Week 8

I can’t believe it has been two months. Wow! J Well, this week I have been very busy, our schedules are now set.

 Here it is: On Sundays we have church. I have language classes on Tuesdays and Fridays for two hours each class. On Tuesdays I also go to Bamako Christian Academy where I help out with the third and fourth grade mathematics for roughly one hour. Then later that afternoon we go to Kalanbankura School to help teach English to the kiddos. (I have already told you all some of this but I am giving you the low down on the overall schedule now). On Wednesdays, we are first going to the orphanage from 9-10 where we get to hold a ton of babies. As soon as I am done I go and help out with the Caritas girls group. The girls in this group are going to a home, provided by the catholic church ,they go there to get training in sewing, mathematics, learning to read, and dying clothing. These girls are from the ages of 12-18, most of them have a baby. These girls don’t have these babies by choice they were usually violated by some man.  We go there to spend time practicing our Bambara with girls and making friendships. It has been so wonderful. The girls are very friendly and welcoming to us. They get a kick out of us trying to practice our Bambara on them. After Caritas, I go and tutor a boy in mathematics. Then that night I have reflections (like a church service for us SaFERs). On Thursday afternoons after Bambara class and mentor time I am going to go and help with basketball at Kalanbankura School.

Now, I haven’t been able to do all of these activities this week, because there are details  being hammered out. Another thing I didn’t mention was that I am going to be involved with the deaf school in Bamako. The school goes from kindergarten to high school. However, they don’t have teachers that sign and the majority of the kid’s parents don’t sign. The teachers and parents have no desire to sign. They think of the deaf as handicapped and handicapped people in this country are despised. Most of the younger kids can only grunt and point when they are hurt or upset. There was  one peace core worker that has been here for seven months, who is leaving. She has been working with the deaf school. She had been working with the high school students and she has tried to teach sign language. Since the younger children don’t have a sign language vocabulary to express themselves they can’t do anything to express why they are mad, or sad, or hurt, or who hit them. The kids are trying to communicate but they can’t. There are so many different things these deaf children need, mostly sign language education. I am hoping to work with the younger children here to increase their vocabulary so that they can communicate properly and maybe learn to read and do mathematics sooner. If they can’t even express how they feel or even communicate in basic ways how can they learn to read? There are over 400 deaf students here. Pray that God sends more workers to the field . It is great. The school has basically said the sky is the limit on what I can do. I am praying that God opens doors here to share the love of Jesus. It is so sobering the children are left  so alone here. The teachers aren’t teaching them .They are alone in their own silent world. I am praying that God gives me wisdom on how to teach these younger children a basic sign language vocabulary.

God has reminded me of His everlasting goodness this week. I have to say that at the beginning of this week I was at the lowest of low points. Then on  Friday, God gave me such peace it felt like there was  a tangible depression that lifted. It says in God’s word that we fight not against flesh and blood. We have to put on our full armor of God. Not only has He restored my joy but He has given me peace. He gave me Psalm 5:11-12:

“But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because you defend them; Let all those who love Your name Be joyful in You. For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him with a shield.”  Psalm 5:11-12

I am praying that God gives me favor with the different opportunities I have been given and wisdom. I am praying that guides me step by step in all my actions. Well, I love you and miss you all. Thank you for your prayers and support!            

Week 7

This has been such a fun week.  On Tuesday, I went to Bamako Christian Academy.It is a school for mostly missionary kids.  I helped with  third and fourth grade mathematics. It was a lot of fun.We were covering geometric shapes. J I enjoyed it. I worked with a child who was from Nigeria who has issues with story problems in English. It was a great experience.  Geometry is used even in Africa.

Then Tuesday afternoon we went to the Kalanbankura Christian School. The kids at this school are about 80% Muslim. Their parents want them to have a great education so they are willing  to let them hear Christian doctrine. So the kids at the school have Bible every day! We are teaching English to the students there every Tueday. They currently speak only Bambara and French. There are two different classes.In one class the students are younger and  in the other class they are older.  It is a lot of fun. We teach them English by playing games. This week we had an obstacle course for the older  kids, where one kid was blind folded and two other kids were giving the one directional commands in English. So like stop, go, go forward, go back, sit, stand, jump, and crawl. The kids had a ball! J

 The other class  covered  parts of the body. The head, shoulder, knees, toes, eyes, ears, mouth, and nose.  After reviewing the parts of the body with the kids we were able then to sing the song “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.” The kids loved it.Later we played Simon says with them so that they could review all their English vocabulary. Still later, we used the new basketball phrases that they are learning. We will be coming in on Thursdays to teach the kids how to play basketball. They now know the words pass, dribble, and shoot .

Then on Wednesday we had a Bambara test. Fun times:/ I think that I did well, my only  problem  is I understand the vocabulary but have probelms in getting past the baby phrases. I just am praying that God helps me. I need to practice more with the locals on the phrases, that will help.

God has been dealing with me about how He is here even when I miss my family and even when things don’t always go as I pictured them, He is there. I have to say that when I came to West Africa I had stars in my eyes about a missionary’s life. I had an idea of how it would be.  God turned my ideas around and changed them to His ideas.  There are a lot of great things that happen when you are a missionary, like ministry opportunities and divine appointments.There is also a lot of heart ache and homesickness and even culture sickness. God  is changing me into who He wants me to be even in my weaknesses and incompetency. I have noticed the longer I am in Africa the more inconsistencies I see in my own life. God didn’t just send me to West Africa to share Jesus with the Muslims. He sent me here to save me from myself. It is clique, everyone says that, but it is so true. I have been such a selfish ,self centered person.  I have limited myself by own hang ups. Only when I have fixed my gaze on God will I be truly content. That doesn’t happen overnight it happens by daily surrendering to Him my ideas, goals, dreams, and desires. When I look at Him,He changes me.

“Look to Me, and be saved,

All you ends of the earth!

For I am God and there is no other.”

Isaiah 45:22

Week 6

This week has been rather busy but such an amazing experience. This last weekend we went to Dogon Country.  Dogon was awesome. The people live on these mountain areas and they lived there for hundreds and hundreds of years .They use the distance as a defense and it is a way of protecting themselves from outside people. They speak Dogon not Bambara but some do understand Bambara. They also developed irrigated water systems so that they can pump water to where they grow things .It is like deserty sand in some areas and lush and green where they have their huge community gardens. So most communities are comprised of families so sadly there is a lot of inbreeding going there. The kids aren't used to seeing white people so we kind of scared them J"It's because I'm white isn't it?!" The group was great. We drove really fast in the desert but that is just how they drive here. We are with old school missionaries,who have been on the field for like 8-16 years. We climbed a bunch of mountainy, rocky areas to reach one of the villages.  Some of these rural villages,  the Dogon villages are really rural as rural can be. I feel very blessed having electricity, a toilet, and all the things God has given me.  The area is so impoverished.



The kids were so facinated with the camera





Us in Dogon taking a picture with the Pastor and some people from the Dogon Church

Additionally, this week we went to the mosque in Mali. The mosque itself was very oppressive. The women aren’t really valued in general in Mali even in a mosque. The men get to go down stairs into one large room to pray with nice carpet and it looks nice. The women aren’t  allowed there, even women visitors can’t step foot in the room . So we had to go upstairs to a small room that reaked of urine. The carpet was unraveling. Above all was a wall there that could see down stairs but you really couldn’t see, it had like these brick hole things that you could see just little glimpses of things. Just think if this was your religion. Women are just treated like objects here .All this just added to the feel of a strong demonic presence of fear and dominion. The women aren’t valued by Allah, they don’t understand a Heavenly Father like we do. They get just rules and not even a promise of making it to Heaven. They don’t get a relationship. God is giving me a heart for the Muslim women. If you are raised with a lie ,it is very hard to believe the truth. I was raised with the truth and I don’t want to just keep it to myself. I have been given such a large gift. Jesus provides freedom while Islam provides bondage.However in order to share that with a muslim woman, you have to form a relationship with her first. I am praying that God will send us divine appointments, with the women in this area. 

We had to wear head covering to even go into the Mosque



We  went on a boat ride in the Niger River, it was really cool! I  saw fisherman working that are from the Bozo tribe. Did you know that the Bozo tribe is one of the unreached people groups? They haven’t really heard the gospel. There are so many people in Mali who haven’t really heard the good news. When you see hundreds of people passing you on the street and you know that if they don’t accept Jesus  they are going to hell!!! Think about that, as Americans ,we don’t like to think about our eventual death, but the truth is one day we are all going to  die. Then every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Those who didn’t accept Jesus will go to hell, it doesn’t matter how good they are. We need to change our perspective about people who are lost. They aren’t just lost but they have a death certificate that promises eternal torment and torture. We don’t really understand what eternal separation from God is!!! We are just soo blessed. I am not trying to be a rain cloud, but this is just Biblical Truth. We need to pray for the lost of the world. Only God can save them, but we can pray that God uses us as vessels to share His goodness.



They wash their clothes and livestock in the Niger



Two girls from the Evangel  team (Shannon & JoAnna)  and me on the boat ride



God has been changing my perspective this week on the lost and how blessed I truly am,even in Africa in 104 degree weather without air-conditioning, without my family. I am so blessed to know His truth and to walk in what He has for me. The best thing we can ever do in life is not win 2,000,000 to the Lord or plant like 500 churches but to know God and love God. Those other things would be also be awesome,  but they aren’t the best. The best thing I can do, is to know my Heavenly Father and love Him. When I have my eyes gazed on Him that is when He changes me.

Thank you, for all your prayers, encouragement, and support.

 

Week 5

This week has been a week of change and growth in my life. It has also been a week of sickness and tears. On Sunday morning I was feeling just fine. Then while in the middle of worship I felt dizzy and very sick. Apparently I was running a fever, so I leave the service, I get back home and I vomit directly. Then for the next two days I had fever, dizziness, headaches, extreme nausea, and fatigue. However, by Wednesday, I was feeling back to normal. The reason that I am telling you this is because the mission field has just as many heart aches, sickness, and disappointments as it has amazingly cool things happen. But think about the disciples, and prophets in the Bible. Did they quit their commission and call just when it got tough? No, they stuck to it and praised God through it. Even though during that time I felt the lowest of the low, God moved. When all our personal and emotional strength is gone that is when He can truly change us. When He can strip us down to the core of our being He can and will transform us if we allow Him.

I have noticed in missions that strongholds and problems in my life seem to be  dirty laundry that is out on the line for all to see. There isn’t a way of hiding it.  In America we can sometimes mask our problems and hang ups but here they just seem so much more noticeable.  So I was sick in bed for three days feeling sorry for myself. God  then, started pointing out some of the sickness in my heart. He has pointed out how I have been such a people pleaser and perfectionist. People pleasing is actually rooted in the fear of man. And perfectionism comes actually from a Spirit of pride.  God is helping me change out of fear and pride into freedom! I have noticed in my own life if the more I practice the presence of God and spend time with Him, the more stupid strongholds I see in my own life ,and the more I desire to become like my Heavenly Father! Those things that we hold onto are actually stopping us from fulfilling God’s will. But the more we take our eyes off ourselves and look to Him, the more He begins to change us.   

“To pray is to change. Prayer is the central avenue God uses to transform us. If we are unwilling to change, we will abandon prayer as a noticeable characteristic of our lives.” Richard Foster.

Then the rest of this week we have been resting because everyone is passing around a virus in our apartment with the same symptoms and we are going to Dogon Country for the next three days. We have to be healthy for the trip. Dogon is a rural village and we are very excited about going. We have had Bambara language classes and mostly rested. Although this week hasn’t been as exciting as some weeks, it has changed my life.  Our devotion and group focus has been on prayer .The more that I have seen and read the more that we pray ,the more we are changed.  Prayer is a continual event of spending time with God it isn’t  a one time thing.

“Besides, by doing so we destroy the love of self, which can be subsistence only among the things of the senses, and which we are rid of during these quiet times with God without being conscious of it.” Brother Lawerence.

Well, one of my five room mates is still sick!  Please pray for  our health here. Since being here these five weeks, at least one person a week is sick. Just pray that this viruses leave the apartment. God is changing me though and I am very excited to see what He does. I also am learning more in Bambara . I feel like God is helping me form relationships with people in my neighborhood. I am able to now carry on more of a conversation with my new friends. I am very excited to go to Dogon and I hope to bring back a lot of pictures. J Thank you all for your prayers, encouragement, and support.

Many Blessings,

Cami Lynn