"GO - into all the world - and make disciples, immersing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and teaching them ALL things, whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo, I will be with you always, until the end of the ages." (Matt.28:19-20)
JEFF'S JOURNAL
SPIES FOR CHRIST: Spiritual Safari To Ouagadougou, Capital of Burkina Faso.
"Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying, "Send out for yourself men so that they may spy out the land of Canaan, which I am going to give to the sons of Israel.."
(July 4th - July 9th.) Obeying our Commander-&-Chief's prime directive took Sherrie and I, Jeremiah and Brittney, Brian Harris (a volunteer and RBC grad from North Carolina ), and Bruno and Timothy Afakule (from Togo) to one of the most remote capital cities in the world. Situated in the midst of the Sahel, on the edge of the vast Sahara desert, this must be one of the poorest places on earth. Per capita is only $1300 per year! (The average yearly wages for America is about $39,000 per year. It is 145th poorest out of 147 nations, according to a UN scale.) This trip was for scouting, surveying, and "spying" out the land. Here are some highlights and headlines of this "spying safari":
First, the poverty of Burkina was depressing. After recently being in India in May, and even compared to Ghana, the low level of development was depressing to the soul. Garbage, flies, mosquito squadrons, urine smell everywhere, uncompleted buildings, and everywhere, children begging. Also, very little evidence of any type of Christian religious expression, such a signs for church buildings. Open pornography on the TV, gambling and much smoking and drinking around the hotels, and prostitutes giving and getting AIDS. There is even the Avian Virus in Burkina. All of this reminds me of the great need for the renewal of the Holy Spirit in the inner man, and a constant focus on Christ in glory, and a spiritual agenda for such people.
Second, we were also somewhat shocked at how much money it takes to get from Ghana to Burkina. This is important information, since Brittney and Jeremiah, if they decide to go there, would be looking to us for encouragement and oversight. So trips between Burkina and Ghana would be important. (Plus our grandchildren would be living there!) We seriously tried to keep to our budget, but corrupt West African officials have many webs to catch their unsuspecting prey:
a. Visas- each of us = $50.00 x 5, $250.00
b. International driver's license & vehicle permit = $210.00
c. International insurance policy for our van = $205.00
In addition, there were these costs:
Gasoline - $4.20 per gallon at over $100 x 3 full tanks = $330 Broken muffler (from bad roads) = $50.00 (wielding)
Hotels - 3 rooms for 5 nights for 7 of us = $450
Food - 3 meals per day x 7 people + 5 days, at approx.$3.50 = appox. $365
Drinks, snacks, road fees and various other miscellaneous costs also came up, like tips, batteries. (Approx. $100)
Total costs of spying out the land, including the costs of getting all the paperwork done, which included photos and transport costs for our man in Accra, Adolph, easily totaled $2200.
I write this to show how much it costs to startup new work in a isolated, difficult part of the world. The question is, can it be done cheaply? Can the dictates of safety, prudence and wisdom be met, without being paranoid or wasteful? This is difficult to know, without first going in and spying out the land. Ignorance can only be dispelled by investigation and study - or learning by trial and error. But I can say, after 25 years of mission work, that we will not win the world on the cheap side. It takes much mutual sacrifice. My wife, Jeremiah, Brittney (who is pregnant) and I were all struck with times of illnesses during this exhausting trip. I drove over 23 hours on very dangerous African roads. (A policeman in Bolgatanga told me that armed robbers were operating in the daytime on the Tamale-Bolgatanga road, on which we had to travel. And in Burkina, we went through bush country where elephants still cross the roads and armed robbers operate on in the night-time. We did see a wild monkey, but he wasn't armed and he didn't try to hold us up. Ha!)
We also discovered:
- French is essential in Burkina, which was a French colony.
- Islam is growing. Now at 52 %
- Outdoor preaching and operating Christian schools is feasible, but more investigation needed.
- Housing is available in the capital city. $300 - $500 mthly. rent will get a very nice place.
- Food is very expensive. All is trucked in or flown from France.
- There is very little outward show of Christianity.
Please keep us all in prayers, that we may now plan how to best bring the gospel into this land of 13 million poor, lost souls, and especially get Christian school started there to raise up great leaders. Please especially pray for Jeremiah and Brittney Hostetter to decide where the Lord would have them go. They are willing to go wherever the Lord leads, and are still seriously contemplating going to Burkina. It will take several years to get geared up and get there if they so decide.
