Lewis - Burkina Faso - Mission Project

Yep thats what we are up to… we have spent a week in Ouagadougou buying things up for our house. Unfortunately nothing much second hand. So a fridge-freezer, a gas cooker, 1 double mattress, 1 single mattress, 1 baby’s bed, towels, mosquito nets for all, plates, knives and forks, saucepans, plastic drainer, big plastic bowl… just the bare necessities.

We also met up with quite a few of the people we had met in 2005 and were happy to see that everyone was in good health. As far as missionary’s are concerned quite a few are on home assignment and those who were on home assignment in 2005 are now back so there have been a lot of new faces to remember names for.

I, Mark, have spent some time with SIM director in Ouagadougou talking about and planning future ministry. We agreed that a ‘Etat des Lieux’ of the Christian Youth work in East Burkina done by EESIM and other churches would be a good starting point. I need to further discuss this with the President of the EESIM churches and others as this could still change depending on the needs and the extra input.

We hope to have gathered all our things in Fada N’Gourma before the end of the week. We will be traveling with some of it and then as others come our way they will bring what they can. Our house has a problem with the electricity and with the water (some kind of pump to increase the water pressure in the house is not working). More importantly there seems to be some sort of problem with the contract: apparently the actual landlord was not the one who signed the paper work and so… well we will see. We will be spending some time at the guest house on the mission base in Fada. (Testing it for anyone who would like to come out and see us!)

So that is that really we are all in good health apart from some heat rash on Anaëlle and Joshua.

Yamaha-V80-Dame

Could this be our next mode of transportation? We are told we will certainly need a way of getting around as walking is only OK for short distances and cycling in the heat is so so…

The Yamaha V80 Dame is probably the most wide spread and versatile moped [scooter] in West Africa. New it’s worth about 1 300 000 CFA [almost 2000€]. Although for the four of us it does mean repeated round trips or possibly buying two of them… and then we could get a much cheaper “Chinoiserie” - impressive counterfeit much less reliable look alike.

…but hey wait the price of two of these is equivalent to a small second hand [clapped out but working] town car. …and add another million or two CFA and you can find a [clapped out but working] 4x4.

Right now we will probably go with the Yam Dame and if once joining the ministry with Youth gets off the ground we will assess whether we could use a car, a 4X4 or whatever…

Back to the think tank and prayer mat… there is no rush

Here we are in Burkina Faso. Our flight got in on time 18:30 - Air-France KLM [Charles de Gaulle France via Niambé Niger terminus Ouagadougou Burkina Faso]. We were met by the local SIM mission director. Carine spent a little while at the “bureau des réclamations” as our Land Rover pushchair had suffered some damage on the flight. We then settled the porters fee (5000 cfa - 500 for each piece of luggage) and made our way back to the SIM BF HQ.

Whew! although our stress levels are still quite high from the packing and moving we have made it to West Africa. Well done to anyone who has done packing and moving abroad before us - We realise now that is is quick to take for granted [mae culpa]

After much family debate. The BEX has to go [Registration: 837 BEX 38].
-There are now 4 people in our family and the BEX is a 3 seater.
-It would cost €1000+ to ship or drive to BF and €1000+ to register in BF.
-My Father in law doesn’t really want the BEX kicking around his garden for the next 2 years.

Although there are many reasons I could find to keep the LR 109 - well I guess she just has to go. Praise God just before we left for BF I was able to meet and take a couple of potential buyers on a test drive. I think the second person may just be the next owner. Good for him - may he have many happy years driving and repairing the old lady.

Grenoble sky - hole in clouds

In these rather hectic days of packing and organizing and packing a little more things become quite stressful. And so I recall a sermon I once heard about Gods glory and heaven.

Even though we are often walking around under a cloud of worldly gloominess we must remember that above and around God’s Glory shines and radiates. God is full of love and blessing.

This photo of a hole in the clouds makes me smile as I remember to look further than all I can see and accept by faith that things do not stop at what I can see. God is there waiting for us to enter into a relationship with him, today once again. Despite our gloominess he is there the same God full of Glory.