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SCHOOL EXPENSES

15 YEARS IN MALI & MINISTRY

The day before yesterday I remembered when I stepped off the plane in Mali 15 years ago. It was very dramatic how God opened the door for me to go to Mali - which I had prepared for for 8 years (you'll find the story in my book). I found a little Muslim High School to teach German at, and the school director picked me up from the airport. He drove me to his elementary school, put a mattress on the floor, and told me that that was where I'd be sleeping. During the day I was with his two wives and numerous children. On the second day after my arrival I had my first teacher's meeting, where I heard about the (predominantly male) teachers having sex with the girls and forcing boys to pay money for grades. What a start!

It didn't take me long to find an appartment a 10-minute walk away from the school. It was tough being all alone, but I had come to the point that Jesus was all I needed. It was tough having no money or support, and the money from the school not even covering the rent, but I had come to know that He would take care of me. It was tough before fast internet and Facebook, which makes missionary life so much easier today. Yet, two months after my arrival, a neighbor gave his life to Jesus and became my first leader. Just over a year after my arrival, I started a church and a Bible School and did the first party for street children. After two years of teaching at the school, I laid it down to focus on ministry. However, all my experiences in the school system is what fuels my urgency for us to get our own school up and running. Please pray for a teacher and for our building to get finished.

15 years in Mali, 15 years in ministry, 15 years of laying down my life for the people of Mali, sacrificing my own comforts, even my health, and the desire to start a family. Was it worth it? Hundreds have been healed, hundreds have been saved, hundreds have been touched by the love of God, dozens of children have received an education, and I have had the honor of raising up a Malian "Billy Graham" in Paul. From nothing God has created something - as only God can do, and it's only the beginning!

BACK TO SCHOOL

10 days ago two of the three children that had run away a few weeks ago returned to us - again. The same three children ran away twice these past few months, and both times during Muslim holidays when people are generous and it's lucrative to be on the street. The instigator - and youngest of the three - told the other two to go back to our center, but warned them that anybody dying in our place would go to hell. Yacouba and Hama (brothers) didn't care and came back. They said they wanted to continue school and follow Jesus, and so we took them back in.

As for the street children spending the night on our base, we had hopes of taking in quite a few of them before the beginning of the school year. However, somehow we ended up having not one eligible kid to move into our home, which was disappointing. Please pray for more street children to come spend the night on our base.

As for the 33 children in our sponsorship program, our resident kids have already started school, while everybody else starts school on October 1st. We are in the process of buying school supplies for all of them, as well as paying the first installment of their tuition. The last big expense will be the school uniforms for all of them. In total, the return to school costs us thousands of dollars/euros and is a big challenge every year. We have not been able to get rid of our deficit, and now all these big expenses are added to it. We'd appreciate any help we can get at this time of year.

We are very proud that all of our children have passed either the High School exam or the big exam at the end of 9th grade (70% failure rate). The two High School graduates both want to attend university, and we are in the process of helping them work it out. As for the 9th graders, only one continues on to High School, while the others are all pursuing a career in a professional school: midwifery, public service, tile-laying, and architecture.

And I'm very excited that we found the perfect solution for our very own Bakary (14). He left school a year ago, because it was simply too hard for him, never having overcome being on street at the age of 3. Our carpenter moved to our base to set up his shop, and then suddenly changed his mind. Bakary was supposed to be his apprentice, and so all he ever did was to wait start working for him, and it never happened. We have now found a training school for carpentry, where he first has some classes to teach him theory, and then it will all be hands-on practical training. I guess he'll be the one setting up his shop on our base!

Just before our kids have to be in school in the afternoons as well, we took them all swimming which we hadn't done in at least two years, so it was way overdue. The hotel we go towas attacked and partly burnt down by jihadists last year, but has been beautifully restored. It's even better than before, as there are now 4 swimming pools and even a water slide which the kids loved. The kids never once left the water and had so much fun, and for a few of them, it was their first time at the swimming pool ever. It's a shame it's so expensive, so we can't do this more often. Even with our special rate, it still cost us $100 or 80€ to do this, but it was definitely worth it.

SOLAR AUDIO BIBLES

Thanks to InTouch Ministries, we returned to Mali with 200 audio solar Bibles that have the Bible in two local languages on it. Summer time is when it's rainy season in Mali and so many of our villages are not accessible until the water recedes. The other day, Paul made his way back to Sebela with 30 audio Bibles. Sebela is deep in the bush, with no electricity, and most people being illiterate. It was two years ago that the only believer from this village asked us to bring the gospel, and over 200 people accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We now have some thriving Bible-discovery groups and people still find Jesus, some through dreams. I wished you could have seen their reaction, when Paul gave them the audio Bibles. They were overjoyed! Even though people don't usually smile for pictures in Mali, they sure do on these pictures! Please pray for God to use these Bibles powerfully and for the distribution of the remaining ones.

QUICK NEWS

•        Missing Luggage - Thank you for your prayers that brought our luggage back to us. After five and a half days, when they were still saying they didn't know where they were, our remaining suitcases were delivered. Just in time to pack for our return to Mali!

•        Frozen Bank Account - Once again thanks for praying. Right after writing you, everything was resolved and our bank account was restored to us.

•        Spiritual Warfare - We need more intercessors to hold us up in prayer, especially now that Randy is prayer-walking all of Bamako, going out nearly every day. Please connect with us on Facebook where we also have a secret intercessory page.

•        Believing Imam - The imam who was healed and then had dreams of Jesus and decided to follow Him whole-heartedly is growing in his faith. However, he has still not left the mosque, even though he is starting to suffer the consequences. Please pray for him; his main worry is how to support his family after he leaves.

•        Bible-Discovery-Groups - Because of rainy season and many roads being inaccessible, most groups have been left to themselves during the summer. As rainy season draws to an end, we hope to start regular visits again in the next few weeks. Please pray for our groups to flourish and multiply.

•        Construction Update - Construction had to be paused because of rainy season but is about to start again. Believe with us for the remaining 56.000€ or $66,000 to come in so we can finish it and start our school.

•        First-Grade Teacher - We are still looking for a French-speaking first grade teacher to join our team in September. There is such a need for a good, Christian school where the children are treated with dignity and learn something. Many of our Muslim neighbors would send their children to our school. Please pray we'll find a teacher by fall!

•        Malian Director Paul - Paul's wife Rokia has been sick and is currently undergoing some tests to find out what's wrong. Please pray for her and for Paul.

•        Security Situation - Yesterday was Mali's Independence Day, and the government shut off the internet and phone networks to keep people from organizing demonstrations. The current president was reelected, but there are demonstrations against him regularly as people contest the results. Please pray for peace. Pray also against the jihadist threat and for our protection.

•        Miracle Baby - We're still believing for a baby. Please pray for it to manifest on earth!

•       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.

Train up a child in the way he should go [teaching him to seek God's wisdom and will for his abilities and talents], even when he is old he will not depart from it. (Prov 22:6, AMP)

Trusting HIM,

Claudia (& Randy)