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PENNY:
Wow, Mr. Christopher! Check this out!
MR.
CHRISTOPHER: What’s that, Penny?
PENNY:
It’s a letter from one of our Kids on Mission.
And it’s in French. Awesome. Let me see if I can
read it.
MR.
CHRISTOPHER: Well, um, you know, I did study
a bit of French in the university … plays, novels,
beautiful French poetry dripping with l’amour
(LAH-moor) et le romance (ay leuh-roh-MAWCE) …
Yes, Penny, those were the days. Days of Sartre (SAR-truh)and
Maupaissant (Moe-pa-SAWNT) … nights feasting on
the magic of-
PENNY:
Mr. C, do you want to read this?
MR.
CHRISTOPHER: Why, why, yes, Penny. (clears his
throat) I mean, as long as you’re insisting, of
course.
PENNY:
Of course.
MR.
CHRISTOPHER: (mumbles to himself as he reads)
This part looks like an address. (mumbles some more,
then a long pause).
PENNY:
What’s wrong?
MR.
CHRISTOPHER: Bonjour.
PENNY:
Bonjour? Is that all it says?
MR.
CHRISTOPHER: Well, it, um, says a few more things,
maybe, but that’s not really important, right?
I mean, what better greeting than a simple “Bonjour!”
Now that’s a greeting. Its says everything you
want to say right there in one word.
PENNY:
Um, OK. Whatever you say, Mr. C.
SURFER
BOB: Did I hear someone say, “Bonejore?”
I mean, you all know that Fraynch is the language of
sophistiCAYtion, and who is more sophistiCAYted than
ol’ Bob, here, eh, hombres?
MR.
CHRISTOPHER: Right, Bob. Sophisticated Bob, that’s
what I call you.
SURFER
BOB: Say, yore pretty funny, Christopher!
MR.
CHRISTOPHER: So where was that letter from anyway,
Penny?
PENNY:
France, I guess ... a pause while she looks. She reads:
“Burkina Faso.” (looks confused) Burkina
Faso? Is that in France?
MR.
CHRISTOPHER: (laughs) No, Penny, it’s not
in France. Burkina Faso is a country in West Africa,
landlocked between six other countries.
PENNY:
Africa? Then why do they speak French?
MR.
CHRISTOPHER: Well, Penny, Burkina Faso was a
French colony. But the original inhabitants of Burkina
Faso, known as the Burkinabe (Boor-kee-NAH-bay), didn’t
speak French. They were farmers and warriors who fought
on foot and on horseback. They were known as the Mossi
(MOE-see). The Mossi tribes stuck together to defend
their land. But then, sometime toward the end of the
1800s, France took over all of their land. They made
French the official language and imposed French rule
over Burkina Faso and most of West Africa, even taxing
the people so much that they were forced to work in
cotton or cocoa plantations to make enough money. It
was a very hard time for the Burkinabe.
PENNY:
Wow, Mr. C. That sounds sad.
MR.
CHRISTOPHER: Well, Penny, it was. And as a result,
the official government language in Burkina Faso is
still French. Most of the people, though, speak the
tribal languages of their birth. They also remain one
of the poorest countries in Africa and don’t have
enough good land to grow their crops. But you know the
saddest part of it all?
PENNY:
What’s that?
MR.
CHRISTOPHER: The majority of the Burkinabe don’t
know that Jesus loves them and died to save them. Most
of them have never even heard Jesus’ name before.
The majority follow traditional African religions, which
includes worshiping trees, spirits, rivers. And almost
a third of them are Muslim. They believe Jesus was a
good prophet, but they don’t know Him as God.
PENNY:
Mr. C, I wonder how God is reaching out to the
Burkinabe.
MR.
CHRISTOPHER: That’s a good question, Penny.
I’m sure if we …
SURFER
BOB: YEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-HAWWWWWW! Yer too slow,
Christopher! Yessiree, my little ol’ brain is
just one step ahead of the rest!
MR.
CHRISTOPHER: Little being the operative word
…
SURFER
BOB: Hee, hee, hee! Shucks, Christopher. You’re
just jealous of my high intellect and gargantuan cerebral
prowess. I just learned those words today. Pretty cool,
huh? So, do you want to see what I got for you from
Burkina Faso?
PENNY:
Sure, Bob-o. Go ahead.
MR.
CHRISTOPHER: So there is hope for the Burkinabe
– because God loves them so much.
PENNY:
That’s right, gang. God is always looking
for ways to show His love to His people – including
the Burkinabe. And it’s so cool that He actually
lets US be a part of it! Oh, look! It’s another
letter from one of our KOM viewers.
SURFER
BOB: Say, there, Pennacito, let me take a looksee
at that there Burkina Fasoian postcard written in Fraynch!
Maybe I can translate it for you.
PENNY:
Cool. I’ll scan it for you … hold
on.
MR.
CHRISTOPHER: Right. I forgot you’re Mr.
Sophistication. Go ahead--translate for us, O wise one.
SURFER
BOB: Dear Penny, Mr. Christopher, and Surfer
Bob. Hey, that’s me! Hello from Burkina Faso,
a land poor in earthy possessions but rich in the work
of our Lord Jesus Christ. Pray for the people of Burkina
Faso, that they may know the greatest treasure of all!
Well, that’s it! See you later! All this talk’s
made me hongry for Fraynch toast, Fraynch bread, Fraynch
fries …
MR.
CHRISTOPHER: How on earth did he do that?
PENNY:
I have no idea! I didn’t know Bob-o spoke French!
He must be like one of those secret geniuses that no
one knows about.
MR.
CHRISTOPHER: Secret genius … I can’t
believe it … (shouts) A-HA! Right there! Right
there! I knew it!
PENNY:
What?
MR.
CHRISTOPHER: The English translation! It was
on the other side. Mr. Sophistication indeed!
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