First Week In Mali Sunday, Aug 21, 2005

We drove down from Bamako last Wednesday to Kadiolo, about and 8 hour drive, with missionary colleagues, Tom and Laura Requadt. After a quick orientation to the house where we'll be living for awhile and the market in town, they were off to their village before a storm hit. The dirt roads between here and there are difficult enough without rain.

It is rainy season here, so it is humid and warm, although the locals say it is cooler because of the rain. Still feels hot to us. The first day or two were spent trying to find things in this house and unpack our suitcases. We've since bought a few things at the market and are rationing the special things we brought on the plane with us.

Every day, we have a little something special to remind us of home. Either a piece of candy from the bulk candy store trip with Grandma, or blender slushees made from KoodAid. Cheese gets rationed too, as it's about $25 a pound in Bamako. I haven't tried my Mozarella cheese-making kit yet. Still trying to get into the groove of cooking here in someone else's kitchen.

The boys are making some friends with children who have come to watch our comings and goings in our yard. They also enjoy the two dogs that came with the house. They may sleep most of the day, but they are vigilint at night. (See Photo) Climbing mango and frangipani trees is also a wonderful way for boys with no t.v. to pass their day.

We went to church this morning after a torrential rain last night. Attendance wasn't too high as it's still summer break, and Sunday School hasn't restarted, and the Radio drama team is out of town at a nation-wide Theater competition. They are really good and getting wide attention, which is a wonderful witness tool.

We decided to wander around the neighborhood and see if we could happen upon the house that the pastor had found as a possibility for us. He sent pictures which many of our friends and family have seen. While we were out, some ladies saw us and invited us into their courtyard for cold water and a visit. We told them we were house-hunting and they showed us a house around the block that they knew about, still being constructed. Then we saw another one that is vacant. Then the pastor came along on his bike, and took us to see the house he had written about. Since we didn't get to see the inside of the new house, we'd like to have a look before we make a decision. Either way it'll take some time to get a house ready before we move in.

Tom is hoping to leave tomorrow, Monday the 22nd, with Pastor Youssouf to reclaim some of our things from Cote d'Ivoire. We have moved that job up on the priority scale because of possibile increasing unrest there as a scheduled election in October nears. Most of our evacuated Cote d'Ivoire missionaries fear increased tension as time approaches for the vote, and we want to be out of the way before that happens. Please pray for travel safety and lack of border and customs complications.

Thankfully, we seem to have a dependable e-mail system worked out, so we can send and receive information as normally as possible. We wish we could communicate with the Malians quite so easily, but fewer here speak French, so we have to work at understanding and learning their language. It'll take time, but in the meanwhile, Tom has already helped the Pastor and the script-writer for the Radio drama team with their computer and e-mail systems. It feels good to be able to help them in some way.

Important people in our daily lives include: Mariko, the Christian man who takes care of the yard, the animals, the water pump and generator systems, and all-around handyman of the house; and Aminatou, the Christian lady who cleans and does laundry inside the house. Both are trustworthy and dependable and helpful in every way possible. We hope to find such valuable house-helpers when we set up our own house.

We haven't started the new school year yet. Maybe in another week or two. School here doesn't start until October, but they have a shorter year. When we were in Bamako last week, we saw the new Bamako Christian Academy and met some of the families involved there. It is a good possibility for the future, but they have to have a boarding situation available for our kids when the time comes, and they only go to 9th or 10th grade. We may decide to look at other options for the continuity factor.

Thanks for your interest in how life back in Africa is for the Sewards these first two weeks. We appreciate your prayers, as well.