ELCBFEDUCATIONAIDDISCIPLESHIP

TheEvangelicalLanguageCenterinBurkinaFaso

ComprehensiveInformationGuide2009

www.ELCBF.org

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OurMissionEDUCATIONAIDDISCIPLESHIP

OurmissionistoprovidethepeopleofBurkinaFasowiththeopportunitytoachieve

ameasureofself‐sufficiencywhilepreachingthegospelmessage.

Weworktoaccomplishthismissionthroughelementaryeducation,adultEnglish

biblicaleducationandbyensuringthewellbeingofchildrenthroughmedicaland

foodaid,therebyprovidingthemtheopportunitytolivehealthyandproductivelives.

WepraythatyourheartwillbemovedtohelpusaidthoseinneedandthatGodwill

provideforthesuccessofourmissionandtheimprovementofthelivesofthe

needyinBurkinaFaso,andacrosstheglobe.

Acknowledgements

Specialthanksto:CommonwealthChapelofRichmondVA

YouthWithAMissionMinistriesRotaryInternational

JohnBuzzardTheHolmanWillisJr.Family

Ourmanyfriendsandcontributorsfortheirprayers,encouragementandsupport.

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ELCBF2009

Contents

I. Summary 5

II. Introduction 6

III. CulturalBackground 7i. TheMossi 8ii. FrenchColonization 9iii. BurkinaFaso 11

IV. TheELCBF 13

i. TheChallengesinBurkinaFaso 13ii. SandogoandTargho 15iii. MeetingTheChallenges 17iv. ThePeople 20

V. LookingForward 24

VI. HowYouCanHelp! 25

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Thanksfortakingthetimetobecomeinformed!

Wehopethatyouwilltakesomethingpositiveawayfromreadingthe

ComprehensiveInformationGuide,andthatyoulearnsomethingnewaboutaculturemanypeoplehaveneverevenheardabout.

Weareinsearchofpeoplewhoareinterestedinourcause.

Wearealsosearchingforpeoplewhowishtocontribute.Ourprogramsubsistssolelyonyourdonations…

PleaseContactUs:

HunterWillishrwillis@gmail.com

8044026088

DayneBoydenDayne.Boyden@gmail.com

Orvisit

WWW.ELCBF.OrgDonationinformationcanbefoundonpage23oratELCBF.org

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I. Summary Cultural Background

The Mossi are the greatest ethnic plurality in Burkina Faso and their cultural

history is arguably the history of the nation, certainly that of the plateau south of the Niger Bend. The Mossi were conquered by the French in 1896.

Burkina Faso, Formerly the French Upper Volta and a former French colony has

experienced many changes in government since its liberation in 1960. These changes climaxed with the takeover of Marxist Thomas Sankara, followed by his assassination and the coup of Blaise Campaore in 1987. Campaore has ruled with increasingly capitalistic policies since that time.

Challenges

Burkina Faso has many economic and health related challenges. Most are a

result of a lack of natural resources and infrastructure. The result is a tragically high infant mortality rate, one of the lowest per capita incomes in the world and the lowest literacy rate of any nation on earth.

Sandogo is one of the poorest neighborhoods in the capitol, Ouagadougou and the ELCBF was established there to provide education, medical aid and biblical instruction to the community there to increase the quality of life and provide adults and future generations with the means for a self-sustaining lifestyle.

The ELCBF: Meeting the Challenges

The ELCBF runs four elementary school classes, an adult biblical English

summer course, a children’s medical program and a medical/food aid program for children in a rural village to the south, called Targho.

The school is run by Jeremie Nikiema, his wife Esther Sampo, and four other teachers. In addition, the ELCBF is aided by a friend in Ouagadougou and a Pastor along with another helper in Targho. The medical facility employs a Pharmacist and a Doctor, along with a night guard to protect the medicine and wares therein.

Looking Forward

In addition to the programs already in place, there are plans for expansion for the school to allow for a greater number of elementary school students, as well as night trade classes for people in the community, and other cultural reading and language classes to provide adults with further opportunities. There is plenty of opportunity for expansion of the medical program and for food aid as well.