Back to Bolgatang and Onward Home to Kumasi
This is the regional capital nearest the Burkina border. We have several congregations in this area, where Abraham is the sole evangelist. Since James bombed out of the ministry of preaching, much responsiblity has fallen on his shoulders. Some of the guys preaching now are not doctrinally sound. So I was glad to get to spend time with Abraham. We showed half of Gibson's Passion film outdoors (in very muggy,hot weather) at the school block where the saints assemble on Wednesday night. (July 5th). Brian and Jeremiah also both preached first. When we returned on Saturday, we finished it.. What an impact it made! People wept, and all hearts were softened. At least 100 people viewed it on Saturday night.
Sunday morning, I took Brian and Bruno with me very early for hiking up stony mountains, then we met with the saints, where I preached twice, Brian shared a testimony, and Jeremiah did the Lord's Supper devotion during a rain storm on the school room's aluminum roof.(Noisy!) BCA grad Augustine, who is starting an animal rearing, butchering business in the area and Kumasi, translated for me into Twi, then another man translated into the local Frafra language. I was able to give them some sound doctrinal teaching on the Holy Spirit and the proper names for leaders.
Finishing up, we jetted out of there to try and make the p.m assembly back at Christ's church in Kumasi, over 400 km away. To no avail! Bad roads coming into the city stopped us cold, and we didn't get in until 8:20 p.m, after 7 hours straight of driving. But it was good to be back on our own beds and be home again, safely. Thanks for all of your prayers for us. What a great accomplishment, to get there and back, and all praise goes to our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Christ for the Burkinabes as soon as possible!
Awards Night Flashback
Before leaving for Burkina, we held our 11 Awards Night for Bomso Christian Academy (BCA). It was outdoors, on a splendid tropical evening - no tropical thundershowers this time - and all the children presented excellent recitations, songs and skits. Jeremiah had produced, directed and filmed a movie with the older students entitled: Last Man Buried, about a one world, anti-Christian government's hunting down the last man to get immersed into Christ and murdering him. Quite thought provoking and well done, in this proud papa's opinion. Stephen Icenogle gave us a last speech, about loving our children, a very strong and timely exhortation. He and his family are permanently heading back to Montana August 7th to preach there. Please keep them in your prayers. All in all, the night was wonderful, and we were all very grateful to finish another nine months of Christian education. Truly God is raising up spiritual revolutionaries who will change the world one person at a time.
NEW ARRIVALS!!!!!!
Speaking of spiritual revolutionaries, a special joy at the Awards Night was knowing that three of the older students were now Christians. Since I already mentioned Eric in my last report, I now also get to report immersing Richard Sarpong, from the nearby town of Atia and Lucy Asyirwa, into Christ just a few days before the Awards Night. Both are BCA classmates. By the way, Richard was a star in Jeremiah's movie, Last Man Buried, immersing the last man into Christ in a jungle river and then getting shot by government "anti-intolerant" agents. How exciting and thrilling to participate in the salvation of these well-trained young people.
Summer Travels
On July 25th, Sherrie and I will be re-crossing the Big Pond (Atlantic Ocean) to criss-cross America for missionary presentations and preaching opportunities. We'll be gone for nearly two months, until September 19th. The results from making these trips are always outstanding. For instance, we have one young man, Brent Sears, coming from Missouri to serve the Lord here this next school year, due to our last trip. He will be a big help in tutoring math. We also have other prospective volunteers coming from Chicago soon, God willing, named Jennifer and Melissa. Keep them in your prayers as they plan and pray about it. One lady who visited us last year is willing to help sponsor them to come, if they are willing. Exciting stuff!
We much appreciate your special extra help that makes such trips possible. One church in Indiana just wrote offering to help defray some of our travel expenses. This is a tremendous offer. We must continue to pay all of our normal bills, so this kind of help makes a huge difference. And this congregation only has about 30 members!
After 23 years as missionaries in Ghana, Sherrie and I enjoy sharing our experience and expertise and in helping raise up many more full-time workers for Christ's cause. Thanks for you continual prayers and financial help so that we can do this. Many, many disciples will surely be won to Christ by our mutual efforts. Your special sacrificial gifts and constant prayers are not in vain! Let us keep it up, from Ouagadougou to Kerala, India, until we can all truly shout, because we have finished the task of going to all the nations: “MARANATHA, COME, LORD JESUS!"
In Christ's true love,
Jeff & Sherrie Hostetter
Please feel free to call or contact us: Ghana telephone: O11-233-5126878