Finally, I can write to you with the news that the construction work on our new school is finished! This morning we signed papers agreeing that the work was finished and that the work was good. I really am happy with the finished product.
Our classrooms are big and spacious with lots of airflow and are equipped with ceiling fans. When we are able to hook up to electricity, our students will be able to study in comfort.
We are thankful to the Lord for his help and guidance throughout the construction project. There were no accidents on the construction site and we have a good quality and beautiful new school building.
Here in Burkina, there is an official ceremony to open the school year and an official ceremony to close the school year. Our school held the closing ceremony for 2009-2010 on Tuesday, July 13th.
Top students from each class, our staff, and short-term volunteers. We are proud of the accomplishments of each of our students but in a land where often the girls are not sent to school, we are especially proud that 3 out of 4 of the top students in our school were girls!
The day started with prayer and a recap by grade of the success of the school year. Awards were given to the top five students in each of our four classes. Thank you gifts were give to each of our teachers and our director for the outstanding work that they did this year.
In the standardized testing that is held for the sixth graders, our school ranked first in our region. All of our students except one girl passed the exam. Each of our 6th graders who passed the exam received a new t-shirt. Each class received their own soccer ball to start the next school year with.
We ended our ceremony with a balloon game and by serving lunch to the children.
Here in Burkina, there is an official ceremony to open the school year and an official ceremony to close the school year. Our school held the closing ceremony for 2009-2010 on Tuesday, July 13th.
Top students from each class, our staff, and short-term volunteers. We are proud of the accomplishments of each of our students but in a land where often the girls are not sent to school, we are especially proud that 3 out of 4 of the top students in our school were girls!
The day started with prayer and a recap by grade of the success of the school year. Awards were given to the top five students in each of our four classes. Thank you gifts were give to each of our teachers and our director for the outstanding work that they did this year.
In the standardized testing that is held for the sixth graders, our school ranked first in our region. All of our students except one girl passed the exam. Each of our 6th graders who passed the exam received a new t-shirt. Each class received their own soccer ball to start the next school year with.
We ended our ceremony with a balloon game and by serving lunch to the children.
This past week some friends came for a visit and they came with hearts to bless our children. They were a group of 10, the Richter's, a missionary family living in a small town called Dana here in Burkina and the Massie's, a family visiting from Texas.
They came with hearts to serve, with paint and with painting supplies, replacement screens for the baby rooms, and new mattresses for the beds of some of our older children. They built a roost and nesting boxes in our chicken house and they finished the installation of our washer and dryer.
With Sarah and Lisa from Germany, Brittany, Miriah, and Jordan from Canada, and Hayley from the US. . . . and the Richter's and Massie's. . . . we were a working force that gave the orphanage a new and clean face.
Two of the dormitory rooms were painted, 2 cribs were painted, the 4 metal doors across the back of the dormitory were painted and the main gates entering the compound were painted!
Geoffrey and Chad checked and double checked the installation of the washer and dryer and then found that the problem with the dryer was that rats had got inside of it and had built nests. The rats and their nests were cleaned out and the dryer is now functioning properly.
Last but not least, the Richter and Massie boys built nesting boxes and a roost for our chickens. Finally, our chickens are beginning to lay eggs! Some of them are still young but a couple of them have started laying. With the comfort and security of their new environment, it is sure that they will all be laying soon and our children will have eggs to eat for breakfast!
Sponsorship Food Distribution – June 2010 This past week we held food distributions at our 5 distribution centers for our sponsored children. As usual, these were days of joy.
We talked with each child noting their end-of-school-year information in preparation for school registration for this Fall.
Each child made a special gift to send to their sponsor.
Each family took home a 200 lb sac of corn to carry them through these next few months until the harvest is ready.
A mother and her children waiting for the distribution to start.
Each distribution day is a day of great joy. It is good to see each of the children, to talk with their parents, and to get a report of how the children are doing in school. And it is a great joy to see the smiles of appreciation from the children and their care-takers for your gifts of food. care-takers.
We have wonderful news to report in that our Social Action worker was able to find an uncle in Harouna's father's family who wanted to take Harouna into his family as his own son. Through past mis-communication within the family, the uncle thought that Harouna was dead and when he heard that he was a thriving little 10 year old, he did not hesitate to invite him into his home.
We are thankful that the Lord used us to place Harouna with this loving family.
School Construction Update--
The construction of our new school is nearly complete. The workers are in the finish work stage and the building will be completely finished in the next 7 to 10 days.
The construction process has gone well. We have a very solid building which is also beautiful. We are praying over these new classrooms and the children and teachers who will make our school a center for learning.
Our School is Finished!! 
Our classrooms are big and spacious with lots of airflow and are equipped with ceiling fans. When we are able to hook up to electricity, our students will be able to study in comfort.
