Burkina Faso – Prayer Update from the Rishel Family
A Christian School for Bobo:
As we worked in the city of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, West Africa as church planting missionaries, we began to see the sad state of many schools there. Education is not free here in Burkina. Even public schools, which are limited, cost yearly tuition. Therefore, starting schools has become a big business.Sadly instead of being focused on providing a quality education, many schools just focus on making as much money as possible. They will cram as many students as possible into a room with a teacher who is often unqualified. We have heard of over 100 students in a classroom with a single teacher! The education and future of the children are rarely considered.
The sad future that faced many children here was a burden on our hearts, but we did not know what we could do to address this problem. Then, God began to open doors that would allow us to start laying the groundwork to start a Christian school in the city of Bobo-Dioulasso. Approximately two years ago, he brought a man into one of our churches named Augustin. Augustin has been growing a lot in his faith. He has become a vital part of the church and ministry here as he has been studying in the Bible Institute. He has a lot of experience with the education system here and knows how it runs. By working together with him, we have been able to put together a plan to establish a school that will not only be able to glorify and preach Christ, but, Lord willing, will be able to offer an exceptional education that will prepare the students for a brighter future.
This school does not represent a shift in our ministry of planting churches, but rather will serve as a tool to strengthen the churches and see more accomplished for Christ! Even though Burkina is a Muslim majority country, the law allows us to start an openly Christian school where Christ can be preached and taught. From the very beginning, the school will be centered on the Gospel of Christ. Our goal is to use education as a tool to reach many children, especially Muslim children, with the Gospel. Many Muslim families will not hesitate to send their children to our school if they believe it will help them have a more prosperous future. Through chapel services, evangelistic events, and interactions with their teachers, these students will be constantly taught the truths of God’s word. Our desire is not just to help these children have a better future but to have a changed life through the blood of Christ. As we reach these children, and then their families, God will allow us to truly make a difference that will count for eternity.
This school will also serve as a tool to strengthen the children that are already in the church. The children of the members of our church will be able to come to the school for a discounted price, which will help them have a better education and future then they would otherwise receIve. This will allow some of them to be better prepared as they continue their studies in the Bible Institute. It will also allow others to seek out good careers in the world and better support and serve in their church. For our churches to continue strong and impact their communities, we need both strong pastors and strong church members that will work together for the glory of God!
In a country that is 48% under the age of 15, this school presents an exciting opportunity to reach children with the Gospel and strengthen the next generation of believers! Next week, we will share with you different ways that you can get involved in seeing this school become a reality in reaching the country of Burkina Faso.
Jason and Charity Rishel
[email protected]
Faith International Partners
Dear FIPartners,
THANK YOU for your faithful support of our FIP indigenous church-planters across Cambodia, India, Myanmar and northern Viet Nam. Thanks to your prayers and generous support our 133 men were blessed of God to have evangelized in 449 villages, plant 149 new House-Churches and/or Home Bible Studies, witness 1,321 Professions of faith and baptize 737 new converts! Please follow the Dropbox Link below to access the most exhaustive set of Quarterly Written Reports, accompanying Ministry Pictures and reports of four 5-day Bible Camping Evangelism Outreaches and seven “Food Crisis” distribution reports. There are many pictures and personal testimonies of salvation and gratitude included. Be sure to watch for YOUR NAME in these various reports and the portion of your contribution that went to one or more of these.
