Back in action… kind of

The past 2 weeks I have been able to volunteer in the preschool at BCA! Banks Christian Academy that is. It has been so nice to be back in the classroom and be around adorable preschoolers! Since I will be teaching preschool I have really appreciated jumping in and thriving *cough* amidst the chaos.

And of course there is the quote of the day…

Kid 1- Teacher, teacher!!!!! Something smells bad!!!!

Teacher- Well maybe someone forgot to say “excuse me” (manners are important in preschool)

Kid 2 (to himself)- excuse me…

Oh, the joys of bodily functions!

On another note it is nice to be back in Oregon- especially as spring is here. Ed and I snuck away to the beach from some seafood and geocaches.

Identity

Earlier today I was able to speak at “church lunch” in Independence. This is a weekly meal for high school students during their lunch hour (or 30 minutes). Usually 140 students trek across the street for a $2 lunch, quick devotional and fellowship. I was able to share the devotional today and here is what I shared:

Today I want to talk to you about identity and how you define yourself. There are many different ways to describe people. Some are in terms of relationships- brother, son, mom, friend, enemy, and mentor. Other definitions are based on characteristics- gentle, hyperactive, nice, angry, laid-back. And still others are based on skills and activities- athlete, student, teacher, garbage man. Every one of us are a combination of all of these: relations, character, and abilities.

The crazy thing about identity is that they change. Sometimes willingly- when I got married, I willingly changed my identity from girlfriend to fiancé to wife. Other ways we change willingly is working on our character. By traveling so much I have gained a flexible attitude by choosing to do so. Sometimes however, identities change without our approval. This recently happened to me and I wasn’t happy about it at all.

Up until 2 months ago I was living in Mali, West Africa and filled my days teaching missionary children in third and fourth grade. I woke up early in the morning, went to school, taught all day, went home and did is all over again. It was something in which I have great satisfaction. I loved the predictability of the school routine. I loved the 100 degree heat and the mix of French, English and gibberish in my class. I felt happy, fulfilled, and knew I was doing what God had asked of me.

Two months ago everything changed. Military leaders took over the stable national government in a coup. It started as a usual Wednesday- my kids were antsy and excited since I had just assigned roles for the spring play and they were looking forward to working on the production. We spent our days learning about inventions, commas and multiplication. Wednesday afternoon I received a text from the embassy notifying us of gunshots in a nearby city- a fairly normal warning but one still to take caution- and so we decided to close school the following day in case things got crazy. I canceled Bible study with the high schoolers that night and we all left school Wednesday afternoon thinking our normal lives would resume on Friday.

About 5 o’clock that night we started hearing multiple bursts of automatic weapons firing in the distance. My husband locked up the house and we continued our evening as normal as we could. At 6 the next morning I woke up and checked the news. Apparently the gunfire was from soldiers successfully completing a coup- and low ranking military leaders have taken over the country. I woke up my husband and we both stormed our computers trying to gather as much information as possible. A 5 day 24 hour curfew was issued- meaning we were locked in the house. We called some friends to let them know we were ok, and waited.

The waiting was the hardest part. We could hear gunshots out our windows. We knew that things were crazy outside. The days passed slowly. The school closed and took an early spring break. Eventually curfews were lifted and we felt safe enough to go to friends houses within walking distances.

A little over a week after the coup we got a phone call from our mission leader suggesting we evacuate the country. Things were too unstable for them to feel comfortable having us stay. That afternoon we met together with parents from the school to decide what we should do. As we met together and prayed it became clear the school could not remain open. Everyone was under a great deal of stress and living day-to-day is not healthy. My husband and I made plans to leave two days later and began to pack our bags.

In this time I was a mess. My life was in Africa and I was being pulled away unwillingly. My heart was taken by my students and I would not see most of them ever again. I was already dreading saying goodbye in June- and now I didn’t even get the chance. My identity as teacher and African missionary were washed out from under my feet. It didn’t make sense why I had to end the school year so early- I was in the middle of everything!

I started grieving. No, nobody died. It wasn’t a loss in that way. Rather, the whole world that I loved disappeared and I felt displaced. I had pride in my teaching. I take joy in living in the “hard places” doing what God has called me to do. I was confused, emotional and numb.

It didn’t stay that way. Slowly I have thawed. Spending time in beautiful Europe reminded me that life doesn’t have to be ugly. Taking time off to process has taught me that grieving is a long journey. And being reminded that God never changes- even if my circumstances do- has allowed me to get through this time.

