They ALL Came

Its been 3 years since I have been to the village of GO. Through the Gift of Grain, Father gave me the opportunity to reconnect with the chief and His 1st Counselor. It was great to see their smiles as we recognized each other and began greeting. As always, they ask about everyone they know from Amer1ca and I was able to give greetings from each one. Oh the smiles as they hear that and oh how they want to know for sure that everyone is doing well. As we sat with the chief and told him why we had come, he said we must send the Grio around to call everyone. We agreed and we could hear the man playing the drums and calling all of the men to come and sit with us. One by one the men began coming to sit and talk with us. Continually greeting as each one arrived. The whole courtyard was filled with men...We heard someone coming and I turned around to see an elderly man...maybe the oldest man in the village...coming with a walking stick and another man helping him find his way to the chief's courtyard. My eyes filled with tears as I sat and watched this man come to be a part of this meeting...I was humbled as he greeted me and blessed with blessing after blessing! Again my heart was captured...I longed to honor him in some special way. I longed to hear his life story, to know all that made up this precious man. With this man's arrival, we began our time of sharing that we had come to pr@y together with them for the upcoming rainy season and this year's harvest. We wanted to spend time together asking God to protect the people of GO from the same struggles of last year. Each man who had come shared words of thanks and words of blessing as we talked together. The old man was no exception...Pr@y for this elderly man...the struggles of the elderly here are many and very difficult!! Pr@y for Father to send the proper rain to produce a good harvest like they have not seen before. Ask Him to demonstrate His power and provision in ways that they can only say..."It was God who answered our pr@yers in the name of J.s.s."

Village Exams

Night had come as all the young students in the village of M1nta gathered together to hear encouraging words and a time of pr@yer before they began their 3 full days of testing the next morning. The school year ended and the exam period began as L0ri and I spent time in the B@ye area. This night L0ri and I had the opportunity to be a part of a meeting with all the young students both believers’ of J.s.s and non-believers. The meeting was a time to give encouraging words to all the students, to share J.s.s and to pr@y for their upcoming days of testing. Their test is very difficult and long. Even worse, if the students do not pass then they cannot continue in school the next year. Some of the students confessed of their anxiety, fears, concerns of taking the test and even their uncertainty of their future. 

Driving to the village I remembered the long nights of studying and the anxious moments before my big exams.  It was only a year ago I was still taking exams at the end of the school year. A year ago I was right where they were that night….staying up late to study, having my own anxiety, concerns and fears of taking my exams. It was during this time I was able to share a few encouraging words that always stayed with me when I was taking exams….

J.s.s told H1s d1s1ples…“Don’t be afraid. It’s me. Take courage. I am here.”  

I explained to them that from these words that J.s.s spoke I was always reminded that J.s.s tells us not to be afraid of the circumstances around us…in our case it was a big exam that was important to our future. J.s.s tells us to take courage and to have confidence that J.s.s. is with us through everything that we do. Through every moment in the test, through every question that we are faced with, J.s.s is always with us. 

This night was an awesome time to be with the young people.  To sit among them knowing their anxiety, fears and concerns that they face, having faced them only a year ago. How amazing it was to lift them up to our Father, to pr@y for them to feel H1s presence around them as they sat in the classroom taking their test just as I remember Father seat with me during all of my exams I have taken. How amazing it was to pr@y for Father to put H1s peace in their minds and hearts and for them to put their confidence in H1m alone. 

Please pr@y for all the young students as they anxiously await the results of their tests. Depending on the teachers and the government they are hopeful to get their results in one month. Pr@y for their f@ith to continue to be strong in G0d rather they pass their exam or if they do not pass their exam. Pr@y for their confidence to be in G0d through all of their future endeavors.