We envision educational and medical mission trips for people from all walks of

life to help contribute to the education and advancement of the impoverished individuals in Sandogo and Targho. Without your help, none of these visions will come true…

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II. Introduction After graduating from Hampden Sydney College in 2006 and working in retail management for a few years, my life was changed by a rapid paced series of events. I was looking for a new direction, searching for a job in an unstable climate, which was yielding few results. While reading the news one day, I began to skim through a BBC article about the conflict in the Congo. When I realized the scale of the conflict, and the fact that I knew almost nothing whatsoever about the parties involved, I began to look through everything I could find about the war in the Congo on the internet. As I followed the constant stream of vague reports of violence, I soon realized that there must have been much more to the story. I dove deep into an online pool of articles from news papers, government releases and scholarly journals that began to unravel the tragic knot of chaos and depravity that plagued not just the Congo, but the whole of the continent of Africa. In learning about the harsh and tragic conditions of so many people, I was given a strong calling to help. It was no coincidence that the very same week, Pastor Jeremie NIkiema came into my life. Jeremie and I met by chance during a service at Commonwealth Chapel (Richmond, VA). By coincidence and by calling, we sat right next to each other. When I introduced myself and asked him where he was from, I assumed that his response, Burkina Faso, was the name in his language for some other nation. I was quick to learn that this was not the case. I was moved by Jeremie’s call for help, and decided to act. Encouragement, aid and connections came quickly. In what seemed like only days (but was in fact three months), I was in Burkina Faso working diligently to help Jeremie establish a medical aid program for his school, and learning everything I could about the potential for the program and Jeremie’s aspirations. It was not until my return that I learned about the full extent of Jeremie’s sacrifice and accomplishments. This pastor, who first came across as a funny sounding, somewhat odd foreigner that was desperate for a break, had given nearly everything he had to come to the USA in search of people that would help him realize his calling to aid his community. The school where I spent most of the month of February studying and teaching children, recording personal information, and meeting parents from the community was once Jeremie’s family home, where he lived during its use as a school for many months. He gave his home and nearly everything he had for his community, and for the chance that someone from America would walk with him in his mission, all while continuing to provide for his family and maintaining his pastoral duties. This was both an inspirational and powerful revelation.

What began as a makeshift school is now a facility which is home to over 140 students, not including the 60-80 children and adults who come every summer to learn English. The medical program that we worked together to establish during the month of February now

provides free generic drugs to 204 children. In hindsight, I realize that Jeremie was and is well respected in his community for his sacrifice and accomplishments, and that his friends in the Richmond community share that respect. By recognizing the challenges in his community, he has created a thing that is bigger than any individual. By following a God given calling, he and those who have shared in that calling have now helped hundreds of individuals learn the skills necessary to make a better life for themselves, and provided children and families with a healthier life. The ELCBF is something in which I am and always will be thankful to have been a part.

Hunter Willis

5/2009

www.ELCBF.org

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III. Cultural Background

i. The Mossi There are over 60 ethnicities in Burkina Faso. The Mossi make up about half of the population, and their culture, language and history dominates the region. The history of the Mossi is important to the nation because it explains the relative peace and stability enjoyed by the populations despite their ethnic diversity. The history of the Mossi is clouded by conflicting stories of origin, but the most well known story of origin is as follows: Sometime in the late 14th to early 15th century, a young daughter of the king of Nambaga (within what is present day Ghana), Niennega rebelled against her father who had forbidden her to take a husband. She left on horseback with a group of courtiers and rode far to the north. About 30 miles southeast of modern Ouagadougou, she rested in a village where she met and married a man who is believed to have been a son of the chief of Mali. The newlyweds then used the superiority of their mounted entourage to bring the surrounding area under control. The couple had a son whom she named Ouedraogo, (stallion), in honor of the horse on which she made her escape. When he was of age, Ouedraogo traveled south to Gambaga where he was well received. With an army of men on horseback, he returned north and used this army to slowly bring the area within the Niger Bend under his control. Ouedraogo gave birth to several sons whom he allowed to take control of various realms in his new empire. His son Oubry gained control of the largest of these new kingdoms (seated in Ouagadougou), thereby naming himself “mogho naba,” ruler of the world. The various descendents of Ouedraogo set up states within the area south of the Niger Bend, quickly taking control with the use of soldiers on horseback. The heads of the Mossi states ruled with great local authority derived from their lineage, but all held allegiance to the mogho naba. The Mossi states were often engaged in small scale conflicts, but were prevented from waging all out war on each other by the mogho naba. Their Animist religion, a belief that the spirits of their ancestors were the caretakers of the land and all things natural, prevented them from fighting territorial conflicts and also separated the authority of land use from the political rulers to spiritual chiefs of the land. The mogho naba oversaw his kingdom with the aid of several regional chiefs, as well as many personal advisors. This unifying structure enabled the various Mossi states to strongly unite in defense of their realm with short notice, making them the strongest and longest ruling culture in the region. The Mossi also, at times, united to wage offensive attacks, and in their history, sacked Timbuktu, Walata (far to the north) and wreaked havoc on the Songhay empire conducting multiple successful raids over many decades. Because the makeup of the Mossi was comprised of blending other ethnicities into family lines, their culture and background is very similar to and compatible with others in the region. The strength of local authority in their kingdom allowed for great tolerance, but at the same time dominance of other

