Andrew and Esther Schaeffer

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Prayer Letter/Ministry Update

https://youtu.be/6OKsfGBmTeQ

SECURE INVESTMENT

May 1, 2020
By Andrew and Esther Schaeffer in Burkina Faso

Just to reassure you, your investments in Alliance Missions are safe. Here is a quick update on the portfolio that you hold in Burkina Faso: close to 50 graduates (including spouses) from your two Bible Schools this month! We are thankful for this well-trained force that is being sent to some of the last-to-be-reached areas to share the Good News of freedom in Jesus Christ. Both men and women have been given a solid biblical foundation and are being assigned to churches, ready to teach, preach, and evangelize. Thank you for giving to Alliance Missions and for sending us as their teachers and mentors.

For our investors this is good news! Jesus advises us to continue to lay up our treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust will corrupt, and assures us that nothing can destroy these eternal investments. Your four-year investment in these Bible School students is a secure way to mature the funds that are waiting for you in heaven.

We understand that there are times when investing is difficult. Demands can suddenly be put on our resources and perhaps, for a time, we cannot do as much as we did before. But, no matter the difficulty, there are three ways we can continue to invest in God's Kingdom:
1. We can pray that the Lord Jesus would multiply our limited resources, as He multiplied the loaves and fish, and make them much in the hands of those in need.
2. We can continue to look for ways to freely share the Good News of freedom in Christ with others.
3. We can be thankful for His faithfulness in the past and determine to continue to trust Him for the future. Why hold back when our heavenly investments will yield returns for all eternity?

As the investments of this world fluctuate so drastically from day to day, we are thankful for the peace and security that comes from laying up our treasures in heaven. “Solid joys and lasting treasure, none but Zion's children know.”

Investing together with you,

Andrew & Esther Schaeffer

For our latest video clips ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3qcE_HTvIo
https://youtu.be/TrOdJf3GPLA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9plhAyeX-4
https://www.youtu.be/5b5CFTNIIYE
https://www.youtube.com/user/estherschae

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Andrew & Esther Schaeffer
Mission Protestante C&MA
B.P. 3050; Bobo Dioulasso
Burkina Faso, West Africa

Andrew: aeschaeffer@gmail.com
Esther: estherschaeffer@gmail.com

Donate: We are supported thanks to your giving to the Great Commission Fund at your local Alliance church. If you would like to help with ministry projects, mark your gift "Andrew Schaeffer work special" and send to:
The Alliance
8595 Explorer Drive
Colorado Springs CO 80920
You can also donate online at: http://www.cmalliance.org

Our ministry is part of the worldwide effort of The Alliance.
Our "big team" includes over 750 people!

To get regular updates about Alliance efforts, go to: http://www.cmalliance.org/subscribe

To receive updates via social media, go to:
http://www.cmalliance.org/connect

BOBO TEAM TWITTER PAGE: bobo_team

Prayer Requests/Answers to Prayer

PRAYER AND PRAISE:
May 16, 2020

1. Pray for Burkina military families. Pray that the Lord would protect all those serving their country. Pray that God would be merciful and bring an end to the attacks.

2. Pray as schools continue to work hard so that they can open in June. Pray that adequate measures can be put into place to prevent the spread of the virus.

3. We will be returning next week for our four-month home assignment. Pray for us as we finish radio broadcasts and ensure that prison and hospital ministries will continue during our absence. Pray as we take two weeks quarantine in North Carolina; hard to do when we want to see those grandbabies, and of course our children too.

4. We thank the Lord for the progress on the widows' center. Pray for our widows who are facing many challenges. Pray for one of our women who needs healing from cancer.

May 9, 2020

1. Pray as churches open up this weekend in Burkina Faso. Much planning and preparation has gone into this first Sunday. We have been able to help with facemasks, soap, and hand gel. Pray that everyone will respect the new normal and cooperate in social distancing.

2. Schools remain closed for the month of May. Our Bible Schools are finished for the year and students have gone to their assigned ministries for the summer. But the local schools remain closed. Pray that students would not be discouraged and that somehow it would still be possible to finish the school year.

3. The local hospital is doing an excellent job of screening for the virus. We are thankful to help with soap and facemasks where needed. Pray for strength for the medical staff as they too face the added protocol with limited supplies.

4. Pray as our team looks ahead to furlough and vacation schedules amid travel restrictions. Pray that the Lord would clearly lead in every decision.

. Praise the Lord, we just received word that the 18 Poundou graduates and their spouses arrived home safely, despite COVID-19 travel restrictions.

