The last week or so

Hi. You may know that we're in Bamako for July and part of August. Another mission was about to close their guest house, and Worldventure made an offer to run it. We have a couple who are coming out to help. But in the meantime we are all taking our turns to help out.

We're healthy and adjusting well to Africa again.



Lisa had a neat opportunity to participate in the womens' camp. This one was more widespread than the ones we normally send the women to in Sikasso. This one was country wide, and was held here in Bamako. Our Kadiolo ladies were very excited about coming. I don't think any of them had been to Bamako before. Anyway, the conference was held in the big soccer stadium. The ladies had seen it on tv, but were now camping there for the week. Lisa was able to go there and take part in the opening day with our ladies. But as the custom often is, she was ushered way way up front to the front row, because she was the missionary. This was a bit uncomfortable for her, but then she realised she'd be able to hear so much better. And she did.
The ladies are all wearing the uniform cloth they had bought for the conference. A few of them, Lisa included weren't able to get the cloth because so many ladies, even those not attending, bought it. So she stood out a bit more than usual.
But the ladies had a great week, and really enjoyed hearing the word of God to them.



These are our ladies from Kadiolo. I was able to help them when they arrived on the bus. I had gone to the station to meet them. But the bus driver brought them there instead of taking them to the stadium. They would have had to walk more than 2 miles. But because I was there, the bus station director, (of his own accord) had the bus driver load them all up and take them to the stadium.
I rode with them, and made sure they got to the right spot.







Lisa and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary! So many hotels are being bought up in Bamako by Lybia. (Mr. Quaddaffi is investing heavily in Mali.) So somehow the USA brought in a Radisson Hotel. It was like stepping off the streets of Bamako into New York or Chicago. So nice. The kids came for the afternoon and we all swam in their beautiful pool. Then the kids went back to the guest house, and we had a nice night together.

So now we're back in the guesthouse, things are going well. A lot of people are coming and going. One lady came in sick from a village situation, and was recovering for about a week, and is now going back. One family from Timbuktu had to delay going back because of Al-Queda fighting the Malian soldiers in that region. So they are staying until the 19th, deciding if it calms down enough for them to trek back up there.

I've(Tom)been making friends on the streets nearby. One group of guys I've visited a few times asked, "Do you know the white guy Daoda?"I said no. They said he lived in our guest house, but is gone now. He worked in Guinea. I said, "oh, is he tall and blond? His name is Nathan". "Yes that was his toubab (white guy) name." they said. So I'm making contacts with guys who have connected with Nathan Kendall a few weeks/months ago. Life is funny. (Nathan and his family were here earlier in the year taking their turn at the guest house as well.

Anyway, Keep praying for us, for health, for a positive witness.
We are enjoying this time with our kids before we lose two of them while they go to school.

God Bless,
Tom & Lisa Seward

Arrival in Kadiolo

This is a picture taken yesterday. Do you like the hamster Ben is holding? It is one of 2 newborn puppies! The kids have been enjoying them.

So we've arrived. This morning is Saturday, we've been here since Tuesday night.
We've had a steady steam of people coming to greet us, Christians, and non-christians alike. It is heartwarming to see so many who we have had a good relationship with. This time coming to Kadiolo was not like moving to a weird place in Africa, it is like coming home to friends.



Some news was sad. Drissa, the man on the left in the above picture, a good friend, a m-lim interested in the Gospel, died in January from Typhoid fever. Should I have been more in a hurry to share the Gospel with him? We had so many conversations over the three years we were here before. And I know I shared my faith with him. But should I have done more? Maybe... Anyway it is sad to see anyone die without Christ.



This morning, Bamba came to visit. (This guy is not to be confused with our neighbor Bamba) This man was a talented painter who did work for everyone in town, and had a good reputation. about 3 years ago, he had a demonic encounter, and has never been the same. You could call it demon possession. It is not just a mental illness.
He really needs Christ. Only Christ can cast out a demon, and take its place so no other can enter. But if Bamba is happy (though misled) with the presence of whatever is in him then what? Christ is waiting for Bamba to ask him in. But Bamba prefers (ignorantly or intentionally) to live with this thing. This is sad to watch, too.
I gave Bamba a few coins so he could eat. His family has rejected him because of the demon. He wanders around town aimlessly now. Satan promises big things, but really only wants to destroy.

I'm listening to an old Bob Dylan cd. The song is "You're gonna have to serve somebody. It may be the devil, it may be the Lord, but you're gonna have to serve somebody." Joshua 24:15 says "Choose you this day, who you will serve...as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Pray for us, as we seek to share the gospel and encourage the believers here.
These are just a couple of the issues we face daily.

Thanks for stopping by,
Tom & Lisa

the Taxi video

Just a small blurb from our taxi ride. We were riding Sikasso- Kadiolo. About a 1hr 20 min trip. It took much longer... You'll figure out why... :D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kt8JdjHrQrQ

Come to youtube, and watch it...

Tom & Lisa

Arrivial in Kadiolo!

Finally, arrival in Kadiolo. This is the first time we've been able to be back since Lisa went to the hospital in Bamako.

This is the bus we rode yesterday.

