A great friend of ours and to the ministry here wrote this report after his trips here as a way to raise awareness and support for us here in Burkina.  Here it is as he sent it to me.

Thanks John!

Burkina Faso, West Africa

Background and Mission Outreach

Burkina Faso is known to be one of the poorest countries in the world. Approximately 80-90% of the 13.2M people, in Burkina Faso live in grass or mud hut villages. Days in the hot season easily surpass 120+ degrees and water is a scarce resource due to these hot conditions. Due to the lack of resources it is incredibly difficult for these people to advance in a modern world. In fact if you traveled to these parts of the sub Sahara you would realize that nearly 2,000 years have past and practically nothing has changed.
The main purpose of all of these projects is to build relationships, improve lives, earn trust and share the gospel. After laying his pure life down for us, all Jesus asks us to do is love one another and share the gospel. Whether a person accepts Christ as a result of these relationships is not up to us; however with every project, their lives are vastly improved and the message of Jesus becomes transparent. Directly partner with any of these ministries:  Contact Joel at : Joel@hayslips.com.

Ouaga School

Pastor Joseph’s passion for children is unparalleled to any person I have ever had met. He is truly a ‘pied piper’ of children. Joseph started a small Christian school in Ouaga, and he and Joel have  a vision to expand it to reach more children. While this school is in early stages of development, it has become far better then the government based education. In fact, there is a long waiting list of Muslim parents who are willing to send their children to a Christian school and learn about Jesus in order to give their child a better future. These children make up 75% of the students. The other 25% are orphans, who have little to no opportunity for education where extra support is needed. Currently they are trying to improve the facilities and expand, but it’s hard without enough teachers, electricity, books, and school supplies. This is where they need help.

•    Prayer needs: Many of the parents have been unable/unwilling to pay for their child’s school - pray for financing.  Also, we would like to build new facilities - please pray that we are quickly granted new ground.
•    School fees (books & teacher cost) for 1 orphan per year- $30 per child, train children’s pastor- $100
•    Wiring for electricity- $500, Kits (books for reading/writing/ coloring, pens, markers, etc.)- $20 per child: 116 needed

Kids of Hope

Kate leads this  program specifically for the Fulani beggar boys. These orphans are sent into the Ouaga streets each day to beg for money. If the boy doesn’t bring back enough money, they don’t eat. According to the Koran, this is meant to teach them humility and obedience. Each Saturday they play organized games, learn about Jesus via skit and a craft, fed, taught hygiene, given minor medical attention and most importantly, loved. The missionaries saw an extended need for these boys. So, a Mon- Fri program feeds the boys and teaches them how to read and write French, as opposed to their tribal language. Many of these kids aged 10-12 didn’t even know how to hold a pencil. Learning French gives them an opportunity at life and this is why these kids voluntarily attend to show up. It’s also why the Muslim orphanage head permits them to attend.

•    Prayer needs: 3 Fulani boys recently decided to follow Christ!  Please pray that they will be safe and courageous as persecution begins.
•    Cost per child per week $6
•    Cost for teacher per week $20

Leba Village

This project, led up by Joel Hayslip and Pastor Danny, directly targets improving the lives of Mossi and Fulani people in the villages. Improving lives can come from two main facets; giving and teaching. Giving in a sense of livestock and clothes help them in the present. Money given has gone towards building wells, buying livestock, planting mango trees. Water has brought bees to make honey. Honey or livestock can be sold or eaten during famine times (Apr –May) for food. Once the people begin to understand how these improvements have helped them, the missionaries begin to earn their trust. This enables them to teach them cultivation of the land and other trades which last a lifetime. Women shown in the picture are learning how to weave cloth and sew. Machines for 30 women were purchased; 120 women showed up. Some walked 20-37 miles in the heat multiple times in 100+ heat in order to learn. Why? Because, it is giving them hope and a sense of self worth, which combats the dark clouds of depression. All of this relationship building allows them to share the Gospel.

•    Prayer needs: good training for mission programs, establishing house of prayer
•    Equipment: sewing machine- $150, weaver- $90, instructor to teach women- $50
•    Livestock- goat- $22, mutton- $30, young cow, $150, chicken- $3

Leba School

So far this one room near Leba is filled with 74 first grade students. If you notice in the picture, most are between the ages of 6-8, but in the back of the classroom there are many 10-12 year olds. Until now, they have never had the opportunity to go to school because one never existed in their 50 square mile area. This school is 100% funded by the missionaries led by Pastor Danny. Much like the Ouaga school, they are trying to expand it. Grade 2 is currently being built and the goal is to build a classroom for grades 2-6. This requires raising money for building supplies, books, and to support a teacher.

•    Prayer needs: Funding to build 4 more classrooms, schooling for Danny’s children
•    Cement- $13 a bag, cart of sand- $5, labor for bricks for 1 classroom- $45
•    Iron roofing sheet- $9, wood for roof- $8, cost for 1 teacher per month- $50