Run from temptations...The discerning heart seeks knowledge.

So, I thought I would share with you two amazing devotionals I just found. They are from the "On the Right Note" devotion book from K-Love.

Run from temptations. 2 Timothy 2:22

What do you need to avoid?

According to Greek mythology sirens living along the Mediterranean coast made such compelling music that passing sailors were mesmerized and jumped overboard to their death. So the hero Odysseus ordered himself to be tied to the mast and the crew's ears filled with wax to block the music; that way they sailed past in safety. A wise sailor knows when the storm is more than his boat can handle. An ocean liner can withstand winds that will sink a small boat. Look at Joseph. When Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him he didn't (1) try to counsel or convert her; (2) think, 'I'm young, lonely, far from home, and her husband's out of town' maybe just this once'; (3) hand around to see how strong he was. No, he fled the scene saying, "How...could I do such a wicked thing...against God?" (Ge 39:9)

It's good to stretch yourself. It's how you mature. But be aware of your danger zones and don't knowingly put yourself in harm's way. Paul said, "If you think you are strong...be careful not to fall" (1 Cor. 10:12) He told Timothy, "Run from temptations that capture young people...do the right thing." And James said, "Don't let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, 'God is trying to trip me up.' God ...puts evil in no one's way. The temptation...comes from us and only us' (James 1:13-15 TM). The bottom line is this: when you're weak in certain areas you need to steerclear of anything that feeds into them. The Psalmist said, "You are my safe refuge...where my enemies cannot reach me" (Ps 61:3) So, what do you need to avoid?

**The discerning heart seeks knowledge. Proverbs 15:14

Stay teachable

If you're talented, you may have difficulties when it comes to staying teachable. Gifted people sometimes act like they know it all. That makes it hard for them to keep developing. Teachability is not so much about competence and mental capacity as it is about attitude; it's the hunger to discover and grow. It's the willingness to learn, unlearn, and relearn. John Wooden said, "It's what you learn after you know it all that counts." When you stop learning, you stop leading. Only as you remain teachable will you keep growing and continue to make an impact.

Besides being an astonishing painted and sculptor, Leonardo da Vinci was a genius in more fields than any scientist of any age. His notebooks were hundreds of years ahead of their time. He anticipated submarines, helicopters and other modern inventions. In one notebook he wrote, "Iron rusts from disuse; stagnant water loses it purity and in cold weather becomes frozen; even so does inaction sap the vigor of the mind." He was driven by his desire to know more. He was learning and writing discoveries in his notebooks until the very end of his life. And the good news is, you don't have to mind or talent of a Leonardo da Vinci to be teachable. You just have to have the right attitude.

The most important skills to acquire is- learning how to learn. Try this for the next week; ask others for their advice and deliberately withhold the advice you'd normally give. At each day's end write down what you've learned by being attentive to others. You'll be amazed.

***I read these two devotionals, and was quite challenged. I want to be able to stay teachable, because I know that God has many lessons for me to learn, but I have to stay open, and have the right attitude to continue to learn. I hope that these challenge you to have the right attitude.

Some trials..."Transition Semester"

So, lately it seems as though God is trying to teach me a lot. I knew that this was going to happen after I returned home. He taught me a lot while I was gone, and then told me that He has many things for me to learn now that I am back "home" in America. So, I am in the process of trying to decide what I am supposed to do with my major. I am currently an elementary education major, but part of me is thinking that I would like to switch to Intercultural studies. It would enable me to study more about culture, which I love. So, I am calling this next semester my "transition semester". All of my classes, can go toward either major, so I have some time to pray about things and listen to figure out what I am supposed to do. Also, while I was in Africa God was really working on my heart, showing me things, teaching me His ways, in ways that I hadn't ever experienced. So, now that I am back at home, I am not sure what I am supposed to do with some of those feelings, and lessons. I am praying that He will show me what I am supposed to do, what He would have me do. I want to do all things that will bring glory to His Name!

*Another trial is that we just found out that my grandpa has lung cancer( This is my mom's father) and that my aunt my have thyroid cancer. This is been extremely hard on my mother, because as most of you know, my father was killed in a car accident about 2 1/2 years ago, and then three months after that my grandmother died of cancer(my mom's mother). So, now her father and one of her sister's have cancer. My grandpa is really not doing well, so I believe that my family will be travelling down to Kentucky after Christmas to be with him and other family. God is good, and He does have a reason and a timing for ALL that He does, I just pray that understanding comes to all in my family. Please be praying for my mother, as she tries to find her strength in the Lord, and for the rest of my family as they do the same.

*Hebrews 13:5, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you."

You can't escape this trial!

