After almost two years, this is only the third entry in this blog! I think that once I arrived in Mali, it seemed almost futile to try to put my thoughts into words and so, I abandoned the idea of continuing this blog...

Now, things look a little different, and after over 19 months I have this strange desire to try to chronicle the last few months of my time in Mali.

Some important things that have happened in the past 19 months:

I fell in love with Ben Arnold.I experienced life in a small African village.I learned Bambara!I improved my French, even if only by a little...I visited Senegal.I went home to visit my family for a month.I visited Montreal with Ben.I came back to Mali, a little sad to be leaving home...I learned that I love to cook!I read a lot of books....

I started a project to build a woman's maternity clinic in the village.Ben asked me to marry him and I said yes!My brother came to visit for three weeks!I celebrated my 24th birthday with Ben in Bandiagara!So, hopefully that is a good update for now! More thoughts to come soon!

Wow, crazy times! I tearfully said goodbye to Kathy yesterday and to Adrian today. A and I spent a good part of the day together yesterday and then watched "When Harry met Sally" last night as she packed! After 21 years of following in each other's footsteps, we are heading in different directions. It breaks my heart and yet empowers me all at the same time. Adrian is my best friend and I can't wait to be together again!

So, it is almost here and next week I will say goodbye to mom, dad and Abby. It has definitely been great to realize all of the wonderful relationships in my life. As I pack I pray that God grants me wisdom and guidance. WOO HO!!, Mali...here I come!

Hello all!

I am sitting in Cup-O-Joe with Kathy right now as I write my first entry! We are spending the day together as she is preparing to go home to Germany!

The goal of this blog is to detail my life in Mali as I spend 27 months working for the Peace Corps! Hopefully it will be an encouragement to all who read and a way for me to process how God is working and revealing himself to me as I take this leap of faith to serve him.

I am entitling this blog 1 john 3:18 which says, "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." God's love can change this world and the desire of my heart for my time in Mali is to love and serve people as I follow the words of this verse!

in service,

Audra