Peanut Harvest!

Peanut Harvest!



I guess our theme this last few weeks has been evangelism
by actions. Last week we talked about helping our friend Abel
get away from the lifestyle of a rebel soldier in Cote D'Ivoire.
(We're helping him go to Burkina to study motorcycle mechanics.
The week before we showed me working with Bamba, helping him get
his donkey cart ready for the harvest. There are so many ways that
our actions add volume to our words, aren't there?



I wrote these stories to encourage you. Maybe you ask yourself,
if I were a missionary in Africa what would I do? How would God use me?
Maybe these action evangelism glimpses help you see yourself here.
Maybe you can say "I could do that!" Maybe they inspire you to seek
out ways to use what God has gifted you with to do action evangelism
at home where you are. Have you met your neighbor? Helped him shovel snow?
Baked him cookies? We believe God puts us where he puts us for contacts
just like these, whether we're in Mali, Indiana, Quebec, Minnesota, or
Wheaton, Illinois!



This week our neighbor, Bamba brought in 3 donkey carts of harvested peanuts!
He invited friends and neighbors to come help take the peanuts
off the plants. It was a bit like a group corn-shucking party.
Lisa worked with them this morning, then came back home to work on
homeschool preparations for next week.

Jonas, and his wife Ruthi came over to work as well, Ruthi brought their
youngest daughter "Ngali" (Joy in bambara).
(The daughter was named after our Hilary Joy... Who was named after
a Joy you might know... Its interesting how far a name can go, isn't it?


A note about our car fund. This vehicle belongs to Ernie & Jan Eadelman. They've been very generous to loan it to us this past year.
They are returning in October. We are so looking forward to seeing them here
again! We're also in the car market. We've not yet found a car to fit our budget.
So many missionary cars that were available in Bamako this last year were from Cote D'Ivoire, and did not have the customs taxes paid on them. To buy a car that does not yet have these taxes paid, makes the car purchase very complicated.
So pray with us as we seek a reliable car! We've had a few generous gifts recently towards the car fund. Each gift will help a lot. Cars are so very expensive in a landlocked country that does not manufacture cars.
We are hoping to get one that can survive rainy season on bad roads!

Two other projects are available to give to.
The womens' education fund has recieved little do date. But it is an important ministry to teach women to read so they can read the Bible for themselves, and teach one another, and encourage one another. Email us if you would like to send a one-time gift to help women learn to read.
$10 can buy materials for one woman!

And the children's education fund. So many children are unable to go to school.
It costs so little per child in our money. $10 a month. At the beginning of the school year, it costs about $50 in startup costs. We've had four children sponsored
through this fund for the next school year. It is NOT too late if you are interested, email us. (One year commitment is all that is needed. You are not obligated to continue for the next school year.) We had two boys last year who started their school year in February. So LATE is not a word that really exists in Mali...

Thanks for stopping by
Tom & Lisa Seward