SAND, SEASHELLS, AND PIZZA!
Thanks to all who prayed for our vacation to Ghana. It was SO relaxing! We were true “beach bums”—spent most of our time just hanging out at the beach, collecting shells, jumping in the waves, playing in the sand, and swimming at the pool. We got all caught up on our sleep and had a true break from the pressures of life. We did take one morning and toured the oldest and largest slave castle, built 10 years before Columbus sailed to the New World. This was a sobering yet important opportunity for our kids to see “first hand” some of the history that we’ve been studying about. We also took a day to go to Accra, where we enjoyed some GREAT pizza at Frankie’s—have you ever tried mushrooms on Hawaiian pizza? Makes a delicious combination!
(see picture of kiddos)
PASTOR MARCEL IS HOME WITH JESUS
On Sunday, when we were just leaving Ouaga to return to Bobo after our Ghana vacation, we received a phone call that Pastor Marcel had passed away that morning. Our hearts were sad to receive this news, but on the other hand, we felt a huge sense of relief that Pastor Marcel was no longer suffering. It was a blessing to have Tim and Susie Allen, our Burkina field pastoral care couple, in the car with us when we received this news. We were able to spend some time talking with them about Marcel and Tim led us in a time of prayer.
Monday morning, Kevin and I both drove to Sirasso with a group of 17 others from Bobo (3 of them Pastor Marcel’s children). They had waited to bury him until our arrival, and it was very hard to arrive in the midst of such sadness. And yet, as the service was taking place in the church, it was obvious that the Lord was with us. We sang together, listened as the Bobo district president shared a message on the hope that we have in Christ, and heard the testimony of Marcel’s life and his faithful service to God. In the middle of the service, we all walked through the village to go bury Marcel, singing as we went. I could see people in the village standing at a distance, watching our procession. I wondered what they thought of a group of Christians singing as they went to bury their loved one, and prayed that the Holy Spirit would show them the hope that we have and speak to their hearts, drawing them closer to Jesus. (see picture)
We will greatly miss Pastor Marcel. He was passionate about sharing Jesus’ love with those around him and had a very fruitful ministry in Sirasso and the surrounding villages. He was a true shepherd to the believers there, and he took every opportunity to share Christ with those who did not know Him. He was excited to be a part of what God was doing in that region and always had great reports of what was taking place. He was a humble servant and a man of peace—often able to resolve issues of new believers being persecuted for their faith by their families. We are thankful to have served with him two years in the Kenedougou region and have been encouraged by his faithfulness.
Please continue to PRAY for Marcel’s wife, Suzanne, and for their 8 children who are still living (they had a total of 12!). The two youngest are still in high school, and the family will face some big decisions in the days ahead. Please PRAY for the Sirasso church. Yacouba, one of the church committee members, mentioned that they feel very weak and asked specifically that we pray for them during these days without a pastor. PRAY for the Bobo district committee, as they now need to decide about sending another pastor to that area.
THE VILLAGE OF SIRASSO
We are waiting to see how God will bring glory to His name in the village of Sirasso as a result of Pastor Marcel’s death. Please PRAY that God will be glorified! There are many who are probably claiming that Pastor Marcel died because of all of the fetishes that he has burned during his two years of ministry there. There are some who might try to take advantage of this and instill further fear into those who are living in fear of the spirits in that area. During the funeral service, the village chief was asked to speak. (We’ve asked you to pray for him in the past, as he has been a “block” to the work moving forward in that village.) He shared some good words about his respect for Pastor Marcel. And yet he added at the end the usual phrase that we hear often, that “There is one God, but many paths to get to that one God.” (I cringed hearing these words spoken inside of the Sirasso church! Pastor Samuel was translating and made sure that it was clear that the chief was saying these words, but it was obvious that he felt awkward to be translating this.) Please PRAY that this chief will come to salvation, that he will one day quote John 14:6—“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”
PROTECTION FROM A SCORPION
We are praising God for his protection over Kevin. During the funeral service, a scorpion had crawled up the wall directly behind Kevin and was “making its way” between the wall and Kevin’s shirt. (He had felt something there, but thought it was just the bumpy contour of the wall.) A woman had seen a scorpion up on the stage and had come up to have the pastors find it. When Kevin and the pastors leaned forward to look under the bench that they were sitting on, they saw the scorpion right where Kevin had been leaning on the wall!! Not only is a scorpion sting extremely painful, the timing of it would have been terrible! We live in a culture where even the believers can be very superstitious, and to have Kevin stung by a scorpion during Pastor Marcel’s funeral would have been seen as some kind of terrible “sign”. Instead, it just turned out to be a “mild distraction”. We are PRAISING God for his intervention in this situation!
PRAYER REQUESTS FOR THIS COMING WEEK
*We are thankful for Tim and Susie Allen and their commitment to minister to our missionary team in Burkina. Please PRAY for them, as they have had some health issues while here. They will be going to Ouaga tomorrow, flying home later on this week.
*Tomorrow is “Women’s Sunday”, celebrated in all of the CMA Burkina churches. We will be going to Banzon to take part in their festivities. Please PRAY that this will be a special Sunday of recognizing and encouraging the women.
*The Ndorola church construction has taken off with a bang! Kevin and Toby will be going to roof the church on Tuesday and Wednesday. Please PRAY for safety.
*Next Sunday, the 9th, we are thrilled that we will be going to Ndorola for their FIRST baptismal service! PRAY that this event will be a strong testimony to those who will see it take place—it will be held in a public place and will probably draw on-lookers.
Thank you for your prayers—we are convinced God is working through you!
Kevin, Bonnie, Daniel, Jacob, Abby and Emma Oberg
kevinoberg@cmaburkina.com
Check out our field website!! http://burkinaalliance.org You’ll see new pictures, read new stories, and find all the facts you need about Burkina Faso.
Financial info - How You Can Give . . .
To give to the Great Commission Fund (towards our monthly support) –or- To give to the Oberg Work Special Fund (for ministry needs for our work specifically in Burkina Faso):
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.