Dear Family and Friends,

Greetings once again from Mali. We wish you a beautiful and happy spring.

At the end of my last newsletter were a collection of pictures. They were of some of our other activities during our 6-week trip to the USA.

1. The first weekend in California, Jared, Caleb, my Mom and I went down to my sister Vicki’s house in Huntington Beach. Included was a picture from our walk along the beach near Vicki’s house.
2. We spent one fun day at Ken’s house (Homer’s older brother) in Plymouth, CA. It was just starting to feel like spring and I caught a beautiful picture of his daffodils greeting the sun. The boys had a grand time learning to drive Uncle Ken’s golf cart, lawn mower and quad runner.
3. On February 25, we were privileged to attend a 13th birthday party for Jared’s friend Emily Mathe. We included a picture of the children at the party and another of the Moms ­ some of my closest friends.
4. One of the tasks involved in moving our belongings out of Mom Curry’s house was moving Homer’s grand piano. We hired a local piano mover who expertly packed the piano up and moved it to Sonora where our friends Scott and Tami Henning will care for it until we return to the US.

Back in Mali, we’ve been visited by several of our local friends, as they sympathize with us over the loss of Homer’s mother. Our friends understand death all-too-well.

Homer returned to find that Denis and the Radio Folona team have continued to record BLS French during our absence. Denis reports that people all over town are talking about these stories from the Bible. We are pleased to see many Muslims and non-Christians participating in these Bible stories. They have recorded around 150 episodes now, of the 360 total. We're approaching the half-way point. If all goes well, recording should be complete about September 2007.

We're still awaiting resolution of the lost Electronic Funds Transfer. Please continue to keep that situation in prayer.

The Jula Media Team just turned in the last of their first round edits of the BLS Bambara. Several retakes are needed, perhaps 3-days' worth, and then their part will be complete. We are looking forward to being able to say that part is DONE. (With these huge projects, we have to celebrate the smaller steps along the way.) Homer has reworked the first few episodes again, after the help he got while in the US, and these sound quite different -- more "up front" and "live". We are hoping he has the process about down and will be ready to progress more rapidly.

While we were away the Malian "winter" changed to "summer" or as it is appropriately called here, "hot season". The change was rather sudden for our systems as we left California in late winter with a hint of spring and arrived in Mali’s heat. Our early mornings get down to somewhere between 82 and 90 degrees depending on the day. And the high is between 102 and 107. Most of the time there is little humidity (20% or so). I’ve reacted by getting a rash. I’m not sure if it’s just a heat rash, or if it’s an allergic reaction to something, possibly mangos. Anyhow, between the heat and the rash, I've had a difficult return.

Caleb turned 10 years old last week. We celebrated with a trip to the Waterfall on Sabbath, and then Caleb determined the schedule for Sunday: complete with what to have for breakfast (toast and papaya/banana sauce) which games to play and for how long, what to have for lunch (tamale pie) which afternoon games, what to have for supper (popcorn and fruit smoothies and lemon birthday cake) and when to watch a video (Fly Away Home) with the Sewards in the evening. We gave him a Monopoly game which he has been playing often since. Caleb seems to be the business mogul of the family and wins almost every game he plays of Monopoly. He also enjoys playing Railroad Tycoon and Lego Island Stunts on the computer. These in addition to the ever-enjoyed Legos and a new interest in making paper airplanes. Some friends gave the boys a book on making paper airplanes, from which they learned several new styles like the Basic Square, the Phantom, the Vortex and the Eagle.

Monday was Caleb's actual birthday, but we started school on that day. We did sing "Happy Birthday" to him about 7 am which was the time he was born. After our 7-week break, the boys will be having lots of school for awhile, and won't be taking the Easter break that all their friends are taking now.

On Easter Sunday, April 8, we will spend the day in Kangaba. The Polleys are completing their term of mission service with AFM after 10 years in Kangaba. We are going to participate in their "Going Away Party" on that day. Lorance and Joan Johnson and their 3 children will be coming in on April 4 to live in the Polley's house. They are AFM's new Africa Area supervisors and this is a temporary location for them. A new family (soon to be announced in the AFM magazine) is preparing to come to Kangaba to continue the Malinke work in that area. We wish the Polleys God's blessings as they continue in service to Him in a new arena. May their travels be uneventful and their re-entry into American life smooth.

Until next time, may God bless and keep you!

In service to the King,
   Debbie