Brief Update from the Road

Greetings from Liberia, dear brothers and sisters in Christ!  

I want to thank you for your prayers thus far on this trip, as they have been answered in multiple ways!  The time in Burkina Faso was very full, with the highlight being the women's conference with the Assemblies of God Church.  What a delight to be with so many women, one third of whom were widows, and to take some deep dives into understanding our purpose for creation from Genesis 1 & 2 (beyond having babies!), to learning about Mary the mother of Jesus as a widow, Jesus as first-born son, and many women business leaders and church planters in the Bible.  It was a rich time which enjoyed so much.  If I had better connectivity, I would upload their singing, dancing, and praying which was amazing with so large a group!  But there are pictures below, including the pictures where they prayed in small groups that each person would be healthy in their various gardens (marriage, children, workplace, church, community, etc) and apply the quadruple goals (economic, environmental, social and missional).

I also met with the Christian Missionary Alliance leaders in Ouagadougou learned of how this is working in and through the denomination and did some further strategizing with them for dissemination.  The workshop we held was interesting as it was a mix of trainers, pastors who are doing DML, and those who are new.  And what I loved was when a question was asked by someone new, the answers were often given by those in the crowd who have internalized this message and are now teaching it as their own.

After another 14 hours of travel yesterday to get from Burkina Faso to Liberia (!), I am thankful to be here.  There was an air traffic controllers strike that started in many African countries on Friday evening and flights were cancelled for about 24 hours before they reached an agreement to call off the strike and continue negotiations for ten more days.  Praise the Lord!  There were long lines, delays, and angry people as I worked my way from Burkina Faso to Lomé to Accra to Monrovia but thank God I was able to arrive in time!  

This week I will have two training of trainers with the Harvest Intercontinental Ministries Unlimited denomination - one in Harbel and one in Ganta.  Please continue to pray that a healthy theology of work and a moving away from the prosperity gospel may settle into hearts and minds, and work may be done as an act of worship!