God Works in some Crazy Ways

Some people have asked me how I was put in touch with Jean, the loan officer that I work with in Burkina Faso. It really is a miracle. It all started on a Thursday night in May of 2008. A student from our youth group brought a college student to our youth group. I introduced myself to this college student and realized that his necklace were the colors of Burkina Faso. I asked this student if he was from Burkina Faso, and after he looked at me and shocked that I had even heard of Burkina, I came to realize that he was, indeed from Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso. We struck up a friendship and introduced my new African friend to Mandy and my children on another occasion. His name was Dieudonne.

Our family fell in love with Dieudonne. His college was only 30 minutes from our home, so frequently we'd pick him up and bring him back to the house. Our boys loved him and he loved the boys. I'd pick him up on the occasional Sunday and he'd come to church with us and then spend the day with us. On one occasion, I had shared with Dieudonne my dream of helping the poor through micro-lending. He listened intently as I shared how I felt God was calling me to do something for the poor in Burkina Faso (Dieudonne's home country).

Dieudonne put me in touch with a friend of his who loved Jesus and had a heart for people. Dieudonne had a strong inclination that his friend, Jean would be interested in dialoguing with me about my dreams. So, I decided to email this man, Jean. However, before I emailed Jean, God started stirring His heart. It was just a few days before I emailed Jean that God allowed Jean to have a dream one night. His dream was about an American contacting him about the whole idea of helping the poor. In Jean's dream, this American would be involved in sending money over for ministry purposes that would target the poor. Jean was so unsure of this dream, that he never shared it with his fiance, Monica. He kept the dream to himself.

And then, I contacted Jean. I told him my vision and my heart to help the poor. Everything started to fall into place. God had already prepared Jean and stirred up his heart. Since that time (in early 2010), God has allowed Jean and I to partner with each other in helping bring dignity and the hope of Christ to women and children in 2 villages in Burkina Faso. Through Jean's faithful ministry, and the generous contributions, we've been able to give loans to over 135 women. Jean and I have a dream to watch God expand this work in other parts of Burkina Faso. Of course, in God's time and in God's way. God is doing this. But it all started with God bringing an unsuspecting African student to our youth group from Hiram College.

God is the Master at orchestrating circumstances. He's the best at taking unsuspecting people and using their little influence to accomplish big things. God has done this. I have no other explanation than the hand of God. I hope you've seen it as clearly as I have.
Jean and Monica's home in Ouagadougou