Donations:

WORKSHOPS & BUSINESSES

TEACHING IN ROMANIA

In March we had the privilege to go to Constanta, Romania, to teach at a missions school that trains missionaries for the Muslim world. I taught every morning, and just had so much fun doing it. I was amazed at how obvious my teaching gift became, and how much I enjoyed doing it. On the last day we prayed and prophesied over every student, and God touched them powerfully.

I also got to speak in chapel, and share at a prayer meeting, where all students and the staff was present as well. God heard my heart's cry and put Mali on the hearts of those listening. Before they had known nothing about Mali, but at the end people came up to me and told me that they would be praying for Mali now.

For the past 14 years I've been in Mali I've been praying for God to send LABORERS to Mali, and for a season it seemed that He was answering that prayer. But then the military coup happened in 2012, and we haven't had long-term volunteers since. But it's TIME for a fulfillment of the promise of laborers to come join us in Mali!

So I asked God to give us at least one student for Mali. I was excited when students asked me about doing their 2-month internship with us in Mali. May His will be done!

I'd like to share one testimony of a student with you. This is what she wrote:

It was an honor for all of us to have you and your husband with us! You have sure been a blessing and a good example! God spoke me through you in many times. ... Yesterday I was praying and I asked God to speak to me something about the Holy Spirit through you and He did, and many other things. I have been jealous and motivated to ask God for more of Him and His power upon me. From now one I will pray for powerful experiences with Him! ... I never searched for info and I didn't hear much about this country, but now I feel my heart so close to it. I will sure pray for it from now on!

We're excited that they want us back next year.

Look at all our Romania pictures here.

GOVERNMENT DEALINGS

Last year when our neighbors tried to burn one of our children alive, the inspector at the child protection agency warned us that the government was about to "crack down real hard" on children's centers. She proceeded to help us speed up our papers, but after about two years of them processing them, we still don't have them.

This year the government started surprise inspections, and in March they came to our base. They looked at everything and asked lots of questions. Then they asked to see our papers. When we couldn't produce them, they gave us a deadline of April 20th to present them with the papers.

Thankfully Paul has a lot of connections and has people trying to help us get those papers. They gave us a 2-month extension until June 20, and Paul found someone who will help us speed things up in return for payment.

As for the angry teenagers who left and who went to the authorities and told lies, we still don't know what they accused us of. All we've been able to find out is that they are working with some of our neighbors who have been trying to get rid of us for years, and that they found a member of parliament to help them who is trying to get political capital out of the situation. Paul activated his military connections who are now representing us in this situation.

BIBLE DISCOVERY GROUPS

Last time we told you about the Disciple-Making Movement and the groups Randy has started. Paul has been continuing four groups that are going really well. These groups are composed of Muslims who we tell Bible stories to, though they don't know the stories are from the Bible. The first 11 weeks it's all stories from the Old Testament. We ask them how they are going to change their lives in the coming week if the story we told them is true, and then hold them accountable to it. That way they are actually obeying God's word and becoming disciples. We also ask them what needs they or their community have, and then pray for those. Paul told us that a man in the hospital was healed and went home, and there were also other healings. Then they thank God for what He has done, which models praise to them.

Finally, they are asked to tell the story to another person in the coming week, and that way each person starts another group of their own where they do the same thing. We are so excited that there are now several second generation groups that are going well. May we see an explosion of groups and disciples of Jesus!

RADICALIZING MALI

Recently there has been some civil discontent in Mali. Teachers and doctors have been on strike, and the government is on the brink of declaring this past academic year invalid, which means all the students would have to repeat this past school year. The president has dismissed his cabinet and put new people in that are loyal to him, in preparation of the presidential elections next year. Every time that happens, the reshuffle of people in the top positions sets our paperwork back.

