Five Young Men Graduate from The TEE Leadership Training Program

The five graduates from left to right: Manzan Eugène, Assomoa Nestor, Ehye Sebastien,
Koffi Émile, Douti Emmanuel
(Émile's wife sneaked into the picture and that's Damon in the middle of course!)


The silence on our part these past few months, doesn't mean we haven't been doing anything. On the contrary, we've been extremely busy on all fronts of the ministry. We're wrapping things up before we head to the States in early June. We're finishing school and packing up our house and getting the Djoula work to a place where we can hand it over to Andy Gable, our CMF team mate. We've been visiting several villages as a family and we've also been continuing with the TEE program with Damon teaching an Old Testament course in March.

This weekend marked a really important day in the history of the leadership training program. In 2006, five men graduated from the training program, some after almost 10 years of study. This weekend five more young men graduated the program. These men have worked very hard studied many late nights and attended courses over several years, all on their own time, with no compensation other than a free education, and have finally meet the requirements needed to graduate the program.

Nestor, Ehye, Eugene, Emmanuel and Emile proudly accepted their diplomas this weekend and promised to lead to serve, not to be served. It was a great weekend long celebration bathed in prayer and rich in fellowship. Saturday evening the graduates invited four family members each to a nice meal with the missionaries and church leadership. After the meal they participated in a candle light ceremony symbolizing the light that Jesus brings to the world and how we are the carriers of that light.


Dinner with the families of the graduates the night before graduation where we had a candlelight ceremony symbolizing the importance of sharing our light (Jesus) with the world who lives in darkness.

Sunday morning, during a six hour (yes SIX!) worship service/graduation ceremony, over 200 people were in attendance as these men received their diplomas and recognition and immediately pointed to Christ, whom they recognized as the only One worthy of any glory.

The graduates arrive all decked out in their Sunday Graduation Best,
marching to "We walk in the light of God"

Their humility was inspiring for all of us, but especially for their fellow Ivoirians because status and honor are a very important part of their culture. They were wonderful, shining examples of servant leaders, following the true Servant Leader, Jesus Christ.


The Graduates and their diplomas. They chose the theme "To serve, not to be served" for their graduation

We all had a small reception afterwards with lots of good snacks, great photos and fun. We were so glad to be able to be here and celebrate this momentous occasion with our brothers in Christ. When we first arrived in 1998, these young men, were just boys. (well most of them. Émile was a man even way back then) It's been such a blessing to us to see them grow up and mature in Christ and now be in positions of leadership in the churches of Abengourou, Adjamé, Bébou, Ebilassokro and Bétié.



During the ceremony, each graduate received a staff symbolizing that they are now shepherds and are to lovingly lead God's people.

We hope you'll keep these five young men in your prayers as they lead God's people here in Ivory Coast. We're so very proud of them!

Heinz 57!

As Juli mentioned recently, we are bringing one of our Bible storytelling groups to a conclusion...or to a whole new beginning, hopefully. After hearing all 57 stories in the chronological series we use, we are asking these Muslim-background guys to make up their minds. Last Saturday I asked them to begin thinking if they want to "cross the bridge'' that will take them back to God. I explained again how Jesus is the only thing to help them bridge the gap of sin which their lives have created. And I said that if they can tell me about another bridge that will take them into heaven then I sure want to hear about it! Today (Wednesday 4 pm here, or 10 a.m. in Missouri) is the day I've asked them for a decision!

Will you please be praying for the group? The practicing Muslims in the group are Salifou (the guy who owns the laundry shack where we meet), Mr. Diarra (who irons there) and Alassan (our plummer). Then there is San-San, Edouard (Catholic backgroud), and a kid named Bernard. It would make angels dance in heaven to see any of these guys accept Christ as Lord, and we would be pretty thrilled too. Ask God to bring them back into humble submission to Him and receive eternal life. Pray for their salvation today! Thank you!