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cultures. Conversely, the unifying mogho naba and strong fighting culture of the Mossi allowed them to reign largely unchallenged for nearly 800 years. It is in large part the cultural makeup and tolerance of the historically dominant Mossi population that has allowed for the peaceful ethnic diversity in Burkina Faso. ELCBF is home to students of multiple ethnicities and the medical program

and school service Muslim, Catholic, Protestant, Animist and Agnostic children. There are at least four ethnicities represented at the school.

Daouda, one of the teachers of the Dorcas elementary school at ELCBF, is a non-Mossi Muslim.

Daouda writes French phrases for his class to read and recite.

Daouda’s CP1 (ages 5-7) class has 48 children.

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ii. French Colonization

Between 1895 and 1900, the French gained complete control of the Mossi kingdom, and slowly brought the region into his colonial economic system. Though they attempted to respect local authorities and were not as harsh as other colonial rulers of the period, the French colonial rule was harsh on the Mossi and other populations, and permanently altered Mossi culture and their way of life. Until their independence in 1960, the Mossi were completely subject to French exploitative economic policies. Europeans first made direct contact with the Mossi kingdom in the mid 1800’s when few early colonial explorers and missionaries from France made their way into the region. Some were treated more harshly than others, but by the 1890’s the French military had conquered its way to the kingdoms due north, and were ready to move on to Ouagadougou. The French Lt. Georges Destenave took advantage of a local dispute between two of the Mossi states, quickly conquering one and gaining the others allegiance. Destenave sent a message to the mogho naba asking for a treaty with France, but was harshly rebuked. The French Lt. then tried to take Ouagadougou, but was repelled. Reinforcements were demanded, but were already on the way. Lt. Voulet, the reinforcing commander, marched straight into Ouagadougou, burning all villages and defeating all forces in his path. The mogho naba rejected French demands to surrender so the French captured Ouagadougou, and after the mogho naba attempted to recapture the city, burned it to the ground. The mogho naba fled far to the south, and remained there until his death. Failing to gain the allegiance of the mogho naba meant that Lt. Voulet would now have to gain the allegiance (or submission) of all the Mossi states, so he set about burning villages and defeating the massively inferior local forces which were no mach for modern French weaponry. Before long, Lt. Voulet was able to install a new mogho naba and secure relative stability, but it was after 1900 before all Mossi resistance ended. The French colonial authority levied taxes, and forced local rulers to comply with French regulation. If the people couldn’t pay the new taxes, the government had the authority to confiscate all their possessions and sell them to fulfill the requirement. This forced the populations to work on infrastructure projects, cotton production, or to go work in another colony. The French ability to exploit forced labor from the region quickly made workers its most valuable resource. Many Mossi died for France in World War I, and fought other colonial wars for France in Africa as well. The Mossi also fought in great numbers during the Second World War. The mogha naba, though largely lacking authority, remained loyal to De Gaulle’s Free Government (Allies) while the French Vichy (Nazi) retained authority over the colony. Under Vichy rule, the Mossi were again subject to forced labor, but maintained a resistance government that operated out of Ghana. A forced labor mandate remained in place after the Allied forces regained control of the colonial authority, but De Gaulle made clear that post war rule would be much less harsh.

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After the war, the French began to release control of the government over to local authorities in the form of elected and appointed magistrates. Political parties began to form, and it became clear that independence was on the horizon.

Thousands of Mossi died for the Allied Forces in both world wars, and provided the labor to create the infrastructure in West Africa. Now, due to a lack of natural resources and a severe shortage of education, infrastructure

is only slowly improving. ELCBF aims to not only provide children with education, but eventually to teach technical classes to provide adults with

valuable trade skills and further English comprehension.

The only way we can meet these goals is with your help.

