Nearly a Ton of Milk!

How much milk does it take to feed 20 babies? Well, it takes a lot of milk!

But, after waiting for over 3 months and after receiving many, many generous gifts just for milk, we received a shipment today of almost a ton of milk!

Through the help of a local association of orphanages that we belong to, we were able to buy milk from France at a greatly reduced price. The milk is a very good quality and we were able to buy it for about half of what we normally pay here in Burkina.

The container came over land and it was delayed in Mali for almost 6 weeks. And, wouldn’t you know that we ran out of milk about 6 weeks ago? But, we bought milk locally case by case and received the call yesterday to go to Ouaga and pick up our milk.

Thank you, Lord, for safely bringing the container all the way to Ouagadougou!

Thanks to each of you who so faithfully give to help us with milk and with every facet of our needs here at the orphanage.

And, a special thanks to Yako-Trieves, friends from France, who contributed 1000 euros worth of milk!

We have estimated that a ton of milk will last us for 5 to 6 months. What a relief!

Two Little Angels--

This is Mariam.

This is Madina.

This past week, we took in two little girls, Mariam and Madina, into the orphanage. These little girls are sisters, probably half sisters. They have the same mother but probably have different fathers.

Mariam is about 3 years old and Madina is about 18 months. Their mother is not well mentally and the mother and girls were living on the street and roaming from time to time in the bush. Social Services has taken the children from the mother and asked us to care for them.

To complicate an already complicated story, the day that the social worker brought the girls to us, their mother gave birth to another baby.

Please pray for Mariam and Madina and also the newborn baby. Pending their home study and paperwork, these children will probably be available for adoption.

Also, these precious children need sponsors. If you would like to take one of them into your heart, please send me a note.

Little Ones Needing Forever Families

Will you please help us to spread the word about these precious special needs children needing families?

Sylvain is 4 years old. He does not see well and the specialists here cannot give a clear diagnosis. He sees well enough to run and play with the other children but even with glasses he has trouble seeing close up. Specialists here say that he will need to learn to read using Braille.

Sylvain was abandoned at a young age and he is ready for a loving family.

Olivia is about 5 years old now (2012). She was abandoned as an infant and is being cared for in an orphanage.

Olivia smiles and interacts a little bit with her caretakers and the other children. She cannot sit up on her own and requires total care.

Her diagnosis is not clear but my unspecialized opinion is that she is suffering from a rather serious case of cerebral palsy.

Djimila was born in January, 2011. Her mother was very young, just 17 years old when Djimila was born. The mother tried to kill Djimia two times. With help and advice from family and friends, the mother brought her to social services where she signed papers giving Djimila up for adoption.

Djimila’s left leg has been amputated just above the knee because of severe infection that threatened her life. She is developmentally behind for her age. At this time, it is not known whether this is because of her rough few months of life or whether there is the possibility of mild cerebral palsy.

Jude was born in October, 2011. He was conceived outside of marriage. His mother was already married to another man and could not bring him into the home. And, his father would not take responsibility for him.

So, Jude was placed in an orphanage. Jude looks to be a very healthy little baby, but pending a second blood test, he may have sickle cell anemia.

And the Walls Keep Going Up!

Just a couple of pictures for you of the continuing progress on the construction of our new school building.

The roofing has been delivered. Our quality control guy verified that the quality of the metal roofing is good and is what was specified in the estimate.

We will be holding 3 new classes in this building this school year. We will be moving our 5th and 6th grade classes to the new building. And, adding a 9th grade to our existing secondary school of 7th and 8th grades.

A Garden for the Orphanage

Burkina Faso has just two seasons, a rainy season and a dry season. When it is the rainy season, it is very, very wet. And, when it is the dry season, it is very, very dry.

We are now in the rainy season. The rains have been really late in starting this year but in the past 10 days, the rains have been plentiful and consistent.

One of the short-term missionaries here with us for one month is Cassidy Maples. Cassidy is in her senior year at College of the Ozarks where she is majoring in horticulture.

Cassidy and several of our primary school children started a garden last week and already corn, lettuce and cucumbers are starting to come up. Cassidy and the children tilled the land using a daba, a short-handled hoe-like tool which is the primary tool used in farming here in Burkina.

Our children are very engaged in the project. They come and check the garden each day. They water it by drawing water from our surface hand-dug well. And, sometimes it looks like they are just watching to see if they can see the plants growing.

Thank you Cassidy for starting this garden with our children! We can’t wait to see the fruit of your work.

New Tyke Bikes

We recently received a very thoughtful gift of 6 toddler riding toys and 2 toddler tricycles from Sarah Oeder. Sarah was a short-term missionary who worked with us for one year and is returning to Burkina for her third time this summer.


This past week we scrubbed and washed the bikes and this morning pulled them out so that our toddlers could play with them. Our children ranged from 18 months to 3 ½ years and they were each delighted with this new experience.


Almost everyone started out by going backwards but one by one they figured out how to make them go forward. And, it didn’t take long to find out how much fun it is to ‘bump’ into your neighbor.


Thank you so much, Sarah. We can’t wait for your visit!

Visit from one of our sponsors--

One of our great joys here in Yako is introducing sponsors to their precious children. Today was one of those days of great joy.

Linda Wilk has sponsored two of the children in our orphanage since 2005 and today she met her children face-to-face. Linda said that although this was the first time to meet them, it was as though she already knew them through their letters, pictures, and exchanges.

Barka had prepared a meal of spaghetti and grilled chicken for Linda. The food was well prepared and very tasty. Barka’s mother, two of her brothers, and her mother’s sister-wife were all there to greet us.

