Consider the Termite

By Andrew Schaeffer, serving Burkina Faso  
 
Whenever we find evidence of termites here, we groan. In just a few days they can eat through trees, furniture, and even stored Bible translations.  
 
Yet as destructive as they can be, termites will never cease to amaze me.  
 
Here in West Africa, termite colonies build incredibly tall and durable homes that last for years. These mounds, or termitaries, can reach a height of 30 feet, as tall as a three-story home.  
 
How do these tiny insects build such huge mounds? According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the termite colony is “a highly organized unit, with division of labor among its members differentiated by structure, function and behavior . . . Termites work in large numbers—as many as 4,000 have been counted in one cubic foot of wood.”  
 

Model for Ministry 
This summer our family was able to spend a weekend with my sister, Jessica, who is a nurse anesthetist at the Koutiala Hospital for Women and Children in Mali.  
 
Before leaving, we visited the hospital, which was like a termite colony crawling with activity. It was overwhelming to see so many pregnant women and new mothers! Around 150 babies are born at that hospital every month, and it is hard to imagine how much work it is to care for so many patients.  
 
Personally, I wonder how Jessica and her colleagues survive. But I know that, like a termite colony, they have divided the labor according to each one’s gifting and ability. As each worker does his or her part, somehow the job gets done. Together, they are working to build a great hospital. 
 
In Proverbs 6:6-8 we read,“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” 
 
Dear friend, consider the ant—in this case, the termite!—as we work to build Christ’s Kingdom around the world.  
 

Learn More

 
Watch a short video the Schaeffer’s posted on YouTube about their recent outreach to widows in Burkina. 
 

How You Can Help

 
The Schaeffers request prayer for the quick completion of the new classroom building under construction at Bethel Middle School in Dedougou.

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