Consider it all joy...when you encounter various trials. James 1:2

The Bible doesn't tell us to rejoice when we mess up and get into trouble. God can certainly use our mistakes to teach us, but that's not what James has in mind. Some of our trials just come from "living." Things aren't going right. Usually it's not one big thing but a lot of little things. We enounter physical, financial, relational or emotional trials that knock us for a loop. Peter calls this "the trial of your faith" (1Peter 1:7) What's on trial? Your faith! Whatever the size or length of our trial, there's nowhere we can go to escape the trial of our faith. Trying to avoid it is like changing schools in hopes of avoiding a test you don't want to take. But the next school will probably have tests too, probably harder than the ones in the school you just left, and now you're that much further behind in your studies and preparation. You can't outrun God-ordained trials. He knows where to find you!

The good news is, there's no such thing as a purposeless trial! Each trial is designed to launch us to a new spiritual level. The interesting thing about our trials is, they're custom made; they have our name on them. Paul discovered 2 things about his trials: (a) The reason for the trial. "To keep me from becoming conceited" (2 Cor 12:7) (b) The result of the trial. "That Christ's power may rest on me" (2 Cor 12:9) Like a tailor measuring you for a suit that will fit perfectly, the Holy Spirit customizes the trials we encounter to meet our spiritual need, to mold us, and to make us more like Jesus!

Home...for now.

Well...I am home. Home in Nebraska that is: ) I arrived back in Omaha, NE on Saturday, November 17th. My family and many friends were there to greet the team and I as we walked off the plane! It feels good to be at home, although I am already missing Africa. I know that God has many things to teach me here at home...lessons that I couldnt learn over there, so I just need to be patient and He will continue to prepare me for the future. I really do feel like God is calling me to serve in Mali, atleast for a time...and I know that many changes lie ahead. I am in the process of trying to decide what I am going to do next semester, and have many choices to make, so please continue to be praying for me. Thank you so much for praying these last 6 months, all the prayers have been appreciated and felt. I will write about my trip home and the short time in Paris soon. I am heading back to Omaha today, because my team is doing a presentation of Mali to the students and staff of Grace University tomorrow.

My Last Weekend in Bougouni

Me and the Kids
Youssef & Papa & I
Ramata and I : )
Abel, The Kids, and I....at our favorite spot : )

Goodbyes Galore!

This weekend is going to be my last weekend to visit Bougouni. I leave tomorrow morning, and will stay through Monday. My friend, Ramata, is going with me for one night, so she can come and meet my second family : ) So, please be praying for me, as I have to say some more goodbyes....I will report on Monday! Thank you! : )

Caleb's Cliff Jumpin' Experience

Fun in the Sun...in Oct, almost NOVEMBER!

Today, the team woke up early and headed off on an adventure. We travelled about an hour past Siby, on roads that only allowed one vehicle at a time, and that required a 4-wheel drive..talk about rough roads...you haven't been on one, until you hit these roads : ) Anyway, we arrived, and spent a couple of hours at the waterfalls, swimming, and such, and then headed off the the "Natural Bridge" and hiked up the mountain, and saw some breathe-taking views from the top. God's creation is truly amazing!

