First week in

I've been in Mali for a little over a week now, but it feels like longer. The rhythm and people of this country are beautiful. It's amazing to see different facets of God and His creativity.

The trip here was more eventful than it was supposed to be- an adventure for sure. After spending 8 hours in the Paris airport, we finally boarded the plane. Right when the doors were shutting, a Malian came running towards the front from the back of the plane. After a 10 minute struggle between the man, some of the passengers, and the French Police, the man was sedated and carried off the plane. This all happened four rows from where I was seated; the man next to me was arrested. The Malian was in the process of being deported back to Mali because he was an illegal immigrant. He apparently tried to make a break for it and the whole plane got involved. It was definitely an eye-opening experience for the team. We quickly understood the frustration of not understanding a language. The plane sat on the ground for 45 minutes before the pilot decided to go ahead and cancel the flight due to the upset crowd. At this point all of the Malians were out of their seats and were heatedly discussing the situation. Needless to say, Aire France put us up in a hotel overnight and we got to see a little more of Paris.

Life hasn't slowed down since then. Between classes, language study, and exploring the city of Bamako, there's time for little else. I've learned to love the shade, respect the sun, appreciate cold showers, spot lizards, and bargain for food in the market. It's all new and exciting and I love it. Getting outside of and around myself has been the hardest and best transition so far. I'm sure that God has lots more of that in store for me.

Today our class was interrupted by several loud booms- our host, Sheri came over and informed us that a new building was being opened in honor of the Ministry of Environment. To celebrate, they had invited hunters to come and shoot off their guns (which explained the loud noises). This was all happening right in front of the compound that we are staying at. Since our class was Cultural Anthropology, our professor decided that a little hands on observation would be valuable so we all ventured out in groups of two. The streets were crowded with hunters, dancers, police, and militia. The Prime Minister arrived shortly after and the people lined the streets to greet him. Girls were made to stand at the end of the street, but some of the guys on the team jumped right in and the Malians proceeded to equip them with instruments and teach them how to dance. It was definitely a memorable experience.

I'll be in Bamako (the capitol) for three more weeks and then our team is heading to Bougani- a smaller more rural town for two months before we head back to spend the rest of the time in Bamako. The last three months of my stay are going to be focused on the ministry that I will be working with. We've toured several organizations so far, I'm excited to see where God puts me- a lot is happening in Mali.

I found this verse during my time with Jesus yesterday and I love it- when I read it I got shivers (pretty amazing when it's 113 degrees outside)

"I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in His presence,
rejoicing in His whole world
and delighting in mankind."
Proverbs 8:30