This metal pole will soon carry an electric line that will provide previously unavailable electricity for Sandogo. Residents must pay to have a line installed to their homes.

Electricity is expensive and works about 75% of the time. ELCBF is viewable in the foreground.

www.ELCBF.org

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ii. Burkina Faso The country that is today Burkina Faso had been re-drawn, swapped and cut up by the French government several times before its designation as Upper Volta in 1947. In 1952 the French Upper Volta’s citizenry was given the rights and freedoms equal to those in France itself, and the nation began to prepare for independence. Several political parties were formed, but they were usually small and revolved around a small number of strong personalities, save for the RDA (African Democratic Ralley). Shortly after the country gained its independence (Aug. 5 1960) and voted in a two party constitution, Maurice Yameogo, head of the RDA was elected president of the new government (Dec. 1960). Yameogo quickly violated the constitution by instating a one party system, and arrested all those that opposed the change. In early 1966 after several years of a fairly unstable rule, Yameogo declared a state of emergency when several labor and teachers unions declared their intentions to strike. The strikes went ahead as scheduled, and when the military began to suppress the people, they surprisingly called for a military takeover of government. Sangoule Lamizana lead the military in a successful coup d’etat, which saw Yameogo in exile. Lamizana was empowered by the national assembly, which created a new government leaving the head of the military as the chief executive. He remained in power until 1980. In 1978, the military government began to draw up a new constitution and prepared to return the nation to a democratic form of rule. In what was a rather messy series of events, the next three years saw three heads of state with as many new governments, but none of them were particularly violent in nature. In 1983 Thomas Sankara, a younger, more idealistic and militant politician, took the stage. Sankara successfully lead a coup d’etat that saw a socialist government put into place, and all the heads of state from the previous three years (save for Lamizana) imprisoned. Sankara’s government was at face value benevolent and efficient in nature. It was Sankara that changed the name of Upper Volta to Burkina Faso, which is loosely translated to mean the land of people with integrity. He was a frugal, charismatic leader and was well known for his speeches, but was a true Marxist in every sense of the word. Sankara’s inability to effectively govern, the impact of severed ties with the west, and a policy of intrusive government practices lead to Burkina Faso’s only bloody coup in 1987. Friends of Blaise Campaore, Sankara’s right hand military supervisor, murdered Sankara and a small number of his advisors and guards. Campaore, traveling abroad at the time, had known Sankara most of his life and was purportedly saddened by the news, but quickly recognized his need to reform the government. Campaore immediately set about legitimizing his new presidency by visiting many foreign heads of state and making many strides to improving the relations of Burkina with other nations (especially those close by who were then very weary of the spread of socialist revolution).

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Since that time, Campaore has remained in power and has gradually made steps to capitalize the Burkinabe economy and has vastly improved relations with the west. Burkina is actively involved with assisting US Sub Saharan anti-terrorist efforts, is currently the non-permanent member of the UN Security council. Burkina Faso has also re-established Peace Corps programs (terminated due to Sankara’s policies) and has worked closely and supported the US and the UN with several aid projects and international treaties. Campaore has been re-elected with what are internationally certified free and fair elections, but has broken a retro-active constitutional provision preventing more than two presidential terms. Campaore’s government has vastly improved the conditions of the nation in general; it is worth noting that though nearly half the population is nutrition deficient, Burkina has 98% cellular coverage for emergency purposes. Along with an increase in the number of schools, road construction and new electrical improvements are among the many changes under Campaore’s regieme. Though conditions are improving, progress is slow and the Burkinabe have many hardships. Although Campaore is said to be planning on a fourth term in 2010, the Burkinabe are fortunate to enjoy one of the most stable and uncorrupt governments in the whole of Africa.

The instability of its government and lack of long-term development in

Burkina contribute to the root causes of poverty and a lack of education amongst its people. At this stable time in Burkina’s history, it is extremely important to help its people foster a sustainable lifestyle, thereby giving them something to strive/vote for when new changes are on the horizon.

We ask for your help to educate and contribute to the self-sustenance of the people of Burkina…

The medical facility at the school has been certified and inspected by Burkina’s Government. The

Dorcas School is also regularly inspected every few months.

*It is worth noting that having read to this point, you likely know more than much of the population of Burkina Faso knows about their own culture and history.

