​The church-building project in Samogohiri, Bukina Faso that began in 2016 with prayer, some small savings, and the collection of sand and gravel and other materials, is nearing completion following much hard work on the part of the congregation. Samogohiri Mennonite Church received a JoinHands grant from Mennonite Men in 2021 to help aid the completion of their first church building.

Fabe Traore, member of the Samogohiri congregation, has been part of the project since the beginning: "when we saw the estimate of 30 Million FCFA ($51,570 USD), we did not know how to mobilize all of that money to build quickly. However, with the $10,000.00 that we received from you, we have been about to advance a great deal."

This sum helped the members build the entire building, with only the carpentry for the roof needed to complete the project.

The construction has been done primarily by members of the congregation. The mason is a member and is supported by all the other members in the labor. Congregants have divided into teams to complete different aspects of the construction. 

Says Traore of the congregation's active participation, "It is a work that reinforces our communion and our sense of giving to the work of the Lord. Through this communion and engagement, we see the hand of God in the work. Everything that everyone brings they bring with an open heart. We are very thankful to the Lord for this project."

The congregation thanks all who contributed to the Join Hands program that contributed to their new building. JoinHands, which began in 1985 as Tenth Man, has distributed over $2 million helping churches in the United States, Canada, and internationally to build or purchase their first building. Learn more at mennonitemen.org/joinhands.