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WHIRLWIND OF ATTACKS

Within days of each other we were hit again and again. During my last US visit someone secretly made a copy of my credit card and went shopping with it in August. The card was canceled, and the bank returned the money stolen.

Then the construction guy whose ticket we paid so he could come to Mali and help with our current house decided not to get on the plane the date of the departure. The ticket was lost (as far as we know so far), the suitcases for us stayed in the US, and construction has come to a halt.

Then our ministry's secretary informed me that she's stepping down. That came very much out of the blue and was a big shock, as she's so amazing at what she does. Please pray for a new secretary, and if any of you in the US who have a heart for Healing 2 The Nations International would like to volunteer in this capacity, please let me know, and I'll send you more details.

The last blow was the hardest. You already know from past emails that there is a woman in Mali who's tried everything to get us shut down by the government. Due to an unwise act on my part, I've stirred up that hornest's nest again, and now she's out to get us again, and this time the whole missionary community in Mali was effected. Please pray for our protection, and for truth to prevail.

NEW FAMILY MEMBERS

A few days ago we took in Karim (14). Karim was the street kid that spent the most nights on our base, as he's been sleeping here most nights since we first opened our doors over night in September 2008. During the past two years he's come to know the Lord, has been baptized and has grown in his faith. He's excited to start first grade in the fall, and knows he's very fortunate to be part of our family.

Karim is still praying for a sponsor to support him with $60 or 40€ per month. This is to help cover his basic needs, but it's also a two-way relationship with exchange of emails and pictures. If you're interested in becoming his sponsor, please contact me. To read Karim's story, click here.

Saloum (20) is one of our former children who lived back in his father's household these past 1.5+ years. He has now returned to our family - as a day guard. He'll be attending 6th grade at an evening school this next year. Saloum is very excited to be back with us. We just finished building a little guard house by the gate so he has shade, a fan and a radio.

Benjamin is our new driver. We've had a lot of drivers over these past few years, and I believe it's an advantage that Benjamin does not live on our base but in the neighborhood. He has already driven everyone to the village in our new bus that he will be driving back and forth to school all day long once the academic year starts again.

EVA RETURNS TO AUSTRIA AFTER 6 MONTHS

Eva's last words to everyone before she left:

I followed the signs and said good-bye to my family and my friends for half a year so I could make my "Africa dream" come true. Experiences, struggles, shock, patience, sickness, adventure, fights, joy, tears, impressions, culture differences, fun, love of life, freedom... it was an indescribable time that I'll never forget.

Leaving here breaks my heart. To leave my second family, my new friends, without knowing when I'll be back. I cannot put into words how much I'm going to miss everyone. Even though I could not speak their language and I did not know their culture, they received me into their family, and I felt a part of the family.

Since I didn't speak a word of French or Bambara I developed my own language with the children - a mixture of the Bambara words I learned, my bad English, a little German and a lot of sign language and facial expressions.

6 months - in Africa, Mali, Bamako, Yirimadio, behind the market, on the foot of the hill (our official address).

26 weeks - every Saturday service in Bambara.

182 days - rice with sauce

4368 hours - exposed to heat and mosquitoes

My heart belongs to AFRICA!

2 MONTHS OF BOOK-WRITING

This is the first time I really don't want to leave Mali at all - leave my kids, my cat, miss the beginning of the school year, and who knows what else. Originally, I meant to take a 3-month BREAK - a true break without ministry to recuperate - but it wasn't meant to be. I've been in a spiritual desert to some degree for quite a while, and desperately need spiritual refreshing - which I'm looking forward to.

But now the two month break will be two months of intensive writing - 180 pages on how to become a world-changer. I have signed a contract with Destiny Image Europe, and need to hand the manuscript in by the last day of October. Then I'm finally heading back home.

Please pray for God's inspiration during the next two months, that the words simply flow from heaven onto the pages. Pray also for physical and spiritual refreshing - I DO have a little bit of traveling going on during that time but kept it to a minimum. You can find my itinerary on the CALENDAR page.

QUICK NEWS

•        New Bus - Thanks to your generous donations we've been able to pay off the bus and paint it white. We now have our temporary papers to drive it, praise God!

•        Christian - Christian has already been with us for 7 weeks, and he's a great blessing. He's had some health issues (and had the joy of experiencing a Malian dentist), and is asking for your prayers. Pray also for grace as he'll be the only white person around for two months.

•        Construction - It's rainy season and water was pouring into the houses where we have metal sheets as a roof, and so they're now doing a concrete roof on the current house we're building. In the next few weeks they'll be doing the wiring and plumbing, and do the space between the first two houses so the kitchen can move there and not be inundated again.

•        Long Summer - Abdias (17) came back from his unforgettable 3 weeks in Senegal with the YWAM kids dance team. Our 13-year-old is on the 3-week tour through Mali right now. We've kept the rest of them busy too; I taught an English class every day and they've progressed nicely. We've also done a lot of sports (and games) with the Nintendo Wii, and of course they play soccer constantly.

•        Family Vacation - We had an amazing time away as a family for 3 days. We went to campgrounds where they offered lots of activities, and the 16 of us had so much fun together. It was unforgettable. If you want to read more about it and see more pictures, click here .

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (Jesus in John 16:33b)

Forever attached to HIM,

Claudia