A few pictures to recap out last 6 months:
Joe and I in our first few months here, we are still smiling 6 months later!!!!
Joe enjoying our cat, in which he has deemed and trained as a "pocket cat." Yes, Yes, Yes, I know, I married him. he he he
Ambabem and I playing in the sand in our village, she is the chubbiest little girl in Mali, I LOVE HER!!!Last week, Sunday, marked our sixth month in Mali, what an accomplishment for us. We continue to learn, struggle, and have fun. Our time in Mali thus far has been far more rewarding and challenging than we could of thought....and all in a good way. We have been challenged spiritually, socially intellectually, politically, mentally, and physically. (If you can think of any other words with LY on the end of them insert them in this sentence, I am sure they all will fit in with our challenges, bc there are ALOT).
We have been supported by family and friends with packages, letters, phone calls, video calls, and emails and even having my brother come visit. It is so much easier to stay positive and to keep going when you know people at home support you and when you can eat peanut M&M's and Swedish Fish while reading PEOPLE magazine. :) It is nice to be connected to home. We are truly blessed by you all.
We are now at our original training site, Tubanyso, for a mini-training session. This is a time where we can get training on things we want to implement at our site, in Kalibombo. Joe and I will continuing language training in French and Donoso, along with get training on beekeeping, water sanitation, malnutrition, the planting and maintaining of the Arabic Gumme Tree, Urine fertilizer(yes, i did type urine) and also how to make mud stoves.
We are excited to see what the next months will bring, hopefully completed projects, better language fluency, along with long hot nights and a mini-vacation.
We love it here!!! We love Malian culture and love the people, it just keeps getting better.
Hi Joe and Ashley,
ReplyDeleteIt's good to see that you are still going strong and learning alot. Keep those smiles on they look good. That picture of the little girl is cute. Anna is getting a little chuby herself. It is alot of fun feeding her cereal and I can't wait to feed her other foods.
Today when I got up, Anna had rolled over onto her stomach while in her crib yet. That is the first time she has done that while in her crib. Well I have to go!!
Thanks for the pictures and I will talk to you later.
Love Ben, Jody and Anna
I just LOVE to read your blog - and the pictures .....unbelievable....you guys are doing such a good thing and being blessed by such great people. I wish Hannah would keep up her blog - she too is very happy with her place in Ecuador and she loves the people....She will be done in August - I want her home and I think she wants to come home but it will be sooooo hard to leave her home in Palmar, it truly has become her home. Keep up your great blog - more people should read it ....I can almost feel like I am there with you!
ReplyDeleteAnd then you have friends like ME, who avidly follow your blog but have sent you NOTHING. I am all take and no give!! I owe you about 30 dozen Swedish fish now and probably a hundred bags of kettle corn when you get back to the US of A. I love reading about your adventures and am glad you've had such an amazing 6 months. MISS YOU!!!! xoxo Melissa
ReplyDeleteWhat a great blog post! It brought tears to my eyes. I am so proud of you both. I have to admit, for my own selfish reasons there are moments when I wish you would just pack up and come home. But I have to remember that God is using you for His greater good. And right now that greater good is halfway across the world. I couldn't think of two better servants for Him to choose to do His incredible work. I love you both and miss you more. Oh yeah...And I still have your "package" sitting on my kitchen counter....it WILL go in the mail....why am I so bad at driving to the postoffice?
ReplyDeleteLove you lots,
Big Sis,
Aubs