Eleventh Street Baptist Church

September 18, 2011

Dear prayer partners,

 It has been several months since we last sent out an update, please forgive me not staying in better contact.  Shelley and I are still in Niger and doing well.  Shelley is teaching again at the MK school – she has the kindergarten and 1^stgrade class, including 6 English language learners.  She also has Ethan in her class again along with 20 other students.  Shiloh is in 4^thgrade now.
I am filling in for my supervisor until Jan. 2012.  I’m able to continue work in a few villages, but also have the privilege of working with our personnel serving in 8 countries. 
Cherry has recently returned to the US for a handful of months on Stateside Assignment. 
Ben and Melissa Stokes are devoting themselves to work in two primary locations and are doing well leading in discipleship and outreach.  They spend about 4 – 5 days in the village at a time before coming back home to rest, prepare for the next trip and take a few more language lessons!
I have continued work in “Plateau”.  This past week we went to a small river with just over knee-deep water and celebrated the first-ever baptism in this village.  All were Gourma believers, however as we gathered for some teaching and prayer at the riverside, there were some Fulani that watched from a distance and were surprised at the baptism.  I was able to talk with a group of them and explain what we were doing.  I hope the witness will make an impact on them.  Please pray for the newly baptized believers – that they will grow in their faith.  There are many others in this village who have expressed that they want to follow Jesus, but because of fear, they weren’t ready to be baptized.
In another village, I have been working with a man who is ready to be baptized.  He’s the only one in his village who calls upon Jesus as Lord.  We are looking to make plans for his baptism in the weeks ahead, but will have to do this somewhere besides his village.  Pray for “Bob” – he listens to our radio broadcasts several nights a week with his friends and family, some of whom are seekers who have not been able to part with the religion of their ancestors.  Please pray for these seekers that they will have courage to follow the truth.
Please pray for Shelley and the kids as I will be traveling to South Africa soon and we’ll be a part for about a week.
Thank you for your prayers, I will attempt to update you more regularly.
 

Sincerely,
 

Kris Riggs
Western Fulani Team
Cherry Faile
Kris and Shelley Riggs
Ben and Melissa Stokes  

 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

August 8, 2011 

Dear praying friends,                                                                                     

Please read my letter below and share this with your church and pray to determine how God would lead you to involve yourself.

The days in which we are living are proving to be quite “interesting” if not challenging.  They seem to either be leading us to despair or to dependence on our faith in Jesus.  While the economic picture doesn’t look cheery in the US, it is even more bleak in many other parts of the world.  The good news is that Jesus is still in control.  Is it possible He is allowing the sufferings of the day to draw people to Himself?  As we look back over the past few years, there have been a number of crises of epic proportion and as we speak there are famines, refugees of war and other disasters bringing opportunities for the body of Christ to minister in Jesus’ name at a time when people are most needy.  We as part of the Southern Baptist Convention have a great avenue to help our world-wide neighbors.  For decades we have had the World Hunger Fund through which many have given, and from which many more have received physical help and personal witness.  Baptist Global Response is now the arm of the SBC that oversees and distributes these funds to help the hurting.

In my part of the world there are a number or projects drawing on these funds right now.  In a village I pass by regularly one colleague is drilling a well in order that these villagers will be able to have better drinking water and be able to do cold season gardening to help provide for their families.  Another colleague put together a large project to help Christians and others who had been displaced due to violence against the church and others – many were provided the basic necessities to restart a home and have enough to get by until they could get their feet on the ground again.  Another colleague spearheaded a relief project for refugees who fled from warring in their home country. 

The World Hunger funds are being drawn with greater frequency than in the past.  The needs are quantitatively more than before. Please consider how the Father might lead your church to help alleviate some of the suffering in other parts of the world.  BGR and our IMB colleagues are working hand in hand to develop strategies to help both the physical and spiritual needs. 

For more information about the need facing the world hunger fund go to: 

http://www.baptistglobalresponse.com/news/view/red_alert_declared_for_world_hunger_fund

For more information about BGR and how we are helping others around the world, or other ways you can participate in a project, go to: www.gobgr.org

One last request, would you be willing to make a post on FB or Twitter linking the article or website above so that more people will see the need?

Remember, 100% of donations to the World Hunger Fund go to help relieve suffering – none of these gifts are used for administration in the US.

Sincerely,

Kris Riggs 

 Kris and Shelley Riggs are members of our church who are currently on assignment in Niger West Africa.  Please keep them and their two children your prayers daily.  Also don't forget to give to Lottie Moon and other mission causes!