It's hard to believe that 2015 is almost over!  If your year has been at all like ours, it has literally flown by.  We are thanking God for all He has done and continues to do this year, as well as looking forward to 2016!  As I am working on plans for next year, I'm reminded that ministry opportunities from this year and for years to come are made possible only by God's abundant provision through His people.

We can't wait to speak with you in person during our 2016 home assignment.  The greatness of our God and the doors He is opening for ministry among the unreached here in Burkina Faso is exciting and we are eager to share about it with you.  If you would like to join in the work of church planting, pastoral and community support, it's time to think about year-end giving before the next tax year begins.  I would encourage you to partner with us in the Lord's work with your year end gifts.  Donations are tax deductible and they go toward reaching the unreached in one of the world's poorest countries.

100% of donations made toward special projects with Light Up Burkina go to the field.  No administration fees or overhead are taken out.  When you couple that with how much impact your investment has here for relatively small investments, it is a win - win scenario.  Join us in building much needed infrastructure to support church planting among the least reached.  Village churches, pastors homes, orphanages, christians schools, animal projects to help pastors survive in remote areas and provide for their families as they evangelize, church plant and pastor.  Motos for pastors, micro-enterprise and drilling wells are all ways that your year-end giving can hugely impact seeing God's kingdom expanded in Burkina.

Check out the website and feel free to contact us if you have questions or need clarification on anything.  We are privileged to be the people on the ground who get to see the difference that your generosity makes day in and day out.  Be encouraged as we see God's mighty hand and Holy Spirit moving among peoples and villages that have never had believers or a church presence.  Thank you for your prayers, support and generosity in walking out the call we have as believers to make the name of Jesus known to every tribe and every tongue on earth.  Click here to DONATE.

May the God of the universe richly bless and keep you and make His face to shine upon you!
Your brother in Christ Jesus,
Aaron

Please pray with us for Pastor Badiel from Banfora, as we learn together by comparing "local" pigs to improved breed pigs as an income source for village pastors and church planters.  We chose Pastor Badiel because he was already working with what he had.  His pen is not far from our home, so we will be able to track the progress and document this project well.  Not only will this comparative project help his family, but he understands that our work together will benefit many pastors in the future as we learn best practices together.

We are excited to be starting several animal pilot projects with local pastors.  We are using pigs, sheep, goats and chickens- depending on the village setting.  (Some villages will not accept pigs due to religious and cultural norms.)  Our hope is that we can find ways to partner with pastors and church planters to help them start animal husbandry projects that will provide a much needed income source.  They are often living in very rough circumstances and unable to meet many of their families' basics needs.  By working together to find viable revenue streams, we hope to see these church pastors and planters flourish.  

Through small capital investments, we can provide durable housing for these animals as well as the start up stock.  The pastors will provide the rest needed to see these projects succeed.  Daily labor, veterinary costs, bringing water several times daily and of course food for the animals.  One of the difficulties of living and working in one of the poorest countries on earth is that good building materials are hard to find and very expensive.  By starting with building shelters on the church property that will stand the test of time, we are laying a foundation for the present pastor as well as any others that come to work in that village in the future.  

Last Friday, I had the chance to visit the site of a new Christian private school in the village of Mangodara with several nation church leaders.  We went to mark the location of the first phase of classroom construction that will start soon.  The land is between 2 and 3 hectares (approx. 6 acres) and is in a great location on the main road.  The first building that went up was the administration building which is now complete. (Below)