Missionary
Butch Berner
Zambia, Africa
Report
on Butch's Elijah Challenge Training & Evangelism in Burkina Faso
April 2008
Regional Elijah Challenge Affiliates
Butch and his wife Janet first trained with The Elijah Challenge in Zambia in February 2005. In April 2008 Butch taught and ministered in Burkina Faso as the guest of missionary Steve Parker. Below are portions of Steve's report on what happened during that trip.
"We are overwhelmed by what we saw recently in Zolo and especially Djibasso. What a joy it was to travel with Butch Berner and have his help and fellowship and sharing expenses on these three trips.I had heard a lot of stories about what has been going on in Djibasso but was unprepared for what we saw this time, my first visit since our campaign in 2005. That year they had broken the record for attendance with over 1,000 on Sunday morning in that village near the Mali border, but last Sunday we counted 2,046 adults in church! I also counted 227 babies on the backs and carried by ladies, in addition to children that could walk who came. I took a group picture of women with babies attached that does not nearly do justice.
We had three nights of open-air evangelism led by Butch that resulted in 50-60 converts and so many healings we could not count them. Of those who gave testimony at the microphone in front of the crowd, I suppose there were at least 100, including hearing, vision, and even a mute who spoke. The old district president told me he had never seen so many healings and I don't know that I have either. Mali churches sent down about 20 who participated in the conference also. This Djibasso revival has indeed touched surrounding provinces not only in Mali but also 3 of the churches planted were in other districts of Burkina. Please pray for this movement to continue to produce pastors and to plant churches among the very needy and unreached surrounding areas.We also were delighted to hear from Pastor Marc Sawadogo where Butch taught the Elijah Challenge last year that God is mightily using that church in healing. Every Wednesday and Friday now Marc's church has days reserved for healing prayer, and sick folks have been coming from here in the city and also from the outlying provinces as they hear about the healings at Marc's church. The head Imam, the religious leader over all the mosques on that side of town visited the church out of desperation a while back and was miraculously healed by the Lord! He is under intense pressure not to continue in the way of Christ but pray for him that God would give him the courage to follow Jesus openly.
Update on the man who came back to life in Tougan last December: The brothers who prayed for the man, Salif Zargna, told me his whole family gave their lives to Christ, except for Salif himself! He does send gifts to the Christians in thankfulness for his miracle but has not made the step to commit to Jesus yet, so we pray God to touch him that he would."
Luke 10:9 "Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.’"