Mali is the only Muslim country with religious freedom, with most people living in bondage to the spirit world, with Allah being their main god. However, the current president is more pro-Muslim and just visited Saudi Arabia. He and the Saudi Arabian king exchanged the highest honorary medals of their respective countries with each other, and Saudi Arabia promised to pour even more money into Mali. Their ties were strengthened considerably, which is a big win for the enemy.

Saudi Arabia has been building schools and mosques everywhere, doing a great job evangelizing a moderate Muslim country. Why do we Christians not invest our money to do the same and even more? We've dropped the ball and missed our opportunity. If we do not rise up, Mali will be a strict Muslim country in a few years' time! Let's rise up and prevent this from happening!

SCHOOL & VILLAGES

Last year we started a Christian school. We are now down to 3 students in fifth grade that are all our resident children. But in our neighborhood there are dozens of children that would be lining up at our gates to attend our school if only we could start a first grade! We need to do this! Where are the Christian teachers? Where are those that would respond to God's call: Who shall I send to Mali? Who will go for us?

Recently, a Saudi Arabian delegation came to the village of Goro where we started a church years ago, and where the villagers have seen miraculous protection of their harvest when a storm came through and did not touch the Christians' fields. The people of Goro refused to let them build a mosque, telling them they were Christians. Praise God! Let's bring more and more villages into the Kingdom of God.

Recently Paul went to the village of Falani which is unreached and has a reputation for it. He took first steps and is confident we can bring the gospel to this dark place. But we can't do anything without your prayers!

SCHOOL BUILDING, DORMS & WORKSHOPS

We've met with our new builder and new architect to finalize the plans for our next building and have them draw up the final plans. They have done that now, and we're ready to start building. We need this building for our school and for dorms for our children, and it will allow us to start some of the businesses we have planned. We're excited to move forward. All we need now is the funds to build. The cost is 84.000€ or $90,000.

red - needed at first
blue - final purpose

QUICK NEWS

•        Our Health - At a conference two weeks ago Randy caught a flu bug that he then passed on to me. We've both been pretty sick but getting better, however, last night Randy had a relapse. Please pray for our health to be restored. Also, next week I'll finally see an endocrinologist, so I hope to have the right thyroid medication soon to be rid of the tiredness and able to conceive. Also, I've been to the dentist five times for 2 root canals and a filling, and am going one more time.

•        Easter Party - On Easter Monday we had our party for neighbors' and street children on our base, and it was very successful. Games, fun, the gospel, salvation, food, drinks and shoes for everyone. Praise God! Look at the pictures here.

•        Prayer Cover - WE NEED PRAYER!!! If you can commit to pray for us regularly, please email me.

•        Our School - Our elementary school is down to 3 students, but is going better than before. The students now revise and master what we did the last few months before their exam early June. Please pray for French-speaking teachers to come to Mali to relieve Claudia as well as so we can start a first grade which is much needed.

•        Government Papers - Please pray we get the car customs exempt papers and the papers for our organizations soon.

•        Malian leader Paul - Please keep praying for Paul who has a lot on his shoulders. His son Christian (3.5) has been sick a lot. The enemy is trying hard to stop us!

•        Language Learning - Please pray for Randy as he continues to learn the local language Bambara.

•        Building #4 - We're about to start building the foundation for our next building that will service as dorms and classrooms for our elementary school in the beginning, and will be our business and workshop section later. Cost: $90,000 or 84.000€.

•        Feeding The Poor - Some of you might not know that we've been feeding widows, the poor and refugees for many years. Recently a whole new avenue of ministering to refugees from the Central African Republic has opened up.

•        Partners - We're looking for monthly financial partners as we only have 49% of our budget covered by regular monthly donations.

•       Volunteers - Do you want to come change an orphan's life? Do you want to heal the sick? Preach the gospel to those who've never heard? Come to Mali for a season and let God change your life. No language skills needed, but French skills are helpful.

Ask of me, and I will assuredly give you the nations as your inheritance and the ends of the earth as your possession. (Psalm 2:8, AMP)

Loving HIM,

Claudia (& Randy)