I realized that during my time in Mali I had built my identity on things of this world- my job, the people I love, and what I take pride in. All of this is temporary. It is good for a time, but it can go away in a flash.

I need to build my identity on Jesus- he is the only one that will never change, even in eternity. Hebrews 13:8 says Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. I am his daughter. I am forgiven because of him. I am alive because of him. When I focus on anything else- even good things, I am setting myself up for failure and heartache. I need to fix my hope, my dreams and most importantly identity on him alone.

Here is what I want to leave you with today. No matter who you are it is not forever. Time goes by, skills increase and decrease, people come and go. Don’t place your faith on things of the earth, rather focus on what is eternal God wants you to be his child and that will never change. Who you are to him will never alter- no matter what you can or cannot do. God alone is never changing.

A trip to Target

Reverse culture shock hit me hard my first week back. For those that are new to this “travel overseas” game, reverse culture shock is when you find things in your home country confusing, overwhelming or difficult. Usually when one travels overseas there is an expectation of “different”. Food may be strange, buying necessities is not as easy, and figuring out how to say “hello” can take time. Coming back, however, can be just as hard because it is so unexpected.

I went to Target the other day to pick up some shampoo and restock on socks. Usually this is my favorite place to shop. Not sure whether it’s the smell of popcorn as you enter or the bright red colors that scream “this is fun”. Either way Target is my comfort zone.

I had about an hour before I was supposed to meet Ed- a good amount  of time to pick up what I needed as well as browse clearance clothing and furniture.

I walked straight in, shoulders back, feeing confident this was going to be a breeze. I took an immediate left to the women’s clothing and started perusing the clearance section. As a slide over hanger after hanger, I could feel my disposition start to shrink. I had no idea what I was looking for and in no way is $20 is a good clearance price. I remember better deals!

Giving up on clothing I decided to look for shampoo. I have a favorite shampoo here in the States and was looking forward to buying the big bottles to last me all summer. As I headed down towards the health and beauty section I could not find shampoo. I knew I had gone too far when all I was seeing was dog food. I did a 180 and started walking back. Still no shampoo. Another 180 and another until finally it caught my eye. Darn end-cap advertising deodorant distracted me!

I grabbed my bottles, because you have to get conditioner too, and decided to browse again. By this point my thrown back shoulders were officially slumped and I still had half an hour to kill before Ed arrived. I started doing laps.

In the electronics section a worker asked me the typical question of “can I help you find anything?”. Since I wasnt looking for anything, I said no and continued on my lap. As I rounded electronics again- I was asked the same question by the same person. I swear he thought I was lost. or defeated. or both.

I realized I was too overwhelmed to shop. So much stuff that I didn’t need nor did I want to look. I felt like curling up in the aisle in the fetal position and just rock- but remembered that’s not acceptable in North American culture. Instead I stumbled upon the book section and right in front of me was one of Shel Silverstein’s poetry books. I picked it, sat down on the bottom shelf and read. It was my escape- or at least a coping mechanism.

Finally enough time had passed that I could head to the front of the store to meet Ed. I was mentally so overwhelmed that I could have just cried and make a scene. Fortunately I was able to keep it together and I dont think the checker even noticed.

Hello, Oregon!

I have changed the name of our blog for the time being to “from Bamako to Bogota”. We have officially entered our time of transition from Mali to Colombia- and although it came much sooner than we had anticipated, we are grateful for the extra time. Slowly, slowly we are adjusting to our new routine.
I realize that some of my past posts were jumbled thoughts, and considering the situations we were dealing with, it makes sense. Just so everyone is on the same page here is what the past month has looked like:

March 22- Military leaders took over Mali’s government in a coup. Curfews were established and the political scene was extremely volatile. We heard gun shots for the first 2 days, then gradually things became more “normal”. School closed this day.

March 30- The missionary community decided that it was not safe to remain in Bamako and most people started making plans to leave the country- either to home countries or neighboring. We decided to head to a neighboring country in case the school was able to re-open.

April 1- Ed and I and two other missionaries left by truck to the neighboring country to escape possible border closures. During this time Tuareg leaders in the north led several attacks to secure the last of the northern territory.

April 8- Ed and I flew to Paris where we sight saw for a few days.

April 11- We took a train to southern Germany to stay with TeachBeyond member care and rest, debrief and unwind.

