In the woods, in the city

We had a good visit with the COMINAD group last weekend in Silver Spring, MD at a huge African American church (see www.TPCBC.org ). At least seven of those who have made the pilgrimage to Kayes were there so it was a mini reunion, too. we attended the annual conference of COMINAD and tried to find ways to redynmize the organization so as to help the African American Christian community in its unique role of misions. I'm even suggesting to the director of COMINAD, Brian Johnson, to join UWM as a mobilizer of black churches; this would help UWM and also him in support purposes (like Tom Telford of ACMC), and thus free up his ministry of trying to find cash for his salary. He'd have to find support, of course, but I think it could work out.

Before that we spent few days helping the Christian community Center in West baltimore, known as the 'Mission' at their youth camp in the woods of Harford County. We enjoyed helping Tom & Cindy Homans in ministry to the 40 youth who came. I enjoyed swimming, hiking in the beautiful woods, and games with the kids. I was asked to speak so I focused on God who with amazing power created a diverse landscape and yet one who loves us. Even tho the 'awesome God,' as Muslims loves to say, He is reachable. I wanted the kids to also have some appreciation of the outdoors which so many rarely get to know. I used poison ivy and peanuts as my hook and then taught from Gen 18 and Ps 121.

Ruthanne has finally accepted a college in Ohio, Bluffton Univ., so we'll be taking her there soon for an orientation day and visit of some friends along the way. We'll go down to Roanoke before that to help Susanna visit Rachel Hall, her pen pal at the Calvary Memorial Ch. Benjie and Sus leave Aug 11th, so we're buying & planning for that and trying to do memorable things for them. We managed to get Ben connected with a school chum from his Parkville MS days that he's kept in contact with, too.

what am I typing? where are we now?

here
Even tho it July '08 I'm new to blogging and new to this company's blog and procedure, so I feel I'm wasting a lot of time as I type and try to understand how it works and what it does. I don't even know the address yet so I tell my friends! I made my first post a few hours ago as a copy from a letter I emailed earlier this day to a pastor. Actually I posted some blogs on my web site a few months ago, but I've not gone back there.
I fear my main problem is how to maintain writing and not forget it's available. I haven't been writing in my journal much anyway this year, after about March it pretty much tapered off. I went back and found lots of emails; they act as a sort of journal sometimes. That way the event or person or idea is written about already and I don't have to rewrite it ust for the journal.
Anyway, we're in the USA on a mini-furlough based in Philly. In fact we're in a house less than a mile from either my home church or my grow-up churc and less than a half mile from where my Dad was born in Larchmont, PA! I've gone by some of my places on bike or car and pointed them out to the kids, but I don't think they were very impressed! It's amazinghow places invoke such memories to me and nothingto the kids. Histroy is hard to learn.
bye for now!

project: schools in MALI

letter to Rev. Mark Vaughn, VA
I just got confirmation this am that the three men will definitely be going to the teacher training program next week. The letter, attached, in French, is a thanks for providing the cash for their travel and class fees and housing. Luc Kodjo, who wrote and signed it, is the high school psychology teacher who will be going along with David Sogoba of Campus Crusade, and Job Diarra an elementary teacher. I'm glad you all will be praying for them to better understand a Christian philosophy of teaching that the YWAM program offers in the next six weeks. YWAM gave us a minis-seminar last summer, first in my home, and then at the church for a day.
Several families of the Kayes church have asked the mission to help them set up a private Christain school in Kayes. This would be only the third or fourth in MALI other than Catholic schools! They formed an official association, Semeur (= seedsower) and have made application to the school department to open a school. They have even paid an architect out of their own dues for plans! They're hoping to open a pre-school this fall and add a grade a year! The UWM has agreed they can build on land of the mission, where I currently live actually, and we're welcoming this initiative of some of the most talented men of the church. We noticed they needed more understanding of what makes a school Christian so we suggested this YWAM program. Once they had the mini-seminar they we're very interested in the more complete program in Koutiala, the other side of MALI. So, off they go on the 15th until mid-Aug. PTL!
We'll be talking more about this project (among others) as we visit churches this year as it will demand quite a commitment form both the UWM and the Association Semeur to see it through. The total cost is far more than we've ever tried to see the Lord supply, well over $100,000, for construction and school supplies, so we need to find partners to help. I'm even dreaming that Teen Mission Intl, TMI, will accept to send a teen builders team over to help us once or twice. The Association Semeur has let us know they can manage the construction planning and work (some of them already have done such for other projects), so that is a load off my shoulders.
I'm also dreaming that some churches would accept to send some teachers along to help, in French, teach the kids over the next few years. The Mali church intends to supply all the teachers, but they wouldn't mind help from overseas. We'll be contacting French speaking churches in Switz, Belgium, and Quebec that we know, too. They also expect school fees to cover all the operational costs after an initial start up. One other neat aspect of their plans is that if there are profits from running the school they will use that for evangelism in the Kayes area!

Looking forward to chatting with you all,
God bless,
Jim & Jenn
UWM - MALI