White Girl Robbed

Oh boy! Well folks, the countdown is on. I think it is to about 27 days until we are back in the United States. I really dont feel like I am ready to be back in the States, but I do know that God still has some work to do on me in the States, so I must come home. Although, I do believe that the Lord Willing, I will return to Mali someday to serve! I really do love the people, and have a second family here. So these last 2 weeks have been really busy! Last Saturday, Sarah and I got up early and headed to the bus station, to catch a bus to Bougouni for 2 days, but ended up riding with some people who were going half way, and met Joseph Camara, and went the rest of the way with him. We arrived in Bougouni Saturday night, and I watched Spider Man 2 with the family ;) and then on Sunday in the afternoon, several of the ladies got together and had a craft time with lots of the supplies that my mom sent( THANKS MOM!) and I worked with the children, while Sarah was with the women, and after I finished with the kids, I joined the women. I had about 25 kids under the age of 10, all to myself...quite interesting, but fun : ) On Monday, Sarah and I headed out to Koutiala, which takes 2 bus rides to get there, a total of about 6-7 hours. We arrived, and visited Scott and Tessa Angelo, fellow team members in Koutiala. On Tuesday, we got to go to the CMA hospital, and I got to weigh babies, and Sarah measured them. It was a very enjoyable day. Then, on Wednesday, I got up around 5:30am, and we arrived at the bus station to head back to Bamako around 6:15am. We got our tickets, and then waited for others to start to board the bus. Around 6:30am, people started to board, and as I was getting on, there was a man, who pushed his way inbetween Sarah and I, and was pushing me up into the bus. He acted like he wanted to sit next to me, but I gave him a disgusted look, and put my bags inthe seat, because that is where Sarah was going to sit. Well, he stepped into the seat behind me, and threw his coat over top of the chair. I pulled my bags out, and held them as Sarah sat down, and I saw him go off the bus...but I wasnt really thinking anything...but Sarah said I should check my purse, and I did...and to my surprise..he had stolen my wallet. Inside of my wallet, was a lot of my money, a photocopy of my passport, bank card, driver's license,and other cards. I ran off the bus, and went to the man who had helped me get the tickets, I knew him. I tried to speak to him in Bambara, saying that this man had stolen wallet, but he didnt understand, so I called Joseph Camara. He translated, and the search began. I knew that the guy had already run off, but wanted to report what had happened. So, they said that they were going to announce it on the radio, and phone the police. So, about an hour later, we left town. We were about 5 minutes outside of town, and the driver turned the bus around, and we went back through town, and stopped at the police station. By this time, all the Malians on the bus are talking about what had happened, and how this white girl lost a lot of money...news spreads quickly. At the police station, they made everyone get off the bus, and searched everyone, and patted them all down...I felt awful, because I knew that the guy had run off the bus. The police spoke to me in french, and got all of my information, and what exactly was stolen. So again, another hour went by. We left Koutiala 2 hours late that morning. We arrived in Sikasso, where we were supposed to catch another bus to Bougouni. It was a total God provision thing, because the bus was already leaving, but stopped and waited for us to arrive in Sikasso, thank you Lord. You are good! We hopped on and were off again. And the only reason we had any money to travel, was because the night before I took some money out of my wallet and put it in my coin purse, otherwise, we wouldn't have had any money. Again, another way the Lord provided! So, I had been up for about 7 hours, had only slept for about 5 hours that night, and we had been on a bus for approx. 4 hours, when the bus broke down in the middle of a town. Sarah and I had no idea where we were, and we just started laughing, to keep ourselves from crying : ) We all had to get off the bus, and there was a shop owner that gave us a bench to sit on, which was very nice. About an hour later, they had fixed the bus and we were off again. Sarah and I just laughed, thinking about how wonderfully the day was going...we couldnt imagine what was going to happen next : ) We finally arrived in Bougouni around 3:15pm, and met Joseph, who brought a suitcase that I had left to us at the station. We were tempted to stay overnight in Bougouni, but decided to press on and get home. So, we were off again. We made it safely, with no more adventures, to Bamako, around 6pm that night. So, we had a full 12hr. day of travelling on Wednesday. To give you a little idea of what these buses are like...well, there we were sitting next to one another, sweat dripping off every inch of our bodies, allowing our arms to stick to each other. Honk! In a high pitch scream-like noise, the horn on the bus alerts the oncoming oxen that the bus is not going to stop for them, even if they are crossing the road, the bus swurves to miss the cattle, and almost tips over. Dust which had settled on the floor of the bus, was now floating in the air, so as I took a breath, I inhaled a breath of dust and dirt. Let me just tell you that by the time Sarah and I arrived in Bamako, we decided to see who could take the longest shower ;) Oh, the adventures of just one day in Mali. But, I love it! We arrived home, and thanked God for providing, and getting us all the way home. We prayed for the man who stole my wallet, that the money would be a blessing, and that they would atleast find my wallet. We serve such a BIG God! The next morning, the Koutiala Police called, and said that they had found my wallet, no money, but everything else! I was so thankful! God is so good! He know exactly what He is doing! : ) So, Sarah and I decided that we are going to take a little break from bus travel...atleast for a little while.

Thursday and Friday I had my Bambara class, and then worked at the Tea House. Here I am today, a day off, and I am trying to catch up on some emails, blogging, etc...I think that the team is going to order pizza tonight...yummy! I made sugar cookies this afternoon: ) and for the first time ever, I made cinnamon rolls from scratch yesterday, all by myself:) and they turned out pretty good: ) Mali is making me into a new woman ;) It is funny how I had to come to Mali to learn how to really cook, but it has helped me alot...although, I still am learning how to cook Malian style, which is a just a little different...I mean, the only difference is that the stove is outside ; )

Anyway, I hope that all who are reading this are doing well. I know that I asked for prayer for some family friends not to long ago, and Joel Wentworth received a transplant, and is doing much better, his body accepted the liver, and he is doing well...long road ahead, but God is still using him. Keith Bartos passed away about a week ago, so please be praying for that family. They do have the hope and assurance that Keith is in Heaven, because Keith had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, but please just pray that God will give them strength everyday to keep relying on Him. I serve a BIG God, and I know that He is always there, and I am so thankful for that! I don't know what I would do without Him in my life! Thank you God for being in my life, and always being at my side!

