The Search Goes On
Discovering People Groups in "Forgotten" Regions

Our most recent research trip took us to one of the most isolated regions of Burkina Faso. In one village we visited, we were told that the nearest school was 30 miles away, and nearly all students go to school on bicycle or on foot. We left the town of Bobo and traveled about 300 miles without seeing a paved road. There were no electric lines, phone lines, or cell phone service in the region. During one 2-day period, we never encountered another vehicle except for motorcycles, bicycles, donkey carts, etc. We wondered how many thousands of people we had probably passed who had never ridden in a vehicle. How many had never placed a phone call? Never been to a doctor or dentist? Never learned to read? More importantly, how many had never heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

A pastor from Burkina Faso who served as our assistant and translator described this area as a "forgotten" region. He said the research trip made him realize that other African pastors minister in much more remote and hostile areas than his.

Pray that God would send laborers to bring a Christian witness to the people groups that we recently encountered: the DOGOSE, KHE, and KHISA. As we research additional people groups in Burkina Faso and Ghana, ask God to grant us safety, good health, endurance, and success in locating more "forgotten" peoples.

Kerry Spencer, Engagement Team

My husband Stephen has been traveling all over southwestern Burkina Faso to complete the survey work of the Jula people. His goal is to identify exactly where the Jula are located, their population in these rural areas, the roads that lead to Jula villages, etc. His travel companions are a handheld GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) unit, and a new Jula believer. Because we are in the third poorest country in the world, often the "road" is no more than a narrow path used by people on their bicycles or donkey carts. Since many of these villages do not even exist on a map, how can they be found? Well, our "survey team" goes to a village, greets the people, and asks, "Are there any other Jula villages around here?" Then they GO! Once they arrive at a village, they simply mark the position in the GPS, which creates an instant map.

Praise the Lord that this survey work is now about 90% complete and that many Jula villages that were previously unknown to us have now been recorded. Pray that we will discern God's direction to know how to bring the Gospel to these places.

Elaine Haber, Jula Team