The Shumaker Family's Blog

I didn’t add a picture to the last post of the Pastors Conference, so here it is:

We will be returning to the States at the end of May for a six month furlough.  We will come back to Burkina Faso mid-November.

We are looking forward to reporting back to many or our supporting churches and also maybe raise some new support as the work continues to grow. God has blessed so much in the last few years and we would like to share that and what plans we have for the future.

If you would like for us to come by, please call me at 706-534-8965 or e-mail me at keith@theharvest.net

We had an amazing conference with Pastor Austin Gardner, Jeff Bush (Director of Vision Baptist Missions), and Chris Fies (Voices in the village).  There were over 20 independent Baptist African pastors present.  It is amazing what God has done in Burkina Faso since we arrived.

Pastor Gardner taught on spiritual gifts, tongues, and the charismatic movement.  He used tons and tons of the Word of God to prove every point.

Since coming to Africa, we have been pressured by people to change doctrinally and practically.  We are asked on a regular basis why aren’t we like this church and that church.  We are asked why don’t we practice this and that.  I always say that our model isn’t another church but the Word of God.  Israel wanted to be like all the other nations and asked for an earthly king.  They already had a heavenly king which should have sufficed.  They paid dearly for it when they got what they wanted.

The charismatic movement is very strong here in Africa.  It seems that people seek the blessings but don’t really want the God of the blessings.  The prosperity Gospel is rampant.  Speaking in tongues is a huge phenomenon.  They claim that Baptists don’t even believe in the Holy Spirit.

We have fought and battled it over the years but we have never truly had an internal battle within our church as we are starting to see now.  I praise the Lord that all of the pastors that we have are doctrinally sound in this area but it seems that many of the members are confused and caught between our doctrine and the charismatic doctrine.  I would ask you to pray for us as we have tried to let God work through the last few months but it is time to confront this false and dangerous doctrine.

We are extremely excited about the arrival of Pastor Austin Gardner (Vision Baptist Church), Jeff Bush (director of Vision Baptist Missions) and Chris Fies (voices in the village).  They are here for about a week.  We will be traveling out to the village tomorrow.  God has given Bro. Austin a burden for helping us reach the villages with the Gospel.  Even though the cities are growing daily, Burkina Faso still has around 70% of its population that live in the villages. We have started translating materials into the trial language already and we are going to be making some plans in the next week of how to reach these wonderful people with the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ..

We will be having a pastors conference next week.  Please pray for this conference.  God has greatly used Bro. Austin here over that last few years to challenge our people and the pastors.

There are moments in life where one may think, “It doesn’t get any better than this!”.  It might be winning a championship or getting married or landing a new job.  Sunday Dec. 30th was one of those days for me.  It was a cold windy day for Burkina.  It was in the 70s and the Burkinabes freeze when it is below 80.  Pastor Gilbert had called me a month before and asked me to come for their first Baptism.  Gilbert started this church in July, and God has saved many souls.  I had been sick since Friday night with aches and fever.  Saturday, I preached a marriage and then one hour later I preached a funeral.  I was suffering physically, but there was no way that I was going to call Gilbert and cancel.  We traveled an hour and half away.

God gave me enough strength to preach a message from the Word of God.  Then we proceeded to the baptism.  There were over 20 people gathered around the baptismal.  Their faces were lit up with smiles from ear to ear.  It is an amazing thing to see the excitement of a new church.  Half the water had run out, and it was very cold for them but that wasn’t going to stop them.  I told Gilbert to make them sit down and then baptize them.  Gilbert was so excited he about forgot what to say.  My wife (thinking what I was already thinking) looked at me and said, “Is this better than you baptizing?”  Seeing my son in the faith standing in the baptismal, baptizing new converts who he had won and watching the one being baptized and the one baptizing with huge smiles on their faces.  No doubt about it,  IT IS BETTER.

That night I stayed home from church.  I called my wife home from church to get me and take me to the hospital because I was shaking uncontrollably.  I was there two nights.  By the Grace of God I am better.  Running wide open sometimes has its consequences, and one might ask, “would you change anything?”  Not a chance!

Pastor Gilbert getting ready to baptize.

One of the six who were baptized.

My wonderful kids.

Wow!  It is hard to believe that God has allowed my wife and me to be missionaries to Africa for a decade.  We were young, newly married, with no children, and didn’t know what we were getting into when we first stepped foot on this continent.  If my memory serves me correctly, we arrived in Africa in August of 2002.  We have been blessed in tremendous ways to live here in West Africa.

What God has done these last few years:

• Family – My wife has been such an amazing woman.  We have lived in 5 different countries.  We have moved many times. She has given birth to 4 children in four different countries.  She has followed me through so many amazing things.  Some have been wonderful, and others have been difficult, but she has been an amazing helpmeet.  God has blessed us with four wonderful children who have been a joy to our lives and even been used to open some doors for us as they interact with others wherever we serve.

Rebecca teaching in 2005.

• Churches – Just a few months after we arrived in the Ivory Coast, we were forced to leave because of a civil war, and we went to Togo.  While in Togo, we started a Bible study in a village and felt lead of God to buy land for a church.  By God’s grace this Bible study has turned out to be a thriving church.  We went back to the Ivory Coast and God allowed us to plant a church that is still going strong.  Then, God called us to Burkina Faso.  We arrived in Burkina Faso in December 2004.  Since that time, God has allowed us or the men we have trained to plant 9 churches.  God has been so good to us.