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IV. The ELCBF

i. The Challenges in Burkina Faso

In addition to the unstable recent history of Burkina Faso, there are many environmental and economic challenges that hamper the nation’s progress. The plateau which comprises most of Burkina’s territory is devoid of natural resources. There are precious few valuable minerals and crops are difficult to grow. The dry season is so hot that the landscape is unrecognizable after the transition. Burkina Faso is also a landlocked country, and is located in the region between the jungle and the desert, known as the Sahel. Its location makes goods difficult to export, and raises the cost of imported goods so much that most living within Burkina can only afford to buy domestically made clothes and locally grown crops. There is currently little opportunity for individuals to participate in a productive economy, and almost no opportunity at all for those living in rural areas. Statistics: Average Income: Between $440-$1200/year Infant Mortality rate: 8.5% (84.49/1000) Education Rate: 21% literacy rate, but about 70% get some primary education. Nutrition: Nearly 50% of the nations children are malnourished, about 30% starve for a significant period of the year. Population: 15.2 Million. Ouagadougou: 1.5 Million Economy: 90% Of the population rely on agriculture which comprises only 30% of the nations economy. 50% of the GDP is comprised of the service industry, 20% is from manufacturing. (10% of the pop. comprises 70% of the GDP)

*Statistics from CIA world Fact Book and US dept of state websites. Medicine is among goods that must be imported, and is therefore also very expensive. Typical illnesses such as influenza can force families to choose between education, food or wellness of health for their children. Contaminated city water and vulnerable shallow rural wells only worsen the issue, and a large percentage of children are at least slightly ill most of the time. These conditions mean that a flu outbreak can be deadly for infants and young children.

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Infrastructure is quickly expanding in the urban centers of Ouagadougou (Ouaga) and Bobo Dioulasso, but with few exceptions most villages subsist with no electricity, no access to clean water, and no disposable income. Increasingly, villages are building schools and medical facilities, but 80% of the population is rural, and progress is slow. Outside of the cities, there are few paved roads, and many villages are only reachable during the dry season, as temporary rivers and bodies of water cut them off during the wet summer months. Harsh conditions and the impossibility of fast paced rural development force the people of Burkina Faso to get by as well as they can. Many starve during the wet season when their villages are cut off and the next years harvest is not ready. Most in rural areas eat only what few precious staples can grow in their harsh environment and rarely have any meat. Those in the city earn more, but a high cost of living means that only a very small percentage enjoy a healthier or more productive life than those in rural villages. Many get what they can, while they can; they drink and dance away what little income they have and sleep where they fall. Education, medicine, food, and skills training are the silver bullets that can make the difference between starving, and being able to provide for one, if not multiple families. Becoming fluent in English means they can get an urban job working with Britain or the USA, or maybe a skilled job as a migrant to Ghana. Such a promise would mean they will forever be able to provide for their families, and would ensure a secondary and possibly a college education for their children. The alternative is a life of subsistence agriculture, eating as little as possible and selling the rest at market, or trying to scrap out a living on the streets of Ouaga or Bobo. Until education and infrastructure catch up with the demands of Burkina Faso’s population, it will suffer.

Development and self-sustenance are the goal that we strive for, meanwhile the little aid we provide is necessary to improve and save the lives that will be the future of Burkina Faso.

The Sahel just north of Ouagadougou

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ii. Sandogo and Targho

Sandogo

A mother waits in front of the school for registering her child for the medical program (Left)

A street scene from Sandogo. (Right)

The ELCBF is located in Sandogo, a poor neighborhood in the south of Ouagadougou. The population is dense, but still subsists on agriculture to survive. When not farming, most families have a husband that works in town or as an unskilled migrant worker to Cote D’Ivoir or Ghana. Women cook meals or prepare vegetables to be sold at the local market. The people live in small walled off sections that usually have one or two tiny enclosed buildings where they sleep. Children as young as two years old burning and gathering trash is not an uncommon sight, and others as young can be seen roaming the streets unsupervised. The community is close and people don’t seem to travel much. All of the families near the ELCBF are friendly and help watch the children after school and during breaks. The women that live next door have a daughter in the school and actively prepare meals for market all day long during classes. In the streets, sounds from mopeds and the local market fill the air, along with the occasional calls of a goat or chicken. A bike rider might pass by; a few times a day a mobile vendor or a child pulling a cart of grain may as well. At face value, the people are content and simply very poor. An observant eye will quickly notice however that nearly all the children have one form of illness or another, and that even the adults are malnourished. Sanitation is an issue, but this is due more to the fact that the people can’t afford soap than their lack of knowledge. Those who have access to running water do shower multiple times a day due to the extreme heat, and they do generally maintain their hygiene, but just as in the US there are exceptions. The people in Sandogo have knowledge of the causes of disease, but don’t have the means or education to combat it in their lives. When illness becomes a serious issue, medicine is their only recourse. They cannot afford to send their children to an expensive private Catholic school, and there is no local public school in Sandogo. The people there are the some of the poorest in Ouagadougou, and have little means to provide a better life for their children.

