Email the Richters!

Following God's call for mission, we set off on a 7,000 mile trek that took us eastward to Florida for training in tropical agriculture, up the east coast on an American history tour to as far north as Washington, D.C., and then back to Texas visiting friends and family along the way. It was a blessed time filled with many great memories and experiences.

We wanted to find a place to get some hands on training for doing agricultural development in Burkina Faso. So, we headed to Fort Meyers, Florida, the home to a Christian non-profit organization known as ECHO (Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization). ECHO is a global research farm specializing in tropical food production and appropriate technology. Covering over 50 acres, ECHO displays food production in the major world climate zones through intensive demonstration plots. It has an extensive library on tropical food production and appropriate technologies. Learn more about ECHO on their website, www.echonet.org.

ECHO was both refreshing and exhausting as we worked on the farm and studied in the library. The Christians at ECHO are people of extraordinary commitment and compassion for the world's poor. We gained many valuable insights and specific agricultural techniques. We even got to spend time with the Gordon family headed to the Jula people in Burkina Faso.

We are in San Antonio, Texas spending time with our sponsoring congregation, the Oak Hills Church, building relationships and sharing the vision to win the Dagara for Christ.

Thank you for your prayers!
Geoffrey, Suzanne, Caleb, Seth, London, Micah Richter

Email the Burks!

The news in Dano is that we are now whooshing down the internet at 153.6 kbps with our new CDMA modem. The best part of the deal is that we no longer have to pay per minute! With the new internet connection, we can skype (computer to computer only though - still not fast enough to call land lines with our computer), so email us your skype username and maybe we can even have a conversation.

We're about to be all by our lonesome with our teammates all off the continent for a couple of weeks, but we're actually looking forward to a few extra office hours etc. to get some more leadership training materials churned out etc. Speaking of which, Aaron finished his small group leadership seminar on stewardship and giving this month. We're excited to see how it works out in the long run.

Some things heading down the pipe are the Howard's visiting from our supporters, the Homewood church of Christ in Birmingham, Alabama. We're looking forward to showing off what God is doing among the Dagara. Also, our furlough is coming up at the end of October. We would like to see as many of you as possible. If you would like to make contact with us during the holidays please email us and we will see what we can do. We don't yet have a vehicle to get around in, but we will try to hook up with you when and as we can.

May the LORD Bless You and Keep You,

Aaron, Andrea, Daniel, and Dylan Burk

Email the Chankins!

Hello from San Antonio! Thank you for your prayers concerning our family's adjustment to life in the States. Emma is loving preschool, Sunday school and anything else that has school in the title. Jack, on the other hand, is not so convinced. He has been to Sunday school once and was a little upset every time the teacher announced an activity change. Apparently he wants to be in charge of the schedule. They still ask about their friends in Dano and when we will be going back. We all miss our life there, but are enjoying life here, too.

We have been doing some traveling (in shifts), giving both Archie and Mandy the opportunity to have some time away from the kids. Mandy has seen friends in Little Rock and Colorado, while Archie has been able to catch up with friends in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio.

This past weekend we spent some time with the Pruett family in order to pursue more seriously the possibility of working at Pioneer Bible Translators in Dallas. We were impressed by what PBT does on a global scale and could see ourselves fitting in well at the organization. Archie has also applied for a position at Highpoint Fellowship in Cedar Park. Please pray with us that we will be discerning in God's will for our lives

Email Hillary!

I can hardly believe I've been here three months! Preschool is going well, though think I'm learning more from the boys than they are from me. Preschool started out with just Noah and Elijah, but now Dylan has joined us. I'm also enjoying helping the women on the team as a Mother's Helper. The group from Tri Valley was such a joy and a blessing. I loved participating in the different activities with them like the VBS's, staying the night with Rebekah and her family, the eye glass clinic, and getting to worship with fellow believers. I've also had a few new experiences during the past month - my first calabash of dolo, dancing with ladies at the church in Kompla, sleeping out in the village at Rebekah's house, and going without electricity sometimes.

I ask you to pray that I allow God to empty me of myself and fill me with Him so I'm serving the way He has planned.

In my Bible study I've realized that fellow believers are to be a joy to each other.

1Thessalonians 3:9 says, "How can we thank God enough in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?" The emails, prayers, and Bible verses you send and are such a blessing. My study has also encouraged me to be a joy to fellow believers and receive joy from them even across language barriers. My fellow believers, we really need each other.

Soli Deo Gloria,
Hillary Sellers

Email the Johnsons!

Greetings from sunny California! We are stateside now for what we are calling a furlette (it's like a furlough, only shorter). On our way, we were able to stop and spend a few days in Lyon, France, being pampered by and catching up with dear friends of ours, the Hendrix. We were also blessed to spend time with the church of Christ as a whole, as well as the Whites and Kees, two other missionary families working in francophone Europe.

Last Saturday, Melissa was the matron of honor and Elijah was a ring-bearer in Melissa's best girlfriend's wedding (amazingly enough, Elijah and the three other children his age made it down the aisle without providing too much comic relief...). We'll be here in California until the end of the month, at which time we'll head to Texas for two weeks there. Although this is mainly a trip about family time, we'd of course love to hear from as many of you as possible. Please give us a call at 209.221.6601 until the end of the month or at 940.766.5374 through mid-October.

Blessings.
The Johnsons

Email the Carters!

Thank you for your continued prayers for our family this month.

Chad's arm is allowing him to continue more normal activities (although not able to ride his bike yet). Our car is still in the shop but some of the parts have started to arrive. Thanks be to God for so many people helping to keep us 'rolling.'

Our sweet corn harvest is in and we have had corn for three meals a day… always an exciting time!

A couple of weeks ago our team had a visit from two ladies who run a Christian orphanage in Ouagadougou. They already coordinate with some Christians here in the care of an orphan named Boris in Dano-Pari. Their visit was for exploring further cooperation and offering advice to church leaders as they grow more in this ministry. These ladies hope that their partnership can help keep orphans in their birth-village where they have extended family rather than moving them far away and losing those family connections.

A highlight in our time with churches this month was the large worship service held in the village of Bafour. There were over 195 people meeting at a church that has a membership of 55! Seven different churches sent representatives to the gathering. Amy taught a fantastic participatory lesson to the children about Jericho and then led the kids in learning a simple prayer.

Please continue to remember prayers for a plentiful harvest and sufficient rains.

God bless you all as you serve our Lord,
The Carters