Exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. Ephesians 3:20.
Thank you again for your wonderful support, which has resulted in 24 projects completed since the previous Newsletter – 19 New wells and 5 are repairs (not to our wells).
You can read this newsletter by scrolling down, or by using the headings below to read it section by section. There is also a printable A4 version available to download on this link.
In this newsletter:
- 2025 visit to Burkina in January – Eddie, Jeremy and Josh
- Maternity clinic opened near to a new well
- Blessing at Timanemboen
- The challenge of refugees
- Philippa Hanna concert for Myra’s Wells in Leicestershire in May
- Prayer points
- Christine, Myra’s Wells Field Manager, honoured by Burkina Faso Government
Burkina Faso visit January 2025
We had an excellent trip to Burkina Faso, despite travelling against UK Government advice. That said, our hosts in Ouagadougou have a good understanding of the risks and will not allow us to venture to areas they consider unwise. When I (Eddie) arrived at the airport, I was greeted with “Welcome home”. It was after 2 am, so it was a short ride to our accommodation and straight to bed as we has lots to do.
More thought had been put into our itinerary than previously, and on our first morning we ratified our plans to look at a good number of completed wells, and also to assess the viability and suitability of more locations for drilling. There were also various church services to speak at (and enjoy the wonderful choirs). We also witnessed Christine’s “decoration” , acknowledging her contribution to Burkina Faso, by being given the “Order of Merit” medal by the military government, as shown on the front page. More about this lower down the page.
It would be wonderful if others could come with us next year. It is hugely encouraging to be in an environment where the church is growing fast, with many new churches being planted, and large numbers of young men in pastoral training at 6 Bible Colleges around the country. Yes, there is terrible poverty, and continuing danger from terrorism in the north and east of the country. However, most of the country is safe and the people are happy. The food may be different, but the fruit and vegetable quality is streets ahead of UK supermarkets. On top of this, there is wall to wall sunshine with no humidity in January. What more could you ask for? Could you join us for a week or two in 2026?
The usual full Diary of the visit should be available soon. Copies will be available upon request.
New well serves local population and new maternity clinic
If you have a good memory, you may remember that, in January 2024, some of the trustees visited Nionwarbin. This is a densely populated area about 10 km outside Ouagadougou. We could see that there was a real need for water and agreed straightaway that we would arrange drilling. The pastor’s smile was broader than the sun!
The pastor and his wife at the little church there were both nurses and they wanted to build a clinic in the compound where the church is. They had built the structure, but it had no roof and needed to be finished. They told us it would need about £3,000 to be finished. We explained that we would not be able to help with this cost.
When drilling started, the first two boreholes were negative. After prayer and discussion, we agreed in October to make the third attempt and God blessed with a positive well.
Eddie, Josh and Jeremy visited Nionwarbin in January and were met with the sight of the finished water tower and a separate tank at the now finished clinic. The pastor and his wife had managed, by themselves, to raise the funds to finish the building and open it for use. To hear this is so encouraging as not everyone is so resourceful. It gives confidence that the well will be carefully looked after here.
And if you want to impress your dinner guests, how about learning the 10 Commandments in the Mooré language! Here they are displayed by the door of the small church.
Just to help you out, here is what they are:
- Tõod piigã
- Fopa na n Maan bû-naadg ye
- Ra pod Zu-soabã sĕn ya fo Wĕnnaamã
- Tĕeg voosgã raar n welg-a
- Waoog f ba ne f’ ma
- Ra ko ye
- Ra yo ye
- Ra zu ye
- Ra maan kaset zirĕ
- Ra maan sû-kiir ne f yak zak ye
Christine honoured by Burkina Faso Military Government
As many of you know, Christine has, for over 18 years, been our organiser/manager in Burkina Faso. She has done this voluntarily, without pay and has always been careful to see that all drilling and associated works have been done correctly. In the busiest year that we had, she oversaw nearly 50 projects. She has her reward awaiting her in the glory! We want to express our deep gratitude to her for all that she has done, and continues to do.
The Government of Burkina Faso has now officially honoured Christine giving her the decoration “Chevalier (knight) of the Ordre de Merite” which she richly deserves. Her two most obvious qualities are humility and being a woman of prayer. She is, however more than that – something of a perfectionist as a negotiator when it comes to drilling wells. The presentation was in the second church which seats about 2000. The new main church accommodates 5000, and the original one only 300. That’s what a growing church looks like. The presentation was made by senior military figures on behalf of the President during a thanksgiving service, with hymns, prayers, and testimonies from villagers of how much difference Myra’s Wells had made – which would have been impossible without Christine.
At the side of the road
Along with Gaza, Burkina Faso has what is probably the largest problem of internal refugees (IDPs) in the world. These are people who have had to leave their homes of many generations because of the threat which continues to persist from extremist militia operating in the north and east. Jeremy has written this about some ladies he and Eddie met.
Eddie and I were taken along a dirt track about three miles from the tarmacked road. The driver stopped in the middle of nowhere and we learned this is where they would like a well.
We asked questions:
Q. How many people are in the village? Ans. About 500 including 70 displaced people.
Q. Where do you get your water? Ans. There is a well about 1.5 miles away or if that breaks, they would have to go back towards the main road 3 miles away.