April 24- We flew back into Oregon and will be here (more or less) until the end of July when we move to Colombia.

So, what’s Mali like now? Since our departure it has been up and down. A transitional government was established and coup leaders seemed willing to cooperate. Yesterday however, the violence arose and many anti-coup attacks took place. The airport has been closed again for a week. There have been gun shots heard around the city and it seems even more violent than when the coup first took place. I can whole-heartedly sigh “I am glad we left!”.

It is hard though. I mourn for the country that was once stable. I pray for the people still in country and the fear and anxiety situations like this can have. And I rejoice that through all of this God is still in control, let his people be strong and worship him!

The in between times

We have made it as far as Germany and I am so grateful to all the prayers, hosts, and words of encouragement the past few weeks. It has been a wonderful time of napping, relaxing, and exploring a little of Germany and Switzerland (we are right on the border). I thought I would bring you up to date on my journey.

I realized the last few days that I have been shifting my focus- from the past to the future.

When the evacuation first happened all that was racing through my mind was closing things up, packing and saying goodbyes. Then as we continued through the evacuation, I started grieving. My husband can attest I am not as much “go with the flow” as I thought I was. I loved my life in Mali and did not want to leave. It was hard and I still have my invalid grumpy moments.

Now since we have tickets back to the USA I am able to start to move forward. Being in Europe has reminded me of the conveniences of life I gave up to live in the third world- things like dishwashers and bountiful super markets. I lived without for so long, I forgot how wonderful they can be.

I am also looking forward to being in a place where I can speak the language, drive, hang out with friends at coffee shops and have internet that is faster than molasses. I can even make any recipe from pinterest because all the ingredients are available. These are good things.

Last night we went through our bags. Again. This is the third time since we left Mali. Each time we find more and more things to toss out- did we really need that extra large bottle of aloe vera? and 3 boxes of cold medicine? Would I really wear that dirt-stained tank top again?

Just to clarify, when we left Mali we had no idea how long we were going to be gone and if we were going back or not. We packed everything we thought we would need to last us a few months in hot OR cold weather. Now as plans have been made and we are arriving in the USA in about a week, we no longer need the “luxuries” weighing us down.

We are almost to the end of this stage of transition! Then just 3 more months until Bogota! I am ready to unpack and not live our of a suit case. Realistically this wont happen until we step into Colombia- but in some ways the USA will also bring us comfort. I am ready and excited to see friends and family. I look forward to planning weddings with friends and having dinner- things I miss so much being in Africa. I am glad to not have to adjust my thinking to time zones and hope my email actually was received.

It’s not going to be easy, but it is going to be good. I serve and amazing God and hope that my life is a testimony to His work. Trials come to strengthen us- and although I am weak in the middle, He is continuing to carry me through. One day at a time.

Storks are common in this area

  It’s crazy how much this part of Germany looks like Oregon

We were able to do some hiking on a non-rainy day!

  Basel, Switzerland on the River Rhine

 Now that is a lot of chocolate!

 Being Swiss!

  Beautiful cathedral in Basel- notice all the colored tiles on the roof.

20 days

It’s only been 20 days since it all began. That’s it. It feels like months.

Tomorrow we leave Paris and head to Kandern, Germany for a time of debriefing. This will be our last leg before we head back to the States.

I am anxious and excited. At this point I know very little of how the turmoil in Mali has affected me. I look forward to talking things through with veteran missionaries and seeking wisdom from their experiences.

I know I am grieving. From the goodbyes that didn’t get said to the lack of closure to the school year to the unexpected departure from what I knew as home. I know life will not ever go back to the way it was. And it’s hard.

I look forward to moving ahead and establishing a new “home”. It might be a while before I feel this way- and I guess that has to be okay. It’s hard though.

I know that God is watching out for me. Even in the little things. A day at the beach with the waves on my toes. Delicious ice cream in Dakar. Having our luggage “lost” on the way to Paris so that the airport delivered it to the hotel instead of us lugging it on the subway. Spending my 24th birthday roaming the streets of Paris with my husband. Blessings amongst the chaos.

Please continue to pray for us. There is a lot of transitions coming up and although we are excited, they can be stressful. God is good and watching out for us- pray we keep our minds and heart focused on him. Then I know we will be alright!

onward and outward

Due to the craziness of the coup and the looming embargo, we are evacuating! We leave tomorrow morning bright and early and will drive to Dakar- about an 18 hour drive. We will be going with two other missionaries and will be well taken care of.