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Targho

Approaching Targho. The buildings in the foreground are silos/granaries used to store harvested

millet (Left) The market at Targho only functions a few months out of the year (Right).

Targho is a village about 30 miles south of Ouagadougou. It has about 3,000 people living in and around it, and is therefore one of the larger rural villages in Burkina Faso. It is Jeremie’s childhood home, and is still home to his several siblings and their children, as well as his father. The community there is also close knit, and the people seem to know all the families in town if not the individual members thereof. The children and adults in Targho are among the poorest on earth, having little to no disposable income, and not able to afford enough clothes or food to maintain a regular lifestyle. The harvest cycle is such that most of the village’s food stores are exhausted just into the wet season, therefore children do not eat every day during the summer months. The community is forced to ration their grains until the harvest is ready at the end of the wet season in September/August. The children are obviously malnourished and frequently ill. It is because of the harshness of their conditions that we have decided to include many (nearly 80) of them in the aid program. There is a local pharmacy, but drugs are as expensive in Targho as they are in Ouaga, therefore medication as common as Penicillin or even Acetaminophen can cost as much disposable income as some families there earn in a month. Targho does have a school and has just completed a second, and there is also a protestant Church and a Mosque. The 30 mile distance to Targho from Ouagadougou is less than most Americans travel in a day, but by moped in 100 degree heat is an excruciating two hour journey over unpaved roads. To make the trek by bicycle would probably be dangerous for the average person. The transportation of goods for trade and purchase in Targho is therefore difficult at best. Even Jeremie and the locals have struggled to come up with an effective way to deliver food aid with a small budget and little access to a car or truck.

www.ELCBF.org

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iii. Meeting The Challenges

The Evangelical Language Center in Burkina Faso has several programs designed to tackle the problems faced by the people in its community. Educating The People Dorcas The Dorcas School at ELCBF is a private elementary school which provides an excellent education at a minimal cost to the impoverished community of Sandogo. The school does introduce the children to the concept of Christianity but is not theological in nature, as it is publicly accredited. Jeremie and his wife are lenient with their $60/year fee, and allow the parents in the community to pay as they can while their children receive education and mathematics. The school is government certified and is based on the French system. It has four classes serving four age groups. Maternelle Esther and her aid Justine run the Maternelle class. They teach what is essentially a daycare/preschool to about 30 children, ages three to six years old. The class introduces the children to French letters and numbers, and by the end of the year the children are fluent in French and their native language (predominantly the Mossi More). CP1 Daouda teaches the CP1 class (ages 5-8), which has 48 children who learn French phonics, addition and subtraction and basic French reading skills. The children also start learning some English phrases, which is a rarity among schools in Burkina Faso. CP2 Kassoum is literate, though not fluent in English and teaches the CP2 class (ages 8-10), where children learn long addition and subtraction, complex French reading skills and are introduced to multiplication. The CP2 children also expand their English vocabulary every day and learn many simple phrases and subjects. Passerelle Boubaka teaches the Passerelle class (ages 10-14) for those who have completed the CP1 and CP2. In the Passerelle class, children learn their multiplication tables, long division and advanced French reading and language skills. They also improve their English vocabulary. About 80% of the general population receives no education past this point…

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The Dorcas school provides 140 children an opportunity they would otherwise not be able to afford. The little English they receive is enough for them to go on and learn on their own, and is a highly valuable and rare skill in Burkina Faso. English skills aside, the education they receive is competitive with any other accredited school in the country and is provided at a price the people of Sandogo can afford. The Evangelical Language School During the month of August, Pastor Jeremie runs a Biblical English Language School at the ELCBF. This school introduces people to concepts of Christianity while teaching English as a second language. The school is staffed by a small group of missionary teachers from the United States and a small number of partially trilingual (French, English, More) locals. It is separated into beginner, intermediate and advanced classes and has from 60-80 students every year. English is a valuable skill for the population of Burkina Faso, and only about 30% of the people are Christian. The classes provide an opportunity for people to gain a valuable skill at what is even for them a minimal cost, and at the same time an opportunity for us to introduce them to the Gospel of Christ, which they may never otherwise come in contact with. Jeremie and his wife have been more than accommodating to visiting westerners, and all who have visited have felt the warm welcome of the community. The appreciation of the people is evident in their willingness to learn and is demonstrated by their progress.

