As a child, Rainatou regularly participated in the fun activities at her Compassion program in northern Burkina Faso. But no one could imagine that the 10-year-old girl would be the first in her family to choose to follow Jesus. Rainatou says, “None of my parents and relatives are Christians. They believe in the gods of our ancestors and think that salvation comes from a religious legacy,” says Rainatou.
Rainatou first learned about God’s love at her child development center. “Praise God that I received my first Bible at the center as a child. It allowed me to learn more about God!” She also recalls being impacted by the love of her tutors at the center.
Since becoming a Christian, Rainatou has overcome challenges to live out her faith both at home and in a community where fewer than 5% of people follow Jesus. “My friends started to call me ‘pastor.’ This was a burden and a huge responsibility for a child.” Rainatou also recalls that she had to earn her parents’ respect before they would allow her to attend church.