly.”
Thank you for your prayers. They do make a difference!
—Based on a report by Doug Conkle who, with his wife, Karen, serves as the Alliance team leader in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso’s second largest city.
Pray
“Please also pray about a frustrating situation,” the Conkles request. “A makeshift nightclub—with over the top noise levels!—was illegally built near the main entrance to the church property where we have our guesthouse and one of our international worker families lives. Pray that we have favor with authorities in our efforts to remove this club.”
The prayers of God’s people strengthen Alliance personnel to live and serve across the globe. Use the weekly Alliance Prayer Requests, joining our worldwide family in praying for them.
Learn More
Watch “Breaking Strongholds,” (4:14) a video that powerfully depicts a revival taking place in Burkina Faso’s far western Kenedougou province.