• Training of men – God has given us some of the greatest young men that we have trained for the ministry.  We have been blessed to have 7 completely finish their training. 6 of them are now  full–time pastors.

Training pastors in Burkina Faso

Pastor Salif being baptized in 2005

4 years later Pastor Salif baptizing in 2009

• Souls — I don’t know how many people have been saved (only God does) in the last ten years, but it has been amazing to see animists, Muslims, men, women, boys and girls accept Jesus as their Savior.

Preaching to a big crowd.

A new work that was started a few months ago.

Many of you have been faithful friends, supporters, and prayer warriors since we started on this journey. We have been blessed to meet many others somewhere along the way.  Thank you to everyone who has been a part of what God has done and continues to do as we serve in West Africa.

His Servants,

Keith, Rebecca, Emily, Meredith, Isaac and Caleb

Kaya is the fifth largest city in Burkina Faso.  God lead Pastor Konaté to leave the capital city, Ouagadougou, where he was my associate pastor, to plant a church in Kaya.  I had planned on leaving Living Water Baptist Church this year in his hands as the pastor.  God had other plans for Pastor Konaté, and it is evident that God is using him in a great way in Kaya.  We arrived on Thursday the 16th of November.  Thursday night, Friday night, and Saturday night we had an evangelistic campaign.  God really moved over those days and we were able to see about 50 professions of faith.  It was definitely a blessed time.

On Sunday morning, I preached on the new birth.  I used a simple illustration of how Jesus is the mediator between God and man.  By the grace of God, 8 people were born into the family of God.  3 of the 8 were older women.  Each said that they had been in church for a long time but had never heard that they had to receive the Lord personally.  Each said that a pastor laid hands on them and prayed that their sins would be forgiven.  The problem with this is that they tried to rely on another mediator.  Only Jesus saves.  Below are some pictures:

Its hard to see everybody since its dark, but this gives you an idea what we do.

The Sunday morning crowd. God is blessing Pastor Konate and his effort.

These eight were born into the family of God on Sunday Morning.

Tonight, Thursday the 29th, we will begin another evangelism campaign with Pastor Gilbert.  We will hold this in the third largest city in Burkina Faso called Koudougou.  Please pray that souls will be saved.  We will be there through Sunday.

I have written many times about Pastor Gilbert.  He just started a new work in the third largest city in Burkina Faso.  He is doing a great job.

He has been sick for a few weeks now.  He is doing a little better now, but his 2 month old daughter had to be hospitalized for 5 days.  She has finally been released.

Thursday while he and his wife were still at the hospital, a few church members and I went to go see him.  We went with a big surprise.  As he stated, “an answer to my prayers”.  We presented him with a means of transportation.  This will enable him to be much more effective in the ministry.  Thanks to those who have given.

Pastor Gilbert after we presented him the motto.

Pastor Gilbert and his wife with the motto. Burkinabes don't smile for photos.

Pastor Gilbert with Pastor Justin

We finished up having a great time with Bro. Duane Moore, Bro. Gary Crisp and his wife and Kellie Pearcy a few weeks ago.  They were all used in tremendous ways.  One of our members said, “The presence of other Baptist believers strengthens us.”  We live in country where most don’t know a Baptist.  We mostly have Muslims, Catholics, and assemblies of God in Burkina Faso.  When our members see that they aren’t alone, they are touched and excited.

Bro. Moore and Bro. Crisp preached many times.  They challenged our people and our preachers.  Bro. Moore preached out of John 4 for days.  I will never look at John 4 the same way again.

I have known Bro. Moore for about 12 years.  He has a bigger heart than I am tall.  He would see something and say, “buy it for this pastor or this person”. He was not only a blessing in his preaching but also in his love and compassion.

I translated for many days and many hours.  Tuesday evening my ears began to hurt.  I tried to translate Wednesday morning but with the pain it wasn’t possible.  I went to the doctor and was told that I have an infection.  I was giving medicine but over a week later I still have problems.  No pain but my ear fills stopped up, can’t hear well and it keeps popping.  I also was hit by malaria on Wednesday but I am feeling lots better now.

Last week, I traveled to Ghana to help participate in a Missions Conference and also pick up one of our pastors.  My good friend Steve Volante was having a missions conference.  It is amazing to see what God has done in this ministry.  I was told for years that the Africans couldn’t give to missions faithfully and then I met Bro. Steve.  Their churches have been giving faith promise for years.  5 years ago the Ghanian churches gave me a burden to teach missions in our churches here in Burkina Faso. It has been amazing to watch poor people give to missions because of their love for Christ.

We have a young man by the name of Dallas Brown.  He is from Victory Baptist Church in Loganville, Ga.  He will be with us for 6 months and he has already been a blessing.

I wanted to thank all of you who have prayed for the gift for Gilbert.  Praise the Lord, we have had enough gifts to buy him one.  Now we will have to figure out the best way to surprise him with it.

We will be having Duane Moore, Gary Crisp and his wife and Kellie Pearcy coming in two weeks.  In November we will have a medical team coming to treat people physically and we will give each one of them the Gospel also.  Please pray for these trips.