Qua Iboe Fellowship first started work in Burkina Faso in 1930, when a missionary couple started a work among the Lobi people. The Evangelical Protestant Church (EPE) of Burkina Faso traces it beginnings to this period. After seven years QIF handed over to WEC International.
Recently we have become involved again in working in Burkina Faso, in partnership with the EPE and WEC, amongst a largely unreached people group called the Dagari.
The Dagari are a small people group living in the East of the country on the border with Ghana. QIF intends to focus initially on the Southern Dagari, who have had no clear Gospel witness.
Jeremy and Rachel Nash, with their little daughter Katie, have been sent out in 1996, after Bible College training and a period of learning French. Presently they are learning the Dagari language and culture and are setting up their base. Pastors from the EPE church are also working in the area, and they have seen dramatic conversions to Christ.
The Needs
Qua Iboe Fellowship have been
greatly encouraged both by the openness and response to
the Gospel among the Dagari and by the level of support
this work has found in the UK. In a comparatively short
time great progress has been made. Moreover we feel led
to consider expansion of the work both among the Dagari
and possibly neighbouring people groups.
We feel that it is important to send out more workers
into this area where the Lord is clearly speaking to
people’s hearts. Ideally we are looking for at least
one more married couple, or two single workers, to join
Jeremy and Rachel. The people we are looking for should
have a clear calling of the Lord to cross cultural work,
Bible College training, and a working knowledge of French
or a willingness to learn.
After additional training and language study (if required) they would be sent to Burkina Faso to learn Dagari. Once fairly proficient in the language they would join the church planting and teaching ministry.
Burkina Faso (former Upper Volta) is a West African country roughly the size of the UK, with less than 1/5th of its population. It is one of the poorest countries in the world, with a high population growth rate and few natural resources. Most people depend on subsistence farming, but droughts and desertification severely affect agriculture. Overgrazing, soil degradation and deforestation add to the problem. The country gained political independence from France in 1960 and French is still the official language, although spoken by only 10% of the population. There are around 70 people groups each with its own language. Traditional religions are strong, officially a figure a 40% is mentioned, but in practice many people are animistic under a thin veneer of Islam or Christianity. There are over 28 unreached people groups.