Babo — “We need workers”
A good friend of mine, missionary John Cooley, started a work a few years back in a village called Babo. It is in the northern part of Burkina Faso. The area is very close to Mali, and it is very Muslim. Bro. Cooley invited me to come with him so that we could question some of the men that he and I trained. Bro. Cooley is leaving in a few weeks for furlough and needed to put some of these young men in charge. I was greatly pleased by the responses that we heard. It is amazing to see how much God worked in and taught one of these young men. The village is about 5 hours from Ouagadougou, and we had a great trip last weekend.
Vicente went with me. I asked him last Saturday night at the village, “What are you thinking?” His reply was simple but so very true. “We need workers.” There is village after village and town after town that doesn’t have a true Gospel witness. It is so sad to think that so many people will perish without the opportunity to hear the Gospel. We need workers (both foreigners and Burkinabes). This country is wide open, and there is so much to do. I have seen people cry and be moved because of the poverty, lack of education, lack of health care, etc. here. The problem is that I haven’t seen too many people cry and be moved because people that don’t know Jesus will be separated from God for an eternity. Where are our tears? We cry when one of our pets dies but we don’t shed a tear from the billions of souls that will perish into a Christ-less eternity. There are lost souls that are ready to accept Christ, but they have never heard. I see people broken and sad because their favorite football team lost, but they aren’t broken for those who need God. I am sorry if I insulted somebody; that wasn’t my purpose. I just think that we desire too much of this world and its riches. When will the church get stirred and begin to think about what God wants? We are running hospitals for the Saints instead of rescue missions for the lost.
Where is your treasure? We put more money into going to football games, hunting, fishing and other things than to spread the Gospel around the world. Are we truly dead to self? There is nothing wrong with the things above. There probably isn’t anybody who wants to fish more than I do right now. I love it. I haven’t put a rod in my hand for almost four years now. There was a time that I had one in my hand almost everyday of the week. I look forward to going on furlough in a few months. I love to hunt, but God means more. God’s will is more precious than my will. My desires are futile but God’s plans are eternal. My plans make an temporary earthly difference. God’s plans make a difference that will last for eternity.
Here are a few pictures from Babo:
