Missions education expands in West Africa; WMU leads the way

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—Missions education in West Africa received a boost recently when Woman's Missionary Union leaders from six countries met for training in Burkino Faso, where the region's WMU began.

Beatrice Zoma, president of Burkina Faso WMU—known there as as Union of Baptist Co-laborers with Christ—invited leaders from Nigeria, Liberia, Togo, Benin, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso to the event.

Leaders set a goal of starting age-level missions organizations in Bur-kina Faso patterned after Nigeria WMU, where churches have Sunbeams for children through third grade and a Girls in Action program.

Kathy Shafto, who serves with the Southern Baptist International Mission Board in Burkina Faso, viewed the conference as a great opportunity for women in the area to hear from other African leaders as well as Debby Akerman, president of national WMU in the United States.

"While there is a regional WMU conference in West Africa every two years, this was the first training in missions education for women in Burkina Faso," Shafto explained. "This is so new and exciting because most village churches don't even have Sunday school. So, for us to start with missions will be new and different for Burkina Faso to think about."

Akerman of Myrtle Beach, S.C., and eight other conference leaders led participants in training related to strategic planning and beginning and growing Girls in Action programs.

In the United States, Akerman said, Christians often think about helping the poor as part of missions efforts, but many Africans involved in WMU live in poverty themselves. Much of their focus in leading girls resides in mentoring, sexual purity, prayer and prayer-walking, in addition to outreach.

According to Shafto, Liberia, Nigeria and Ghana have well-established WMU programs with missions action projects and organized Bible studies on national and church levels. Children's missions programs are growing in Ghana, and Liberia WMU leaders specifically are focused on strengthening their GA programs.

Several West African countries also have Lydias, similar to Acteens with a slightly different age group. Consistent with how African culture views women, Lydias includes young women from age 16 until they are married.

One unique challenge in preparing for the training was ensuring effective communication.

"The illiteracy rate is very high," Akerman said. "So, I knew the training must translate on many levels—culturally, linguistically and incorporating oral learning styles. We built in lots of storying to relate and visuals for expressing concepts."

Akerman encouraged the women in their missional leadership.

"Whether living in a mud hut or a penthouse, WMU leaders have a higher level of accountability," Akerman told them. "We've been given the privilege and responsibility to involve all ages in missions. There is great joy in that and great joy in the true sisterhood we share in Christ and in our missions purpose."

While in West Africa, WMU representatives met with GA leaders in Ghana. Mona Hewitt, IMB field personnel in Ghana, asked Akerman if she would talk with "a few GA leaders" which turned out to be a gathering of more than 200 women.

Akerman presented an overview of the six areas of missions focus in WMU and encouraged them in leading GAs. Zoma described the beginning stages of a local center for women by Burkina WMU and the importance of missions and reaching women outside of the church. Terri Willis, director of national relations for the International Mission Board, talked about the importance of supporting and giving to missions.

Akerman and Willis also met with 43 girls and explained missions involvement, made salvation bracelets, and related how they needed to share their faith in Christ with their friends.

"As only the Lord could know, we had 37 girls and six teenagers, and I had exactly 37 GA items and six Acteens items to give them. Amazing," Akerman said.

Akerman and Willis also visited with IMB missions personnel, made rounds with doctors at the Baptist Medical Center in Nalerigu, Ghana, worshipped with fellow believers in a small Fulani village in Ghana at a church begun by Akerman's longtime friends and retired IMB field personnel Paul and Faye Burkwall, and visited a nutrition center, orphanage, women's center and other Baptist efforts.