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NO VISAS NO TEAM

I've now been in Mali for over 18 years. Mali is a secular country with religious freedom, even though most people are (moderate) Muslims, but the current (transitional from the coup) government is the most pro-Islam and anti-West yet. For the very first time since independence in 1960 they have decided to follow the Muslim instead of the French calendar in schools, which meant no days off for Christmas. And three weeks ago they changed their visa policies, not issuing new visas to the French and Europeans, without publicizing those changes. Paul said that the relationship between France and Mali is at an all-time low. He went all the way to the director of the visa department who told him that he could not even give his French friends visas for fear of being fired. They denied the visas for the team of four that was scheduled to come to Mali for ministry next week. In over 18 years, I've never seen anything like this as visas have only been a formality so far and always a certainty. Paul was in total shock, and so was I. The whole team as well as all of us in Mali had been excited about what God was going to do while they were with us.

VISA EXTENSIONS FOR THE WILSONS

In December Ghana was the first West African country to implement a Covid vaccine mandate to enter AND leave the country. We knew it was only a matter of time before Mali would also introduce it, and there had been talk about it coming soon, still in January. Thanks to Paul's connections we received unofficial word that the mandate would start on the 14th, five days before our departure, and would be officially announced two days earlier. We had to act if we wanted to be able to leave the country.

However, given the visa situation, Paul suggested we get long-term visas before we leave, the way we used to before we had the children so that we would not have any issues returning to Mali in the future. Smart! I immediately started getting the paper work ready so that Paul could take it there this morning. An extension is easier to get than a new visa.

When Paul got there this morning, the worker told him that they are not issuing 2-year visas any more, only for one year. The director was just arriving and so Paul went to see him, and he agreed to give us the 2-year-visa. The next issue was that the prices have again increased and that the visas for the five of us would now cost just over 3000€ or $3400. For an European it is $850 or 750€ for 2 years, and for an American it's $100 or 90€ for five years, as Mali has a special relationship with the US. We did not have that much cash, especially since the last wire transfer hadn't arrived yet. We thank the Lord for the favor we have found with the director who allowed us to only pay half today and the other half on Monday.

The wire transfer was meant to buy more shoes to distribute in the village on Sunday. Thankfully we have a long relationship with the shoe shop owner, where we've bought many thousands of pairs of shoes, and he'll allow us to pay him next week.

FLIGHT CHANGE

We should receive our visas on Monday or Tuesday. The next challenge was to rebook our flights to leave before the vaccine mandate. I had to call Air France in Paris and thank God, they were able to rebook us to leave Mali on Tuesday night, with no charge, on a direct flight to Paris, with a 10-hour layover there. Please pray for our trip home to Vienna, as we'll now have no helpers on the flight. Margit is leaving Mali on Monday night already. We have a doctor coming to our house on Sunday and on Monday to do all our PCR tests that are required to fly to Europe.

Thank you for praying for all of us these next few days!

QUICK NEWS

•        Daily Blog - If you are not on Facebook but would still like to read my daily blog about our life (with the triplets), including pictures, you can do so on our website. Go to https://h2tni.org/blog/.

•        Sponsors Needed - We still have 4 children in the village of Dara that are looking for sponsors. They made drawings for their future sponsors for Christmas, hoping they'd soon have people who make their schooling possible. Look here to see who still needs a sponsor. A sponsorship is $60 or 50€ per month and half-sponsorships are also possible.

•        Security Situation - We had a coup last year as well as this year, and it seems unlikely that there will be elections in February as planned. But insecurity is rising as the French have pulled out most of their people by the end of last year. Thankfully the UN and EU is increasing its presence as a result. Jihadists are still a threat, controlling big parts of the country, and always trying to expand their territory.

•        Permit & Deed - Every time there is a coup, new personnel is put into place and we have to start the whole process again. Now that they have stopped and picked up work again several times, Paul continues going to meetings so we can have our building permit and title deed soon. Please pray to that end.

•        Our Neighbors - We moved to our base in 2008, and since then, our neighborhood has filled with houses and people. Many of our neighbors are against us because we're Christians and have tried over and over again to get rid of us, but God has always thwarted all their plans. Now they have formed an organization whose only goal is to get rid of us. Please pray for God's love to cover our neighborhood.

•        First-Grade Teacher - We are still looking for a French-speaking first grade teacher to join our team. There is such a need for a good, Christian school where the children are treated with dignity and learn something. Many of our Muslim neighbors would send their children to our school. Please pray we'll find a teacher!

•        Malian Director Paul - We had our weekly prayer meeting yesterday. I got the keyboard out to lead it for the first time in a long time. I felt like we just needed to worship God, and that Paul needed a fresh encounter with Him. We had a wonderful time in His presence, and God powerfully touched Paul. Please keep him in your prayers as he continues to lead the ministry in Mali.

•       Volunteers - Do you want to come change an orphan's life? Do you want to heal the sick? Preach the gospel to those who've never heard? Come to Mali for a season and let God change your life. No language skills needed, but French skills are helpful.

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (Isa 61:1-2a)

Loving HIM,

Claudia (& Randy)