Siberi's Heart

Ouagadougou June 10,2010

Siberiʼs Heart

It was a day like most days in Burkina Faso, the temperature had reached itʼs peak.

Quite possibly 103 degrees. In our room I had just gotten cleaned up, that is washing the sweat from my brow, when a knock at the door.

“Pastor Siberi is here sir.” the man said. I walked outside to greet our Assistant

Superintendent. He is an elderly man for Africa, most likely in his late 50ʼs. Thin around the belt with specks of grey in his hair. He greeted me in typical African style, first a

hand shake and then an embrace.

It was not clear why he had come to visit. I believe it was just to see where we were

staying. We talked about my vision for Burkina Faso and how the North American

churches had prayed on a map of Burkina Faso as we deputized. We talked about

beginning Bible school classes and I showed him pictures of our children and grandson

in the states.

It was a time of connecting our hearts together for one purpose. To see Burkina Faso,

West Africa bring in a great harvest of souls.

He carried a worn leather sack with him. At the time the contents were unknown. Maybe

it was full of important documents, possibly official church papers. In my case my bag

contains my laptop, a calculator, money, pass ports and such.

His worn hands reached down for the bag as I awaited to see the secrets it contained.

Within the worn leather sack contained several stacks of paper. More important than a

laptop, more important than official church papers, more important than pictures of

family and friends. Contained within the sack were invitations and teaching on salvation.

Some written in French and some written in Moore (more-ray) language. The bag must

have contained over 60 or so tracks that he had been given out.

This great pastor had one objective that day; to evangelize his city.

After an hour or so of us communicating in my broken French, he exclaimed that it was

time to go.

We finished our drink and I began to walk him to the gate. “Where was his moto

(motor- cycle)? Did he take a taxi here? I know he lives at least 4 miles from here.” I

asked myself. He walked to a bicycle that was most likely 20 years old. This pastor had

spent his day traveling to greet me and evangelizing his city along the way.

Emotions filled my thoughts; “Would I be able to evangelize my city with just a few

tracks in hand riding a bicycle, or would I find yet another excuse to live another day not

making a difference?”

This day I found the heart of a man, a man who is serving Christ while living the Great

Commission. Matt 28:19 He rode off on a bicycle. I was changed.