Equipping Women Project
Aim of the project
Project #93902 Burkina Faso. This project is equipping women with sound bible knowledge, the ability to apply the knowledge to everyday life and the skills to train other women.
This is a strategic ministry. As women are encouraged to live to their full potential in Christ, the life of the church is transformed as women make up about 70% of the SIM-related church in Burkina Faso.
This ministry is thriving and expanding but a shortage of funds could see the project limited or discontinued. Will you help?
How your gift will help … assure the continuation of the project, allowing more women to be trained to train others. The church will be strengthened as women are given a sound knowledge of the bible and the ability to apply biblical truths to everyday life.
Background
During 2004-2005, God impressed on the hearts of three women, independently of each other, the need for solid, systematic Bible teaching for the women of the Evangelical
These three women were; Mme Douna Sibdou, wife of the president of the church women’s association, Mme Yonli Cathérine, wife of the Director of the Bible and Agricultural Training School at Fada N’Gourma, and Elspeth Slater, an Australian missionary.
The program was launched in October 2005, with 2-3 days of classes being held in four different locations, 3 times a year, attended by the president of each of the 18 church regions. The enthusiasm with which the teaching has been received indicates that it is meeting a felt need.
Participants in the classes subsequently taught the materials to pastors’ wives in their region, who are now passing it on to the women in their churches. The material is also being taught at the Bible Schools and at three centres for Bible, Literacy and Vocational Training for Girls, and by one Burkinabé missionary wife in Togo.
In 2011
Since Elspeth left for retirement in February 2008, the work has thrived and expanded, in the capable hands of Sibdou, while Catherine continues to share in the teaching. Because the majority of these women have very few resources, funds are needed to support the program.
These funds cover such areas as reimbursement of travel costs for the women when they attend classes, subsidising of food costs during the teaching days, reimbursement by kilometre for the travel of Sibdou and Catherine, and a small salary for Sibdou as she manages the whole program. Sibdou also works on translation of lesson materials.
Your gift
Your gift can be made online to Equipping Women Project #93902 or through or national office 02 9580 1422.
Give Online
One woman from the Matiakoali region (member of our Fada N'Gourma group) shared something with us during the 2 May 2011 session. She delivered a handicapped child which has greatly affected her life and faith, and participation in many church activities. This is what she shared.
"I had the idea that everyone would just be distracted by my child, so I decided that I should no longer participate in the public activities of the church, and became isolated and lonely as a result. So you can understand my surprise and indecision when the women's regional leadership asked me to participate in this training program! They waited a long time for my answer, and probably thought that I was just ignoring their request. But because of their insistence, I reluctantly accepted to come.
At first I thought they were just trying to honour or please me by asking me, but now I realise that they included me for my own good. Through the training of this book, I have been able to understand that it is through confidence in the faithfulness of God that we are able to work through all situations that come our way in life, and that God even allows certain trials to come to fortify our faith. He has given us the shield of faith to protect us from Satanic attacks and trials, and in the training there have been concrete examples that sound a lot like my situation. These have already helped me to overcome the testing, and have greatly fortified my faith!
I have discovered that God is in control of
This member went home with a radiant face and full of the joy of the Lord, and ready to tell "the whole world" what she had discovered! This is the fruit we have been praying to receive.
*Gifts to SIM Projects are not tax deductible because they provide for the work of evangelism, bible translation, Christian leadership development, theological training etc. These purposes are not accepted by the Australian Tax department for tax deductibility.
For tax deductible projects please see SIMaid projects www.simaid.org.au
