{"id":41175,"date":"2022-02-22T13:53:24","date_gmt":"2022-02-22T04:53:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=41175"},"modified":"2022-02-25T09:55:59","modified_gmt":"2022-02-25T00:55:59","slug":"vomk-report-193","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2022\/02\/22\/vomk-report-193\/","title":{"rendered":"BURKINA FASO: CHRISTIANS PROVISIONED BEFORE COUP CLOSES BORDERS"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”41161″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”A January 23 coup d\u2019etat in Burkina Faso has closed the borders to that West African nation, but not before Voice of the Martyrs Korea, working in partnership with local Burkina Faso Christians and Voice of the Martyrs Poland, were able to provide drinking water wells and educational support to displaced Christian families there.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” el_class=”headline”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>A wave of Jihadist attacks originating from Libya has destabilized several countries in West Africa in recent years,<\/span> leading to a coup in Mali, a failed coup in Niger, and now the coup in Burkina Faso<\/span>,<\/span>\u201d says <\/span>Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr<\/span>.<\/span> Hyun Sook Foley. \u201cThe leaders of the coup are not jihadists but military officials <\/span>who feel the government <\/span>ha<\/span>s<\/span>n\u2019t done <\/span>enough to <\/span>defend <\/span>the people <\/span>and the country <\/span>during the attacks.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Burkina Faso <\/span>is <\/span>ranked <\/span>#32 o<\/span>n<\/span> the <\/span>2022 World Watch List of the world\u2019s most persecuting countries. <\/span>Representative Foley says it is too early to tell how the coup will affect <\/span>the country\u2019s <\/span>Christians<\/span>, who are <\/span>a <\/span>minority in the northern and eastern parts of the country where Islam is the dominant religion and where the jihadist<\/span> activity has resulted in hundreds of thousands of refugees<\/span>, including 40,000 Christians<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”41165″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”A wave of Jihadist attacks originating from Libya has destabilized several countries in West Africa in recent years, leading to a coup in Mali, a failed coup in Niger, and now the coup in Burkina Faso.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we are thankful for is that by working with local Christians and our sister mission, Voice of the Martyrs Poland, we <\/span>were<\/span> able to <\/span>provide crucial humanitarian and educational resources to <\/span>these displaced <\/span>Christians <\/span>of Burkina Faso <\/span>before the border closed,\u201d says Representative Foley.<\/span> \u201cWhat is even more amazing is how these local Christians and Christian refugees have used these resources to share their faith with Muslims and other<\/span> non-Christian<\/span> groups.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley points to the three water wells <\/span>that Voice of the Martyrs Korea <\/span>partnered with local Christians and Voice of the Martyrs Poland to drill in the <\/span>refugee hotbed areas of <\/span>Ouahigouya<\/span>, <\/span>Pissila<\/span>, and <\/span>Louda<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”41158″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”The first water flows from one of three new wells dug by a partnership of Voice of the Martyrs Korea, local Burkina Faso Christians, and Voice of the Martyrs Poland in a village with a refugee population of more than 80,000. Recent jihadist violence has displaced more than 40,000 Christians from their homes in northern and eastern Burkina Faso.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cIn <\/span>just <\/span>one of th<\/span>os<\/span>e <\/span>cities<\/span>, <\/span>for example, <\/span>there are more than 80,000 refugees,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201cWhen information spreads that <\/span>any international aid <\/span>is coming, everyone runs to line up. Unfortunately, the local officials that distribute the help are mainly non-Christians. Every refugee must provide an ID card. That card allows officials to know who <\/span>is Christian<\/span>. The officials do not openly turn away Christians, but they say things like, \u2018Oh, I need to confirm more information about your situation.\u2019 In this way, Christians are moved to the end of the line and often receive nothing. So<\/span>,<\/span> Voice of the Martyrs arranged to drill wells administered by local churches where Christian refugees <\/span>would <\/span>not be turned away.<\/span> Now those Christians are sharing that water with others<\/span>, which gives them great opportunities to share about the living water that is only found in the gospel.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley shared a letter from one of the Christians involved in sharing water with non-Christian refugees. \u201c<\/span>They <\/span>wrote, \u2018<\/span>We have many displaced people here. There are not only Christians, but many people came here to<\/span> find refuge. It is the last safe place for them to come to this area. All of them need water to prepare the<\/span> food. Without it, how can they survive? Thus, we are grateful for the gift of the well that we may use. We<\/span> do not know our partners, but God knows them.<\/span>\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

