'Train the Trainers' project emerges into the light

After the disappointment surrounding the second mission academy, as John's condition gradually recovered, events also began to take on a new dimension, in a quite unanticipated direction.

This began with a conversation with a long-term missionary to West Africa, named Steve Parker, whom John had previously met in Ouga, and his experiences and reflections upon the short booklet he regularly publishes about breaking the curse of poverty.

Andrew, with his background in book publishing, had plenty of thoughts to discuss with Steve and, having found his entire experience in Burkina a delight, spoke with John, on the return journey to Leo, about cementing his involvment in the evolving vision of the Eternal Purpose Institute and, in particular, seeking an involvement alongside John in his work partnering with mission leaders within Burkina.

The conversation continued in Leo, with the Director of the Bible Institute which shares the compound with the ex-mission house in which we were staying. In that conversation, it became clear that the concept of online studies, as a method of further disseminating the mission studies which John teaches in his mobile academy, was not going to be widely relevant to Burkinabe leaders for some years to come—if foreseeable at all.

However, the concept of publishing the teaching within books began to emerge clearly and was met with considerable enthusiasm as brief soundings were taken from whichever pastors, leaders, elders and translators we could accost for our discussion. A final seal of approval was given to pursue the concept during discussions with Pastor David Zopoula, President of the AEP (Assembly of Evangelical Pentecostals), from which emerged a concept for a 'Train the Trainers' program.