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NO MORE GAS

In September Malian jihadists announced that they will not tolerate any gas imports and cut off the economic lifeblood of Mali. Mali is landlocked, and pretty much everything is imported from the neighboring countries. Right after their announcements they started attacking gas transports. After a few weeks, more and more gas stations had run out of gas. Long lines of people were still trying to get any and within days the gas price had gone up to €4.6 per liter (which is over $20 per gallon). Of course that has also affected all other sectors of the economy. Paul told me they were unable to buy bread as the bakers were not able to purchase any flour. And that also meant that the prices of all products were increasing, including rice, causing additional hardship for the already poor population.

A week ago the government announced that they were closing all schools and universities because of the gas crisis since students were not able to get to their schools any more. The government now sends its military to accompany gas trucks from the border to the capital, but only on one route whereas gas used to be brought in from several countries.

The jihadists finance themselves through kidnappings of foreigners. In the last few years they have averaged two to four kidnappings per year. They have just released two men from the UAE for $50 million. They need that money to continue their military offensive against the goverment. As they are still waiting for our return to kidnap us, we cannot travel to Mali for the time being.

Jihadists are now seen everywhere around the capital city while they still try to hide within the capital. They check people at random and seize their phones or whatever they like. Paul won't even take his phone with him any more when he goes to a village. Because of the fuel shortage, he now does a whole lot more walking and uses a bike for part of his trip back and forth between his home in the village and our center in the capital. Our car is now only used when absolutely necessary.

Because of the constant danger, Paul has decided to move back to our base even though the next building is not finished yet. However, they'll be moving during the Christmas break so that his kids can still finish this already-paid trimester at their school before changing schools. They are moving into the two-bedroom apartment for visitors that we have on our base.

As for the believers in our village churches, they have been threatened by the jihadists and told not to gather to worship God. They now have to meet for worship in secret and under the cover of night. Please pray also for Paul who is increasingly becoming a target as the overseeing pastor over all the churches in the region. He is reducing how often he goes into the villages and having the local pastors he has raised up visit him instead.

 

WELCOME BABY ADAMA

On September 30 Paul's fourth child, baby Adama, was born thanks to an emergency C-section. Paul's wife Rokia was not doing well, and the little boy also had some issues, but they are okay now. They were transferred to another hospital for better care and are back home now. Please pray for provision to pay for the hospital bills.

 

EX-STREET KID MOUSSA

As you know, we've always had problems with our neighbors since moving to our base in 2008. Whenever street kids would do anything stupid in the neighborhood, we were blamed. They simply could not understand the difference between the kids living in our center and the kids who just spent the night with us and then returned to the street. However, this time was different.

A few weeks ago Moussa was arrested for having stolen a motorbike from a neighbor. Moussa was a street kid until we took him into our home in 2016 because he wanted to live with Jesus. He started going to school and was a good student. But that changed later. He failed the important exam at the end of 9th grade - two years in a row.

We estimate that Moussa is now 20 years old. We have recently discovered that he has been sneaking out during the night. Also, he has not been coming straight home from school. And the motorbike was not the first time he'd stolen from neighbors. He was put into jail and is now waiting for a court date. Paul has visited him there but now Moussa has been moved to another town as the children's prison in Bamako is already filled beyond capacity. Paul has asked a friend of his in that town to go visit Moussa.

While Moussa's story does not have the ending we would have wished for - or at least this chapter - we also have beautiful stories of children I have raised up that are now men of God who love Jesus and have a good job.