2. Pray for Maranatha Bible Institute’s small, in-house graduation ceremony on May 6th. Pray that the 7 graduates will be able to rejoice in God’s goodness, even if their families and friends cannot be present. And pray that the Lord will continue to thrust out more workers into His harvest fields.

3. Several years ago, Mr. G made a dramatic decision to leave his former religion and follow Christ, despite much difficulty and persecution. Part of his leg was amputated last week due to diabetes. Pray for healing, acceptance, and a persevering faith that would attract his family and friends to our Lord Jesus.

4. Praise the Lord, Burkina has had relatively few COVID-19; just 645 as of today. Pray that, as schools reopen later this month, Christians would set a good example and respect the government regulations.

5. Thank you for helping to enable us to distribute COVID-19 prevention kits, including 10,000+ facemasks, this past month at the hospital and prison, among churches and widows, and, most recently, at a center for people with handicaps. Pray for the Lord’s provision for the many poor and vulnerable here in Burkina Faso.

May 1, 2020

1. We praise the Lord for His hand of protection over our country that has seen very few cases of the virus. Pray that as markets and schools reopen, the church would set a positive example in obeying the government regulations and in helping others to do so as well.

2. Pray for Mr. G, a man who several years ago made a dramatic decision to follow Christ and leave his former religion. That decision has come with much persecution and difficulty. Due to diabetes, he had part of his leg amputated last week. Pray for healing and acceptance. Pray that he would cling to the Lord Jesus and that family and friends that are around him would be convinced of the truth of the Gospel.

3. Pray for the graduation ceremony at our Bible School next week and for our seven graduates and their wives as they begin ministry. Pray that the Lord would prepare others for full-time ministry. Church planting is slowed due to the fact that there are not enough workers. Some pastors are serving two or three churches plus working with cell groups. Pray that the Lord would send more workers into His fields.

4. We are thankful to be a part of the Alliance family that is having a strong impact here in helping the poor during the virus crisis. Distributions have taken place at the hospital, prison, with widows, and most recently the handicapped in our city were able to come to the church to receive food. We thank the Lord for His generosity towards us and in turn Christians' generosity towards others.

April 24, 2020

1. Thankful to have been able to distribute Corona kits at the hospital. Pray for the medical staff that is doing an amazing job amidst very challenging circumstances. Burkina has seen 41 die from the virus and just 9 new cases today. Thank you for praying.

2. Pray as we go into our last week at the Bible School. A very small graduation ceremony will take place after grades are all calculated. Pray for the seven graduates and their wives as they begin ministry during a difficult time in our country.

3. Pray that people will respect the government rules concerning gatherings and the wearing of facemasks. Pray for radio programs that are encouraging believers during this time when churches are closed.

4. Pray that believers would be those who demonstrate the peace of Christ. Pray that we would be peacemakers in our homes and communities.

April 17, 2020

1. We praise the Lord that we were able to quickly make and distribute close to 10,000 facemasks in our city. We have concentrated on the prison, hospital, local churches, and today at a center for handicapped people. Thank you for your prayers and for making it possible for us to do this.

2. Pray as we try to finish up our Bible School year. We will need to give our final assignments and exams next week. Pray that our students will be able to concentrate and pass their exams.

3. Radio broadcasts continue to take up a good portion of my time. Pray as we consider adding some programming to address the crisis and how families can stay healthy.

4. Pray as we organize a distribution in the pediatric section of the hospital. Pray that we will be Spirit-led to know just how to help Burkina Faso in these difficult days.

April 10, 2020

1. It is certainly a different kind of Good Friday. We met today with fellow missionaries and sang and read scripture focusing on the sacrifice and death of the Lord Jesus. Pray that this message would be proclaimed clearly through our Christian radio stations.

2. We thank the Lord that we were able to do a distribution to our widows. They have been of great concern to us as many depend on the market to earn money for food.

3. Pray as we look for alternate ways to finish the school year with our Bible School students. For the moment we are dropping off assignments which they complete and then return to us, but not the same as teaching. Pray that the Lord would protect our two Bible Schools from the virus.

4. We had a divine appointment this past week at the hospital as we were able to help a family whose child had just died. Pray that our kindness and prayers would speak to them about Christ.

March 31, 2020

1. “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Ps: 90:12).

2. We are scheduled to return to the USA on May 20 for a four-month home assignment. We are eager to be with our families and friends. But who knows if the airports will open by then? “Lord, have compassion on your servants” (Ps 90:13b).

3. Maranatha Bible Institute seniors, like seniors everywhere, would love to graduate. “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days” (Ps 90:14).

4. Pray that food, soap and facemask distributions will be a witness and a blessing. “Establish the work of our hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands” (Psalm 90:17).

Burkina Faso

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