I've Never Received a Goat as a Gift Before...

I've never received a goat as a gift before...I mean, I've received chickens and some awkward foods, but never a goat. On one of our recent trips into a village where we're doing micro-lending, some village leaders wanted to show their appreciation for how the loans are helping and empowering the women. So, they gave me a goat. I named him Bill. They were excited to give the gift. I felt a tad on the awkward side. However, it really was generosity to the extreme. It was overwhelming to know what they had to give up when they gave that goat. I learned a valuable lesson that day on generosity and how I need to be a better giver.

Compassion International connects with North-Mar Church

Stacy got to visit her sponsored girl that her family sponsors in Burkina Faso. What a joy it was to bring 8 sponsored children from around Burkina Faso and visit with their sponsors. We had fun...but I think the children had even more fun!

Wyatt got to meet the child that his family sponsors with Compassion in Burkina Faso. We spent a lot of time laughing, some crying and just soaking up the whole experience. It was life-changer for the sponsors...and the

Compassion...up close and personal!

It's been such a joy to develop a friendship with the boy that our family sponsors through Compassion International. I've had the opportunity to visit him on several occasions and each time, I see how Compassion International really changes lives. If you don't sponsor a child...don't wait any longer. Do it! I'm serious...like, right now. Go for it. www.compassion.org

One of our high school students, Pete was able to visit the child that his brother sponsors in Burkina. Matt (Pete's brother) went to Burkina Faso in 2008 and he came back to the States and started sponsoring a child. Pete went recently and was able to actually meet this child. How cool is that?

I can't think of a ministry that does a better job at lifting children and families out of poverty than Compassion International. On our trip to Burkina Faso, those students who sponsor children with Compassion International were able to personally visit their sponsored child. It was a life-changing experience. To the left is Karissa with the sponsored boy that our high school youth group sponsors.

Taking Faith to a whole new level

Andrew, from our team got to really exercise his faith on the trip. While most of our team decided to sit or squat on a live, 8-foot crocodile, Andrew decided to romance it. As you can see in the picture to the left, Andrew laid right on the croc. This croc was untamed and nothing would stop its aggressiveness except the African holding the iddy-biddy stick right by the crocs mouth. Faith or stupidity? I'll leave it up to you to answer that one...I like it Hammy!

1 IN 5...

It was sad for our team to see the heartbreaking situations that many people in Burkina Faso face. God showed us His faithfulness in the midst of pain and human tragedy. This picture below is one of our students holding a precious baby. One in five (1 in 5) children will die before the age of 10. God used simple interactions (like the one below) to show our team the reality of poverty and malnutrition and how God's heart breaks over this. God grabbed our hearts!

God-sightings in Burkina Faso...

I took a group of students and adults from my church to Burkina Faso a few weeks ago. Their were 14 of us. It was a life-altering trip. God was so good to us. The photo to the left is our team with some children in one of the villages that we visited. Our hearts were turned towards the beautiful faces and dreams of these precious children. God used simple interactions that our team had with these children to understand their world, what poverty is and how we can be better advocates for the poor.

These two women in the picture to the left received loans just a few weeks ago. It was so special to meet with these women recently and hear how these small loans are empowering them in their respective businesses. I was so encouraged by their diligence, creativity and motivation to provide for their families. God is using these loans to enable us to share Gospel of Jesus Christ with each and every borrower.

Check out the shirt the boy at the left is wearing. Notice the words on his "Obama shirt". The word, "Change" is on his shirt. It makes me think who is really capable of delivering change. Although President Obama based his entire presidential campaign on the word, "Change", there really is only one Change Agent. Only Jesus Christ can Change lives. Only Jesus Christ can help a person escape the nasty grip of poverty. The micro-lending in Burkina Faso is helping people change the course of their lives and alleviating spiritual and physical poverty. This is only because of Jesus Christ---the great CHANGE agent!

God has provided a moped!!! God has given our ministry a moped that enables our first loan officer, Jean, the ability to drive into the remote villages where we're doing the lending. As God continues to direct and expand this ministry, He will be the One who will provide. Our hope is in Him. The moped is His. The ministry is His. I'm thankful for this provision!

On our July trip with our high school students, we were able to go into several different villages where micro-lending is already taking place. On one of these trips, some of the women who had received loans pooled some of their own monies and purchased "wraps" for all the girls in our group. You can see them wearing them in the picture to the left. This was extravagent love. These women have very little, and they showed love and appreciation in a lavish way. Our students were moved. I was moved. A very humbling experience!

A Picture = A Story of Hope

This picture is of a borrower just getting her loan. Jean (the loan officer) is seated and in front of him is the table where he distributes the loans and then meets with each individual borrowers. Very informal...but it works.

Once the loan is given, the borrower agrees to pay their loan back in a certain time period (usually 6-9 months). In this time, the borrowers gather for training, mutual encouragement and of course saving strategies.

A little different than Wells Fargo and Bank of America...but every loan is a story of hope, not only for the woman, but for an entire family.

Some Borrowers Under a Mango Tree

This is a group of women who all received loans. A few of the children are sitting in the front. Notice the massive mango tree they are sitting under (literally, hundreds of mangos). Most of these women are Muslim. Most of these women received loans in the amount of $20-$100. All of the women pictured demonstrated a sustainable business plan and has the ability to repay their loan. It's so cool to be able be a small part of bringing hope to these women...and their families!