Bob and Becky Braafhart

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Prayer Letter/Ministry Update

April 2007

Greetings From Bamako,
What a blessing it is to serve our Lord and Savior here in Mali!!
I am writing this from Bamako as I just came up to bring a team back to the Airport. Sometimes, while bringing people back I get the feeling that if it wasn't for Becky and the kids back home I would be tempted to get on the plane and go home. You know that feeling when "the cup is half empty" rather than being "half full". Those times that it feels like you've been in an uphill struggle long enough to have reached Mount Everest a few times over!
I think that King David was the first one to have voiced this. From Psalms we get the idea that he was a half empty/full type of guy. Granted I haven't noticed Saul's people tracking me down to kill me or any other armies around the mission perimeter wall seeking to conquer us. None the less we are in a battle and I would say possibly the same one that has sent scores of people to their knees in the past and it will continue in the future.
Ephesians 6:12 "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the hevenly realms."
Then God gives me a view of the reality. That being my cup is actually neither but is over flowing and that He is preparing us to go to the higher places if only we will trust him and follow. Though the path is rocky and difficult he beckons us to follow.
Thank you for your prayer support. Your prayers and gift are what alows us to serve Our Lord here in Mali.

Work at Hand
I know much time has past since my last note. Since then:
1. We have gotten Ed and Andrea Bonvillian with their 3 girls into their new place. Praise the Lord for this and also pray for their adjustment to ministry here in Mali. Ed will be in charge of the Lab development and training. Andrea will be teaching their 3 girls and both will begin Bambara studies.
2. Started construction on one of the porches of the existing maternity building to enclose an area to house about 10 extra beds. With the present rate of over 130 deliveries a month(doesn't include sick patients), only 13 beds in the maternity ward has proven to be not enough. There should be beds in there by the end of the month. Please pray for a timely completion to this project.
3. We were able to travel to Bamako for some additional Orientation time with the other new missionaries led by Joel and Elin Bubna. This time was very beneficial in helping us to understand the culture and help us to better relate to the Malians. Please pray as we continue to adjust to the culture and our surroundings here in Mali.
4. We are officially into the hot season here. The temperature usually hits 100 before noon and has been peaking around 110. This should last until the end of May .
Please pray for our adjustment and safety.
5. We have been blessed the past couple of weeks to have a team from Southgate Baptist Church in Sprinfield, Ohio. They were a team of 14 people who had a variety of skills and got much accomplished. They are from the Nesselroades and Bonvillians home church and were good friends with many who came. During their time here they did some work at both of their houses, tiled and painted 3 of our bedrooms, put up 3 water towers and installed 3 air conditioner units. A couple guys helped do some survey work on the new warehouse project and ran a compactor on the ground preparation being done there. Some spent time helping at the hospital and the small things accomlished are too numerous to mention. Praise the Lord for their time here and pray for good health for them as they return to their normal lives. Also pray that they would carry the message of the missions here in Mali to those back home. Thank your for blessing us!!

Vehicle
We were blessed to be able to pick up our new van when this last team came in. It worked great in transporting them to Koutiala and yesterday Becky, Andrea and Marcy used it to get to Bamako for standardized testing for all the kids. It is comforting to know that they are riding in a solid vehicle.
It is a Toyota Hiace van with seating for 15 and 3.0L desiel engine. Thank you for giving to this need. We are still in need to pay off the truck. We are in debt $14,000 to the mission. Please pray for the funds to pay off this truck and we will need a pick-up for the construction and maintenance work at the hospital.

More Building
We are currently working through the plans for the new women's medical building. It will cover the square meters about the size of a football field. We are working through the floor plan to get it down to the budgeted size and to be sure that what gets built is useful for the needs in this culture. Please pray for wisdom and unity as we work our way through these plans.
We are in great need to solve a rain problem before the rainy season starts in a little over a month. After the Pediatric building was built and the first rain came we found that the building wasn't adequitly protected. The rain came in with such force that it flooded rooms through closed windows and large entry door opening. We would like to extend the roof off the east side to help with the rain, take some of the direct sun off the patients' room and supply a place to park staff vehicles out of the scorching sun.
Please pray for the funds to do this. It is estimated to cost $8,000

Triplets
This last month brought the arrival of the first set of triplets delivered at the Koutiala Women & Childrens Hospital. They were between appox 3, 4 and 5 pounds. Within an hour after their arrival twins were born bringing the total births for that day to 8. Please pray for Dr. Dan Nesselroade and the staff as they are on call 24/7 with little to no relief in sight.
Women and children are alive today that otherwise would not be because of the ministry here. Hundreds of patients have heard the message of the freedom available with faith in Jesus Christ with a few making a descions to follow. Seeing and hearing this makes our cups overflow. There is bound to be struggles and obstacles where Satan's territory is being assalted. How we deal with those also testifies to our lives and faith in Christ.

Thank You for being a part of God's work here in Koutiala!

Prayer Requests/Answers to Prayer

1. Thank you for your prayer support. Your prayers and gifts are what alows us to serve. Please continue to pray for the GreatCommision fund.
2. Praise the Lord that the Bonvillians are in their new apartment and also pray for their adjustment to ministry here in Mali. Ed will be in charge of the Lab development and training. Andrea will be teaching their 3 girls and both will begin Bambara studies.e Our Lord here in Mali.
3.Please pray as we continue to adjust to the culture and our surroundings here in Mali.
4. Please pray for our adjustment to the heat and safety.
5. Please pray for the funds to pay off this truck and we will need a pick-up for the construction and maintenance work at the hospital.
6. Please pray for wisdom and unity as we work our way through the plans for the new building.

Mali

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