Unfortunately, we are not able to start our new work at this time.   We have had a few things work against us.  The land is very wet.  It would be hard to have a conference there. We are going to prepare a few things so that they can do the kickoff probably in November.

Even though we have had a change in plans, I am thrilled with what God is doing.  Our pastors have remained faithful.  I want to give you an example of that.

I showed up for visitation at 8 a.m. this morning at Living Water Baptist Church.  Much to my surprise many people were already there to go out and evangelize the lost.  There were at least 17 members who came.  We had a good mixture of men, women and young people.  They were excited and very zealous.  The young man that I went with was very bold.  He did a great job of explaining the Gospel.

When I was here, I had too many irons in the fire.  It was hard to be effective in every area.  I didn’t do a good job all the time.  They have taken many of the tasks and divided it among themselves.  They are more organized.   I think that I have lost my job.  That is the goal of the missionary, right?

Actually, I feel that the Lord would have us to work two more years with Living Water Baptist Church when we come back next year.   We want to create a model church.  They don’t know what an independent Baptist Church is.  We want a good model.

Thanks for your prayers.  Please pray for me tonight.  I will be teaching the youth at the youth meeting.  Also I will preach twice tomorrow morning.  Tomorrow night will start our missions conference.  It is going to be a blast. Wish you were here.

Tommorrow night, we will board a plane and travel to Burkina Faso.  It has been almost 4 and half months since we left Burkina.  I can’t wait.  I am excited to see my brother and sisters in Christ.  They are so special to me and my wife.  It has been hard to be away from them for the last few months.

We have had a change in plans.   We will not be having a wedding like we first thought but we will still have the kick off to a new church plant.  This Friday and Saturday night, we will be having some evagelistic campaigns.  We hope to have a good crowd.  We want to preach to them.  We will pray for many salvation decisions for Christ.  Normally this gives a good kickoff to a new church plant.  Please pray that God would move in a mighty way.  We sure do need Him.  I want to see Him work.

Also, we will have this Sunday night thru Wednesday night our annual missions conference.  We normally have a missions conference at the different churches but this year we will have a combined missions conference.  I am looking forward to this.  I hope to be able to update you on all that God is doing but I don’t know about internet access.  Please pray for the missions conference.

Vicente and Gabriella Garcia work with us in Burkina Faso.  Here is their latest prayer letter.  It is exciting to see how God is working and moving in our absence.

Dear Friends and Family,

I want to thank you first of all for your prayers that you are making for your missionaries. We are very thankful. Thank you as well for your economic support. May God continue greatly blessing you. We love you.

This month we had our youth camp and it was a great blessing. There were 33 young people in attendance. God worked in a special way. There were pastors from different church, Pastor Mamadu, Pastor Talibala, Pastor Salif, Pastor Zacari, Pastor Daniel, and Pastor Konate with myself and my wife. WE are very happy because many young people gave their lives to Christ and decided to start serving in the work of God. Please keep praying for this country. There is so much need and so few laborers. Pray that God would touch hearts to decide to leave NOW for the mission field.

The second of September pastor Keith Shumaker and his wife Rebecca will be with us returning from the US after four months. They will only be here for a week and then will return again. We have three goals for Pastor Shumaker’s visit:

1. To being building an auditorium for a new work being pastored by Pastor Zacari.

2. To hold a missions conference.

3. To hold a wedding for Pastor Mamadu with Sister Antoinette.

We ask for your prayers to be able to accomplish these plans for our pastor.

We also ask for your prayers for the children’s Sunday School class. It has shrunk from an average of 55 kids to now 25 or 30 due to the month of Ramadan. Many of the children are Muslims and when Sunday morning comes around their parents won’t let them leave their homes until Ramadan is over since they are fasting all day. Pray that all the children will return to church after Ramadan. Every Thursday we have an outreach to orphans. The majority of the orphans are Muslims. We help them with food and Bible lessons. One young Muslim man named Albert recently accepted Christ and came to our summer camp. The other day he came to church so happy to tell us that his Muslim neighbors are learning the songs he was taught in church about the love of Christ. It was a blessing to hear this.

God is merciful ever day and strengthens us to do the work in Burkina Faso. It is a dream of ours that God would allow us to see each of you some day. We miss you greatly. Thank you for the privilege to write you one more time. May God bless you.

Prayer requests:

            •           For Pastor Keith’s travel

            •           For the needs of each pastor: Talibala, salif, Zacari, konate, Mamadu

            •           For the missions conference coming up

            •           For baptisms that are coming up

            •           For the ministry to children and brother Gilbert who runs the orphan ministry

            •           For God to continue helping and strengthening us to move forward in the work

Yes, finances help a missionary get to the field.  I am not minimizing the need of support that a missionary has.  He must be able to provide for his family.  He also needs a work fund.  This will allow him to buy land, Bibles, build church buildings, train men, etc.  Finances are a huge need in missions.  I shared just a few thoughts Sunday night at a church about being more involved in missions besides financial support.

