ELKHART, Ind. (Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission/Mennonite Mission Network) – On Oct. 30, many streets in Burkina Faso overflowed with thousands of angry protestors who marched on the presidential palace, burned the parliament building, and broke into the state television offices. The outrage blocked a vote to amend the constitution that would have allowed then president, Blaise Compaoré, to extend his 27-year term of office.
However, peace returned quickly. Mennonite leaders in Burkina Faso are thanking God for answering the prayers of people around the world.
Michel Kafando, formerly a foreign minister and ambassador to the United Nations, has been chosen by a panel of religious, military, political, civil and traditional leaders to serve as Burkina’s interim president. During the coming year, Kafando will lead the country through a transition toward democratic elections.
In the period between Compaoré’s forced resignation on Oct. 31 and Kafando’s swearing in ceremony on Nov. 21, military leaders assumed leadership of the country.
Mennonite Mission Network personnel and partners in Burkina Faso asked Mennonites in North America to pray that God would intervene to stop the violence and deaths. An urgent prayer request was sent out to more than 1,000 prayer partners on Oct. 30.
Siaka Traoré, president of Eglise Mennonite Evangélique du Burkina Faso (Evangelical Mennonite Church of Burkina Faso) wrote in an e-mail on the evening of Oct. 30: “Thank you for your prayers for us. Yes, our country is tottering on the brink of disaster, but Eternal God is a refuge for his children. There is chaos and that will continue until the president steps down.”
The next day, with words from Romans 12:15, Traoré thanked those who had prayed. Compaoré announced that he was no longer seeking to change the constitution and that he would resign from the presidency.
“‘Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.’ You have fulfilled these words for us in Burkina Faso. Since [Compaoré’s] announcement, the tension has begun to diminish. The people have obtained what they wanted,” Traoré wrote.
Traoré said that he was grateful the violence was short-lived and didn’t disintegrate into anarchy.
The crowds in the streets danced and cheered when Compaoré announced his resignation, but the jubilance turned to apprehension when an army chief, Honoré Traoré, assumed power and there seemed to be a power struggle within the military. [Traoré is a common family name in Burkina. Siaka and Honoré are not closely related.]
Download full-resolution image.By Nov. 1, Isaac Zida, the former deputy commander of the presidential guard, emerged as the country’s ruler until a transitional government could be established.
Anne Garber Kompaoré, who has served in Burkina Faso for more than three decades through Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission and Mennonite Mission Network, reported that Saturday, two days after outrage against the government had erupted, the same people who took to the streets to claim their rights were cleaning the wreckage in a traditional community workday known as mana mana.
By Monday, Nov. 3, the airport and schools had re-opened and national television was back on the air. Kompaoré was able to fly out of Ouagadougou to Jos, Nigeria, where she serves as a consultant for various Bible translations. She was moved that a Nigerian translator whose home, and entire town, was looted and burned by Boko Haram militants, was praying for the well-being of his Christian brothers and sisters in Burkina Faso.
“Pray that God will work miracles,” Kompaoré said. “There is so much suffering in so many places.”
On Nov. 17, Nancy Frey, who has served with Mennonite Mission Network in various capacities since 1999, wrote in an e-mail: “Last evening, Pastor Bananzaro talked about how well the different religious groups work together in Burkina Faso – traditional chiefs, Catholic, Protestant and Muslim leaders. There is a good relationship that is respectful and aimed at maintaining peace and stability, unlike the situation in many countries where there is hostility among the various groups.”
See companion article for more of Calixte Bananzaro’s commentary.
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Mennonite Mission Network, the mission agency of Mennonite Church USA, leads, mobilizes and equips the church to participate in holistic witness to Jesus Christ in a broken world. Media may contact news@mennonitemission.net.
