The Shumaker Family's Blog

Since coming to Burkina Faso, I enjoy our Christmas Eve services more than any other.  We usually have a bunch of songs, specials, the youth do a play and preaching.  I don’t mean to brag(actually I do)  but our youth are amazing.  They put together a play about the birth of Jesus.  It was absolutly amazing.  I have seen big churches who couldn’t even come close to what they accomplished.  I wish I had a video of it.  We had a wonderful time together.  I woke up at 5:30 AM and didn’t get to bed until 3:30 AM on the 25th.

I got my Christmas present a day late but none the less, malaria struck the 26th.  Last year it was on the 25th.  I suppose the long tiring day of the 24th provokes it, but it was worth it.

It is with great joy that I get to announce that Caleb was born into this world.  He was taken by C-section on Saturday night due to the cord being wrapped around his neck twice.  Rebecca and Caleb are both doing fine.  He weighed in at 7’11.

Emily was born in Togo.

Meredith was born in Ivory Coast.

Isaac was born in America.

Caleb was born in Burkina Faso.

Is that wild or what?  Here is a picture:

Isaac was born into this world 3 years ago today.  He has been such a joy to us.  The name Isaac means “laughter,” and I believe it fits him well.  He always make us laugh and keeps things interesting.  His favorite song is “Jesus loves me.”  I appreciate the children that God has given to Rebecca and I.  They are a true blessing to us.  I wanted to post a few pictures from his party yesterday.  We had it a day early because of Sunday being so busy.

This morning we had our second Sunday school.  We had a wonderful crowd for only our second week.  We had a total of 73.  I actually wasn’t there this morning as I was preaching at our other work, but from what I have heard, it went very well.  I am amazed at how things are coming together in the ministry.  To often we hold the ball.  Once, a good friend told me, “You are a ball hog.”  Nobody likes a ball hog, do they?  It is wonderful to see others begin to succeed.  Success isn’t based on what I can do or what I can achieve; it is based on what those that I train will do.  If they are a success, I will be a success.

We had a time to share testimonies of how God blessed us in the last year because we gave to missions.

One young man named Albert who is on fire for the Lord, said, “I didn’t know what the purpose of my money was before I came to this church and started tithing and giving to missions.  Now I have a reason to make money and that is to give to the work of God.”

Another member named Bibata, who is a widow with three children, (She doesn’t have a good job and  is extremely poor.) said, “It is a blessing to give to missions.  Sometimes I think that I can’t afford to give and when I don’t I am very unhappy, but when I give I never lack.  It is a great joy to give.”  She reminds me of the widow in the Bible who gave her two mites.  I watch her give and I shake my head.  I think, “How can she give and eat?”  Funny thing, I guess it’s not really funny, but she is one of the happiest people that I know.  News Flash — “Money doesn’t buy happiness, obedience to the Word and Will of God does.”

We are going to be starting Sunday School this Sunday at Water of Life Baptist Church (Cissin).  My normal routine on Sunday is to preach at Tingandogo and also at Cissin. Because of that, I was unable to do Sunday School, but God has raised up some young men that are capable of teaching the classes.  I will go to Tingandogo every other week instead of every week.  We have some men who will begin taking care of the church services at Tingandogo.  It is exciting to see God using young men that you have had a chance to win to the Lord, and now they are preaching the Word and being used of God.  There is no better feeling than that.  I love to fish, but that is better than a 6 pound bass.

I woke up this morning thinking about how great it is to be saved, to be a child of God and to have our sins forgiven.  It is an amazing privilege to be able to have a relationship with a holy God.

The other thing that I am thankful for is the privilege to serve Him.  It isn’t a privilege that I deserve but one that He has given me.  So many people say that we make a sacrifice by being on the mission field, but I don’t look at it that way.  God has called us to do the most important thing on this earth and that is to take the Gospel to a lost and dying world.  Sure we might not be able to go to Cracker Barrel,  the mall, an amusement park,  fishing or hunting (which I would really like to do), or take our children to Grandmas for the day but we are privileged to see the hand of God work.  There are things that God has let us experience that most people in the states have never had the opportunity to experience.  Who else  gets to sit on the back of a crocodile, get charged by elephants, sleep in a mud hut, eat termites, caterpillars, and rat (they are really not that bad),  learn a new culture,  see some of the poorest people in the world give what they can’t really afford to give, see people trust Christ, see lives change, and see God do so many other amazing things?

I  know that thanksgiving was last week but the Bible tell us to be thankful in all things.

We finished Sunday with our 2nd missions Conference at Water of Life Baptist Church.  We had a wonderful attendance each night of about 40-50.  Last year, we faithfully supported 2 different missionaries at $20 per month.  Our average mission offering was about $50 a month.  I know that doesn’t sound like much, but from a country as poor as we live in, it is good.  The members have pledged to give about $90 a month this coming year.  Our people were extremely touched by the fact that Pastor Samuel (the missions conference speaker from Ghana) has faced many hardships but continues to be faithful to God and to missions.