Here I am with Managali. She is Joseph, Abel, and Kadiatou's mother. The grandmother of the Camara family! Quite a special lady : )

Craft time with the children. I was working with about 25 kids, under the age of 10, all by myself...doing some crafts that I have never done: ) quite interesting...but fun: )

Go Huskers!

Just a random picture of me. I am wearing a new outfit that I had made in Bougouni. This was taken right before I was heading to a wedding.
Scandelous, I know...here is a picture of my leg...if you look closely, you can see the white and then the red...I miss the Huskers so much, that I thought I would color my legs to show my support, even though I am in another country: ) Actually, today the team went swimming..I will post more pics later, and well, our legs(the girls) are always covered, but today at the pool, they werent...and so we all got burned...:) A little painful, but it was a nice, relaxing day at the poolside in October. : )

Some new pics

This is Courtney and I, back in August, before Courtney returned home to the U.S.A
This is Abel, with Rebecca(She is Bourama and Maya's baby girl...They pronounce her name like this-Air-Ray-Bay-Kah. She is a cutie! : )

Here I am painting Tanti's and Kyria's fingernails and toenails.

Oh the fun we have : )

Here I am getting my hair done with Maya. My faithful fans sitting around me : )

"When God puts You on hold"

Here is a copy of a devotion, from a K-Love book, that I read the other day, that describes my life at the moment : )

"A well-known Bible teacher tells of a pilot friend who received word from the control tower saying, "You're cleared for 5,000 feet." When he got there he had to hold for further instructions. Next came the words, "You're cleared for 10,000 feet." Gradually the controller took him level by level to 35,000 feet where he was cleared to fly to his destination. God spoke to this Bible teacher and said, "I wish you would trust me like that. Instead you want to go straight to 35,000 feet in one thrust!" Try to understand this: God sees the end from the beginning and He has already mapped out your journey. He knows that if you rise too quickly there are dangers. You may be in the cockpit, but God's in the control tower. And His Word to you today is: "Trust me and I'll get you safely to your destination." God's plan for your life can't be rushed. When you try to move to quickly you end up in a tug-of-war with Him. And you lose every time!

Before God could trust David to lead the nation He first had to see how he'd handle his father's flock. It was here David built a relationship with God and developed the qualities that would sustain him through the tough times ahead when he was king. God will let you practice in a place where your weaknesses can be worked on, your gifts developed, and where your mistakes won't affect too many others. That's because He cares for them too! If God has put you on hold today, it's because He loves you and wants only what's best for you."

**If you are in the same boat, just remember that God only wants what is best for us: ) We just have to trust Him! : )

Oh so busy!

This is Tasha, Sarah, and I with our friend Ramata. She can speak English, I met her at a conference that we went to. We are at the Broadway Cafe. A fun, little American style restaurant. Papou, Kyria, and I playing with Papou's new helicopter! I just love these kids!

