SandsInBurkina

Streams in Burkina Faso

ANOTHER set of triplets born in the village just 6 days ago! 2 girls and 1 boy, the largest weighing 4 lbs. and the smallest weighing a mere 2.5 lbs. Thanks to God's Mercy the babies are doing well, but the young mother can't produce enough milk for them to survive! That's where our Streams infants program steps in... to provide life-saving milk formula so that these babies can thrive!!! Please pray for their health and protection.

Streams in Burkina Faso

PRAYERS NEEDED: As you can tell from this photo the triplets are growing. But what you can't tell is that two of them are having respiratory difficulties. Respiratory infections are the 2nd leading cause of death for infants under 5 years of age in Burkina Faso. We've evacuated these triplets to the capital city for exams and treatment. Please PRAY that they will be healed and whole to live normal lives for God's glory and purpose!

❤️ this! Thanks to all those who support the Milk Program

Meet the new triplets just days old. When they came to us they were frail and starving because the mother could not produce enough milk. All three are girls with the smallest one weighing just 3 lbs. Thanks to God's provision mother and daughters are at Rebeca's house receiving life giving milk and personal care. Please pray for their health and protection!!

Streams in Burkina Faso

PRAY FOR THE HUMANITARIAN CRISIS UNFOLDING IN BURKINA FASO: As terrorism and violence spread across the nation the government has called for a State of Emergency in 14 Provinces.
+ 300 Deaths from Attacks
+ 80,000 Internally displaced Persons
+ 7,300 Refugees to Mali
+ 1,000 Schools closed
+ 146,000 w/o Access to Education
+ 676,000 at Risk of Food Insecurity

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1l_zWfi64C-KbhORVtZYIhr4vYmoJ3GqU&ll=12.282878016515456%2C-1.7244761559082917&z=7&fbclid=IwAR17Hv-ofFD9cYVt0siC2xmjUdYtZvGcubIHCOx2-xEbImtYaEhIrv2tN_w

Thank you!

Thanks to everyone who helped purchase Avent Baby Bottles for Burkina! We only received about half of what was needed through the Amazon link, and now we are collecting money for the remaining bottles and getting them ready for shipment. The infants are in desperate need of these bottles and ni***es, so thanks again!!!

Streams in Burkina Faso

Help if you can❤️

UPDATE: Suzanne requested the addition of ni***es/bottles for our newborns and premee's. Please check out the updated list.

Friends. Our precious babies are in need of new bottles. We are on a mission to fill Geoffrey's suitcases full of new Avent Bottles for his trip back to Burkina Faso in January. Please follow the link below that will take you to a list created on Amazon to help with this effort. Choose the STREAMS in Burkina Faso Gift Registry Address at checkout to have the bottles sent to our official Burkina Faso Address in the US, in Fair Oaks Ranch TX, the same address you would use if sending in a donation via check. Why Avent Only? Their large openings make them easier to clean. Thanks so much for your support!
http://a.co/iZK5ZBS

Streams in Burkina Faso

Streams not only works to save the lives of orphans but also multiple births. These twin girls were born four months ago premature and greatly underweight. Thanks to the efforts of our Infants in Distress program, the support of sponsors in the USA, and all because of God, they survived and thrived, and are now up to 8 lbs! Yesterday I got to visit with them and encourage this young mother! They are all so happy! God you are good!!

Why we love supporting the Milk Program...

There's nothing sweeter than a widow taking care of an orphan! But aren't we comissioned to take care of both? Here in Burkina Faso Streams empowers biological families like these to nurture their own orphans thus keeping the family intact and ensuring a healthy future.

https://www.facebook.com/284015408380066/posts/1758127680968824/

Babies, babies, babies...for 8 years Streams in Burkina Faso has set out to rescue and save infants who were orphaned, abandoned or malnourished. By God's grace over 1,000 children's lives have been saved and kept within their extended families. Thank you Sands in Burkina and others for your faithful support of this ministry over the years. God be praised!

Exciting news...I just learned how to do a Donate button on our page that will lead you to our website. Hopefully, we just made it one step easier for you to help babies get milk!

