Every year in Mali, the missionary women in the community host a women’s retreat and conference. It’s a getaway weekend for the ladies that’s full of good teaching, worship, friendship, fellowship, and refreshment while basking in the luxury of a local hotel. This is especially a blessing for women that travel in from the bush. A visiting team usually comes out to Mali to lead the conference. Julie, along with 90 other women, attended the retreat this weekend. As an added bonus, the team that came out this year was from Rose Drive Friends Church in Placentia, California – one of our supporting churches! We enjoyed hosting them before, during, and after the conference. One of the pastors from Rose Drive accompanied the team and spent the weekend with John and Cole while Julie and the women enjoyed the conference.
It was exciting to share our ministries with some of our friends. Although we only had a day with them around outside the conference, we managed to show them Bamako Christian Academy, our YWAM Bamako base, and the land we are purchasing for our new base. We also had a chance to show them around Bamako and do a little shopping. We even treated them to a Malian meal that we served Malian style – fingers only from a community bowl – no silverware.
These are the first and only visitors we’ve had since John’s dad visited us in 2003. They were an incredible encouragement to us. We’re looking forward to our next visitors – perhaps it could be you!
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