So many stories to tell. We would like to share a few highlights of Burkina Faso, especially Kotura.

Friday morning Feb.25th five of our group and Karim Traore loaded Anne's truck with supplies for the weekend . We left Orodara and headed for the open road towards the Village of Kotura which was the Village where Anne Garber Kompaore lived for 10 years before she married Daniel and moved to Ouagadougou. The rest of our tour group of 17 also left for different villages as well.

After about 3 hours of driving we saw a sign for Kotura. We turned onto a dirt road passing cashew and mango orchards. We were dropped off at the village and Anne continued on to her house to arrange lunch. We were given a tour of the village and then had lunch with Anne. After lunch we had a rest and then went on to see other villages.

That evening we had dinner over an open fire and later we sat around the fire and listened to their African music and they shared and testified what the Lord has meant to them. As the evening went on and when the music and dancing stopped, we were asked the question "and what are your challenges?"

What could I say?

After spending a week with our brothers and sisters in faith and seeing their way of life and the struggles they have I was completely speechless. Nobody else in our group said anything , so I responded about my sheltered Waterloo County Ontario farm boy life and shared my feeble testimony.

The next morning we were off to the village that had a serious fire several years ago which had destroyed many of the grass roofs and buildings. Our congregation sent funds to help replace some of the loss, however, the money was sent to the Mennonites in the village but the Muslims didn't receive any support . The Mennonites were able to rebuild but the Muslims needed to raise their own funds. The village leaders had always been very disapproving of people who left the Muslim faith and became Christian so one would think that this would cause more division among them, at least some very hard feelings, but no, the leaders of the village said if this Christianity is that big that they send money from Canada to help, then we will no longer oppose any one who accepts Christianity.

This left a very big impression on me; not only had we helped restore some of the damage in the village but healed a very large division in an entire village!!

Thank you so much ,Norm Dyck , Deb Froese and "Mennonite Church Canada " for planning the "Learning Tour".

Submitted by Leonard and Clara Bauman

Post Burkina Faso happenings

Since my return from Burkina Faso, I have been asked to be the speaker at the men's breakfast in our church (no gratuity for a home body who speaks). Interest was very good with many questions. So was the food. We have someone who is a great chef for such events. I took some items with me which I have yet to distribute to my family and gave an outline map of Africa made of wood that I had purchased from one of the vendors who came to the guesthouse with items for sale. The women in our church have not been happy that they have not heard me speak and have asked me about it. So did one man who missed the breakfast. I tell them that I do not set the agenda and they are to go higher up (aka the ministers) as I just work here. Norm will be with our church on May 1 when he is in Ontario to attend the sessions of the Mennonite Church Eastern Canada. The Warkentins will be with us on June 19 when they will be in Ontario. Since our pastors will be away that day, I will be worship leader and be responsible for the administration of that Sunday. Welcome to these events. There must be flights from western Canada to the airport at Kitchener.