For the month of December, whoever donates “moolah” to the Milk Program gets one of these witty “milk” ornaments. Go to www.sandsinburkina.com 🐄🥛

Donate your “Moolah” to help babies in the Milk Program 🥛 🐄

Matthew Road Academy held a 1 mile/5k Run for Sands in Burkina. Thank you for your support, you have helped provide food for a lot of babies.
Amber Merriman Torti Shannon Rosales

One Brick at a Time

A center is being built for the Infants in Distress. Read how Ashli shares her heart about what’s happening next for the babies and the church.

seesomethingmore.blogspot.com I ran my fingers along the rough surface of the bricks as I walked alongside the wall. A line of people preceded me, almost six hundred peo...

Streams in Burkina Faso

https://www.facebook.com/streamsinburkina/posts/1443373732444222

This week has seen some pretty tragic stories of suffering: a newborn infant who was thrown out along with the afterbirth in a black plastic bag survived and was discovered two days later but with many worms in her ears, eyes, and navel; a woman who suffered from a tropical ulcer and elephantiasis for six years had to have her leg amputated, and a mother in labor for three days died soon after delivering her baby due to health complications. Sometimes suffering and death seem all too frequent in this place, and it never gets easier. However, God is at work in the midst of this pain and struggle to give people hope and comfort as only He can. And, by God's grace and strength we do our best to respond to these situations that arise, though we are not perfect or good. The abandoned baby is being cared for and starting to thrive, the woman who lost her leg is recovering in the hospital, and the newly orphaned baby is being cared for while the family is being comforted with God's love and truth. May God's name be glorified and praised! He is Good. Will you pray for all these suffering, and for these babies to survive and grow?

During this month's milk distribution, the moringa branches were cut and placed in the center of the table, and the women gathered around to help Juliette pluck leaves while Rebeca taught them how to keep their babies healthy and how to love them with the love of God. Instead of being a formal teaching session, it ended up being a natural community discussion, while babies played at our feet and put moringa leaves in their mouths.
When the work was complete, we weighed the babies, charted their growth, addressed any health concerns, and prayed over each one individually. Thankfully, even though we are in the heart of rainy season when malaria and chest infections are common, all of the babies were in good health. Maybe it's thanks to the moringa, maybe it's thanks to all the love and prayers. I believe it's a lot of both.

Every month we have new infants who come into the program for the first time who are compromised in some way, but by the time they graduate from the program at two years of age, they are in great health. Every month we see how the ones who were sick have improved, how the ones who had wounds have healed, how the ones who were fragile have gained strength. We see mothers, grandmothers, caregivers, and foster moms gaining confidence, hope, and something to laugh about and celebrate. Something to be proud of. And every month, we praise God for being the loving father of orphans and children at risk, and for acting on their behalf.

Streams in Burkina Faso

I went to a village funeral today...and I took a Bible! Local funeral practices are rich in culture and tradition, and at the same time, dark in demonic religion. The overriding purpose is to re-establish an alliance between the living ones and Satan. So, you'd never find a Biblical worldview or Christ-centered theology there. But...times are changing...thanks to leaders like this one today who after losing his wife, honored Christ by refusing to do traditional animistic funeral practices and sacrifices. We had a great Bible study and prayer time off to the side! Lots of area pastors came together to rally for this man and his example! Pray for more courage and boldness for our leaders to demonstrate Christian faith in the midst of such great darkness and despair.

Bachelor meal # whatever...

That's right, daddy can make biscuits!

Thanks again!

My instruction sheet is almost complete!!

Jen and Gretchen made it through security and are on the plane headed home! Pray for a restful and easy trip with no missed connections.

Oh yeah - bachelor dinner is going to be good tonight - I'll post a pic of it later!

Thank you for your prayers!

I'm a little ashamed of this one... but they do like cereal!

Jennifer got to preach at a church service in the village today and reconnected with an old friend who had fallen away from faith for a while. It was a really cool day for her.

Her text was the story of the four men lowering their sick friend through the roof of a house to get to Jesus. She said that she told them that Jesus' first move was to heal the man's sins, not fix his legs. An especially applicable message in a place where physical pain abounds and the gospel is spreading.

Tomorrow they drive into the capitol - pray for their safety on the road!

This bachelor meal is provided by the lovely folks at Taco Casa! I'm kinda suspicious of how cheaply I can feed four boys here...

Jen and Gretch are on the tail end of their trip and will be going to church services in the village tomorrow. They visited several friends today and welcomed Giles Pasquale's new WIFE (we didn't know that he had gotten married!). They are also going to a friend's baby dedication tomorrow.