Our next steps are very unclear at this point. We will be waiting a week or two to see how this embargo effects Mali and whether it is a good idea to return. It will depend on the status of the school. We are packing with the assumption we cannot return- and we packed more than we thought we could! The luxury of driving means no weight limits on luggage!

Our hope is to use the time in Dakar well. First, we need to unwind and reflect- days at the beach, wandering the city, and conversing with fellow missionaries. Second we hope to connect with an MK school and offer our services at the school.

Please continue to pray for us- safety, endurance and peace. Also, pray for Mali. I have the privilege to leave when times are rough, but most do not. Pray that peace will be re-established without any more harm. God has this in his hands and knows what he is doing!

Bags are packed and ready to go!

 

It’s been a crazy few days!

 

But somehow we can still make ourselves laugh

Thoughts on the coup

Ed made the above picture as a little humor in the midst of uncertainty.

First off, I want to say we are safe, content and still waiting to see what happens.

Today I came across this verse in the Bible:

They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers Acts 1:14

Since it’s not in context, let me fill you in. This is from the first chapter of Acts- right after Jesus descended into heaven and before Pentecost. They had just selected a 12th disciple to replace Judas. It was a time of complete uncertainty. For most of the followers at that time they had set aside everything and followed Jesus for 3 years. They heard his teachings, ate with him, followed him where ever he went. Some of them knew he was God and all of them knew he was special. Then, he was taken away from them- violently! I am sure most of the followers at that time were in shock confusion and definitely not sure what to think. Jesus them came back for a short time, then disappeared. I can only imagine the confusion, dismay, and anger. This person they put their trust in was no longer there. What were they to do?

Well they gathered together and prayed. They knew that God was still at work- but not how. They knew Jesus was who he said he was- just not how that made a difference. Worldviews were shaken and lifestyles questioned- was it really worth following Jesus if he was just going to abandon them?

I think for the first time in a while, I understand this type of anxiety. Mali was considered a stable country. I knew traveling here there would be a moderate sense of danger- but no more than other countries I have visited. I knew there was a democratic system of government where one person could not try to control the nation. I had faith that Mali was a good place to live.

A week ago, that all changed. No longer is Mali ruled by a president, but a military leader who took control. Mali is no longer politically stable, but a group of people supposedly formed a new constitution in less than a week. No longer is Mali looked at as a place in need of foreign aide, rather people do not trust it. Everything I thought I lived in has been shaken.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel. For the disciples, Pentecost came and no longer did they need God in human form, rather the Holy Spirit can live in each of us. God gave the disciples what they needed as well as what He had planned.

For us living in Mali- there will be an end. We pray it is peaceful, but we prepare for violence. God has this country worked into His plans and although we are living in very uncertain and confusing time, I know that God is right here with me and in control. I pray for peace like I never have before. Innocent people are at risk of dying- either from violence or starvation- and that shouldn’t happen. This situation can go in many directions- good thing God has got it all worked out!

Bucket List

I have taken to the habit of writing my bucket list once I have completed the item. Climb to the top of the Eiffel tower? done! Speak another language? check! But as I imagine what else could I put on this list, living in a country as it goes through a coup d'etat was something I never really wanted.

God's certainly has a sense of humor, since two nights ago, Mali went through such a thing.

In the north of Mali, rebellious Tuareg (a people group) have been taking over cities, forcing people to evacuate. The Malian military has not taken much action and military personnel are not happy about it. Wednesday this week they said so quite publicly- taking over local broadcasting stations and surrounding the presidential palace. Early Thursday morning a coup was declared- leaving all citizens shocked, and some rejoicing.

For the following hours military spread into the city- firing shots into the air. Coup leaders announced over TV of their intentions: to put a stop to Tuareg forces in the north, maintain peace for civilians, and hand the government back over to the elected president once they have finished their mission.

Now we are more than 24 hours into this. We have had a curfew of 6pm to 6am declared, and warned not to go out in vehicles. Gas prices have more than doubled and many shops still have yet to open. The airport is closed and all land borders are also closed. It has been stated that by this coming Tuesday all government business will resume (under the new leadership?) and life will return to "normal".


