First-Hand View of West African Ministry
BTGMI Director Kurt Selles (left) met with West Africa French outreach coordinator Marc Nabie (right) and Loraine, a Muslim background believer who now encourages Muslim seekers.
Back to God Ministries International
Rev. Kurt Selles came home to the United States from a recent visit to Burkina Faso and Niger in West Africa excited and grateful for what God is doing through Back to God Ministries International (BTGMI) French outreach there.
This was the fourth time Selles, BTGMI director, had visited the new French ministry since it launched in 2015 in partnership with Timothy Leadership Training Institute (TLTI).
Rev. Harold Kallemyn, former TLTI director who helped establish the partnership, accompanied Selles on this visit.
“Because it is a relatively young ministry, my visits there are important; to see how things are going, encourage them in ministry, and learn what support they need from BTGMI,” noted Selles. “To see the joy and passion of this ministry team, to watch their outreach grow, is so inspiring.”
Rev. Marc Nabie, BTGMI French ministry coordinator in Burkina Faso, reported on the growing radio outreach, demonstrated the expanded ministry through Facebook and the Perspectives Réformées website. They also discussed the potential for developing an app for a daily devotional.
Nabie also introduced Selles and Kallemeyn to new staff members.
Loraine is a relatively new believer who serves as administrative assistant. Because of her Muslim background, Loraine has frequent opportunities to minister to Muslim women who call or visit the ministry center in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital city and home to BTGMI ministry facilities.
“Burkina Faso is a primarily Muslim country, where Christians and Muslims live together peacefully,” explained Selles. “That made it an ideal location for expanded outreach to French-speaking Muslims in Africa.”
He added, “Harold and I took a walk every evening and never felt unsafe.”
Selles also met Rahamata Ousdrago and Nacro Fluer, two prayer partner volunteers who felt called to produce a new radio program addressing the needs of women in Burkina Faso. “Their enthusiasm was inspiring,” he recalls. “Such a blessing. And women are responding.”
As the staff shared many stories about lives changed through BTGMI ministry, Selles and Kallemeyn gave thanks to God for his work in Burkina Faso.
The two also stopped in Niger to visit with Rabo Godi, who leads BTGMI’s ministry partnership with The Evangelical Church in Niger, along with TLTI and Words of Hope. They visited with the pastor of a church burned to the ground in 2015 by radicals opposed to ministry there.
Members of the church responded with love and forgiveness and the ministry became stronger. Selles was amazed to see the new, large church facilities that rose up from the ashes of the previous building.
Selles also makes bi- or triennial visits to review and assess the ministries of the other nine BTGMI language teams, giving him the opportunity to encourage our global outreach team members.