INDIA and I QUARTER 2023 and NEEDS IN MYANMAR ITEMIZED
INDIA: FIP National Director of India Pastor Sudhir Mondithoka’s Mulit-Purpose 4-Story Church Building and “Training Center” in Hyderabad: $50,000 to $70,000 is needed to “Complete” the building started with his own resources and a little help from a few other Baptist Churches he is acquainted with here in the US of A from about 30 years ago when he was here attending Bible College. I have been putting off helping him since I first visited the vacant lot in 2014 because of needing to raise monthly support for so many more men in India, Cambodia, Myanmar and Viet Nam, PLUS all of the “special Evangelism Project Needs” and now the “Food Crisis” needs in Myanmar since COVID and now due to the military coup February 1st, 2021 which has turned into a Civil War. PLEASE Prayerfully consider helping FIP and Bro. Sudhir finish this much needed building. You might consider asking your church to promote a special “Thanksgiving Offering” or “Birthday Gift for Jesus” toward the project. My “Sending Church” has just given $10,000 toward its completion plus we were able to channel another $9,000+ discretionary funds toward the project as well. So that reduces the remaining estimate to $30,000 to $50,000. (WHAT WOULD IT COST HERE IN THE US OF A?!!!) Inside the same Dropbox Link is a folder contain MUCH detailed information and dozens of pictures of the on-going construction project. Please feel free to ask us any questions you may have about the project. Attached below are a few pictures of the building progress. Also Attached are the current needs in Myanmar for “Food Crisis” brought on by more villages being bombed and several homes burned with MANY ransacked by the military after the people have fled to the jungles in fear of their lives. Several thousand dollars have already come in to help with those needs as well but the needs are so overwhelmingly great. Our men ALWAYS present the gospel EVERYTIME food is given out one family at a time or in larger groups and this practical show of genuine Christian Love has resulted in MANY trusting Christ as Savior. Please pray that God continues to meet the need and bring MANY MORE destitute people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Blessed to be your Partner in Ministry,
Benjamin R. Bounds,
Founder/Director
Faith International Partners, Inc.
[email protected]
Garcia Family – Honduras
We hope that God blessed your month of July as much as He did ours. Both of our girls seem to be growing up so fast. It is amazing how much Rosie has grown in the month and half she has been with us; she stares at everything and everyone with wide-eyed wonder.
Sofia is learning so much; yesterday she counted out five of something, she prays for breakfast every morning, and she loves learning new songs about Jesus and the Bible, though I think she mixes up the stories about the wise men who brought gifts to Jesus and the wise man who built his house upon the rock. Last week I took her out to find new shoes and socks. In the States, I suppose that would mean just going to Walmart or some clothing store, but shopping for shoes looks different here in Honduras. We went downtown where they have the open-market and different shops on the sidewalks, found a place that sold shoes and asked them if they had shoes her size. They didn’t but gave us directions on where to go from there. Sofia looks great in her new shoes but they are just a bit big on her so she fell on some gravel walking in the church parking lot and got a tiny scratch. She had to show her scratched up knee to everyone but also made sure to show off her new shoes.
We were blessed with two special visitors in July; Amber’s parents spent 10 days here with us, meeting their new granddaughter, helping with things around the house, spending quality time with all of us, and getting to know our little slice of Honduras. We enjoyed introducing them to our life here, especially to our church family. It was an answer to prayer that they were able to come for a visit, and it was the first time anyone from either of our families has been in Honduras.
Amber is slowly easing back into more hours with language school, and has entered her fourth of the five books she is working through. She has also been spending a lot more time in the nursery at church since Rosie’s arrival, which has opened new connections through conversations with the ladies there. Amber has also resumed the weekly Bible study she started with a young lady from church.
Paperwork is continuing to progress, so please continue to pray for that. We are waiting for our documents to be translated for residency and will soon be applying for Rosie’s US citizenship and passport. Praise the Lord everything went well with her Honduran paperwork.
I have spent a good bit of time this month helping Amber adjust to juggling two children plus school, and have enjoyed the extra time spent with Sofia, but I have also been studying Spanish, doing office work for our papers, and practicing Spanish hymns on my guitar. I also did a scavenger hunt all over town this month to find ingredients for homemade salsa. It was fiery and delicious!
As you can see from our header, we finally have a new family photo. If you need to update a photo you have of us, please feel free to use the one in the attachment below. As always, thank you for praying for our family.
Andrew, Amber, Sofia, & Rosie Garcia
[email protected]
Grover Family- Daniel, Lindsay & Winston
Church Planters to Libby, Montana
