The Shumaker Family’s Blog

I will be traveling to Mali tomorrow with the family and a few church members.  We are going to see a national missionary named Francis.  Our church here in Burkina supports him.  Also we will see Dwayne Harrison (missionary with Macedonia World Baptist Missions).

I have been to Mali many different times but I have never been with Francis on a Sunday.  He has asked me to preach on many different occasions.  So we decided that we would go and encourage our brother and see what God is doing.

I know that many of you will think that I am a little late on this, but actually Mothers day for us was on Sunday.  God has given us some good women.  We gave them all a head covering.  As you can see in the pictures, even my wife put one on. (Actually, they had to put it on for her.)

Saturday night we held a special youth meeting.  Really it wasn’t just for the youth.  Everybody came.  We invited all of the other Independent Baptist Churches in town.  We had a total of five churches come together.  It was a wonderful time.  Each church sang, and we let some of the young preachers give 10 min. messages.  I preached the last message.

I know that this doesn’t seem like much in certain areas in the States,  where Baptist Churches can be on every other corner. In Burkina Faso, however, this isn’t the case.  The first Independent Baptist missionary that I know of in Burkina Faso came in 2002.  Just a few years ago, a meeting like this could  never have taken place.  God blessed, and we had well over 100 people.  Our teenage girls cooked the food, and our youth lead the service.  It was a great time, and we plan on doing it again.

I know that is has been awhile since I last posted.  We have had some major power problems the last few weeks.  We have been without power most days for at least 7 hours and sometimes 8+.  It has been hard to get much done when we are so used to it.

I am not complaining, even though I really want to at times.  Yes, it does make things difficult  in 100+ weather, with not even a fan. It isn’t the easiest, but God has taught me a lot the last few weeks.  I have learned that I am spoiled.  I called a member of our church the other night at about 9:30 p.m.  He asked  me, ” How are you doing?”  I replied, “Doing great except the power.” Then it hit me that I am complaining to a man that has never had power in his house.  He loves God and is a wonderful man.  He has a wonderful family.  I felt like a dog.  I immediately told him sorry.  Over 80% of the people in this country don’t have any power.

I have learned that I need to be content in the good times and also the difficult times.  Paul said, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”  Be happy when I have power and when the power is off.  So much of our “happiness and joy” is based upon how things work out.  If all goes well, we are happy but the moment when something just isn’t quite right we can become upset and get a bad attitude.  If Jesus would have worked like us, He would have never made it to the cross.  His life on earth wasn’t full of riches and His death wasn’t easy but He was determined to do the will of the Father.  Please pray for me.  I want to do the will of my Heavenly Father more than anything else in this world.  I don’t want to be like the children of Israel.  I don’t want to be ungrateful.  I want to praise Him for all that He has done.