Family and Friends,

Oh boy, it has been forever since I have written! SO many things have been happening, and God has been changing, molding, and shaping my heart. He has been teaching me so many things, the main thing has been to trust Him, and to trust Him in ALL things! He is so good, and I am so thankful that God is in my life, trying to imagine what my life would look like without God in it, would be hard. He is just so good. Even when things seem unfair, or challenging, He is constantly reminding me that He is here with me, and wants the best for me! Mali has been amazing, God has shown me so many things while I have been here. I love the people, I love teaching English. Tasha and I taught English three times a week during September, and decided to continue on teaching throughout October. We are teaching on Mondays and Wednesdays. Then, on Tuesdays and Thursday, I have Bambara lessons, with a private tutor. She does not speak English well, so she is really helping me learn both French and Bambara at the same time : ) The team also opened an American Tea House this last week. It is a way for Malians to come and practice their English. They come and have a cup of coffee or tea, and sit around and have conversations in English, God seems to be opening many doors. Many people here in Mali are Muslims, despite that, they are usually quite open to hear about Jesus Christ, so please be praying for open doors, and that the team will have open hearts to minister to all those who come. I am no longer going to Bougouni every weekend. The team came to me, and said that they felt that it is unfair for me to be in both places, they either want me to put all of my heart into things here in Bamako, or all into things in Bougouni, but not split. I didnt really know what to think, I told them that I would have to pray about it. That night, God gave me a peace about everything. Even though, I would rather be in Bougouni, because of all of the relationships that I have built there, God gave me a peace in my heart that I would be back in Mali one day to minister to the people here, but that I wouldnt ever have the opportunity to minister to those on my team, that I have now. I will still go and visit for a day or two in a couple of weeks, but I will not be going every weekend. It hurts my heart to not be able to see the Camara family and the women from the church, but I am just praying that God will continue to bless them all, and attend to their needs, and strengthen their faith. I know that I can still continue on my ministry there, even if my prescence is not there, and I can do that through prayer! So, I have begun to pray for the women everyday, just that God will draw them all closer to Him. God is so good! I love the Lord! Even when things are hard, He says to consider it pure joy, because He is still with us, and He is going to help us develop perserverance, and will give us wisdom, if we ask it of Him. (James 1:2-5) Right now, I have several family friends going through some really hard times, some going through losing loved ones, and illnesses, and I am constantly reminded that God is faithful. Even when things seem unfair, and we do not understand why things are happening the way they are, God is still there, and He is in control. He wants ONLY the best for those of us who have a relationship with Him, He wants to hold us close, have us solely rely on Him. So, I pray that those of you reading this blog, if you are struggling with losing a loved one, sufferring from an illness, or maybe life is just plain rough now, I challenge to draw near to Christ, stand on His promises. He is always there! Always! If you have never experienced His joy, because maybe you have never decided to have a personal relationship with Christ, I pray that you will seek Him. He wants to be in a relationship with you. The Bible says that, "For God so loved the World, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall NOT perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16. The Bible also says, that God sent His Son to die for our sins, and that He was buried, and that on the third day, He rose again. Which means, that if you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins( because the Bible says that "For ALL have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God") So, if you believe that Jesus died for your sins, and then confess those sins to Him, and ask Him to be in control of your life, you give everything up to Him, He will come into your life and change everything! He will give you a peace and a joy that you cannot experience otherwise. He doesn't promise that all of life will be easy, just because you have Him in your life, but He promises that He will ALWAYS be with you! If you are reading this, and havent ever made a decision to have a personal relationship with Christ, please ask me about it, I would love to tell you more about how richly God has blessed my life, because of my relationship with Him. He is so good!

Well, tomorrow I will be getting up early to make cookies for the Camara family, because Joseph is coming to Bamako for a meeting, so I said that I would send some goodies home with him. After I bake, I will then be heading off to teach English, and then head to the Tea House in the afternoon....busy day:) I am looking forward to Saturday, I can sleep in, and maybe relax...; ) It is a nice thought anyway...we will see! Anyway, thank you for praying! I hope you enjoy seeing some new pictures below!

A little update

Friends and Family,
Oh boy! So much has happened...it has been almost two weeks since I have blogged, and oh boy, have I been busy. I have been to Bougouni the last two weekends. It was wonderful to go back, I was welcomed with open arms, and lots of hugs:) I felt as though I had returned home! This weekend will be the first time I will be doing some women's ministry in Bougouni, and this week I started to teach an English class with Tasha. Yesterday was our first day, we had about 12 students, it went really well. It was actually a lot of fun! I am also going to get to have a personal tutor for Bambara, so that I can further my language skills. I am really excited about this. I pray that God will enable me to learn the language quickly, so that I can better communicate with the Malians. Today I am having two friends over, and teaching them how to cook some American food. They will be here soon, so I must hurry. God has been teaching me so many things. Especially that even if there seems to be NO way, He will make a way. "He will be my guide. Hold me closely by His side. With love and strength for each new day, He will make a way. I just have to trust Him. Some exciting things have been happening here, and once I can share them with you, I will. Until then, please be praying. Also, I received news today, that two of my family's close friends, are in the hospital. One is named Keith Bartos, and the other is Joel Wentworth, both of them need prayer, as well as their families. Please be praying that God will comfort them during this time, and give them strength. Thank you for your prayers!

Coming Soon!

Just a quick little message...tomorrow I will be heading back to Bougouni, for a weekend visit. Then, hopefully from here on out, I will actually go to Bougouni every weekend to do some women's minsitry. This weekend will be a planning period, and just a fun time for me to be back with the kids:) I am so excited...a bus ride all alone..where I will have to use my Bambara ..oh boy! It ought to be excting...I am sure I will have stories to tell next week...until then, please be praying for me...for safety, good planning, and wisdom :) Thanks!

