by by Jenny Fallon and Clara Klassen, Burkina Faso
12 July 2006
What a special celebration occurred on the 25th of February, 2006! The whole Mahadaga region became involved -- churches, community, local and provincial authorities and, of course, the Mahadaga Health Centre staff and SIM Burkina administration.

The main ceremony was held in the grove of mango trees that form a natural amphitheatre near the Health Centre. Various people spoke of the changes that came about in the region following SIM's arrival in 1954 bringing the gospel and medical care. David Ruten, who grew up not far from Mahadaga and later worked there as a missionary with his own family, spoke of the past and our vision for the future. He delighted the crowd with his use of a Gourma proverb that expresses our philosophy of ministry: Taani, taani n ba tugi o luomo, which means, "If we work together we can carry an elephant."

A highlight was the presentation of Burkina's Order of Merit medal to retired Canadian missionary, Betty Eichhorst, in recognition of her years of medical service in the health sector. Betty was the first nurse to work in the Health Centre. She later pursued her other passion—reaching the Muslim Fulani people with the good news about Jesus. Since her retirement in 2001, she continued her outreach by doing three short terms of six months each.

Both traditional and modern music groups played during the ceremony and later in the afternoon attendees enjoyed a special concert. An additional treat was SIM's Handicap Centre choir (including children who are deaf, dumb and suffer from cerebral palsy) singing and signing a song entitled Victory. The Ministry of Health presented the Health Centre with gifts including a motorbike and medical and office supplies. Other gifts included two live sheep from the village, dragged somewhat reluctantly before the crowd and presented to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health's representative.

As is the custom, cloth was specially designed for the occasion depicting several medical scenes as well as SIM's logo and our theme verse from Lamentations 3:22,23, "The faithfulness of the Lord is great." Hundreds of people were decked out in this cloth while others opted for the souvenir T-shirts.

Before the meal, the Prime Minister and a large entourage of people visited the Health Centre and the Handicap Project. The women prepared food for 700 that was stretched to serve more than 900 people in seven locations. What an answer to prayer to have over 100 people working in remarkable harmony late into the night and the next day to prepare and serve food for this crowd.

The general consensus was that the day was a huge success (it was the first item on national TV news the following evening) and the Lord was clearly glorified.