Burkina Faso Update

December 2007

 

Merry Christmas to Everyone,

It sure is cold in Bend. Snow on the ground. What a difference between Bend and Burkina.  Not only the weather, but the lifestyle.  I am still blown away by how much we have and how little the Africans live with. It is amazing to go into a supermarket like Safeway and see all that we can buy.  All the choices.   Too much-I think-sometimes.  All I know-have learned-is that it does not matter-it does not make you happy.

Only Jesus does that-knowing Him.  How does one live without loving Jesus?  I often wonder that....especially as I get older.

Well-the trip to Africa this last time went really well-Bark Wennam...thanks to God.  We built 19 churches and we built 19 houses for pastors.   I was planning on doing a few more churches, however, the last rainy season, many pastors lost their houses due to the heavy rain that hit one day.  I heard many would suffer during the Cold season  ( it is not cold to me) so, the Lord put on our hearts to help with some new houses .

We had lots of guests this last time.....8 ladies came from Calvary Chapel Grants Pass  to help with the ladies ministry in Daniel Delma's church.  And 2 young men came from Athey Creek Fellowship to help me.  What a big blessing they were. That seems to be a big part of our ministry....bringing together Americans and Burkinabe, so that they can encourage each other .  It is always amazing to me to see how it changes a person's life by the experience.   If the Lord puts it on your heart to do something, I know (from experience) that you better do it, and 10 people did it this last trip.

We are going again in February.  That is the main reason for my writing this letter.  We will go to teach in the new Wendpanga center.  It is a place that we are building to have pastors (50 come for 2 weeks at a time) and we will teach them....how to teach verse by verse through the Bible. It should be a great aid in their ministry.  This will be the first session.  It should change their lives and the lives of the many that they teach after leaving the school.

Please pray for that.

Also, I think we will be buying food.   The rainy season was very spotty.  Many are hungry and will not have enough to eat.   So, we will get to buy some grain for them.  Not much choice (like I have in Safeway)-only corn or millet or sorghum or rice.  That is about the end of the choice-however if they can have that they are thrilled.

I may get to build a couple of roofs-depends on the funds that come in.....

If you want to help with the food or the roofs or the teaching of the pastors, you can.

Send any donation, marked on the memo portion of your check with "Burkina Faso",(all the money we get goes directly to the ministry) to either:

Calvary Chapel Grants Pass

P.O. Box 2049

Grants Pass, Oregon  97528

or

Calvary Chapel Bend

P.O. Box 7318

Bend, Oregon 97708 

Thanks for all your support for our ministry-I am sure the Lord will bless you for all that you do for us. Especially thanks for the truck that Ernst Gunther/Johannes sent us.

Have a great Christmas.

Much love in Jesus,

Jan and Jerry Swanson 

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