 Photo By Merlin Quiggle. More Info
Why Northwest?
Daniel Ouedraogo, a current junior at Northwest University studying General Ministry and TESL Education, first came to the United States in August of 2005. It was the fulfillment of a promise he felt God had made to him more than 10 years earlier.
After the war in Liberia became too dangerous, Daniel eventually ended up going back to Ghana and Burkina Faso. While he was there, the family that he had met in Liberia encouraged him to apply to Northwest and also to apply for a student visa. He was accepted to Northwest in 2004, but didn’t end up getting his visa until 2005. God provided for him to come to Northwest, and He has continued providing for him to stay. Daniel’s father and grandmother passed away within weeks of each other last November. Since he is the oldest son, he was expected to perform and provide certain responsibilities according to his culture. With the help of students, faculty, and staff he was able to send money for the funeral and ceremony. But, his Northwest family wanted to do more than just send money; they wanted to send Daniel to Burkina Faso to be with his family during their season of hardship. The Northwest community came around Daniel with support, not only providing for him to return home for the first time since he left, but also with comfort and encouragement in his time of loss. Daniel has given in many ways to the Northwest community. He is a source of joy and encouragement to everyone he meets. He loves his classes and his professors and is grateful for their patience as he has to translate English to French to Mòoré and back. “Northwest has been a family,” he states. Daniel leads the International Students Crew here at Northwest, and he has actively been involved in the greater Seattle Community as well. He helped plant an international church in Mountlake Terrace, where he leads praise and worship. And, of course, he speaks to everyone he meets about the goodness of God.
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Daniel was in Monrovia, Liberia, during a civil conflict when he first heard about Northwest. While serving at a church and school, he met an American family from Tacoma that was adopting a child from Monrovia. They started to become friends with Daniel. When they asked if he had ever considered going to school in the U.S., he remembered what God had promised him, but had no money and no way of getting there. 