www.healing2thenations.net u Claudia@healing2thenations.net

 

Size:                 1.24 million km² (480,000 sqm)

                            (twice the size of Texas)

                        65% (semi-)desert

 

Population:       13 million, growing rapidly

                        half the population under 15

 

Life expectancy: 48 years

                                   

Average number of children per woman:  7

Babies dying at birth:                      12%

Women dying related to giving birth:      33%

 

HIV/AIDS:      1.7%

 

Literate:           45% men

31% women

 

One of the world’s poorest nations

Reasons:          23 year-long military dictatorship

    until 1991

                        droughts

 

 

Average annual income: US$ 230

Below poverty line: 64%

 

Unemployment: 15% (urban), 5% (rural)

 

Owning a telephone: 0.1%

 

Occupation: 70% farming & fishing

 

Main exports: cotton, gold, livestock

 

Natural resources: gold, phosphates, kaolin, salt, limestone, uranium, hydropower

 

Environment issues: deforestation, soil erosion, desertification, inadequate supplies of potable water, poaching

 

Human rights concerns: forced marriages

    polygamy

24% of women married by age 15

94% of woman circumcised

   (female genital mutilation)

 

Religions:         87% Muslim

11% traditional

1% Christian

 

a third of all ethnic groups have

   no known believers

 

There are:        900 medical dispensaries

                        1000 Qur’anic schools (Muslim)

 

The capital city Bamako has a population of about 800,000. With Mali being one of the poorest nations in the world, you have to picture it as a big village that has electricity and running water (at least at times).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ecole Biya (Bambara for dawn)

 

The school was started in 1990 by Alassane Maiga (on the left), a Malian from Timbuktu, who couldn’t find a job as a teacher.

 

Meanwhile there are three schools in Bamako and one in Timbuktu, with a total of about 1300 students. While public schools in Mali have classes with up to 140 students, this private school only has about 45 students per class.

 

The classrooms do not have any decorations, but only a board for the teacher, and the students cannot afford books or notebooks. These pictures were actually taken in the school there. Students are between 8 and 22 years old, mine will be 17-20. School is Monday through Saturday, 7:45 a.m. – 12 a.m. and 3-5 p.m. (Wed, Thu, Sat afternoon off).

 

One of the problems in Mali is that in most schools all schooling is done in French (the colonial national language) while most children don’t even speak French - and this school is no exception. The foreign languages taught in Mali are usually English and German. I was invited to teach 2-18 hours of German per week, since they only have one other German teacher at the moment.

 

    

 

The Ministry

 

Teaching at the school has many advantages, the biggest ones being:

 

Goal for the First Year: Start a Church

 

The goal is to have a group of passionate believers that meet regularly to worship God, study the Word and grow in Him by this time next year.

 

How can that be accomplished?

 

By doing what Jesus did, i.e. what the Father is doing by being led by Holy Spirit.

Healing the sick, proclaiming the good news, and making disciples.

 

Focus for the Rest of 2003

 

The first three months will be a time of

 

Longterm Goals

 

To establish a network of churches, Bible schools, K-12 schools, orphanages, medical facilities, businesses, and whatever else is on the heart of God.

Pray for the Lord to send workers!

 

Partners 2 The Nations

 

The Lord has told me to believe for $10,000 for the move to Mali, and to get started there. As of August 20, I’m still waiting on the Lord to provide $9,000, and the next $2,500 are needed as soon as possible for the ticket to Mali and shipping my personal belongings there.

 

Partner with me to advance His Kingdom in Mali!