Gift of Grain Continues to Open the Way

With our Americ@n mindset, we went with the intentions of seeing each family that received the bags of grain. Father had a different idea...a great lesson for me in culture as well as just trusting Father to do more than you imagined. Instead of going house to house to visit the families, we went into each v!llage and met with the chief. We explained that we had come to pr@y with them for the upcoming rainy season, planting time, and harvest and that we would like come together with all of the elders of the v!llage to seek G0d's blessing for this upcoming harvest. Each chief then sent someone out to call all of the elders...men of the v!llage to come and sit with us, to give blessings, and to pr@y together for Father to meet the needs of the families of each village. In one v!llage, they sent a man out with drums singing to call everyone to the chiefs courtyard. As I sat and watched, learning the culture and how to enter into the worlds of those with whom we long to share and show J.s.s, I was amazed at my G0d. Only G0d could have arranged for us to speak to all of the heads of families at the same time...to pr@y with them and share with them how J.s.s can take the little that we have and multiply it...how only J.s.s meet our needs. We were able to share the story of J.s.s feeding the 5000 men and their families with each v!llage chief and the elders of the v!llage. At first, I thought how can we meet each of the families...then our friend and partner reminded me...these men represent each family and they will go home and tell their families of our message. Please continue to pr@y for these families and pr@y especially for Father to demonstrate His Power to the people in these 5 v!llages by providing rains so the harvest will be plentiful...in both physical and sp1r1tual ways.

Together Again

Do you remember the old woman who captured my heart? I will never forget her! As we made plans to follow up on the Gift of Grain project and revisit those who had received sacks of grain, my heart filled with excitement about seeing S@li again. I had a wave of fear come over me as I thought...will she still be alive...will I see her again...was that my only chance to share with her the love of J.s.s? The answers ...yes, yes, NO!
One morning before going out to the villages to meet with the chiefs and elders, C@therine, our translator J0ke, and I walked over to greet S@li. It was great to see her precious face and it was great to be recognized by her. When she saw us coming onto the porch, she made a place for us to sit, then got up and found her shirt. She began the difficult process of putting it on and straightening her head wrap. My heart continued to be tenderized for this precious woman who reminds me so much of my grandmother Sm1th. When I look at her, I see my grandmother. We greeted and then she began talking to us. Her son was not there to translate for us. His wife tried to communicate some things to us, and then finally she said, " She is speaking of deep things, and I do not have the words in Bambara to share them with you." We agreed to come back when her son was there and could help us know what she was saying. We went back that afternoon and the next morning but AB was out working. They told us they would send for us when he arrived. Not too long after we left, they called for us. We went to finally hear the words of this precious 88 year old lady. Her son AB began telling us her words. She spoke of creation, Adam and Eve, and J.s.s. She said she knew some things about J.s.s but she is confused. All of her life her family has followed another way, has practiced a different rel1gi0n, pr@yed a certain way. She talked of the difficulties of changing what you know when you are old. She continued to say that she believes what she knows about J.s.s, yet there was confusion by what she has known all her life. As we talked with AB, he too confessed that he knew J.s.s was the only One who can save us, forgive us, and make us right before G0d. He has not yet chosen J.s.s as the Way, the Truth, and the Life and with sadness in my heart I felt he saw no real opportunity for his mother to make that choice at her age. I continue to pr@y that our Father will give S@li the opportunity to make that choice. She continues to think about what she knows of J.s.s, and we know that J.s.s can come to her, speak to her, and show her the way. Will you join me in pr@ying for S@li and AB? Ask Father to reveal His Son to S@li in dreams and visions. Pr@y also for the other women in their family as many of them gathered with us when we were talking and sharing stories with S@li and AB. I give thanks for the time we had to be together again. I will not see S@li or AB for another 5-6 months. Much can happen during that time--physically and sp1r1tually. Pr@y with me for s@lvation and peace for S@li and her family!

Don't Be Afraid, Take Courage! I AM HERE!

The evening was late and darkness was surrounding the chaotic rush hour traffic of the capital city. L0ri and I have just picked up our friend Ou from the street corner where she works day after day to see for the first time the compound where she lives and to visit her family. Two days prior I had committed to stay with her family for 7 days not concerned about the living conditions, family life, language barrier or anything else. Father’s peace had overwhelmed my heart and mind as L0ri and I were planning my stay with this family. However, the reality of staying 7 days in unfamiliar conditions hit me in the face the closer we came to her house. Uncertainty consumed my mind of the fine details of this particular village stay. My mind was filled with…wow this will be the first time to stay alone without L0ri or any white person…wow I have never stayed in a village for 7 full days…wow I am going to stay in a compound of M@lians that have never had a white person stay with them a day much less a week….i really don’t know the language, how will I communicate or speak with them…and MUCH MORE. Anxiety filled my mind and heart until I remembered in Father’s W0rd J.s.s. telling his d1siples  “Don’t be afraid, Take courage! I am here!” Going into this experience I remembered J.s.s. words…for this experience was not just about me learning the culture, learning the language, learning the life style of an M@lian family, this week was for Father to be seen among this family.  

