April 8, 2010
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By Lorinda Robinson, serving in Burkina Faso
Lorinda serves with The Alliance in a number of capacities; one of her responsibilities is working at Dorcas House, a home offering care and spiritual nurture to young women who would otherwise be on the streets in Ouagadougou, Burkina’s capital. The following is an adapted excerpt from her April 2010 newsletter.
It seems like every time I’ve turned around in the last month, someone has died. My Mom’s uncle, 95, just passed away, and very close family friends died two days later. I am thankful that while I was in the United States in December, I got to visit with each of these loved ones one last time.
Easter’s “Life” Message
While the death of these loved ones was expected, we still grieve their absence here on earth with us, even while rejoicing in the reality of seeing them again in heaven. We have just celebrated Easter, and it is wonderful to know that though death is all around us—so is life! Life is ours through the resurrection of our Lord! He conquered sin and death!
How much more difficult it is when deaths are unexpected and those who die are much younger, apparently healthy, and don’t know Christ. I had a student, “A,” in one of my English classes who within a week lost seven family members—three in motorbike accidents, one due to illness, and three for no apparent reason (some believe they were cursed). The latter were three brothers who passed away within 24-hours of one another—each without knowing Christ as Savior.
A Big Smile
A is a member of the predominant religion here in Burkina, and he was the cousin of the three deceased brothers. When he first joined our English class, I would say that, at best, he tolerated our times of prayer at the end of each session. That changed with all of the deaths in his family. He told me that he was scared about what would happen next.
I asked him if I could pray for him and his family. He eagerly agreed. I asked if it would be okay to ask our missionary team members and others to pray; he readily agreed. He came to class Saturday with a huge smile on his face-no one else in his family had died.
Please pray that God will continue to work in A’s life, and that he will come to a personal relationship with Christ.
A Life Well-Lived
By contrast, Charles, also one of my English students—a believer and deacon in his church—was hit by a truck last week and killed. His funeral was a time of grieving, but also of rejoicing. The gospel was preached at his funeral, which was attended by many nonbelievers from the International School of Ouagadougou where he worked.
Charles’s life, faith, and death are providing opportunities to share the gospel and talk freely about it with other students. Pray that those who are Christian in name only will come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as a result of this tragic event.
What a wonderful privilege to be able to share with the Burkinabé our hope in Christ because of Easter! Death doesn’t have the final word!
What You Can Do
“I am teaching at Dorcas House a series of six lessons about salvation that are going well and the girls are soaking up,” Lorinda says. “Pray that those who don’t know Christ will accept Him as their Savior.”
Praise God! “One of the girls who arrived to Dorcas House this year came from a very troubled past—her mother dying of AIDS and a child born out of wedlock—prayed to receive Christ and is definitely a ‘new creature in Christ’!” Lorinda concludes.
Learn More
Check out our work in Burkina.
Read Lorinda’s inspiring article “Power!” published online in June 2009.