What happens next is still up in the air. There are so many complicated issues involved:
1. Famine is ravaging the country and because of the coup foreign aide is not going to deliver supplies
2. Presidential elections are scheduled in 6 weeks. Will they still happen? How will the new leader be received? Will he even be given power?
3. Who really is leading the country and military now? There has been a designated captain who has become the face of the coup, but does he have the knowledge and resources to oust the Tuareg rebels?

This is so disappointing for a country who was considered one of the most stable democratic countries in Africa. Now they have leaped back politically and many can be harmed because of this take over.

Although it is fascinating living through history, I am concerned to see what is happening around me. I am blessed to serve a God who has already figured this all out and at peace with handing it over to Him.

Know this: we are safe. We are protected. And most of all we are enjoying a few extra days off of school! And I have another bucket list item to cross off! An unexpected blessing amidst the chaos!

100 days

Two weeks ago we celebrated 100 days of school! It’s rather disappointing for the students who thought we only had 100 days- but for everyone else it was a celebration! In art we had the students create pictures of themselves as 100 year old people. It was quite amusing to see what they created. (Thank you Pinterest for the inspiration!)

 

 

I also had my students

-Do 100 seconds of jumping jacks

-Estimate how far 100 steps was and then walk

-List 100 things they are thankful for

-Write what they would like if they could have 100 of anything

-Find how many words they could make from the letters “one hundred”

It is crazy that the year is going so quickly. Even though hot season just hit, which means a lack of energy for everyone, I am so grateful for my fun-loving students and their antics!

Dogon Bible Dedication

One of the privileges of working as an MK teacher is I get to see exactly what God is doing through missions. One of the mission organizations our school serves is SIL- and we have several students whose parents are part of their work. Recently in Mali we had some major progress in one of the Bible translation projects- so I asked a friend to fill you all in on what God is doing! So here goes…

Hi, friends of Sarah and Ed! I’m neither one of them…sorry for the disappointment. My name is Kathryn (far right in the picture), and I am their neighbor. I work in Mali with an organization called SIL, and, as our website http://sil-mali.org/ states, “Our primary objective is to see that ethnic groups in Mali can make use of the languages they understand best - in their written and audio forms - for their spiritual, social and economic development. Our areas of work are: linguistic research, training, literacy and the translation of Biblical texts.”

Sarah asked me to write about the privilege I had a few weeks ago of attending the dedication of the entire Bible in the Dogon Toro-so language. This is only the second complete Bible ever published in a Malian language, the first being in Bambara in the 1950s. It’s the first complete Bible that SIL Mali has been involved in, and it is the fruit of almost 30 years of work! Needless to say, the dedication was a big deal.


My colleagues and I had not been certain we would be able to attend the dedication, as it required traveling to a place previously off limits after some of the recent troubles in Mali. Thankfully, as the time got nearer, our administration agreed that a small contingency of foreigners could go, and I was lucky enough to be one of them. I was so glad to be part of the group because I had looked forward to this for months. I work on one of the first steps in the long process of Bible translation, and I really wanted to see first-hand the beautiful end result.

Our SIL group joined about 4,500 Dogon Christians as they celebrated the completion of the Bible in their mother tongue. There was singing and dancing, of course, and plenty of speeches, including an appearance by the Minister of Education and many of his subordinates, which was quite an honor for the occasion. All of that was wonderful, but the best part of the day’s festivities was watching the procession that carried in the first Bibles. They were presented to all of the people who had worked so hard for its completion, all of the dignitaries received copies, and missionaries who had spent years of their lives working toward that goal, but who couldn’t be there to see its fulfillment, were also honored.

  While those moments were certainly moving, I found the next day’s  worship service even more meaningful. That was when the preacher had everyone raise their new Bibles in the air and then asked them to open to the book of Joshua. We watched as rows and rows of Dogon Christians followed along while the preacher read from the Old Testament for the first time in their language. It was a magnificent moment!

The Bible in a people group’s mother tongue is, in my opinion, the most valuable contribution anybody can make to the life and health of the Body of Christ among them. It is a permanent witness of the power, the love, and the plan of God. That’s why I’m here.

Pastors and lay leaders reading from the book of Joshua in Dogon--the first time ever to do so.

 
 

This man, Timothée Kodio, who worked for 30 years to translate the Bible in his mother tongue.

Dancing and music

The Minister of Education wearing his new Dogon outfit

Soccer Tournament

Part of being at a school means sporting events. Each year our school competes in a friendly tournament against a local Malian Christian school. This year we decided to host this on a Saturday to enable parents and family to attend. It was a blast!

