Villages
Where ACTS Ministry Works
The Komsilga
The Department of Komsilga is located just south of the capital city of Ouagadougou. Of the 36 small villages of Komsilga, ACTS has its greatest presence in the village of Saonré where the compound for ACTS is located. Widows and orphans are also given assistance in other villages such as “Naabigtinga, Goumsi, Boagnaam, Ouisga, Tingdalgué, Boassa, Poukin.” Ministry programs include evangelism, feeding, literacy, vocational training.
A total of 180 widows and other vulnerable women are enrolled in the ACTS programs.
A widow whose children are sponsored by ACTS testifies:
“At the beginning I did not want to attend your meetings because I thought ACTS would be just like others who didn’t give us anything that would give us a future. But since I have been coming here I can see that you are building people up spiritually but also materially. So I say thank you to God for the opportunity I have here.”
Description of Villages
People in the villages of the department of Komsilga mainly work during the rainy season to grow crops for their living. During the dry season, they are helpless as they lack water to continue farming and also do not have the knowledge, skills and money to seek other ways of support.
A couple of villagers have plots of land very far away from their home village. They travel 20 to 30 kms a day by bicycle to go to places where they can get water to grow vegetables during the rainy season. Farmers with plots far away either stay away from home during the growing season or need a bicycle or other transportation to their field. To have land suitable for growing crops is an unusual situation. Most villagers have no other choice but near their village to grow their vegetables and grain.
Cultivation of crops during the short rainy season does not provide sufficient food for the needs of the people. In meetings women plead for the opportunity to get water to keep vegetables from drying up during the dry times and during the often unreliable rainy season. They ask for training both for themselves and their children so they can all learn how to support themselves.
After a time of Bible teaching, ACTS founder and executive director Joanna Ilboudo met with 65 widows who were in desperate need for counseling. Then, Joanna and the medical assistant and psychiatrist, Sally Yaméogo, held individual psychological counseling and prayer sessions for personal needs. Each widow was given 10 kgs of rice to take home.
After the rice distribution, some of the women said,
“The time you spent with us to counsel us and pray for us was precious and sufficient for us even if we did not get the rice.”