A few of you have ridden the bus with us. Emily for sure, and Pastor Mike probably won't forget his trip in the near future. Sometimes you get a good one, though. :D
And this was a good one. We made really good time on the way to Sikasso. The road was in good repair for most of the trip. Then from Bougani to Nienna, it was sometimes better off the road than on it. That is how africa can be, though.

We arrived in Sikasso with all our luggage intact. I was concerned about finding a ride to Kadiolo. But a taxi guy was available. So we loaded up with him. Caleb thought it was the worst car he'd ever seen! It may have been. :D

Anyway, we were so pleased to arrive back home. Jonas gave us big hugs, Bamba came over from next door, beaming smiles everywhere. Pastor Youssouf came and we had a good "catch-up" talk.
Our two silly dogs remembered us, and were happy. Ocho apparantly had 2 puppies last week. So while that is inconvienient, the kids are enjoying them, too.

A nice welcome home.

Thanks for all your prayers that carried us through to this point.

Tom & Lisa

We've arrived in Bamako.

Hi. Here are a couple of pics from Dakar. We are being surprised by a couple of things that should not surprise us. The heat is really affecting us more than expected.

In the 4 days we were in Dakar, Tom lost 8 pounds. (That is a good thing, just quite surprising that it happened so fast. A few more to go... :D)

Also, we're realising that while we all have a bit of culture adjustment to do, Caleb seems to really noticing the changes most. He needs a bit of time to process the new surroundings.

He went out with Hilary on Thursday, and came back very tired and a bit dehydrated. We need to make sure he's drinking enough...

So he has been a little unsure, and a bit grumpy. Pray for him as he adjusts. Friday in Dakar, he did find a boy who wanted to play. So he went outside and played for about 2 hrs. He was happier after that.

Last night in Bamako, Ben & Caleb got to play with 2 GMU/Avant families that we knew well in the past. One family with 3 kids leaves today for 6 months. But the other family has 3 kids, the oldest being just a bit younger than Caleb. So running in the dark did the kids a lot of good.

Thanks for praying for us.

Tom & Lisa

Arrival!!

Hi... We're in Dakar now... Arrived with no problem. Hilary was waiting at the airport with Mr. Adamson, the family she was staying with. We're at the CMA Guest house here in Dakar... Just a short walk from the school. We fly out Friday from Dakar to Bamako.

Getting off the plane yesterday, we were tired. But it felt so right to be back in africa again.
We were crowded by a gang of people who wanted to "help" us with goods and services we didn't need. But one guy helped us with baggage, and was so great at helping us protect baggage from the others. So I paid him $10 for a $3 job... He was happy, and we didn't lose any bags. So I thought it was a good deal... :D We went out with Hilary to a nearby ice cream place that serves food. Caleb ordered a cheese pizza that came with anchovies on it... I thought it was tasty... He didn't.

We'll arrive in Bamako Friday, and spend the weekend, then we'll bus down to Kadiolo.
Looking forward to seeing everyone there...

Thanks for praying, and for stopping by,
Tom & Lisa

Report from Drama Team

The Jula Radio Drama team has just completed 2 weeks of touring in Bamako. They've been doing evangelistic live theatre performances in neighborhoods adjacent to churches who've invited them to come. Our friend Mark Datson, who is a Wycliffe/SIL missionary helped facilitate this tour/visit. It has been an amazing time. Churches have really had their eyes open to a new method of evangelism that is less confrontational than direct preaching.

Here is a picture of the team getting ready for an evangelism event during the last week.

Here is what Mark had to say about the experience of having them come out.

the Jula Radio Drama team 'Tour of Bamako'
2009 is now over!The team left on the bus for Kadiolo this
morning, all in good health and feeling
that 2 weeks in Bamako, though tiring, has
been a lot of fun and been a great
blessing.

Yesterday evening, the team and I (Mark) were
invited for a meal and an evaluation
session with the ECE church Bamako district
President and his committee of four
pastors. Overwhelmingly, the district President and
pastors judged the tour a success, and were
very grateful to the team for their
patience, their great testimony, and the
impact on the audiences they have had.

All the pastors are now wholly convinced
that drama adds a vital element for
communicating the good news to people here
in Mali.

One pastor reported that another person had
contacted him a few days following the
team's performance, and has become a
believer. The district President said he'd
had 3 different phone calls from people who
were really impressed with the
performances, and who wanted to know more
about these Christians.

The pastors were all thinking ahead to the
next time the team would come to Bamako, or
to other towns in Mali, and how to improve
the organisation of the tour.

I (Tom) was a bit jealous when I got these updates, because I was supposed to go on the tour with them. I had been communicating with Mark, and trying to help facilitate the tour. I really enjoy the members of the drama team like brothers and sisters, and it is always so much fun to go out with them on these evangelism events. Well, maybe next time. And if you visit, you can go too! :D

But it is great to get the news of the success of the tour, and once again to know that God is at work in Mali.

Thanks for stopping by,

Tom & Lisa Seward

Getting ready to go

We got our trailer from storage. (Big Thank you! to Carpenters!)
And did some patch work on it. Family work day. reviewing storage boxes, checking for damage, and repainting/calking the trailer.








We are getting ready to go, but still are somewhat short on support. Please continue to pray that God would supply those needs.

Thanks for stopping by,
Tom & Lisa Seward