Pictured with me is the pastor's wife, and notice the necklace that I am wearing. It is the one that she gave to me.
Here are the 3 Musketeers...getting ready to set out on their night bus adventure! : )

A whole week at once

So where to begin? I am not sure, there is soo much to tell! I have fallen behind in my blogging...I have a whole week to fill you all in on. So much has happened. I suppose I will tell you everything in the order that it happened, which means I will start with last Tuesday. The team got up early, and headed to the bus station about 6:45am, but we ended up missing our 7am bus to Segou. So, we waited around and caught a different bus around 8am. We arrived in Segou around 12noon, and hopped on a little van like bus and headed to Sibla. While in Sibla, we visited a pastor and his family. They fed us lunch( a traditional Malian meal of rice and a sauce) then we visited with the mayor of the region. Before leaving, the Pastor's wife, came up and gave me her necklace, for no apparent reason. It was beautiful...there is a picture below. She did not give anyone else a gift, so I was honored. After we left their house, we hopped back on the small van-bus and headed back to Segou, where we were originally going to spend the night, but had some thoughts off taking a late night bus back to Bamako. Long story short---(Tessa and Karlee had stayed behind in Bamako, because they were not feeling well...so the boys wanted to return home to their wives) soo...Scott, Brent, and I decided to be adventurous and try to catch a night bus back to Bamako. *Something that I forgot to mention was that morning, it poured rain for several hours...and so some of the roads had been flooded. There were actually spots where you could not see the road. FLASH FLOOD! * So, we decided to wait around and finally caught a bus around 10:30pm...We arrived in Bamako around 2am, and got a taxi to our homes. The bus ride back was interesting, because it had also rained more in the afternoon, so parts of the road were completely covered with water. Some areas were knee deep with water! Anyway...that was an experience! It was a great experience though, because I was able to talk with Brent and Scott about where their hearts are with thoughts on ministry. It was a blessing! So, I ended up staying over at their place that night, and spent the next day hanging out with Scott and Tessa, and little Ellen. We played Monopoly and ate Vietnamese food. It was a great day of relaxation. Friday afternoon, we had our international choir concert. It was quite interesting, but fun:) Not sure how you would say it turned out. We sang 4 songs as a team( which was a stretch, considering Todd and Tessa are the only ones with musical abilities) and I shared my testimony, and then there were some other choirs that sang in french and bambara. Itwas fun, and afterwards, we had several people contact us about learning English, so we made several contacts...we will see what opportunities God gives us. After the concert was over, Tasha, Sarah, and I took a friend of our's( that we had met at the Tent Maker's conference) out to eat. We went to the Broadway Cafe ( yes, a little American-like restaurant.) That was a good time of fellowship and fun. Saturday afternoon, myself and the other girls moved back over to the Avant guesthouse, because we had been staying at the Baptist guesthouse, and needed to move. The boys just moved over to day! Anyway, on Saturday night, Sarah said she needed some real bread(like a loaf..and not french bread) so she sent me with some money to the Ecole Boulangerie Patesserie( School of Bakery and Pastry)..well, Tessa went with me. It started pouring rain as soon as we started walking to find a cab..which it took us forever to find an empty cab and when we did, he didnt really know where he was going, and neither did we. So, he drove around asking people if they could speak english...and then he ended up dropping us off on the street corner in the pouring rain, because he didnt know what to do with us! So, as we standing there in the pouring rain, finally we found another cab, and called someone who could speak french, and he told the driver where to go...and after about an hour, we made it....all for a loaf of bread!!! CRAZY! :) Oh what an adventure! Let me tell you, those grilled cheese sandwiches, were amazing after all that! So, Sunday morning, I woke up and went across town to Doudabougou church, which is where Ramata goes to church. The service is in french and bambara, so I could understand a little of the french( I did study french for two years in high school...but can only recall so much) After church, she took me to greet some of her family. They invited me to come back and spend a day with them, so maybe sometime this week I will go and spend time with them. I am not sure if they are believers, she is, but I am not sure about her family...so you can pray that I will be able to have an opportunity to share with them. Ramata speaks English rather well, which is really nice :) Last night, the team just hung out and watched a movie..and well, here I am today...Scott and Tessa and Ellen, just headed off for Koutiala, and Brent and Karlee left for Bougouni. So, the singles are left here in Bamako. This next week is supposed to be our week break..we will see what that entails...who knows what stories I will share next! Time will tell.... Please keep praying, all of your prayers are apprecited and felt! :)

Shining His Light in Mali, Hannah

The Little Princess : )

Ellen and I at the Tent Makers Conference. We had a break, so Ellen and I snuck away to go down to the Niger River.

Tasha and Ellen. : ) Ellen is starting to grow on Tasha!

Tea Time

I must "Go"

Again, I have decided that my K-Love devotional book is just simply amazing. Here was the message for today.

