Ministry in Southern Mali

Hello. We're gearing up for ministries this next week.
Tomorrow, Tom goes back to the village church from 3 weeks ago with the youth.
I'll be preaching again. They will translate my french into Bambara.
We're hoping for a good turnout of youth in the village.
Pastor there said that last time the youth in town were so interested,
and they began to visit him to ask questions about our faith in Christ. Very encouraging.
This village is a Senefou village. Many will say outwardly they are m-lim.
But in reality they are animist. They believe in hexes,
curses, pleasing the ancestors, and often have to have a witch doctor explain to them how to do so.
These villages tend to be very hard towards the gospel because their animistic system is so important to village life, and is so ingrained in the people, that it is hard for them to break free from the fear that holds them. Pray for us as we seek to share the good news of freedom in Christ to them.


Lisa is gearing up for Womens Camp. The women are so excited about it.
We don't yet have a final count as to how many are going, but are able to handle up to 37 or so.
(We have 9 women coming from the church in Fourou.) Lisa is going to be camping with them in a womens dorm in Sikasso. She's been instructed to bring a sleeping mat, (No beds furnished.) and her washing bucket.

It will be a challenge for Lisa to camp with the ladies.
It is hot season right now. Today is 111 degrees F. 20% humidity.
The humidity is going to be building up over the next two weeks until it comes down as rain.
The nights are even getting a bit hot and sticky. Usually nights are cool.

Last years' conference had about 240 women. It was the first time our Kadiolo area women were able to go.
They were so encouraged. They leave Monday, and come back Sunday afternoon.
Pray for them that they will be able to hear the messages God has for them. Pray for women who've been involved in church for a while now, but need to hear and understand the gospel for themselves.

Lisa had an idea this year for a gift for the women who are going. She bought beads and other materials for necklaces for the women. Then we invited all the older kids from church. (Secretly...) To come and make a necklace for their moms. Sunday morning these neckaces will be presented to the moms as a goodbye from their kids. The kids made enough necklaces for each woman going, so that the necklaces, while each being individual, will also be sort of a uniform for the women for the week. Of course each one recieving one from her own kids will hopefully feel loved, missed, and appreciated from home as well. Here is a couple of pics from necklace production last Thursday.










God Bless,
Tom & Lisa Seward

News from Mali!

Hello everyone. We had a good week this last week.
Glenn & Kathy K visited with Jeff D, they are all with Worldventure's home offices in Colorado. Jeff is the VP of International Ministries, It was his first trip to Mali. It was neat to be able to show Jeff the many facets of the ministries here in Kadiolo. (Radio ministry, Drama Team, Village church ministry, Literacy, Womens ministry, Youth, etc.)
We drove out to the church in Fourou. They are building their church building, it is coming along well. It is exciting to see God work. Fourou had no believers 4 years ago. Now they have a thriving church, a pastor in training, and a growing body of believers.

Also this week, we had a baptism service. Three of Pastor Youssouf's literacy students who've accepted Christ in the past were ready
for baptism. (One of these is from the church in Fourou.)
I wrote a week ago about our young kids who've been invited for baptism classes. They are beginning them. We'll see later how many are ready for baptism. It was too soon this time to baptise them.
Here is a couple of pics of this weeks' baptism. Water has to be drawn from a well by hand to fill the baptism tank,so baptism is done in a bathtub-like cistern, and the subject is baptised sitting. The pastor then lays him back for immersion.
(We are baptists, aren't we? :-))





Also, Glenn & Kathy brought us news from Hilary. They came directly to Mali from Dakar, Senegal, and said they'd taken her and her
friend out for ice cream. Hilary had made us a package, that was nice. She wrote each of us a letter.
Here is a pic that Glenn took of her and Jessica at the ice cream place.


Thanks for stopping by,
Tom & Lisa Seward

Camel visit & Sunday School News

This is our Sunday School class of 12-15 year old kids.
Pastor Youssouf opened the opportunity for them to be baptized if they
are willing to take baptism classes, and can articulate their faith.
There are at least 7-8 of these kids that are serious in their faith.
Pray for them as they consider baptism, and maybe by Easter they could be baptised!



Camel visit. A camel came to our house yesterday.
Here is a pic, of Lisa, Ben and Caleb.
Did you know the Arabian Camel is the next tallest animal in Africa,
after the giraffe? I didn't!
The man told us this camel can drink 200 litres of water,
then not drink for 2 weeks.
The camel was not happy about having his picture taken,
note how far away from his head Lisa and the boys are!
He was growling, and generally unhappy.



We are in hot season! 111 degrees right now. 5 pm on a Sunday afternoon.
Thankfully hot season won't last forever! We will be so excited to see the rains when they come.
The good news is that our showers are hot now. :-)

Thanks for stopping by!
Tom & Lisa Seward