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.

And Babies Go. . .

It is always bitter-sweet but two of our little ones returned to their families this week.

Little Paco, a little sweetheart who we have loved and taken care of for the last 12 months returned to her family this week.  Bye bye Paco!  We are happy for you!

And, sweet little Raadmogo returned to his family this week.  Love and blessings to you and your family!

Babies Come . . .

There are new babies at the orphanage again!

Please meet:

Little Aziz who came to us when he was a month old. His mother died and there was no one able to care for him.

He will stay with us for 12 months when he will re-integrate back into his family.

Aziz is very healthy. He loves to eat, sleep and be held.

Dieudonne was found abandoned at the approximate age of one month. It is unknown who his parents are.

It is possible that Dieudonne will be available for adoption if no family is found. For now we will love him and care for him.

Harouna’s mother is not well mentally. Extended family brought him to our gates asking for help when he was only 3 days old. At that time he had not eaten anything since he was born.

Harouna was very dehydrated and in failure to thrive when he arrived. He was given bottles every hour on the hour. He is now eating very well and is gaining weight. He is a little fighter.

There is no one in Harouna’s family willing to take care of him. After a year in our care he may become available for adoption.

Bassirou and Bassiratou (boy and girl) are just one month old and their mother just died. There is no one in the family to care for them right now so we will care for them for 12 months and until they are off of the bottle and are eating table food. At that time, their father will return for them and they will re-integrate into their family.

New Names Written in Heaven

As a part of our Widows Basket Program, each month we make a pastoral call to each of our sponsored widows. We bring them a basket of food and take a few minutes to talk with them and to pray with them.

Usually, this is a rather routine visit where the usual prayer requests are for the heat (or for the cold), for the aches and pains of old age, etc. But, this past Saturday God had prepared two very special hearts and when we asked them whether they wanted to ask Jesus into their hearts, they said ‘yes’.

Our local worker, Wenesou, then talked to them about the love of our Father in giving us His Son Jesus, and then Wenesou taught them how to pray. Such love! Such joy! Our God is so good!

Both of these ladies are named Lizetta. They have different family names but share the same first name.

One little Lizetta is not very mobile in that she can barely walk and is nearly blind. We will pass by her house from time to time to see that she is growing in her new faith.

The other little Lizetta is fairly mobile and she has expressed a desire to come to church. We will follow through with her also to see that she is able to get to church and that she is receiving spiritual food as well as natural food.

Please pray for these two new believers and also for the grandchildren that are under their care.

If you have thought about sponsoring a widow, please contact me or Sheltering Wings and we will gladly introduce you to a sweet woman who is in need of some help.

Another Forever Family!

This week we had the wonderful privilege of introducing our little Astride to her new parents. Astride is a delightful little 2 year old who has been with us since she was just a few days old.

As a newborn, Astride was found crying in the middle of the night outside of a family courtyard. She was placed in our orphanage while we waited for the processing of her adoption.

Saying goodbye to our little ones can be bitter-sweet but knowing the loving home that God has given to Astride and knowing that God has a great plan for her and her Forever Family takes away all of the sadness.

We love you, Astride, and will be praying for you and your family!