New assignment in Burkina Faso

Nancy Frey and Bruce Yoder are building a new home in Burkina Faso with their children Jeremiah and Deborah. In the capital city of Ouagadougou, the Frey Yoders connect with and help support the Foyer Evangélique Mennonite de Ouagadougou (FEMO), a congregation primarily comprised of young adult university students, 24 of whom live in the FEMO residence. Until 2011, FEMO was served by Tany and the late Jeff Warkentin, of Springridge, Alberta. The Warkentins were called by the Burkina Mennonite Church to the specific ministry of serving Mennonite university students who had to leave their home villages to study in the capital city.

“[The students] are a talented and energetic group and actively engaged in the ministries of the church. We feel privileged to be walking alongside such a gifted and committed group of future Christian leaders!” writes Frey in her most recent prayer letter.

In addition to their work with the Mennonite Church in Burkina Faso, both Frey and Yoder teach intensive seminars at Benin Bible Institute in the neighbouring country of Benin. Nancy Frey’s home church is St. Jacobs Mennonite Church (St. Jacobs, Ont.), while Bruce hails from Martinsburg Mennonite Church in Martinsburg, PA.

Burkina Faso is also served by Lillian and Norm Nicolson, Mennonite Church Canada workers who are currently in Canada and will return to Burkina later this year. Lillian transforms oral language into written language to facilitate Bible teaching, while Norm provides technical expertise and trains local technicians for work in entrepreneurial vocational trades and radio ministry—the most popular and accessible form of communication in this oral culture.

The Frey Yoders are Mennonite Church Canada partners through Mennonite Mission Network. For up-to-date news from the Frey Yoder family, follow their blog at freynyoder.wordpress.com.