refreshed

Half of our team was gone to Bamako for two days.  They came back last night and we were able to work some issues out that was building tension among all of us.  It felt good to be together again.  I felt unity.  I was refreshed.  Right now I'm sitting on the cement block patio in our backyard listening to Court, Chenz, and Chris type away.  I hear voices in the distance yelling something in Bambara, and once in a while a car drives by.  It is cool tonight.  After the 106 degree weather today, the evenings feel so good!  Toupas is sleeping right next to me.  Oh how I'm praying she has puppies while we are here!  It is almost that time when all the male dogs hunt her down ha!  I'm not so tired today.  The other day I slept in till 10am (because we've had no class this week) and then i had another 2 1/2 hour nap that afternoon, of course lying in sweat.  But through all the 'uncomfortableness' as many americans would say, God is always here.  I've been given the name "Nema" (nay-mah) which is grace in Bambara.  I don't know if it was randomly chosen by the Malian students, but I believe God definitely had a purpose through the name.  My theme of the trip is about grace.  The grace God gives us through His love, and the grace He asks us to give unto others.  Something that is difficult but beautiful.

Tonight was like a big celebration day for the Muslim religion or something like that.  From our home, in the distance we hear prayer and song (in another language by a man) over and over.  Usually its just a call to prayer the couple times Muslims repeat daily.  This was longer.  And I was pondering how interesting and lifechanging it would be to learn more about the Muslim religion and be able to visit a mosque and one of their leaders with Uncle Joseph.  Yet are role here at the IBR compound under the EEPM National Church is to interact and encourage the believers at the church on the compound, and get to know them. I like it, but its hard in a way too because I want to be out doing something and visiting with non-believers.  Remember, Mali is 2% Christian (1% leaders) and the rest mostly Muslim and Animist.  Yet I feel secluded among our small compound.  One teammate specifically told me how she felt when we entered Bougouni for the first time.  She felt the darkness of it.  Bougouni has a main road that stretches from Bamako down to Burkina Faso.  It's a major drug route and much more is going on then we are seeing.  I want to know more.

amanda