Mim In Mali: Camels and Soccer games and JESUS!

I'm preaching this morning! To me first—but you can listen in if you want.

Soccer-- they pooled resources to buy a ball

I am learning (re-learning, remembering, expanding my knowledge of) the reality of the war that is going on in the spiritual world and certainly shows thru in the physical. The trouble is that we cannot see it in the physical, and the input that we are taking into our psyche and into our spirit are too often not faith building.

Gardens along the Niger River

Consider for example, how much time I (or you) spend reading and studying God's Word and listening to Jesus, compared to reading & studying (Yes! Studying!!) the computer, TV, video, wii, newspapers,........ Except, many of those things, I do not have access to here. We do not have or even see a tv.(except when we are in the little supermarket or a restaurant that caters to Westerners, and they ight have an English station on their above aisle TV. “GO BRONCOs”—or whatever.) We might drive past a small mud brick or concrete home that has a TV out front where friends and neighbors are gathered to watch a soccer game We don't have a wii or video games to play. Nor do I understand (most of) the billboards along the road (not too good with the french yet). We don't spend as much time on the innernet as we did in America, because it is so slow and irregular, so we are not so tempted to waste time studying the latest ondits on fb or Hollywood's headlines and the gossip of the rich and famous that CNN or Google flashes on the top of our screen.

Heather on a "REALLY TALL Horse!"

Did you think that because we don't have this technology so readily available, or because we are 'missionaries' that we do not succumb to the temptations of circumstances and surroundings? We DO have a computer that we can watch video's on, or play Solitaire or Freecell. We do have each other and our neighbors to encourage or discourage with our words and attitudes. We do have sickness and disease, extreme climatic dryness, fatigue and all the other circumstances of life in this place and this time on this planet Earth.

I'm afraid that we are all too subject to the human frailities of discouragement, sickness and the like.

AND THEN,, AND THEN!! I am reminded that when evilcomes in like a flood, the Lord will raise up a standard against it! WHOOOEEEEE!!

Just about the time that it seems we are going to be overwhelmed, GOD opens the portals of heaven just a little bit further and shows us another glimpse into His glory.

This past week I have been feeling rather discouraged by circumstances-- and I 'found' a couple of cds--my cousin Galen Blossers Acclaim quartet music CD that has this song : “When the facts say that you are defeated, remember that God is on your side......you have already won!”

The other CDs were a series by Katie Suza that proclaim the reality of carrying Jesus. When we carry the King of Kings into any situation---our hands being occupied with the carrying, not the doing-- ALL the other kings must submit to HIM! Wow! What a reminder.... again.

Baobab trees in the distance across the Niger

IT IS ALL ABOUT JESUS!!

Oh yes, and we did watch the boys play a good soccer game and had a camel ride! Julie got her hair braided again, Ray and I took amoto ride on Sat afternoon down aalong the Niger River, bought some lovely fresh picked mangoes,and even went to Tin Buctu! Pictures attached.

Miminmali