Donations:

We are believing and contending for

• a new pickup truck $35,000
• our third building to be finished $10,000
• new monthly donors to have 100% of our budget met

We declare the time of lack is OVER!

TWO NEW CHILDREN ADDED TO OUR FAMILY

We are excited that our family has grown by two new family members just as school started. Our two new boys are praying to find sponsors who will be their "Western parents", supporting them with $60 or 40€ per month.

Ibrahim
Age 16
4th grade

Ibrahim was born in Badenko, in the Kita region, probably in 1999. He grew up with his parents and was going to school until he was about 11 years old. He had one older sister and two younger sisters and one younger brother. At 11 his Mom takes him to his uncle's house in the Kayes region, where he starts 6th grade. When he's not in school, he has to work very hard on his uncle's field who also beats him up several times a week. After 7 months he can't stand it any more and runs away. He finds his way to Bamako where he's told about us after about a month on the street. He first comes to spend the night on our base in January of 2011, and spends many more nights with us in the years to come. He gets saved and baptized, and in September 2015 finally moves in with us and starts school.

Daouda
Age 16
1st grade

Daouda was born in Bamako (Sirakoro) as his parents' youngest child, and both his parents died while he was still very little. He stayed with his aunt at first, until completing first grade. However, she had nothing but contempt for him and took him to live with his uncle. Daouda thought he was his Dad. Daouda stuttered and so he suffered a lot at the hands of other people, including his uncle and teacher who both beat him up because of it. During his second year at school he stopped going because of that. He stayed with his uncle another month before running away from home.

Daouda ended up at the bus station in Bamako where many street kids hope to find money, but find drugs and sex. However, Daouda claims to never have taken drugs or stolen from people. After over a yer at the bus station, he finally came to our base to sleep in a safe place at Christmas 2009, and came back pretty much every night after that. Now he's given his life to Jesus, and in fall 2010 he went back to school. He left several times and came back several times until he left us for good in the summer of 2011. Over the next few years he'd occasionally spend the night on our base with the street children, severely regretting he had left us. In 2015 Daouda was given another chance when we took him back in in September, and now he's happy to be back in our family and go to school again.

CHALLENGES ABOUND

The past few weeks since our return it has felt as if all hell has been unleashed against us. We have both been sick for most of that time, but not just us, but also Paul, Fanta and most of our children - from malaria, to typhoid fever, bilharciosis and colds, coughs, etc.

We also have a major issue with our electricity system leading to nights without power and therefore sleepless nights because of the heat, where you get up repeatedly for a cold shower, yet have to cover up your body because of the mosquitoes. We're hoping the electrician who knows our system will be available asap now that he is back in town.

We've also just had money stolen by workers on our base who came to repair the internet that was not working for a whole 9 days.

We feel like we've been through the wringer and haven't made it out yet. We do need our friends' prayers to hold us up!

STILL LOOKING FOR SPONSORS

The following non-resident children are still looking for a sponsor after losing theirs. Saloum needs a half-sponsor to support him with $30 or 20€ per month for his last year of school, while all the others need either a full (60$/40€ per month) or two half-sponsors. Please reply and let me know which child you'd like to sponsor. Thank you!

Saloum
Age 25
Second and last year of trade school

Saloum was one of the neighbors' kids. His violent father used to beat him up, and constantly threatened to kill his firstborn son. When he first kicked him out, his Muslim neighbors forced him to take back his son. The second time, Saloum sought refuge with us again and stayed. He is a very intelligent kid who loves to learn.

In January of 2009 Saloum moved out of our house and back in with his family. In August 2010 he returned to our household when we employed him as our day guard. In November he became our driver. He finished his 9 years of education at evening school and started a two-year program at trade school in 2014 that he'll complete in 2016.

Guédiouma
Age 18
7th grade

The parents of Saloum's little brother had never had the means to send their sons to school. Today Guédjouma goes to school.

Miché
Age 12
6th grade

Second son of our cook Rosalie and her husband Dami who don't have the means to send their children to school. Today Miché is happy to spend his days on our base, and attend school.

Patrice
Age 8
3rd grade

Third son of our cook Rosalie and her husband Dami who don't have the means to send their children to school. Today Patrice is happy to spend his days on our base, and attend kindergarten.

Catherine
Age 2 months

Sixth child and second daughter of our cook Rosalie and her husband Dami who don't have the means to send their children to school.

QUICK NEWS

•        More Painting - We have painted another room, the boys' living room, making it shiny and beautiful. More rooms to come.

•        School Start - One school has started classes, and the others are starting in a few days. We're now in the process of paying school fees, purchasing school books and uniforms, and everything else the children need for class. Please consider helping us with all those additional expenses we're having right now.

•        Anniversary Conference - This November we're celebrating our church's 11-year-anniversary. Our theme will be Holy Spirit, and our speaker Alan Koch from Kansas City.

•        Monthly Donors - If you have committed to supporting us on a monthly basis, please either sign up online for an automatic monthly donation or in Europe set it up through your bank or in the US send a check every month. Thank you!

•        New Truck - We still don't have enough money to purchase a pickup truck. We continue to pray for provision and looking into all options, including bringing a truck here from Europe.

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

Pray without ceasing. (1.Thess 5:17)

All HIS,

Claudia