College Team: Off to P Land

A little truck trouble but fixable

After re-supplying in Bamako, we began the two day journey to P land where Waraba lead in a Storying Conference.

Stopping for lunch

Arrived and greetings

We picked up over 22 followers from three different villages for the conference. Although Waraba lead, each student told a story and Jak shared his testimony. It was a great time of fellowship, worship and growing.

Storying Conference

Sleeping in the bush

There will be grow in the desert

After the conference, the team spent two more days greeting, praying, and sharing stories with seekers and followers in Village “S”. We also witnessed land being given to the followers of Village “S”. There are many different hopes are for the use of this land including building a place to meet both spiritual and physical needs of the P people. As we left, we traveled through another village to view how God is in the process of providing a radio station for broadcasting His Word. We prayer walked through each unfinished room and asked God to protect and utilize this facility for His glory. Pray for all the young followers scattered throughout this area. Pray for the followers and seekers in Village “S”. Pray for the land that was given and wisdom in how to use it. Pray for the radio station.

What we looked like when
 trip was over

As we ended our month long journey together we realized it was really just the beginning. Kadia left knowing more of the culture, village life and that it is doable. She is now back in the States making arrangements to return for a year beginning Jan 2011. Sali left with a definite call to medical missions and a new found love for West Africa. Abbi left with a passion to reach the Samogho and get her church involved with the Samogho as well. She also sees missions in her personal future. Yaya left having experienced God in a real and personal way. Waraba grew personally and is still trusting God for guidance in her next steps. Pray for each of these young people as they continue to live out what God revealed about Himself and their futures serving Him.

College team village/hospital visit

Village house orienation

The next thing on the travel agenda was a trip to my village and the Samogho people.

Once again it was our intention to encourage Jak, but he ended up encouraging us. We enjoyed our time telling Bible stories, sharing our testimonies and just doing life with him. Also in the village we were able to pray for people with illnesses, take care of burn injuries and tell Bible stories. Pray for my village and the work there. Pray for Jak to continue to hold tightly to God. Pray for the little one whose hand was very badly burned.

Eating in the village

Pounding millet into flour

Carrying water from the pump

From my village we traveled to Village Shen to encourage the chief. Remember the God Size Team visited him and gave him the Mega Voice machine containing Bible stories. We found him still listening to the Mega Voice. He was even able to tell us a story. He was excited about God's Word and told us he desired his whole village to listen to these stories. We shared a story with him and two other men.

Telling Bible stories

The chief further surprised and delighted us by serving lunch for us before we left. Pray for Village Shen, the chief and these two men.

Telling Bible stories to the kids

Learning about that hospital

Visit to the hospital

We then took a day trip to Koutiala to visit the women and children's hospital. We saw how God provided equipment, supplies and new facilities for patients and staff. God spoke to our college team by showing Kadia how He could use her medical background. He also made it clear to Sali medical missions were in her future. Pray for both of these young women as they seek God's next step toward their future in missions.

College team getting started

We began our journey in capital city taking care of children while their parents attended a retreat my mission was conducting. This gave both the children and parents freedom to worship and grow in their own way. After that we stay a few more days for team orienation and to practice language.

 Team Orienation

Practicing greetings

Using new language to buy street food

Meet the college team

At the end of June a team of five college students along with Lori Smith and
I hit the road for a month. All of us were seeking what God would do in our lives individually and corporately.


Kadia already felt called to work in Mali for a year among the P people. This trip was to help her understand the culture, village life and determine if it was doable. She had a lot of questions that needed answers. Sali is from my home church. Both her parents have been to Kar. She was not only excited to meet all the people she had heard stories about, but was also seeking guidance for her future. Abbi is from the church where I grew up and was baptized. The church had expressed an interest in partnering to reach the Samogho.

This was a vision trip for Abbi to determine how the partnership would evolve. She was also Lori S, Yaya, Kadia, Sali, Lori P. Abbi, and Waraba seeking to find where missions fit in her future. Yaya wanted to see God as a real and personal God not just s o m e o n e t h a t everyone else knew. He also wanted to see different cultures. Waraba has worked in Mali for two years and was coming back to see her people, visit the Samogho and lead a Storying Conference with the P people. She was also seeking what God has for her future.


.