Throughout the whole week it was G0d’s courage, strength and power that guided me step by step. Each day I walked outside the room I stayed in and stepped into a different culture, different language and different living style with Father’s presence surrounding me. I was never afraid to be alone or feared for the day before me...for ever morning I knew that Father was saying "I am here!" walking beside of me.


I give all the pr@ise to Father for the time I was able to stay with Ou’s family and for the opportunity for His name to be glorified and demonstrated to this family!!! My experience with Ou's family was amazing as I watched Father show Himself to this family!

Father Drawing His People to Himself

A day in the village goes by slower for there is only so much a white person can do and only so much the women in Ou’s family would let me do. My skills are limited in cooking, talking and washing clothes, leaving me with limited activities to do.  However sitting around in the shade was the activity they knew I could do very well…and that is exactly what I did through most of my days. During my time sitting in the shade there were moments where I would watch the women work around the compound, other times where somebody was around to talk with me and other times I seat alone.

During my moments of seating alone I always had a choice…do I just sit here, do I get up and try to help or do I read my B1ble. Day after day I always had a choice to sit and do nothing or sit and read my B1ble. After a few days of getting comfortable with the family I finally made the choice to seat in the shade and just read my B1ble.

Then one day as I was sitting on the porch reading my B1ble one of the young ladies came up to me, looked over my shoulder wanting to know what I was reading. The young lady was able to read a little in English and began to read Father’s W0rds out loud. Another night Ou’s oldest daughter came up to me and asked “Who is the G0d you believe in?” Another time Ou’s oldest son came up to me with a big smile realizing that I was reading the B1ble and decided to seat beside me.

Not being able to speak the language limited the conversations about our Father; however, I discovered that the lack of language does not limit the ability to demonstrate His righteousness. I learned during my time with Ou’s family that it is not about the words that I speak, but the actions that I do. It was not me asking Ou’s oldest daughter if she believed or wanted to believe in J.s.s., but it was her seeking to know the G0d that I w0rship and pr@ise and read about every day.  It was not me asking the young lady if she wanted to know what I was reading every day, but it was her coming up to me seeing for herself what I read day after day, even trying to read Father’s W0rd in English.

As I write this I look back in amazement on how G0d draws people to Himself. We are chosen by Father to be His servant, to demonstrate His righteous, to pr@ise His name and to bring glory to His name. We surrender our lives and lay down our own desires so His power through us draws His people closer to Himself. Through all my time that I spent with Ou’s family I saw that it was not during the moments of cooking or talking with Ou’s family, but through the moments I would read my English B1blie that Father drew this family closer to Himself.

J.s.s Is On Televesion

Night had settled in, the work was finished for the day and my new family had just brought out the television to watch together. The whole family was surrounding the television watching a weekly show as Ou, KF (Ou’s oldest daughter) and I were talking on the porch. Talking with Ou and KF, I was not paying attention to the television. Just as I was about to say “Ou I am going to bed” she excitedly looked at me and said J.s.s is on the television, J.s.s is on the television. Knocking me out of my chair, she snatched it up and moved it so we could sit around the television. And just as Ou said a broadcast of local M@lian P@stor was on the television talking about J.s.s. Throughout the whole program Ou seat beside of me in a different world. Her eyes were fixed on the television and anybody that tried to talk to her was ignored. Every now and then she would look around excitedly speaking to her husband, to her sister-in-law, the children… really to anybody that would listen saying “These are good words, these words are very good!, Kadia (my M@lian name) this is who you believe in J.s.s!” Ou never moved throughout the whole show…watching and listening intently to every word the M@lian P@stor was saying.  After the show Ou stated “Kadia, Ada and I are the same. We are all the same.”

Please pr@y for Ou, her understanding of J.s.s and what He has done for us. Pr@y for the opportunity for L0ri and I to speak with Ou and find out exactly what she believes. Pr@y for Father to open her mind, heart and eyes to His W0rd.