"I'll take the hand of those who don't know the way...to show them what roads to take." Isaiah 42:16
"GO!"
Are you facing a situation that feels overwhelming and you're afraid to make a wrong move? Or maybe you're saying no to something in your life that you'd really like to say yes to. A well-known counselor says, "For years I heard about hiking. It sounded elusive, difficult...and mysterious. When a friend asked me to go hiking...I began thinking..what if I couldn't do it well enough? Or I didn't know how to do it all? 'Don't be ridiculous,' I scolded myself. 'You're making thos more complicated than it is...it's just walking, and you've bee doing that since you were a baby!' We left ...and I followed... as he started up a steep incline. 'Just walk,' I told myself...'Put one foot in front of another... like you've done all your life.' I didn't make it to the top of the mountain that day, but I made it halfway...Start where you are. Start poorly. Just start...if you already knew how to do it well, it wouldn't be a lesson...and you'd never have the thrill of victory, years from now looking back."

God has promised to "take the hand of those who don't know the way...to show them what roads to take." You say, "But what if I get into difficulty?" You probably will! But God says: "When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you" (Is 43:2). But you've got to be willing to 'go' in order for God to bring you 'through!' In other words- you have to be willing to get your feet wet. The thing to keep in mind is: "God...goes ahead of you" (Dt 1:30).

**It reminds me of the saying..When the going gets tough, the tough get going! No matter what trials I may be facing, or no matter what obstacles lay ahead, I must go..and remember that God is on my side. He is going to take my hand and lead me through. : ) What a great God I serve!

Church Kids in Bougouni

Here is a video clip from one Sunday morning. The kids sang a song for the church. It was so cute!

The Dance :)

So, this afternoon, Sarah and I went out into the streets of Bamako. When we hit a main road, we noticed lots of commotion and loud music coming from across the street...so, we crossed the road. As we approached, to our surprise, there were lots of litte kids dancing. After the kids, then there were lots of women and men dancing. We just stood on the outside and observed, but the annoucer all of a sudden, got on the mic and said in Bambara, " Hey Toubabous, come join us...you dance?" Sarah and I looked at each, and just laughed...in the past, whenever we have tried to dance the way they dance, it ends up being more entertainment for others. :) A source of amusement...so we shook our heads and smiled, and then just watched:) Maybe someday soon I will make my dancing debut to the Malians, but watch out...Mali will never be the same after that day! : )

Thoughts straight from my heart

This morning, while doing my devotions, I came across an article. It seemed as though someone had gotten into my heart and wrote down how my heart was feeling...the article captivated my thoughts. I would like to share it with you. It came from a K-LOVE devotional book entitled, "On the Right Note"( an amazing little devo book)

Wednesday, August 22

Faith vs. Control
" When you obsess over problems instead of looking to God for solutions, the enemy will magnify your fears. If he can't get you to worry about the present he'll remind you of everything that could go wrong in the future! Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "All I have seen, has taught me to trust God for all I haven't seen." The last time you checked, wasn't God still bigger than any terrorist attack, financial disaster, illness, accusation, or mess you found yourself in? Well, He hasn't changed! David said, "He won't go to sleep...The Lord is...at your right side...(He) will...keep you safe...wherever you go" (Ps121:3-8 CEV); plus His angels are watching over you 24/7.

It all comes down to faith vs. control. You can struggle to handle things on your own- or trust your Heavenly Father. That's the choice! It's not about "blind faith" it's about believing that God is who He says He is. And it's an issue you need to settle in your mind once and for all, because if you don't believe He wants ONLY the best for you, you'll keep trying to run the show. Control isn't responsibility. Responsibility is doing your part by praying, obeying, and trusting God. Control is manipulating the circumstances to engineer the outcome you want. Jesus knows how we like holding on to things we're not wise enough to control, so He said, "If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give it up... for me, you will save it." (Luke 9:24) Bottom line- you either trust God or you don't. "

**My prayer for today:
Lord, help me to believe that you want ONLY the best for me, and therefore you will supply for my every need, if I give you the control, and I have faith.

This is LeVieux and I.

The Good ol' Days : )

Papou and Ellen on the Power K.

Here I am with Ellen on my back....I am totally trying to be as Malian as possible ;)

This is Kadiatou. We are working on learning English :)

I taught the kids how to play "Slap Jack", so in this picture was a round between Abel and I. It lasted for like 20 minutes. I think I won. :)

This is me with Papou and Kyria. I love these two kids!

This is Baby Ellen and I in Bougouni. :) She is now one year old.

