Email the Chankins!

We have enjoyed another good month here among the Dagara. Everyone says that time flies - and we could not agree more. Our team recently celebrated our 4 year anniversary among the Dagara. We have seen God work in such amazing ways during these years and we look forward to what is in store for the next few years. Last week the team spent 3 days in Ouaga for a business retreat discussing goals for the upcoming dry season and on into the next several years. We have big dreams for the Dagara Christians and the village churches. Please pray that God would pour out blessings on these people and that God would be glorified as more and more Dagara come to know Christ. Recently, Archie got to attend a baptism party in the village of Dagore. These new Christians, who were baptized a few weeks earlier, invited the entire village to celebrate their new relationship with God. There was great turn out and it gave these Christians an opportunity to witness to their friends and neighbors. Pray that other people in Dagore will give up their idols and worship the one true God. Also, please continue to pray for the village of Mou. Donatien (our night guard) is teaching there and doing a great job. Please pray for soft hearts as they hear the message. Finally, we are thrilled by the safe arrival of Dylan Burk into the world and for the legal adoption of Elijah Johnson. Our team is growing! To God be the Glory.

Blessings,
Archie, Mandy, Emma and Jack

Email the Carters!

The harvest time has arrived and it seems that this will be an average year. It is not a bumper crop but it should provide well. Please pray that as people harvest that they are keeping in the mind the harvest of the Lord as the seasonal church planting time is just around the corner. During dry season there is more free time and people are generally willing to sit and listen to something new. Pray for churches as they begin to select potential villages to teach in. The Dagore church recently took a unique step in reaching people. In July, eighteen people were baptized (when there was enough water to roll around in). The church then decided they wanted to mark the occasion and minister to the people in their village. Just this past week they had a "Baptism Party." Everyone was invited to come and refreshments were provided as they celebrated the new life of these eighteen people. Archie and I were genuinely surprised at the turn out and ask that you pray that God uses this party to impact people's lives. As to our home life, Noah is now a walking member of the human race. He took his first steps and now is toddling around. He also enjoys finding anything to climb on. Even going beyond Dano, we were greatly blessed by our team business retreat in Ouaga and also glad to welcome Dylan into the world. We look forward to meeting him in February when the Burks return. Thanks for your prayers for us, the team and the Dagara.

God bless you all,
Chad, Amy and Noah

Email the Burks!

God, the creator of life, is so good. Dylan Christian Burk was born at 8:15 a.m. Saturday, October 14, 2006. He weighed 7 lbs. 7 oz.'s and was 19 inches long. He is eating, sleeping, pooping, peeing, and crying the way he's supposed to do. He seems to have his mother's dark red hair. Only time will tell what his eyes look like. We are so glad that our supporters have brought us to America for this birth. Everything went so smoothly, that is, until Sunday evening. We thought we were about to go home the next morning, but Andrea's blood pressure started getting very high. They diagnosed her with PIH (pregnancy induced hypertension) and put her on an IV of "smooth" muscle relaxant (magnesium sulfate) to basically keep her blood pressure from getting high enough to send her into seizures. So, as of Tuesday, her doctor has taken her off the magnesium since her blood pressures have finally stabilized enough and we are watching her for 24 hours to see if her blood pressure stays good. Both my Mom and her Mom are helping me take care of her. We are just so thankful that the doctors and nurses are watching her closely and taking such good care of her. Pray that her blood pressure stays good. Daniel has been really good with all of this considering the drama with his Mom's health. Pray that he and all of us will adapt well to becoming a larger family.

May the LORD Bless You and Keep You,

Aaron, Andrea, Daniel, and Dylan Burk

Email the Johnsons!

What a great month of growth for our team! First off, Elijah is officially a Johnson! In answer to all the prayers going up and because of his great love, the Lord really cleared the way for our adoption hearing. The hearing itself lasted less than five minutes, and Elijah was finally ours! We still have reams of red tape and paperwork to wade through, but he is now our son.

Following quickly on Elijah's heels, we are so thrilled at the news of Dylan Burk's safe arrival on the scene. We are very thankful for the way that God protected Dylan and Andrea.

It was also a great time of growth among the Dagara churches. Andy had the privilege of witnessing the birth of five new Christians in the village of Nyi-Kpier, followed by five more a couple weeks later in Mebar. Most of the new brothers and sisters had been attending for a long time, so we are grateful to God for bringing them into his church.

Finally, we have just finished up a wonderful retreat with our teammates. Our prayer is that the decisions we made as a team are in line with what God has in store for us and for the Dagara over the coming years. Regretfully, because of some health issues for Elijah, we are still stuck in Ouaga; please be praying that his tummy clear up quickly so that we can go home after all this time on the road.

Blessings!
Andy and Melissa