So, I've told some of you that the front end and the back end of the trip are the most nerve wracking. For the next two days there will be tons of road time and time in heavily populated areas. Pray for safety and protection and health and that they will finish this trip well.

Thank you!!

Bachelor meal #5 - I made PIZZA! (By calling Dominos)... I'm not sure what they ate last night...

Jen and Gretchen went to a village today and to get there they rode in a truck, then had to put three people on a motorcycle, then had to cross a river in a boat that was leaking! Jen said that their job was to keep bailing it out!

Sooooo... yeah...pray for them a lot.

Bachelor meal #3 was made by EL GABACHO! (don't tell Jennifer).

Jen and Gretchen are doing well - they hung out with several old friends today and taught a couple of Burkinabe boys how to play go-fish (which was a big hit). Gretchen introduced them to Snapchat (it was a bigger hit)... Africa will never be the same. Tomorrow they are going out to visit a set of triplets in the infants in distress program.

Pray that they will be safe on the road and that they will be able to show love to the families that they meet.

Bachelor meal #2 - grilled cheese and tomato soup! (Granny helped with this one)

Jen and Gretchen made it to the town they will be staying in and had a great day today. The next few days will be very busy - pray for energy and safety.

Bachelor meal #1 - cheeseburger macaroni!

Jen and Gretchen made it into Ouagadougou. Pray for them as they try to sleep off the jet lag!

Bags packed. Ready to go hold some babies!

Sands in Burkina and Streams in Burkina had a great night talking about what's happening next with the Dagara church. Thank you Otts for hosting with the mosting! And thank you all for coming out and hearing God's story.

Ground Dedication - Infant Rescue Center(A note from Streams in Burkina)

The dream of realizing a special facility just to save the lives of the most critical, most malnourished infants in our region is beginning to materialize. It has been bathed in prayer from start to finish. As plans are being finalized for the construction of the Infant Rescue Center (IRC), our team paused to dedicate in prayer the very ground upon which the IRC will be built. We asked God to show us the things that He would have done in this place. What is today a barren field of grass and low lying brush will become a 7,200 sq. feet center serving the needs of infants at risk and their families in the name of Jesus.

On May 16th we gathered as a team to dedicate the actual ground of the IRC to God in prayer. Each team member placed a stone of remembrance in the center to mark this special occasion.
FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN BEGINS

Geoffrey is currently stateside for the very purpose of launching a fundraising campaign for the construction of the Infant Rescue Center. He will be traveling the next few weeks over Texas and Oklahoma, and then returning to the San Antonio area speaking with potential donors and recruiting ambassadors to assist with this fundraising campaign.


Email Geoffrey at [email protected] to assist, talk, meet, or just learn more…

Thanks to the work and generosity of Architects Without Borders in Seattle, we can now visualize this center…every square foot has a meticulously designed purpose.
Through God’s mighty provision we are looking to secure $300,000 by the end of the year to start construction on this facility. A pledge has been made for a $45,000 matching gift. The time to support this project has arrived! If you share this vision of saving the lives of countless infants, then join us in prayer, support and a special financial gift. STREAMS in Burkina Faso is a 501c3 organization and as such all donations are tax-deductible. Please consider giving today!

Help us match that $45,000 gift NOW by clicking here…
http://streamsinburkinafaso.com/give/

THE ARCHIBALD PROJECT PODCAST
Ever have one of those divine appointments? Recently, we stumbled across a young couple traveling through Burkina Faso who created a non-profit organization called the Archibald Project to help eliminate the global orphan crisis. It’s an orphan care advocacy organization that uses media to tell stories. Stories which advocate for orphans, educate on orphan care, build community, and inspire people to action. After an intriguing first meeting, they asked us if we would be willing to do a brief interview that they could post on their website as a podcast. We were delighted to share our story, and we think you’ll want to listen in…so grab a cup of coffee and enjoy this podcast!