My niece was asking me if I had any pictures of the henna that I had done, and if you look closely at the picture, you will be able to see it on my feet. :) It lasted for 2-3 weeks. Also, you can see my African beautician in the background, her name is Maya. She has done an amazing job with my hair, considering how fine my hair is compared to their hair. This picture was when she was doing my hair for the second time. :)

The Update :)

Aw ni wula(Good Afternoon) to My Dear Friends and Family,
It seems as though I got so excited about having internet connection again, that I went picture crazy, but did not write an updated blog message, so I decided I best update you all on what God has been doing here in Mali, West Africa. He has been quite busy! The team returned to Bamako, from our stay in Bougouni. While we were in Bougouni, we stayed at Reed Bible Institute, where the director of the school, taught us our “World’s Living Religions” course. His family lives on the compound, as did we. I fell in love with his family, and spent almost every evening with them. Our professor’s name was Joseph Camara, and he studied at Grace University, in Omaha, NE, about 11 years ago. So, he and his wife can both speak English, and their children are learning. They have three children, whom I am pictured with many times. Almost every afternoon, I would go with their threes kids up to a mountain and we would just sit and talk, take pictures, play UNO J In Africa, it is quite common for extended family to all live together, and so not only does Joseph’s family live there, his mother, one sister, and one brother also live there. His sister is 25, and his brother is 27. I have spent a lot of time with his brother and sister, as well. His brother, Abel, can speak a small amount of English, but he is learning, and he has been helping me with my French. I am trying to teach English to his sister, Kadiatou. When we left Bougouni, I really did leave part of my heart there. I learned many things while in Bougouni. I really did enjoy my time there, so much so, that I will be returning to Bougouni on the weekends to hopefully engage in some women’s and children’s ministry, and then doing some ministry with university students here in Bamako, during the week. While in Bougouni, I would say that my relationship with God, reached a level that it has never been at before. Although, I have tried many times, and have always wanted to have a daily time that I spent with God, it is something that I always struggled with. While in Bougouni, I found a little secret spot, and EVERY morning, I would get up early, at the same time, and go to my spot and spend time with the Lord. Every morning, He had something new to show me. I actually look forward to getting up early every morning just to spend time with Him. Never in my life have I ever enjoyed getting up early, but I have come to love my mornings. Not to mention, that no one else on my team is up, so it quiet and peaceful. J I can honestly say that I love the Lord, and I am so thankful that He is in my life, and that He has control. He has been teaching me many lessons on being patient, and waiting for His timing. Isnt it great that we serve such a big God?
Well, after returning to Bamako on August 11, 2007, we attended a “Tent-making Conference” this last weekend. Its emphasis was on witness and taking Christ into your work setting. It was very interesting, and I felt that thinking long-term, it was a very beneficial conference. It was an international conference, everything was in French and English. There were 17 different countries represented, most from within Africa. At one point, they called people up to represent the different countries, and my team sent me up as the rep. for the United States…oh boy, I was a proud representative for the United States( it was kind of funny, because I was actually wearing a Malian outfit, on the day that I was representing the United States of America. J ) I was able to make many contacts with people from the different countries, so that one day when I am finished with school, if Africa is still where the Lord wants me, I have many invitations to many different African countries. God is good! I was also able to make contacts with several of the local university students, which is amazing, because as a team, we will now be able to work on building some relationships with them. The students that were at the conference could all speak English rather well. I am really excited to see what God is going to do with these contacts, I am very excited about all the potential…J Anyway, we started our final class today..”Evangelism and Church Planting” I am excited about it. So, I actually best be heading off, so that I can focus on doing some of my homeworkJ Anyway, thank you to all of you who have been and still are praying for me and my team. God has been doing some amazing things, and we can feel the impacts of your prayers! After we finish up with this last class, the team will be splitting up to focus on ministry opportunites. The 6 single students will be living in Bamako, and the two married couples will be heading to different cities to do their ministry. So, you can be praying for the adjustments that will have to be made. Also, I am just super excited about all the potential there is to serve here, so if you would be praying that God would be guiding me in what He wants me to be doing, I would appreciate that! I kept telling my mother, that although my plane ticket says that my return date in November 17th, that date just may change to a later date…she keeps telling me that I must come home and finish school, before I can stay in Africa…I told her that we will just see what God has in mindJ I do truly love it here, the people are amazing, they love to build relationships! I am excited to see what God has in store for myself and my team in the next 3 months. Please keep us in your prayers, and know that you are playing a major role in our team, although you are on the other side of the world. Let us all keep our eyes focused on Jesus, as we all strive to serve Him each and every day.

Shining His Light,
Hannah

Me at an orphanage.

Hannah.LeVieux.Papou. on our way to the mount.

Kyria and I in our new matching outfits. :)
The Camara family monkey.
Our American Cultural Soiree.

Foot Party :)

Baby Ellen and I :)