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WAR IN MALI
H2TNI AUSTRIA
2012 FINANCIAL STATISTICS
QUICK NEWS

WAR IN MALI

All of you know about the military coup ousting Mali's president last March, and how Al-Qaida linked Islamists occupied the north of Mali in the following vaccuum, applying the toughest form of sharia law. 400,000 Malians are displaced and refugees.

On December 20 the UN signed resolution 2085 giving the green light for a military intervention in 2013 to free Mali from Al-Qaida. It was planned for September, right after rainy season.

However, last week the Islamists decided to push southward, ultimately reaching Bamako and taking over ALL of Mali. Thankfully, Mali's former colonial ruler France reacted quickly to Mali's cry for help and intervened immediately, stopping the Islamists' advance. My heart was deeply touched when a French soldier died the very first day - died for his old colony, for the country of Mali.

While West-African nations are sending 3,300 troops, France is planning on sending 2,500 soldiers to Mali, including equipment. They have not stopped attacking rebel strongholds since, but the Islamists have taken another town further west and promised to unleash hell on France and the Western world.

I left Mal Friday night on a long-planned trip to the US via Vienna. On Saturday I had the email from the Austrian embassy telling me to leave immediately because of the threat to Westerners in Mali. I'm planning to return to Mali end of February.

H2TNI AUSTRIA

I'm in Vienna for a few days on my way to the US to take care of much business having to do with the creation of H2TNI Austria. We're now official, and tomorrow we have our first meeting to take care of the remaining things to do with our creation. Today we're opening a bank account. Donors in Europe, you will receive our new bank account soon as we'll have to ask you to change your monthly deposits to the ministry's account.

I have also found the PERFECT apartment that will not only be a place for me to stay but also the ministry's office. It's right by the subway, next to a big gym, and close to my family. It's new and modern, though more pricey than planned. I will have to work hard and find new ways to bring in donors and donations, as well as develop the Austrian branch of the ministry.

There is one hurdle left - we need to hand over a security deposit of 4000€ ($5,000) when I sign the contract for the apartment. If you know someone who could lend us that money, we'd be very thankful!

2012 FINANCIAL STATISTICS

I have finished closing accounting for 2012, and have compared the numbers for 2012 with 2011. These next few paragraphs give you some information - feel free to skip them if you're not interested.

      General donations & sales 2012 - up 15%
      Expenses - up 12%
      Construction donations - down 62%

While we started 2012 with a small negative of 770€ or $975, we finished it with a big negative balance of 2000€ or $2,700.

Our monthly average amount we spent is 8.250€, i.e. $10,900.

Our faithful monthly donors currently give a total of about 2.800€, i.e. $3,700; that's a decrease that reflects the loss of several donors last year while only gaining a few new ones. That means we are 66% of our expenses short every month, which is an increase of 6%. In the best case scenario, that difference comes in through one-time donations. In the worst case scenario, the ministry goes into debt. It is my travels that help bring in those one-time donations.

People ask me where most of our donations come from - 45% of last year's donations (building fund excluded) came from the USA, while 55% came from Europe & Africa and mostly from Austria.

US donors - you will receive your 2012 tax statements soon.

Some numbers of expenses so you have an idea where our greatest needs are; these are averages per month for 2012.

Food - 1.255€, i.e. $1,660 (excluding Claudia's food)

Schooling - 615€, i.e. $815 (tuition & supplies)

Car repairs/maintenance - 370€, i.e. $490

Gas for cars - 250€, i.e. $330

This ministry seeks to give away 10% of incoming money (unless dedicated to something specific) to other ministries, as we believe in tithing and giving, and the blessings that result thereof. In 2012 we didn't quite reach that goal, but we'll aim again to reach it this year.

I hope these numbers are beneficial to you. Feel free to ask me if you have any questions.

QUICK NEWS

•       Florentin - We're still waiting for Florentin's visa; his passport will be mailed to us in Mali. He's going into hospital in Linz, Austria, April 15th.

•        Finances - January is a tough month financially, paying the next installment of tuition, internet for the year, insurance & fees for the vehicles, and we're still dealing with the big minus we ended the year 2012 with.

•       My Health - Please continue to pray for my healing from a skin condition that is still getting worse. In February I'm going to an alternative clinic in the US.

•        South of Mali Trip - On January 2-3 Paul, Eva and I plus 3 kids went to the south of Mali for 2 days. Thank you for your prayers. We visited the kids' families, and there was joy as well as sadness at the families' reactions at seeing their lost children. We also saw protection on the road more than once; I drove the last 70 km without working brakes.

•        Thief Among Us - We believe we know who the thief on our base is who has been stealing for the past year and a half. Please pray we can get proof and catch him.

•        Construction - Because of our dire financial situation, we can neither fix the crumbled walls ($2000 or 1600€) nor continue construction.

•        New US Secretary - It seems we might have found the solution. Hopefully it is all sorted out within the next few weeks.

•        Austrian Visitors - All 4 of our visitors left around the same time as me, just in time.

•       Volunteers - We need volunteers in Mali who can stay a few months or more. If you'd like to come help us, please contact me.

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted his request. (1.Chron 4:10)

Trusting HIM,

Claudia