Since this is the only competitive game most of our students participate in, they were so nervous!

Before the game we spent time in prayer, then posed for team photos. Our team is blue and the other is yellow

 

The first match was 3-6th graders. They lost 2-0, but played a great defense.

The other school did not bring the youngest students, so our littles (K-2) played a game against themselves.

The oldest students (7th-11th grade) had the most intense game, but lost 2-1.

Regardless it was a fun (warm) morning showing school spirit and having fun!

 

Learning from my mistakes

Three weeks ago my class learned a lesson. Or at least I learned a lesson and hopefully my students did as well.

Let’s start at the beginning. As I was planning this year, I wanted to set up a system that rewarded students for good behavior. I called this system “fish bucks”. The rules were simple:

Everyone in the class comes in from recess quickly they all get 1 fish buck. Do your homework? 1 fish buck. 100% on a spelling test- 1 fish buck. Save up enough fish bucks, spend them on a prize. Viola!

The fish bucks are pieces of paper with a photocopied fish clip art on it. Nothing too special, just a system to reward behavior and spoil the children just a little. In theory this was a decent idea. I made the rules simple for me to keep up with, and the prizes weren’t not too valuable.

What I didn’t expect to happen was the value of fish bucks became huge among the elementary students. Children started trading fish bucks with each other (give me your swing, I’ll give you 10 fish bucks) and they started being stolen. At first, I noticed the stealing (strange how one student was able to get a prize every day) but in the beginning no one reported their fish bucks being stolen so I didn’t investigate too deep. (my first mistake).

During the month of January, things started to get crazy. Students were having fish bucks stolen every day, other classes were trading toys and rides on the swing for fish buck. It was out of control!

I decided to finally take action, and gave the thief an opportunity to return the stolen goods. When that didnt happen- in fact more were stolen, I knew it was time to call it quits! The kids were sad, but I explained that it wasn’t good that they were stealing from each other and it needed to stop. Most seemed to understand.

Looking back on this, I learned 2 lessons.

1. External motivation may give me the behavior I want, but may not actually teach the students. I wanted the students to do their homework, but they do it (or dont do it) whether or not they get a fish buck. In a classroom there are ways of using external motivation- but it must be done with extreme caution so as not to become a burden on me as the teacher or the students. I still am not sure what a better idea is, so I am glad I have a while to mull it over before I start a new year.

2. Human nature is greedy. Even in a small school- the value of fish bucks was seen as desirable- enough to steal. The whole elementary department wanted fish bucks and even students not in my class sought them at any cost. Something I thought was as insignificant, became a problem and caused a lot of anger between students. I am glad it was something small that could be taken care of in the classroom.

I probably could have handled things differently. I could have tried to confront the thief. I could have had a better system of securing each students fish buck. But, I didn’t, and now the days of fish bucks are over. I am still gleaning all I can out of this to apply to future classes. However, I know I am not perfect and am apt to make more mistakes. As long as I take time to admit, process and ask forgiveness, God will still be able to use me.

Keep Mali in your prayers

Mali may not be a “hot spot” on many news channels, but right now it is facing two major crisis.

1. FAMINE- In the Sahel region (area between the Sahara desert and the African jungles where most of Mali is located), there is drought and famine. This article explains the severity of the famine and just how many people are affected. Please pray that famine relief will arrive soon and be enough to supply the needs.

2. Rebel Violence- Northern Mali is a hot spot of rebel activity and it continues to increase. Foreign missionaries have been evacuated and foreigners have been advised to avoid the area at all costs. On Thursday violent rebel groups took over the city of Lere- on the border of Mauritania and the closest to Bamako to be taken over yet. In Bamako we are still considered safe, but are on alert. Please pray for peace the country.

Big changes coming up!

We are excited to announce that we are moving to Bogota, Colombia at the end of July!

We are going to be working at El Camino Academy- a Christian school with about 300 students. The school is established to provide English education to missionary families and Christian workers. Right now 70% of the students are Colombian, while the other 30% are from all over the globe. Ed will be teaching middle school math and Sarah will be working in the elementary school. We are excited to make this transition and gain experience at a bigger school. Sarah is also very excited to be back in a Spanish-speaking country.

We will be back in Oregon for about 6 weeks this summer before we make the big move. We are staying with TeachBeyond and will continue to live off the financial support of friends, families and churches. That being said, the cost of living is similar to Mali and our support need will stay about the same.