Monday, November 10, 2008

"TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH".....TIMBUKTU, MALI


I was riding on the top of a Land Cruiser as we drove across the Sahara Desert looking up at the most beautiful night sky with more stars than I had ever seen. Beside me was a Toureg Bedouin man named Matta and we were about 20 kilometers outside of Timbuktu, Mali. I was praying “thank you Lord for this experience and may we be able to help these people.” I was also thinkingthis is cool.”

Missionaries Faouzi Arzouni, Rick Caswell, Steve Evans and I traveled to this remote desert area to look at the needs for water wells in and around Timbuktu and also in a Dogon village called Dunon, also in central Mali. This area is over ninety percent Muslim and it is a very arid area. They desperately need fresh, clean water and the Living water of Jesus Christ.

The Africa Oasis Project working to provide three wells in Mali. One will be at the School of Light in Timbuktu. The Assemblies of God church in Timbuktu is building and operating a K-12 Christian school. Currently they have three buildings up and are hoping to build at least one more. They desperately need water. In the corner of each classroom I saw a clay pot that serves as a water container for each room. They are bringing in small amounts of water for each room. This Muslim town had put up many obstacles to the development of the school and it has been over seven years from the first block being laid to the opening of the school. The Lord has allowed Timbuktu to put in place a mayor who went to a Christian school and he has finally given permission for the School of Light to open.

We are will be working on a much needed deep well for the people in a Toureg encampment outside of Timbuktu. The desert dwelling people have had their only shallow well dry up and they desperately need fresh and clean water, as well as the Water of Life.

A young pastor is working to plant a church in the predominantly Muslim village of Dunon. This village has no well and they travel many kilometers with donkeys to get their water. They also need a deep well. Please pray with us that we will be able to help these people who are in great need.

We are scheduled to make several trips to other countries in West and Central Africa where water intervention projects are waiting for us. As we see these desperate needs our hearts are touched by the great needs and how we could help them. Won’t you prayerfully consider partnering with us as we are doing everything we can to provide water solutions for these people who are in such dire need? Contributions can be made online by following the links listed on this blog.

We love and appreciate each of you. BLESSING TO YOU ALL.