OCTOBER 2007 EMAIL FROM OBERGS IN BURKINA FASO, WEST AFRICA

THE OBERG HOME SCHOOL ADVENTURE
Many of you have asked how our home schooling is going—thank you so much for praying as we have started this family venture! It is actually going quite well. Although the boys mention that they miss friends from the French school, they are still quite happy to be studying in English and having the “freedom” of a home school schedule (although that home work still has to be done!). We are so thankful that God has brought us to this decision for this point in time—we have had much confirmation that this is the best schooling situation for our kids for the present time.
We do the majority of our home schooling in the morning, and Kevin does an exercise/sports class every day with Daniel and Jacob during Abby’s kindergarten time. We have two other home schooling families with elementary age students who we do activities with several afternoons a week, not only to learn together, but to help provide the social life that all kids need. These activities include (or will shortly include) sports class, science experiments, French class, music theory (Bonnie gets to teach this one, which will include instruction on the recorder), ballet (for the girls) and drumming lessons for the boys. We are also planning on a few field trips, like going to the used clothing market, touring a pharmacy, and learning how to cultivate peanuts and make peanut butter! We are also looking forward to a few special sessions that some of our missionary colleagues (who have taught school) are going to prepare for our MKs.
Please continue to keep us in prayer as we are home schooling our kids. We are seeing areas where they need improvement, and we are thankful for the progress they are making. Please pray that Daniel will be able to learn how to study and retain what he is reading and learning (especially in History!). Please pray that Jacob can curtail that creative energy when it’s time to sit and do seatwork for a bit. Please pray that as parents, we will be in tune to our kid’s needs and be able to be flexible and know best how to help them as we try to give them a good education, in preparation for some day studying in the States (whether on furlough or college later on).

DOUBLING OUR EFFORTS—MEET THE HULLS
We came to Burkina on the same plane in August 2000, went through French language study together, have lived in the same town the past couple of years, and joke that we’re going to have our retirement party together. Many of you have heard us mention Toby and Kiersten Hull, fellow CMA colleagues and friends of ours. They have three kids—Kenna, Colby, and Laura, with one on the way, due in February. (see picture) We thought we’d better introduce you, as you’ll be hearing more about them.
Recently, our FLT (field leadership team) met and decided that it would be a good idea to get the Obergs and the Hulls working together in the Kenedougou region. This way we can double our efforts—the area is huge, and there is so much openness and response to the gospel at the moment that we just can’t go at it alone! Kevin counted the number of villages that he thought we could do evangelism in this year, and it came to 19! There’s no way we could continue on without getting some help.
Toby and Kiersten have actually been working with the Senefou people in a district south of Bobo, and the Senefou are one of the main people groups in the Kenedougou region. Most of the time, we’ll be dividing the work—they’ll go one place, we’ll go another, so that we’ll have the best “missionary coverage” possible. However, there will be times when we will head out there together, especially Toby and Kevin, as they will be doing more of the traveling since we all have young kids at home and in school.
We have always been excited about what God has been doing in the Kenedougou region, but now the potential is even greater! With the openness that we are seeing right now in that region, we often feel that we’ve got a “window of opportunity” that we’ve got to take advantage of while the time is “ripe”. Please pray for us and for the Hulls, that we will have clear direction in how God is leading us and that we will see fruit from our combined efforts. Please pray for Toby this month, as he is scheduled to go to different churches in the Kenedougou region while Kevin is in the States, and as he meets with pastors and church leaders to discuss plans for the region.

ANOTHER PASTOR AND CHURCH TO PRAY FOR
A church that was formally part of the Bobo district is now “transitioning” over to the Kenedougou region. Pastor Tychique (pronounced “tuh-sheek”) is working in Badala, which is the village where the Kenedougou region officially begins on one of the major roads leading out of Bobo. Please pray for this pastor, that God will provide for his family’s needs, especially as it is time for school to start and he has five children. Please pray that this church will understand the importance of tithing and helping to take care of their pastor. Please pray that Toby and Kevin will work well with Pastor Tychique, and that they will be an encouragement to him in his ministry. Please pray for ALL of our pastors in the Kenedougou (Marcel in Sirasso, Samuel in Ndorola, Francois in Banzon, and now Tychique in Badala). Pray that God will allow them each to have a fruitful ministry, and that he will give them strength and energy as most of them are overseeing work in several surrounding villages. Please continue to pray that God would send more pastors and strong lay leaders into the Kenedougou region.

KEVIN’S TRIP
Kevin is enjoying his time in the States! He’s been able to see some of our family and has really enjoyed “reconnecting” with them. He’s also enjoyed the American food, although assures me that has stomach is having to get “used” to it all over again. (It’s always about a month of transition when it comes to getting used to the food, here or there!) He’s enjoyed the opportunities to share in several churches, and is looking forward to his time on Bainbridge Island this week! He’ll be there Tuesday-Sunday—please pray that God would bless their time together. For those of you who don’t know, this was the church where we did our home assignment, and it is our “sending church”, so to speak. We are still so thankful for this church family and for the strong ties that remain to this day.
All is fine on the home front—thanks for praying! The schooling and bookkeeping are going well, and the kids are obeying (for the most part!). :o) No illness to speak of, and in spite of a few mishaps (trying to change the gas bottle and spraying gas all over the pantry, trying to get the dog food bag off the top shelf and dropping it to the floor, busting it and sending dog food scattering, and having a transformer burn up which shut down our computer network and left me without internet for three days), life is going pretty smoothly. Please continue to pray that it will remain that way!

Thanks for praying—you’re making a huge difference in our lives and in the lives of the people in the Kenedougou region!

Kevin, Bonnie, Daniel, Jacob, Abby, and Emma Oberg
kevinoberg@cmaburkina.com

Financial info

How You Can Give To Our Ministry In Burkina Faso . . .

To give to the Great Commission Fund (GCF: general support fund for C&MA work at home & abroad, providing money to keep Alliance missionaries on overseas fields) -or-

To give to the Oberg Work Special Fund (for ministry needs for our work here in Burkina Faso--email us if you’d like a list of projects we are working on):

1) Mail a check payable to The C&MA to the following address, with the appropriate information in the memo line of the check (include our name and the fund desired: i.e. “Oberg GCF/Support” or “Oberg Work Special”): The C&MA, PO Box 35000, Colorado Springs, CO 80935
2) Go to www.cmalliance.org to give online with a credit card.