Barka just finished the 10^th grade and passed the BEPC, the standardized test which allows her to continue to 11^th grade. We are very proud of Barka.

Alexis was ready and waiting for us when we arrived in his village. Alexis is a very quiet and shy boy but there was a twinkle in his eye that showed he was so pleased to meet Linda.

Alexis just completed the 8^th grade with a very good mark of 12,75 out of a possible 20. He will be entering the 9^th grade this Fall.

So much to tell you about--

Sometimes, the phrase ‘time flies’ does not really express how quickly days and weeks can pass by! After having spent 2 wonderful months in the US, I am now back in my African home. And, with not even being home for one week, I have traveled over 1200+ kilometers roundtrip, almost to the border of Burkina and Niger, to visit a handicap center and school and am now just settling into our home in Yako.

For a couple of years now we have been sending a little blind boy, Herman, to this school as well as two deaf children, Karim and Yemba. Herman is very, very smart and will be entering the 3^rd grade this Fall. Karim and Yemba are struggling in their studies but they are well and they work hard at school. Here is a picture of Herman reading Braille.

Today we received a special visit from a friend, Jon, who is here in BF holding some international training sessions. Jon brought us a huge suitcase full of school supplies and backpacks. These gifts were the initiative of some young boys, friends of Jon, who live in Germany.

How interesting and fun it is to see the Lord inspiring children to give to children. Thank you, Sandra, for raising your children to have giving hearts and thank you also to all of the children in your school who gave to our children.

Building the Wall--

In 2010 we acquired a 6-acre piece of land located just a little outside of Yako about 1 1/2 miles from the orphanage. This land is being used to build our school complex.

The current building and the construction that is going on right now is for middle and high school classrooms. Eventually, the vision for the land includes primary school classrooms, an administrative building, a sports field, and housing units for teachers and our principals. The surface of the land covers 6 acres.

In Burkina, walls are needed to define your property but also as a deterrent against theft.
Would you like to help? We need help in funding the wall AND we are looking for short-term teams to visit Yako and to build the wall.

If you would like to 'buy a brick' please click on 'give online' at the right, scroll down to the Buy a Brick section and fill in the amount that you would like to give.

Thanks so much for helping our children and for helping us to protect what the Lord has given to us!

A Tea Party

When you consider the power of a 7-year old. . . . well, she can accomplish a lot. But, combine that power and energy with a second little 7-year old, just look what happens.

Emily and Ali are best friends and they decided that they wanted to do something to help our orphans in Burkina. So, they formed the idea of having a ‘tea party’ and inviting their friends and their friends’ moms to come for an afternoon of fun and fellowship.

Well, somehow the idea grew and grew until many people were involved and as a result, these little girls raised over $2000 plus are sending 100 dolls and 70 soccer balls to our children in Burkina.

What a blessing these toys will be to our children! And what a blessing it is to see the Lord sewing his seeds of love in these little missionary hearts. Jesus hears the children when they pray and we cherish your prayers.

Thank you Emily and Ali! And thanks to all of the moms and friends in Benton, KY who helped to make this ‘little idea’ such a huge success.

A New School Building!

It is with great joy that I write to tell you that we broke ground on the construction of a new school building! This building is the largest school building that we have ever built and it will hold 4 classrooms. It is exactly twice the size of our current 2-classroom secondary school building.

This first picture is the contractor, the quality control specialist, myself, and the director of our primary school in a site meeting to sign papers.

Digging the foundation--

There is much to do to be ready for ‘Back to School’ 2012-2013. We will need to have more desks made, order books, hire teachers, etc. But, we are so excited to be growing again and we are so thankful for each of you who have labored together with us in prayer and in your financial support to make this possible. Thank you and may the Lord richly bless you!

Is There a Family for Marie?

Ten year old Marie has been lost in the Social Services system. Because she is an albino, she has suffered physically and has faced much rejection. Her mother abandoned Marie with her maternal grandmother who was unable to care for her and she became malnourished. At a young age, Marie was placed first in a center for malnourished children and then in the orphanage where she remains today.
In all this time no one in her extended family has ever visited Marie, let alone come forward to care for her. As a result of all investigations, it is because of prejudice that the family has rejected Marie.

Marie is currently still in the second grade at school. She cannot see well enough to do the work and there is no program in place to help her succeed. Although some effort has been made to correct and to protect her eyes, the care available here is not adequate for her needs. She also suffers greatly due to the harsh African sun.
Marie responds to affection but is guarded as though she has become accustomed to rejection. She has a quiet spirit, yet is friendly and has a sweet smile.

Sammy – Just Waiting for a home --

Sammy is nine years old. She is the product of a teen-age affair between her young mother and a transient construction worker father.

When Sammy was just an infant, her mother died of malaria. An elderly grandmother cared for Sammy for a short time, but the grandmother did not have the strength or the means to care for an infant and sought help from the government social services. Sammy was placed in an orphanage.

Sammy suffers from a slight paralysis of her right arm and leg. She walks well but cannot walk long distances and cannot run. She can use her right arm and hand but not completely normally.

Sammy is friendly and affectionate. She is currently in the 5th grade which is very advanced for her age.

Sweet little Benjie, available for adoption --

Benjie is 2 1/2 years old. She was found by a street vendor when her cries were heard from an abandoned house. Her mother and father are unknown.

With the help of physical therapy, Benjie now walks but with a limp. Her right arm is shorter than her left arm and her right hand is smaller than normal. She can use her fingers and right hand and with more advanced physical therapy her hand may become more useful. In every other way her development is normal.

Benjie is bright and engaging and loves to play with the other children in the orphanage. She is affectionate and loving.

Please pass Benjie’s story and picture along to any of your friends who are thinking or praying about adopting a little girl.