UPCOMING MALI MISSION TRIPS
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REPORT BY SARA WILLIAMS on extended mission
OUR WORK IN MALI

 

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Sara Williams was in Mali for an extend period. Here's a report from her, received December 8, 2008:

Abraham looked up and there in the thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He…sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.
Genesis 22:13

Monday, December 08, 2008

Dear Family and Friends,
Today is Eid al-Adha (Tabaski) (Arabic: عيد الأضحى ‘Īd ul-’Aḍḥā) or the Festival of Sacrifice
It is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims and Druze worldwide in commemoration of the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God. The devil tempted Ibrahim by saying he should disobey God and spare his son. As Ibrahim was about to sacrifice his son, God intervened and instead provided a lamb as the sacrifice. This is why today all over the world Muslims who have the means to, sacrifice an animal (usually a goat or a sheep), as a reminder of Ibrahim's obedience to God. The meat is then shared out with family, friends (Muslims or non-Muslims), as well as the poor members of the community. (Islam names Ishmael as the son who was to be sacrificed, whereas the Judeo-Christian name Isaac).
Eid al-Adha annually falls on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijja (ذو الحجة) of the lunar Islamic calendar. The festivities last for two to three days or more depending on the country. Eid al-Adha occurs the day after the pilgrims conducting Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide, descend from Mount Arafat. It happens to be approximately 70 days after the end of the month of Ramadan.
Men, women, and children are expected to dress in their finest clothing to perform Eid prayer (Salatu'l-`id) in any mosque. Muslims who can afford to do so sacrifice their best domestic animals (usually sheep, but also camels, cows, and goats) as a symbol of Ibrahim's (Abraham's) sacrifice. The sacrificed animals, called "udhiya" Arabic: أضحية" also known as "qurbani", have to meet certain age and quality standards or else the animal is considered an unacceptable sacrifice. Generally, these must be at least a year old. At the time of sacrifice, Allah's name is recited along with the offering statement and a supplication as Muhammad said. According to the Quran, the meat is divided into three shares, one share for the poor, one share for the relatives and neighbors, and the last to keep to oneself. A large portion of the meat must be given towards the poor and hungry people so they can all join in the feast which is held on Eid-al-Adha. The remainder is cooked for the family celebration meal in which relatives and friends are invited to share. The regular charitable practices of the Muslim community are demonstrated during Eid al-Adha by the concerted effort to see that no impoverished person is left without sacrificial food during these days. Eid al-Adha is a concrete affirmation of what the Muslim community ethic means in practice. People in these days are expected to visit their relatives, starting with their parents, then their families and friends.

As you read, this is not what we believe – please pray that today might provide an opportunity for some who believe this to hear the truth – as some of our team members will be traveling to villages and courtyards to greet and continue building relationships. I will be going with 2 team members to a Muslim village where they have heard the truth. We will be there as their overnight guests, where we “eat, drink tea, and talk…then eat, drink tea, and talk some more.” Please pray that this event will be fruitful –as God is bringing many teams to Mali and the need for translators is growing!
In His Name,
Sara

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Grace Point’s work in Mali continues to be vital.
Having seen a church birthed one year ago, we are now seeing the beginnings of true discipleship.

Missionaries to Mali are amazed at how God is moving as never before among the Bambara people. In the last eight months:

• 5 teams sent from GPC
• 47 team members (28 first-timers)
• 7 members made multiple trips
• 27 baptized Bambara believers
• 4 Bambara awaiting baptism
• Teams invited into the schools to teach
• 2 children (approx. age 12) now believers
• K-village is in a district of 250,000 people that now has eight churches (K-village among them)
  
  Each of our teams has taught:
  
  
• Sharing Creation to Christ
  At least eight of them can now lead someone to Christ. The last team heard a village elder share Creation to Christ with a relative, but he said he couldn’t finish, so he asked his daugh ter, recently saved, to continue for him, and in a few minutes the man’s wife took over. Though almost contrary to their culture, they shared the message of Christ by involving the whole family.
  
  
• Holy Spirit
  In September the village heard about the Holy Spirit for the first time.
  
  
• Prayer
  in January and February, the village learned to pray. As they heard the lesson, one by one, they began praying for each other.
  
  
• Lord’s Supper
  The March team taught about the Lord’s Supper for the first time. The church is now deciding how and when they will celebrate it.

 

We have more trips for our MALI partnership planned for the coming year: -

• November, 2010
• December 2010
• January 2011

Contact SARA WILLIAMS for more information.

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