Listen to the podcast here… http://www.thearchibaldproject.com/podcast/streams-in-burkina-faso]

WHY BUILD AN INFANT RESCUE CENTER IN THE FIRST PLACE?
Having served more than 400 children already, the IRC will help us do an even better job of intervening in and saving the lives of at-risk children. To grasp the scope of the problem, consider for a moment just a few statistics taken from the 2013 World Health Organization report on Burkina Faso.
Maternal Mortality Death Rate – Out of every 100,000 women who give birth 400 will die during childbirth (compared to the global rate of 229, and only 28 in the USA)
Children under 5 years Mortality Rate – 98 out of every 1,000 children will die before they reach 5 years of age with two-thirds of those dying before they reach 2 years (the under 5 death rate in the USA is only 7 out of every 1,000 children)
Leading Causes of Infant Mortality in Burkina Faso – malaria, respiratory infections, and diarrheal diseases are the top killers of infants, all of which are treatable and thus preventable.

Why do we need a building?
The Infant Rescue Center targets these vulnerable populations by serving infants under the age of two in these critical years of life by providing nutrition and medical screenings. The majority of infants that will be served in the IRC will be orphans whose mothers have died in childbirth, in accidents, or by snakebites and other illnesses. The IRC supports the women, caregivers and their extended families with hygiene training, baby care and spiritual teaching in the name of Jesus.

Go now to our website and check out the stories and video of this powerful ministry that is impacting the lives of at-risk children in Burkina Faso. You won’t believe what God is doing and the success He is granting! And, consider today how you can be a part of this meaningful work by making an online contribution or sending in a check by mail to address given!

In behalf of all the voiceless orphans who are struggling to survive in some of the harshest conditions and realities on earth…

The Streams in Burkina Faso Team

Thank you Harmony Hill Baptist Church! They gave us 40 Bible Story cloths to take with us to Burkina Faso. Thank you for having a heart for missions.

Children who have graduated from the Infants in Distress Program...thankful for what God is doing in these little ones to change a village.

All the graduates trying to take a group photo :)

Prisca -A Story from Ashli
Prisca enrolled in the program back in September when she was just a month old. She has a cleft palate and tongue tie, making it difficult to feed. That's why we supplemented her with milk from the program. During my furlough, her mother did not come to milk distribution to get the milk. When I returned, I noticed that she hadn't come in four months. When we did a home visit this week, we learned that the father has essentially abandoned the family, leaving the mother with no source of income. She stopped coming because she couldn't pay for milk and was embarrassed. She is a student and her mother is a widow - and they had given up until we assured them that the infants in distress program exists for this very purpose - to help them in their time of need. We brought a container of milk, made up a bottle, and gave it to Prisca right away, who took it happily! Even though her situation and state was really hard to see (she is eight months old), Prisca gave us hope and joy by offering us a huge smile as a way to say "thank you for seeing me and taking care of me!" God is not done with his child, in fact, he must have a special plan to keep her alive despite her opposing circumstances.

MILK DISTRIBUTION
Like many of you may already know, part of the infants in distress program includes a bi-monthly milk distribution: one in the village of Nakar and the other right here in Dano. At these distributions, all the babies are measured (height, weight, temperature, brachial perimeter - an indication of nutrition) and given a health check up before they receive a month's supply of milk. Each distribution also includes a session on health and hygiene education as well as a devotional, lesson, or story from the Bible.

Last week in Nakar we had 10 present and only 2 absent, and today in Dano we had 47 (including four sets of twins) and 8 absent. (We currently have 67 in the program.)

More important than the numbers present are the ways that lives are being touched.

Last week in Nakar, Rebeca gave an excellent health lesson about the importance of taking your children to the doctor as soon as they become sick instead of waiting until they become severely febrile or dehydrated (a common problem we see here). Health teaching then melted perfectly into her biblical teaching as she encouraged them from her heart to go to church, pray and seek God, and trust him in all things. A local pastor was also present (to transport a mother and baby who were from his congregation), and he joined Rebeca in teaching the women from Psalm 121:5-6, which says "The Lord guards you always. He is your shade at your right hand." People here understand the importance, value, and necessity of shade. On a 120 degree day with full sun, the shade is not just a convenience, it is a life-saver. You can never truly appreciate shade until you have felt that heat! As the women heard about Christ as their shade, their shelter, and their refuge from the heat of life's sufferings, they nodded their heads in understanding and roared with applause at the end.

