Jaques and his motorcycle.

He was only 17 when he organized the first national Christian youth camp for Groupes Biblique (GB) in Burkina Faso. Two years earlier, Jacques Dayamba had joined GB, also known as Inter-school Christian Fellowship, and that was the birth of his passion to reach students for Christ. He is trusting God for 50,000 young people to be impacted by Groupes Biblique between 2006—when he first stated the goal—and 2009.

Every year a youth camp is held in a different part of the region, attracting more than 200 campers each time. New believers receive discipling and mentoring in cell groups—now in 41 high schools with 70-80 students in some groups. Jacques organizes new clubs and provides oversight for the ongoing ministry in the schools, traveling up to 10,000 kilometers per year on his motorbike. With a major non-Christian religion making inroads in this part of Burkina Faso, he is eager for the students to learn to study the Bible for themselves, to share the Gospel with others, and to wisely resist error. Jacques supports his young family as a part-time teacher of mechanics. He would happily become a full-time missionary with Groupes Bibliques, but supporting Christian workers is a difficult concept for the Burkinabé church, which faces economic hardship along with the rest of the nation.

Younger generations

Janet Haight, an SIM children’s worker, visited a GB camp recently to encourage the youth to reach younger children with the Gospel. Janet writes, "I believe that in order to really transform attitudes about ministering to children in Burkina Faso, we need to involve the youth and equip them to reach children." Th is emphasis makes sense, since research indicates greatest receptivity between the ages of 4 and 14. Some call it the "4-14 Window."

	Lamoudi with some of the kids.

Lamoudi Yonli trains others to reach children with the Gospel through Bible clubs, Sunday schools, and camps. He received excellent training for this ministry from Child Evangelism Fellowship, with whom he now serves as a full-time missionary. He also serves as regional coordinator of children’s ministries for Église Évangélique/SIM, the national denomination that partners with SIM. Recently, EE/SIM invited him to train future pastors in three of their Bible schools, and they also sent him to Benin to train children’s workers there. Like Jacques, Lamoudi struggles to find willing financial supporters.

Young adults with a passion for youth and children's ministries—these are key to a strong and growing church in Burkina Faso and around the world.

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