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Because of the political upheaval, the fragility of the conditions upon which agriculture depends, and the limited natural resources, a large percentage of Burkina Faso's population continues to go abroad to seek employment.
Burkina Faso has been called "50% Muslim, 20% Christian and 100% animist." According to Operation World, "few countries in West Africa are more dominated by idolatry, fetishism and secret societies." It's said that Protestant Christians make up only around 4% of the population, and since the literacy rate is one of the world's lowest, Burkinabe Christians rely on oral history and storytelling.
Despite all this, Burkina Faso is listed among Gordon Conwell Seminary's top 20 countries where Christianity is growing fastest. Calling Burkina Faso one of the "World's 10 Spiritual Hot Spots," Charisma Magazine reports: "Half the people have never heard the gospel, and half are Muslims. Yet in the midst of this bleak picture a Christian revival has swept this nation. From 1983 to 2000 church growth has been remarkable. From 1983 to 1990 the total number of churches more than doubled. Catholics make up 1.3 million of the more than 2 million Christians. Charismatics total some 900,000. Numerous church-planting movements are active among the country's 72 ethnic groups."
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The country gained independence from France in 1960 as Upper Volta. The first presidency lasted until 1966 and was overthrown by a military coup. The military captain who lead the coup remained in power until 1980 when he, too, was overthrown, as were the next two military leaders. A coup d'état in 1983 brought Captain Thomas Sankara into power, who renamed the country Burkina Faso, meaning "land of the upright or honest people." He began to implement a marxist government, becoming friendly toward the Soviet Union and Cuba. His former friend Blaise Compaoré overthrew his regime in 1987. Sankara and 12 others were killed in the Coup. Compaoré ruled Burkina Faso until October 2014, when public protests over his attempts to modify the constitution (again) and seek a third term. After an interim government (and another temporary coup attempt), Roch Marc Christian Kaboré was elected president with 53.5% of the popular vote. Upon taking office, he became the first non-interim president in 49 years with no past ties to the military.
Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, President of Burkina Faso since 29 December 2015
Paul Kaba Thieba, Prime Minister of Burkina Faso since 13 January, 2016
Christian ministries operating
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Even for a West African nation, Burkina Faso is considered poor. It is ranked #178 of 198 on the CIA's listing of countries by GDP per capita. (U.S. $710/year) There are as few as 10 doctors per 100,000 people, and malaria, diarrhea and respiratory diseases are the main causes of death. Other common diseases are African Sleeping Sickness, leprosy, yellow fever, river blindness and snail fever (schistosomiasis). Frequent droughts, floods and insect attacks threaten the food supply, as 80% of the population are rural subsistance farmers. Burkina Faso ranked 65th out of 78 countries on the IFPRI's Global Hunger Index.
Education in Burkina Faso is among the lowest in Africa. Only about 25% of citizens aged 15 and above are literate. According to a 2006 study, 47.7% of boys and 43% of girls in Burkina Faso are in child labor. This includes agriculture like cotton, mangos and livestock, but also gold mining (using dynamite as well as cyanide and mercury to process ore). Human trafficking, prostitution and pornography are also prevalent. A 2012 INTERPOL operation freed nearly 400 child trafficking victims.
Life expectancy in Burkina Faso is about 59.5 years, while infant mortality is about 62 per 1,000 live births. Notwithstanding this, population growth remains steady at over 3%. It's estimated that about 72% of girls suffer FGM.
Burkina Faso is bordered by Mali (N), Niger (NE), Benin (SE), and Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Togo (S).
GMO OMs in Burkina Faso |
Nebie Badiou |
Marisol Corrales |
Lompo Judicael |
Neya Etienne |
Banga Charles Beaudelaire |
GMO has five Online Missionaries in Burkina Faso
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GMO's Stats on Burkina Faso
In 2016, GMO had 254,537 Gospel Visits, 37,776 indicated decisions and 9,449 discipleship visits from Burkina Faso. There are 5 Online Missionaries in Burkina Faso.
I want to know if God Loves me? because I married a man that I love. We have two kids through ceasarian operation. The doctor said I had a lot of fibriod in my womb so after my third child they will remove my womb. I became pregnant for the third time but could not go on becuase I had a lot of complications so we decided an abortion but my husband promised me that we will try again when I am ready. The aborton worried me so much that I wanted to become pregnant again but my husband said no. I did everything in my power my husband said no. Then he got transfered to another country then I leave my job and followed him. I started losing blood because of the fibrod and finally went for the operation and my womb was removed. I am sad, confused and do not know what to do. My husband continue telling me that he loves me. How can this be true? I am jobless. I have made a mess of my life. If God really Loves me then why did not anybody advise me. Why my husband does not think about my tommorrow. I have done a lot for this me. In all this he saids he loves me. Can this be true? Recently his brother died leaving 5 children and he wants to take one child and adopt her later on. At first I said no but later I said for peace. I want to run far please help me. I want God to tell me what to do. I am getting crazy.
—Burkinabe contact Linda
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Member Prayer Requests/Praise Report from last week
Barbara: Still safe from volcano, but a couple new vents opened up, so we are not yet done with the volcano. I also had to go to the ER yesterday and got back home about 9 pm. Apparently I had a very, very small heart attack, but they allowed me to go home because everything looked okay with another round of the EKG's and also my blood tests. I have what is called PVC's - Pre-Ventricular Contractions, which are like some extra beats. I have had this in the past but quite a few years ago and after wearing a monitor for 24 hours it was determined there was no immediate danger. This past year I have been noticing them again, just now and then, and wondered if perhaps some new medication was causing them. I will be contacting my health clinic today to set up an appointment and will be keeping close watch on any other new indications that I need to get checked out. If I ever get back the horrible pain I experienced yesterday around noon time, I will be calling 911 to head right to the hospital. that is what brought me there in the first place, not PVC's. I have never experienced pain like that before and do not want to again It stopped almost as quickly as it began, which was good, but at the same time there was nothing they could see at the ER by the time I got there via ambulance. Guess it is another sign I need to slow down a little, but not sure where to begin, except perhaps not doing the early morning calls may be a start, so that I get a normal amount of rest, or else I will need to be going to bed by 8 pm every night for a while.
Blessings to you all, and you can continue to send me the notices so I can be praying here by myself, or even perhaps get someone to join me, but at a later time. I will also be praying for those of you on the calls as well.
God bless, and I will try now and then to make it on a call but probably not able to every single time.
Alice: the Nigerian army just freed 100 captives from Boko Haram. Rejoice!
Frank: John was arrested near April 1, but has been writing Frank & Martha almost every day since, because he has access to a computer. Snippets: “I love you. I’m praying for you and I know that the Lord is working in me. I feel better than I have in years.” "God has set me free from addictions in life. Drinking and Drug abuse."
Linda: It just looks like my Wednesday mornings aren’t going to work to pray with you anymore. I will need to look for another day and time for a prayer group. I thank you for keeping me in touch and for your prayers for me.
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