According to Representative Foley, <\/span>local Christians<\/span>, rather than international aid agencies and missionary organizations,<\/span> are the key to successful ministry during <\/span>armed conflicts <\/span>and internal instabilities. \u201c<\/span>Voice of the Martyrs Korea is not a mission organization but instead a partner with local Christians living under persecution or pressure,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201cAny time a major conflict threatens an area, <\/span>whether it\u2019s COVID or a coup, <\/span>that\u2019s when missionary <\/span>and aid <\/span>organizations <\/span>often have no choice but to <\/span>evacuate their personnel, or they urge their missionaries <\/span>and international staff <\/span>to be cautious<\/span> or hide<\/span>. But local Christians have nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. They still <\/span>have to<\/span> make a living, <\/span>find water<\/span>, gather for worship, and <\/span>educate their children, even while they are wandering as refugees<\/span>. God then seems to give these ordinary local Christians a special boldness <\/span>at times of conflict and unrest <\/span>to preach the gospel and<\/span> do the work of the church.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foley says that Voice of the Martyrs Korea\u2019s partnership with local Christians and Voice of the Martyrs Poland <\/span>produced three drinking water wells and educational support for 1,104 Christian families in the year preceding the coup.<\/span> She says that a similar strategy of partnering with local Christians in Ukraine and with Voice of the Martyrs Canada enabled Voice of the Martyrs Korea to help distribute 40,000 Action Bible New Testaments to Ukrainian children <\/span>immediately <\/span>prior to the <\/span>current Ukrainian\/Russian conflict.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly the Lord knows what will happen next in Burkina Faso and Ukraine,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201cBut we are thankful that we could provision the local Christians<\/span> in both places not only to survive but <\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0<\/span> be<\/span> effective ministers of the gospel <\/span>to their non-Christian neighbors <\/span>at a time of fear and chaos<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”41172″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Displaced Christians in Burkina Faso line up to receive water from one of the 3 water wells dug by a partnership of Voice of the Martyrs Korea, local Burkina Faso Christians, and Voice of the Martyrs Poland” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”41170″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”More than 1,100 Christian children in Burkina Faso received tuition support and school supplies before the coup through a project of Voice of the Martyrs Korea partnering with local Burkina Faso Christians and Voice of the Martyrs Poland.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]She adds, \u201cAny time a major conflict threatens an area, that\u2019s when people in that area instinctively turn to God and become open to the gospel. They\u2019re looking for hope. They can see that hope most clearly in their local Christian neighbors\u2014people who are exactly like them except they have Christ. Because of Christ, the Christians are sharing all they have with their non-Christian neighbors. So always the ministry of local persecuted Christians is the most powerful way to advance the gospel during times of conflict and instability. They can do things that no international relief agency or missionary can do.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Individuals interested in learning more about Voice of the Martyrs Korea\u2019s partnerships with local persecuted Christians can visit <\/span>www.vomkorea.com\/en\/<\/span><\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”41161″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”A January 23 coup d\u2019etat in Burkina Faso has closed the borders to that West African nation, but not before Voice of the Martyrs Korea, working in …","protected":false},"author":659,"featured_media":41162,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[857,235,869,140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41175","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-russian-special","category-special-column","category-china-special","category-vomk-report"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"en","enabled_languages":["ko","en","zh","ru"],"languages":{"ko":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"zh":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"ru":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41175","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41175"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41175\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41162"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41175"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41175"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41175"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}