Beloved partners in prayer,
It is with gratefulness that we share with you this latest news of 2022. By the grace of the Lord we came to the end of that 2022 year and started the new year of 2023. The year of 2022 has also not been without difficulties. As you have known for several years, our country has been facing recurrent terrorist attacks which have intensified throughout this year, resulting in two military coups in January and September 2022 ; more than two million people have fled their villages to take refuge in the big cities and more than six thousand schools have been closed under the threats of armed groups. In several villages the churches were closed, pastors were killed or kidnapped and those who were able to escape became refugees in other localities.
It has not been peaceful times, but so far God has kept us, God has protected us and we continue our ministry due to your prayers and your support. This is another opportunity for us to thank you for all that you did and are doing to follow us in the work. You were with us in this fight and it had encouraged us and allowed us to stand firm. We are very grateful to you. By the grace of the Lord and through your prayers, we have continued our ministry in Sakoula and Bigtogo by bearing witness to Christ through the various services and actions.
So in October, our primary school started the 2022-2023 school year with 241 pupils ; theaching by 7 teachers. We thank the Lord for the impact that this school is having more and more in the village ; the past exam results gave more confidence to the parents.
In November the church of Bigtogo had a week of evangelism, door to door, open air capaign and evangelism through football. Many teenagers and women are saved and regularly attend the weekly church meetings. It is encouraging to see that this church continues to gradually strengthen and grow numerically. Please continue to pray for Pastor Yonli who is in charge of this church, he will visit the USA in February to March 2023; May God open doors of support which can help to strengthen this ministry.
The church in Sakoula also continues its march and has carried out several actions.
On December 11, we organized an evening for the couples of the villages (Christians and non-Christians), on the theme “How to maintain the flame of conjugal love”; 35 couples took part to that meeting. In addition to teaching, we shared a meal together. It was a very good time of sharing which helped rekindle the flame of first love in the lives of many couples. One of the sons of the chief of Sakoula who took part with his wife testified that “it is the first time that he has heard a teaching on how a man and his wife can live as a couple”. Please, pray that what they heard will help them to live differently and that above all, their hearts will turn to Christ for their salvation.
On December 25th, we commemorated Christmas; It was a great moment, neighbors joined us and several children from displaced families who had come to the village; in addition to the adoration rendered to the Lord, we ended our worship with a fraternal meal.
The year ended on December 31 with our year end vigil. We had wonderful time to sang and glorified the Lord until 3:00 in the morning. Everywhere there was joy and songs of gratitude: “The Lord has done great things for us, we are happy…” could be heard everywhere!
Beloved in the Lord, this is an opportunity for us to thank you once again for your accompaniment, your prayers, your faithful support to our family and our ministry in Burkina Faso. We appreciate you; we love you with all our hearts, we are very grateful to you! May the Lord continue to richly bless you in the name of Jesus!
Prayers requested:
1) We ask you to continue to pray for us so that we will keep the torch of faith high despite the trials or dangers which could be facing. Pray that God keeps us healthy to serve him.
2) Pray for the visit of Pastor Yonli Kanfidini to the USA so that God blesses his stay and that he could be a encouragement channel for churches that he will visit.
3) Please, continue to pray for the payment of the taxes for our land in Bigtogo, so that the Lord provides the $ 6000.00 needed to cover it.
4) Thank you also for your pray for the need of women vocational center, we still look for God provision for $ 950.00 to achieve the construction of the shed, so that to give them a nice space of learning.
Remain richly blessed as you serve the Lord!
Happy New Year 2023!
Pastor LOMPO K. Robert and Naomi