We then walked over to a group of six women sitting on the ground. They were Internally Displaced People (IDPs – refugees)
Q Where have you come from? Ans. Barsalagho.
Q. Where are your husbands?
At that point I told Eddie we could not ask that question. Barsalagho has been attacked on more than one occasion. The last time was in August when I had been in the country so I knew about it. Over 200 civilians, maybe even 400 (BBC News) were massacred. There was a very good chance their husbands had been killed so I felt it was best not to ask that question.
Q, What hope do you have for the future?
This time the other interpreter interrupted. “They have no hope, we have to give them hope”.
These are women who have fled their homes probably with just what they can carry. They live in local houses made of branches bent over to create a dome shell which is then covered with locally made straw mats and if possible, a layer of thick plastic sheeting to keep the rain out.
I have lived 14 years in Burkina Faso and worked here for an additional 14 years since and have never come across such hopelessness. There has always been poverty but if you have your land and home and husband you have a purpose. These women had lost that, and hope with it.
If funds allow, we would love to help these people. With a nearby clean source of water it is a start, and maybe a vegetable garden can follow so they can do something for themselves and their remaining children.
Eddie said, “I’ve been praying because there’s not enough people here to justify the expense of a well, even with a local village. As I prayed, it was as though God was saying to me, ‘if you don’t help these people, who will?'”
Timanemboen Well number 311
The pastor from Timanemboen sent us this testimony about the difference the well provided here last year had made.
Activity report of the Timanemboen church of the Assemblies of God in the Sapone Region.
By the grace of God, the Church of the Grace of Poedogo in its evangelization program was able to plant a church in Timanemboen at the request of the chief of the land and some inhabitants. Unfortunately, this leader joined the heavenly homeland this week on Thursday, January 23, 2025. This delayed the submission of this report because of the funeral we had organized.
We give thanks to God that he has confessed Christ as his Saviour in 2024.
He pleaded for a long time before his death for the borehole and church which was a crucial need of his community.
It was a great satisfaction for us to see the completion of the borehole and, moreover, finished with a water tower with the existence of the Church for salvation in Christ. The well was also one of the answers to the prayers of the newly planted church.
Thanks to the borehole, the Pastor is well regarded in the village and is the president of the well management committee. All faiths benefit from the well: animist, Muslim, Catholic and evangelical. The well has strengthened social ties between religious denominations. Activities are easily carried out thanks to the water which is needed for cooking, laundry and even in small construction works. The well contributes to the development of the village in general.
Also, it should be noted that the Pastor takes advantage of the presence of people at the borehole to evangelize. Many people gave their lives to Christ and some were able to join as members of the church.
From 17 people who gave their lives to Jesus Christ and were actually members before the well arrived, the church currently has 57 regular members and we thank God for that. We dare to believe that the number of people will increase by the grace of God.
In addition, given the availability of water, the Pastor and his family, who did not have a means of income, have started market gardening with the help of the founding church. He has been able to produce aubergines, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes that he sells to meet his family’s needs in food, clothing and also pay his children’s school fees. We pray that he will have fencing to secure the garden area which is surrounded currently by branches of dead trees.
In the name of the whole village, and of the Christians of the church and in the name of the Church the Grace of Poedogo, we say thank you to Mrs. Bonkoungou and her team, as well as to Myra’s Well who through her actions carries out a work of salvation and integration of men.
We pray for the provision of Myra’s Wells so that this work will continue for the salvation of souls and the strengthening of churches in communities.
God bless you.
Pastor Marc llboudo
Main pastor of the Grâce de Poedogo.
Philippa Hanna coming to Market Harborough
Following the concert given by Philippa Hanna for Myra’s Wells in Poole last year, we are pleased to announce that a second concert has now been arranged in Market Harborough, Leicestershire. Why Market Harborough? This is where Eddie was based before moving to Bournemouth.
Date: 17th May 2025, 7pm-9:15pm
Venue: Harborough Community Church, 121 Bath Street, Market Harborough LE16 9JL
Tickets available using this link or QR code
Thank you
Thank you to all who continue to support the work of Myra’s Wells, whether on a regular basis or with one-off gifts. We regard all funds “as from the Lord” and ask for prayer as we make decisions about where and how we spend the money.
At the moment, we have enough funds to provide about 8 wells for which we thank God. There are over 900 villages on our request list – we have competed over 335 of these, so there are still plenty left for us to do as funds allow!
Overseas donations
For donations from overseas, we have an account which can accept USD and EUR donations. Please ask for details if you are considering donating in these currencies.
Prayer points
- Praise for the wells that have been drilled recently and all who have become Christians as a result of wells being drilled.
- Pray for wisdom as we decide on the places where we will drill with the funds available before the rainy season makes drilling more difficult.
- Pray for the local pastors as they seek to use the wells as a means of sharing the gospel.
- Pray for the safety for the drilling teams in areas where security is not guaranteed, and pray that the security situation will very soon improve.
- Pray that the well committees will take their responsibilities seriously.
- Pray for the safety of Christine and her helpers based in Ouagadougou.