The experience of traveling to Burkina is truly one that will forever live in the hearts and minds of all who visit. The gift of knowledge and spiritual

enlightenment is one that can provide the people there with the means for a better life, and for which they are and will be eternally grateful.

Please join us in helping these people learn the

skills to make a better life for themselves! Providing Medical and Food Aid The Medical Program The medical program is based out of a small facility at the ECLBF in Sandogo. The program is designed to provide free generic drugs and healthcare to the children attending the Dorcas School, and as previously mentioned, a number of children in the village Targho to the south. The program has hired a doctor and will also consist of a pharmacist and a guard to watch the facility at night.

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In addition to free medication for the children registered for the program, we hope to be able to provide half-priced generic drugs to the people in the community of Sandogo and allow them inexpensive doctor visits as well. The budget for the program also includes a small amount to provide food aid to the children in Targho. A relatively small amount of food, just enough to provide a few meals of rice a week and a few servings of fruits or vegetables over the summer will mean a world of difference to children who do not eat every day. The small supplement will vastly improve their diet, and their nutrition. At only just over $11,000, the cost for all of these amenities is minimal and will work to improve the lives of hundreds of people. The medical program has been successful thus far but is still completely dependent upon your

generosity.

We hope that you will find it in your heart to help us improve the lives of the families we are

trying to help.

Children wait to be registered for the medical program at the church in Targho.

www.elcbf.org

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iv. The People

In Burkina Faso

Jeremie and our Doctor Jeremie’s Wife Esther

Thomas, who helps us Job, who lives in Targho In Ouaga and Targho. and assists us there.

Kassoum, Boubaka and Daouda (in order). Esther’s aid Justine The teachers of the Dorcas School. with her baby.

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The Future of Burkina Faso: The children.

In The USA

Dayne Boyden

Hunter Willis

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Pastor Jeremie’s Story Jeremie was born in the village of Targho, Burkina Faso in 1966, to two good hearted, non-Christian (presumably Animist) parents. When he was two years old, his parents were converted to Christianity; Jeremie therefore was raised in a Christian household. At ten years of age, Jeremie was baptized, and started his path of a life dedicated to God. At the age of eleven, Jeremie went to agricultural school to learn how to grow the cereal crops necessary to sustain life in Targho, but farming millet would not remain the staple of his future. In 1989, Jeremie went to biblical college and spent the next ten years of his life studying at seminary colleges in Nangbangre, Ouagadougou, and in the Ivory Coast. His greatest inspiration in studying however came through YWAM (Youth With A Mission) ministries in Benin, where he received Discipleship training in 1999. The YWAM connection brought Jeremie to an inspirational calling that would change his life forever. For years, Jeremie planned and saved, and in 2005, he followed Godʼs calling to come to the United States in hope with connecting with YWAM ministries in Richmond, VA. With few resources, no ability to read or write English, and no connections in the US, Jeremie set on his way. He purchased a two-way ticket that offered a non-refundable return flight within one monthʼs time (at seven fold the annual average salary in Burkina Faso) and flew from Ouagadougou to New York, then New York to Richmond. When Jeremie arrived in Virginia, he called YWAM completely unannounced, completely on faith; God made certain his call was answered. YWAM called on Jon Buzzard to help, and Jeremie stayed with Jon while he learned English under Dayne Boyden, then an ESL teacher with at YWAM. Things quickly began to work out better than Jeremie ever imagined they could. He was quick to learn English and was offered a ministerial internship with Rob Rhoden at Commonwealth Chapel. He made contacts, witnessed opportunities and lived a lifestyle he could never have previously imagined. He had come to the United States with nothing, and he left empowered with visions of improvement for his community and determined to follow the new path God had set before him. When he returned to Burkina Faso, he quickly set to work growing the small bible study run by himself and his wife into a fully functioning school. Commonwealth Chapel began helping him fund his project, and he gave his home to make the idea a reality. Starting with one classroom (and continuing to live in the school), Jeremie and his wife started an elementary school that in two years has grown from about twenty children to one hundred and forty students. The one room building that used to serve as Jeremieʼs familyʼs home and the schools only classroom is now the room for the CP2, the third level that Jeremie, his wife and the three other teachers now conduct at their four room school complex in Sandogo, Ouagadougou.

