Dear Friends, Colleagues, Supporters, and Prayer Partners,
Warm hellos from David and Linda Arzouni in Bamako, Mali, West Africa!
Another year has slipped between our fingers, and 2011 is a thing of the past! We hope you took advantage of the transition from one year to the next to be intentional about counting your blessings, about thanking the Lord for His comforting presence, for His merciful attentions, and for His kind provision, especially in today’s frenzied world!
Missionaries are, by definition, “sent ones,” people who leave family, friends and the familiar for far-away places. So, inevitably, David (Faouzi) and I as missionaries have many times waved tearful good-byes to our loved ones, climbed into yet another airplane, and landed once again on warm West African soil, ready for our next 4 year term.
It was, therefore, particularly thrilling to stand in the Bamako airport and welcome first my sister Judy for an 8 day visit, and secondly our son Nathan’s family for 2 weeks in January. We were so excited to share with them our life, our friends and our ministries here. It was especially exciting to see Mali (again) through my sister’s wonder-filled eyes. She was both awed with the beauty of Mali’s semi-arid landscape, and shaken with the condition of her villages and peoples, many of whom still eke out a living by scratching the red earth, sprinkling the seed, and watching and praying anxiously for rain.
Our family got to meet some of the people we’ve won to Christ and discipled, such as the Ouédraogos and the Bandés, and we’re now investing in their children, the next generation.
We were able to host our kids and grandkids in a home largely furnished by our California WMs—you gals are awesome! And we drove everybody around in our fine Speed-The-Light car—thanks to your outstanding young people!
At our self-sufficiency agro-pastoral project, we continue with our evangelism and compassion ministries made possible by all of you, faithful, missions-minded men, women and children!
With a grateful heart,
Linda and David (Faouzi) Arzouni
