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This is God's list of qualifications to be chosen by Him for His purposes - you've got to be foolish or powerless or despised or nothing, or all of it. Praise God, I qualify!

While in the US I made progress on my book, which is my story how I ended up in Mali, and I became so aware again how I was the least likely candidate to be doing what I do today. No one would have chosen me - but that's why God did. He knew I'd know I had nothing to offer Him but myself and my love for Him, and so I'm constantly amazed how He can use a powerless, despised, foolish nothing to do all these awesome things He's doing in Mali. Only God could do such a thing, and so everyone knows that only He should be given any glory, and that is ALL the glory! ALL GLORY GOES TO OUR AWESOME GOD!

Now the good news is - if God can use me, He can use you! That's the message I want to bring across with my book. However badly you were hurt, whatever your childhood was like, you are QUALIFIED! Just offer yourself completely up to Him; let Him take the pieces of your life; trust Him completely (even if it's hard), and then watch what He's gonna do. Don't limit Him any longer! Dream big! He has a great destiny for you! Just believe and step into it!

AMAZING WEEKS IN THE US

This little girl at the hand of her big, awesome, heavenly Daddy, has been constantly blown away by where He was leading her, whom He was leading her to, and the favor she received everywhere. Day after day I'd be in total astonishment at how God is answering my prayer to put Mali on the map. And day after day He'd bless me through His people, often big time. I did a 7-city-tour in 5 weeks, and loved every minute of it! Each city was different, each with a different purpose, but each with a very specific purpose for the sake of Mali and the ministry or just myself. I had opportunities to preach, to share in churches and small groups, to meet with people individually, and to see many of my friends again, as well as making new ones. I returned to Mali very blessed, refreshed, and changed for the next season.

If I started sharing in detail now, I could never tell you all. I want you to know though that I continued writing my daily blog, so if you're curious just go to my website, then click on NEWS and then on BLOG, and start reading with August 10. There's also a good number of great pictures.

GOD AT WORK IN MALI

Paul has done a great job being the leader while I was gone. I'm so proud of my 19-year-old son who's only been a believer for two years. It's so amazing to see what God has done in his life - another despised, powerless, foolish nothing God has picked out. As an Albino, he's not had it easy (picture with handicapped 6-year-old Hama).

Since my return, we've done three meetings, and God has been showing up powerfully touching children and adults (details on blog). The Lord has answered my many prayers in tears for my children, and I see a new seriousness and hunger for God in some of them. Praise God!

We're entering into a new season, and I believe the move onto our property will take us to a completely new level. I already live over there, and all I see in the Spirit is happening over there. I'm excited at the great job Paul is doing discipling the new believers there - they already know him as the pastor, and that's wonderful, and the way it should be. He goes there once a week.

Tomorrow Monday we are going to one of the villages - Goro - that turned to the Lord. I've been very troubled at the job our local pastor is doing out there trying to disciple these people, and have felt I needed to spend more time there discipling them, and discipling our pastor in the course of it, so he can do a better job taking care of the baby believers. I've very seriously felt that we're losing these new Christians if we don't take better care of them. I wanted to spend several days there - though that's quite difficult to get away for that long - but we're forced to come back Tuesday night already, for the annual general assembly of the Malian Association of Churches and Ministries that starts Tue night. But 30 hours is better than nothing. And it will be good to share with other leaders in this country; this is our first time participating since we were only accepted as members a year ago.

Paul is starting school again in a week - he has one more year of High School to do, but has had so much favor that the school took care of all his tuition for his last year. Praise God! Please pray for him, as he'll be busy with school, and Bible School, and all his other responsibilities with us. It's gonna be a challenge this year, since I have one guy less (Issa is gone) to take care of the children and everything. Thankfully a young lady from Austria is coming to help for two months, beginning of November.

OUR MOVE TO THE PROPERTY

We have postponed our move to the property until December 5th. Construction was paused for 5 weeks for lack of finances, but has been picked up again thanks to some very generous donations. Thanks to all of you who've helped us!

Picture: state Sep 14

The wall around the property will be done in two weeks, and then Kossi is starting the foundation of the first house - the one we're moving into Dec 5. We still need $49,000 to complete that house - but nothing is impossible for God! He's in charge and taking care of everything!

The most urgent need right now is the remaining $13,000 we need for the solar panels. A missionary in Mali who installs solar power systems for different projects has taken ours on as well, which is a huge blessing. Our solar panels will simply be added to what he has already ordered for other projects, which saves us shipping as well as customs, so PRAISE GOD! However, it means we need to have those $13,000 by the end of September, because otherwise we will miss the container leaving for Mali.

If you can help in any way with that amount, now is the time! Our base will be a habitation for God's glory to equip people - orpans and former street kids, the despised and foolish - and send them out to cover Mali and the surrounding nations with His glory, bringing His Kingdom wherever they set foot. While in the US, the Lord spoke to me about the revival coming to Mali (and we are seeing first glimpses now), and when I called it the "Mali Revival", He corrected me and told me it would be known as the "Desert Revival".

Would you sow into the Desert Revival, into this Muslim nation that is starting to turn to God?

If you want to give towards to the solar panels, please do it this way:

In Europe, do a transfer to my bank account as you would with any donation.

In the US, make your check out to HEART TOUCH MINISTRIES (tax deductible) and send it with a note that it is for Mali to:

       Ben Raber
       Oral Roberts University
       7777 S. Lewis Ave
       Tulsa, OK 74171

Thank you in advance! I'm sure I'll have a great praise report to give next time!

QUICK NEWS

•        School - Our kids should start school again on October 2. Unfortunately, the new teacher who should come for an interview is still out of town. He is my only option at this point. Please pray that this will work out with him, and if not, for God to send us another teacher for our kids.

•       Feeding Widows & Orphans - We're starting our feeding program in the village of Dio. The pastor's wife together with some of the needy ladies will cook every day at noon time for several poor families that are unable to provide enough food for their children. We're also sending all those kids to school, since the families can't afford the tuition. 21 children will be able to go to school this year, and about 40 people will be fed every day. Plus another 20 we feed at our base in Bamako. Please pray for sponsors for the families and individual children, and provision for all these new expenses.

•      Monthly Suppport - Some people in the US had it on the heart to help me find supporters to cover our monthly budget, which is constantly growing. We are still about $1100 short. If any of you could help us out, please email me.

•      Team from Austria - We have a team of 6 Austrians coming Nov 23 until Dec 3. We're excited to have those 10 days of ministry, and will be going into villages again to preach the gospel, and see people saved and healed. They will also be with us to celebrate our 3rd Church Anniversary on Dec 2, which will kick off our services on our property, and which is a big celebration with baptism and a banquet.

•      Traveling - It looks like I'm going on a short trip to England Oct 19-29. Please pray for open doors there; I feel like this is gonna be a significant trip. As every year, I'm going to the US in January. I'm gonna be in Austria for the month of April. And good news - I'll become an aunt in April! My brother's wife is pregnant. Travel details on my CALENDAR page.

Continued from above: As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God....Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” (1.Cor 1:29.31, NLT)

All HIS,

Claudia

Our Resident Family of 12
(March 2007)