Today in Dano, the same message was given and the women again listened attentively - might I add with an unusual silence and focus! - as they bounced their chubby, happy babies on their laps. Sabilan was there, looking healthier than ever after we intervened on his behalf two weeks ago. Namwin Bonna Youor (God Knows Her Name) was also present, a premature baby who became the poster child of the infants in distress program in 2015 when this program possibly saved her life. She will graduate in May when she turns two year old. A new orphan baby came for the very first time and was enrolled today...just days after his mother's funeral. I looked around the room at each face and knew each one has a story. Some of their stories I know better than others. Some stories are just getting started. Thanks to the milk program and the work of the ladies who run the infants in distress program on a daily basis, families are receiving support that gives them hope, and they are hearing the message of Jesus as our shade and shelter.

The Program at Work
A young girl sat quietly on a bench in the welcome area of our office, a tiny baby cradled delicately in her lap. Her young husband sat beside her, twisting his hands as if this whole thing was very unfamiliar to him. I could see the light in their eyes mingled with uncertainty and wonder. One question confirmed what I already suspected.

"First baby?" I asked with a smile. They both nodded.

"How old is he?" I asked, holding out my hands to take him for a moment. "Seven days."

She had come to our infants in distress office to ask for milk because her baby wasn't breastfeeding very well. With a simple assessment, I could tell that she was producing a more than sufficient supply of milk; she needed some help with latching. With Rebeca's help, we explained the incomparable value of a mother's milk and hat we wanted to give her the tools to help her nourish her baby. After a breastfeeding education session, we gave her a new Avent bottle so that she can express and store extra milk just in case she continued to have latching problems. "Even though we aren't giving you powdered milk," Rebeca said, "we still care for you and your baby. If you have any more problems or worries, don't hesitate to come back. Until then, we will see you in a week and check on how baby is doing."

We learned the baby's name was Presentation, named after the catholic saint on the day which he was born. That reminded Juliette of Jesus' Presentation at the temple when he was eight days old, basically the same age as this baby boy. Prompted by their faith and the Holy Spirit, they pulled out a Bible from the desk drawer, turned to Luke, and read the story of Jesus presented at the temple to Simeon, who proclaimed that his own eyes had now seen the glory and salvation of Israel.

Right there in the infants in distress office, the gospel was shared. A baby and young couple were loved and encouraged. Education was given. A clean, quality bottle was shared. A promise was made to be there in times of need. This is the infants in distress program at work.

An update from Ashli in Burkina - this is a great story!

Another baby was born recently to a woman who was looking for gold in one of the many mine sites near Dano. She had left her husband and firstborn child to search for gold, and while she was there a certain man took interest in her. She told him that she was already married and had a child, that she didn't want to be with him, but unfortunately a woman ultimately has very little power or say in such a situation, so he took her anyway.

When she became pregnant, she told him that she wanted to abort, but he insisted that he wanted both her and the baby. When the time came for her to give birth, she took the baby to the mine and threw him into one of the holes - seven and a half meters deep. Then she sat beside the hole and started to weep. One of the miners passing by saw her weeping and heard a baby crying, so he went over to her and saw the baby in the bottom of the pit.

He called his superior, the overseer of the mine, along with a team of men who rescued the baby and took him immediately to Dano, where the police, high commissioner, social services, and Rebeca (a local Dagara woman who helps run the center) were all notified. All of these parties worked together along with hospital employees and personnel to save the life of the baby, who was bruised all over and had a broken foot.

Rebeca herself was at the bedside, washing the baby. She even made a brace for his foot out of cardboard and a bandage. Once the mother and biological father were identified, they were brought to Dano and the police/social services managed their case. The mother chose to leave the gold mine, return to her husband, and keep the child. The biological father was given the responsibility to provide for all the baby's needs and expenses.

Rebeca reports that the baby's foot is completely healed now (miraculously after only two months), his bruises are healed, and that he is thriving with his mother. This woman, who once did not want her child, now loves him and sees that he must have a reason to live. Rebeca gave the child a dagara name that means God Loves Me. Rebeca saw from the very beginning that God loved this child, or he would not have saved him from abortion and then from the pit.

Rebeca was able to communicate this amazing love to the mother not only through the name given but also through her actions. It truly is an act of the grace of God that this baby survived, and I love how this story shows how the collaboration of social services, the high commissioner, police, hospital officials AND our infants in distress program can make a difference.

She knows my heart...it's a Burkina necklace.