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!