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In early 2007, Jeremie asked Dayne Boyden to bring a team with YWAM to come to Burkina Faso and lead a mission to teach English at the school while the Children were out for the month of August. Five people came through YWAM and taught for three weeks, and had an amazing effect on a number of peoples lives. They taught intense language courses for five hours a day to over 60 people (consisting of beginning, intermediate and advance classes). The school was called the ELCBF, the Evangelical Language Center in Burkina Faso. The trip was an overwhelming success. In November 2008 while his school was expanding, Jeremie made a second trip to the US with the intention of seeking aid for his school so that he could establish an infirmary on site. Jeremie stayed for two months and spoke with many people, but aside from the continued generosity of the Commonwealth Chapel community, received little financial aid. Through Commonwealth Chapel however, Hunter Willis met and agreed to help Jeremie with his following. In December 2008, Jeremie returned to Burkina Faso, and Hunter followed him back in February 2009. After helping establish the medical program and learning a great deal about Jeremie, his school and his plans, Hunter is now trying to raise support and awareness for Jeremie in the United States.

JEREMIE’S EDUCATION 1977-80 School Of Agriculture Targho/Saphone, Burkina Faso 1989-92 Biblical College Nangbangre, Burkina Faso 1992-95 College Parent Eleve

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso 1995 School of Child Evangelism

Ivory Coast 1999 YWAM Discipleship Training School

Benin, West Africa YWAM English Language and Culture School Richmond, VA

2006 Pastoral Internship Commonwealth Chapel Jeremie and his daughter Eliele

Richmond, VA

www.ELCBF.org

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IV. Looking Forward

The future of the ELCBF depends on you and your help!!

The possibilities to impact lives through the ELCBF programs are virtually endless.

Plans to expand the school to six classrooms have already been drawn and are estimated at about $35,000.

There is an immediate need to build more rooms as the

school is almost at maximum capacity as it is.

We will also expand the medical program and teach more English students during the summer months when the Dorcas School students are out.

We will be able to teach hundreds of men and women

basic trade skills such as sewing and carpentry, and introduce even more people to English.

The establishment of a trade community that will

contribute to the school will allow the locals to expand their own program, and help limitless numbers of people.

The expansion of the school will also provide for further

mission opportunities and a place to hold regular Bible studies and a base from which to spread the word.

Jeremie and those around him have already established a school and medical program and have improved hundreds of lives:

Imagine The Potential Your Help Could Make A Reality…

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V. How You Can Help

Spread The Word! The more people that know about our program the better, and we are always looking for new contacts and forums to tell people about Burkina Faso and what Jeremie and the ELCBF have been doing. Come With Us! The number of people in Burkina who want to take the Biblical English Course is increasing every year! We have most of the materials necessary and can help you raise the money to come! The courses are taught in August and run for most of the month. Other mission trip opportunities exist, so please, contact us if you are interested! Donate! We are in need of donations for the medical/food aid program. Every dollar makes a difference in the lives of the children we are helping…

Donations can be made by credit card at ELCBF.org

For a tax Free donation, make checks payable to Commonwealth Chapel memo: Global Impact- Burkina Faso And mail to: ELCBF C/O Hunter Willis 1836 Park Ave Richmond, VA 23220 Contact Us: Hunter Willis …………….hrwillis@gmail.com Dayne Boyden ………….dayne.boyden@gmail.com

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References: Cia World Factbook: Burkina Faso https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uv.html US Department Of State, Background: Burkina Faso http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2834.htm Englebert, Pierre. 1996 Burkina Faso: Unsteady Statehood in West Africa Boulder, CO. Westview Press. Skinner, Elliot P. 1989 The Mossi Of Burkina Faso Illinois. Waveland Press. Reader, John. 1999 Africa: A Biography of the Continent New York, New York Vinateg Books. This packet was authored edited and arranged by Hunter Willis. Photos by: Hunter Willis, Jeremie Nitiema. Information on Sandogo and Tarho is based on anecdotal observation, as little public documentation exists on localities in Burkina Faso. This document and others available at: http://Groups.google.com/group/elcbf/ http://www.ELCBF.org