1. Prayer — I talked about this in a blog post before this, so I won’t go into it to much but I truly feel that a faithful prayer warrior will receive many rewards in Heaven.

2.  Communicate –  What I am writing, I know from a personal standpoint.  Sometimes a missionary feels all alone.  Sometimes he can be discouraged.  This can come from sickness, stress of the ministry, etc.  Most church people get encouragement each week from brothers and sisters in Christ at their home church.  The missionary doesn’t get this. Many missionaries have a vonage phone or something similar.  Usually this is a local number in the US.  It doesn’t cost you a penny to call them.  There is facebook, e-mail, Skype, etc.  Communication is not only good for the missionary.  I know that it will greatly help you also.

3.  Take a missions trip –  Instead of taking a vacation next year, why don’t you take a missions trip?  It is interesting that we have the truth.   We believe in true salvation.  Salvation by God’s grace and not by our own works, but we don’t lead in the mission effort. There are groups much smaller than us, but they send their young men on a missions trip for two years.  I saw a video where a man had been saving money since his five boys were born.  He wasn’t saving money for college but for their missions trip.  This should stir us.

I might get shot by saying this but instead of giving Mickey Mouse all your money this year, go to the mission field.  I am not saying that Disney is right or wrong but when I talk to people about going to the mission field, the main excuse is money when there seems that for most people money is there for a vacation.

If the heartbeat of God is missions, then why is missions not our heartbeat?

Just a couple of days ago, Pastor Konate told me on the phone that he was back at church.  Praise the Lord.  I am excited that he is finally back.  I truly began to wonder if he would be able to return.  He is a good young man that was very faithful and was beginning to be used in the children’s ministry at church.

Pastor Konate also told me that they had 65 adults last Sunday at church.  We are pleased that the work is still going strong.  The picture below is of Ernest.  Konate sent that to me today.

I am afraid that many churches have seen the need to support missionaries financially, to get them to the field but haven’t seen the greater need of prayer.  Money can get a missionary to the field.  It can buy plane tickets, provide housing, build church buildings, buy Bibles, etc.  But money can never replace what God must do.  We can’t save, only He can.  We can’t do the work, only He can.  Missionaries need your prayers.  We are so quick (me included) to criticize a missionary when he leaves the field, but the question must be asked, “Did I pray for him?”  Did I ask God to protect him and his family?  He has been fighting a spiritual warfare,  and money won’t give the victory, only the power of God.  Most missionaries go to the field with a good heart, ready to serve God.  They are excited, passionate, and thrilled to be there, but then things get hard.  Many problems and struggles come that millions of dollars couldn’t solve.

I know when I was a kid, I could tell you almost everybody who played in the NBA.  Can our children tell us where missionaries are all over the world?   Can you name 10 missionaries that your church supports?

Thanks for those who pray faithfully.  If we would pray as much as we criticize, maybe there wouldn’t be near the number of casualties.

I don’t know how much it will cost to put the roof on but I assume it will be around $10,000.  It is amazing to see what God has done since we started building.

Konate told me that they have had 5 men make professions of faith over the last few weeks.  It is exciting to see God move and work when we aren’t there.

Here are a few pictures of what was done on the second floor.

We were in Ohio, Penn, New York and Canada visiting churches.  God has greatly blessed.   

Things that I have realized since being back Stateside:

1. That I really miss Africa and the ministry.
2. I know some people are struggling but the economy isn’t as bad as people have been saying.  Restaurants are full.  People are taking vacations.  Starbucks is full (it wouldn’t be if it was as bad as some say). 
3. God is still blessing and still saving lives.  I have heard that the Independent Baptist churches are all dying.   I haven’t found that out to be true.  Actually I have been in many that are growing and thriving.
4. God has greatly blessed us in Africa with some great men.  They are doing a great job while we have been gone. 
5. That my children love McD’s. 
6. It is easy to get fat in America.  There is too much good stuff here (really is is called “junk food”, but it tastes good).
7. I have a wonderful family.  I already knew this but my wife is amazing.  She has followed me all over the world and still loves me.
8. I am truly blessed to be called into the ministry.  There is no greater calling.  If I wasn’t in the ministry I would rather die.
9. God is still in control and He is still on the throne.

God has been blessing since we have arrived in the States.  We have been busy going to some supporting churches and to some new ones.  Thanks for your prayers.

From what I here the ministry is still going well in Burkina Faso.  I talk a few times a week with Pastor Konate.

We also had four people put their faith in Christ.  Not only did we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, we saw four precious souls pass from death unto life.

Our time is winding down before we leave for America.  As I looked out Sunday morning over the congregation, I began to get a little choked up.  I am not usually an emotional person but I began to think about at all that God has done in the last three years at Living Water Baptist Church.  We have had our struggles and problems but God has been so God to us.  To think about what God has done is absolutely amazing.  I am really having a hard time leaving our church family.  I know that it is necessary but it isn’t easy.