Matt Freeman, a senior music major and defensive lineman on the football team, recently took a mission trip to the west African nation of Burkina Faso. Freeman, along with PC classmate Zach Whitt and two members of area churches, spent twelve days visiting with the Tiefo (pronounced cha fo) people group.

Members of Davidson Street Baptist Church, where Freeman has served as musical director since he was a freshman, first visited the region three years ago. Freeman and others have been working at a church in the village of Nianfongo where several from the Tiefo people group attend. In partnership with the International Missions Board, they are striving to start a church for the people group.

“We really wanted to spend time with the members of the church,” Freeman said, “teaching them how to disciple new believers, how to teach young believers how to grow up in the faith, how to read the Bible, and how to pray.”

During their visit, Freeman and others prepared the Tiefo for a medical mission trip that followed their own trip. They confirmed with the chief of the people group that the Americans were welcome to visit. And they visited the medical clinic to ensure that arrangements were prepared.

One of the most significant moments of the trip occurred when Freeman and others first arrived. On a Friday morning the pastor of the Burkina Faso church told everyone to go to the fields to work. They walked about 45 minutes to the fields, where they unexpectedly saw fifteen church members already working.

“They had done that because the pastor hadn’t been able to (work in the fields) because of his pastor roles and things he has to do,” Freeman said.

Freeman and the others helped plant red millet, “a kind of wheat-corn mixture used to make their most basic food,” according to Freeman.

The American and Tiefo church members planted seeds and cleared land for three hours.

“At that point,” Freeman said, “it was no longer the African church members and the white church members from America—we were the one church together. It brought a bond between us.”

Freeman was especially inspired by the simple lifestyle and the way everyone in the village values relationships. Around 500 people -- including Tiefos, some Berkina Faso people who don’t cling to their tribal ancestries, Christians, and a nomadic Muslim group known as Fulani – all got along, Freeman said.

“It’s common to see a Fulani take his Muslim prayer mat and walk to a Christian’s house and sit down beside him,” Freeman said.

“Their approach to life is so much more simple,” he added. “And much more biblical than what we live here. They’re not worried about the little things. They don’t have the little things to worry about.

“They work hard. They invest in each others’ lives. They love to be around each other.”

Freeman realizes that Americans obviously enjoy technological advances that are part of our culture. Since visiting Africa, he has a greater appreciation for more simple ways of communication—such as talking face-to-face instead of emailing or texting.

Plus, “I try to be a better steward of the way I spend money,” he said. “(I’m) not as materialistic, (I’m) more conscious to turn off lights and turn faucets where they don’t leak. I live with a more global perspective.”

In addition to playing football, Freeman is a member of the PC Choir, Fellowship Gospel Choir, and Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. As musical director for Davidson Street Baptist Church, he leads the adult and children’s choirs, the praise band, and men’s and women’s ensembles.