Kayatou Update and an End to Storytelling

The family adopting Kayatou finally made contact, yesterday, with an international adoption lawyer in DC that they think will be able to help them. The deadline for their appeal is this Friday, the 23rd, so the first item of business is to get the appeal deadline extended and then we'll work on getting more paperwork that will hopefully make US Immigratio happy and bring Kayatou to her new home. Here's a picture of Kayatou at her home yesterday. She continues to do well and to spend two days a week at our house in preparation for her eventual move into an American family. (Please Lord!)

Another newsworthy item is that Damon finished the storytelling series with the car wash guys, who are now the laundry mat guys. Today they studied the Day of Pentecost and talked about the need to be born again and how that only happens through Jesus. They had to end there because it was getting too dark to be sitting outside plus Harmattan is here (75 degrees with 40% humidity) and the Ivoirians are freezing so they called it a night and will be talking more again at their session Saturday afternoon. Damon feels like Salifou, SanSan and Monsieur Diarra are very interested in getting to know Jesus personally, so pray for them as they mull over this very important decision in their lives.

Prayer for a Very Special Little Girl

The Karambega Family in 2006

We met the Karambega family in 2000 when they brought their 3 year old little girl, Tenin, to our clinic. She was quickly diagnosed with juvenile diabetes and we spent the next few years teaching her family how to take care of her. Imagine their discouragement when in 2005, her little sister, Ramatou, at the age of 6, was diagnosed as having juvenile diabetes as well. Harouna, the father of the family, is a subsistance farmer, meaning that he works to grow the food to feed his family. Occasionally there is enough extra food leftover to sell but the profits are meager and quickly eaten up with daily needs like soap, medicine and schooling for his children. Their family couldn't care for one diabetic child and now they had two.

Then in 2007, the unthinkable happened. Kayatou, the Karambega's 5th child, who was 15 months old at the time, became ill with an ear infection which became worse and worse and refused to respond to treatment. I was working at the clinic when Harouna came in carrying Kayatou saying that something wasn't right and she wouldn't wake up. I immediately checked her blood sugar and my heart sank as I read the results; 650. Kayatou was also diabetic.

I gave the news to her parents and asked someone to run to their home to get the insulin. Harouna sat still for a few minutes with his head in his hands. Finally, he looked at me and said, "Enough is enough. This is too much. I can't take care of another diabetic child. It's impossible. I'm exhausted in every way. God gave her this illness and He will take her with it." He was refusing treatment knowing full well that it meant her death. Miriam, Kayatou's mother was next to me crying, holding her uconscious baby and begging for the life of her child. It was a very difficult situation.

Before anyone judges Harouna too quickly, remember that this man had nothing. He is responsible for caring for his ailing parents who both have heart conditions and live with him along with his sister who has been abandoned by her husband and her two children, his brothers two children and his wife and five children. He was living without electricity and running water in a mud brick house just trying to grown enough food to feed the many mouths he was responsible for. On top of that he was caring for two diabetic children. Administering four insulin injections every day. The thought of adding yet another sick child to the mix, of giving six shots instead of four, of monitoring 3 blood sugars instead of 2, of now watching three of his children slowly suffer and die, was just too much for him. He had reached his breaking point and out of mercy was choosing to let his child suffer the natural consequences of her illness, knowing that it meant her death.

Understanding all this, I still couldn't sit there with a dying child in one hand and the medicine to save her life in the other. For more than 45 minutes, I reasoned with Harouna promising him that if he would let me start treating her diabetes, then I would find a way to ease his burden. I promised I wouldn't leave him alone to sink under the weight of his overwhelming responsibilities. He finally relented and Kayatou's life was spared that day.

A year earlier, in Sept of 2006, we had the privilige of hosting a team from our home church in Rolla MO. They had come to help the Karambega family build a home that would be more secure and be able to shelter their large family. It was small, 3 bedrooms and two living rooms for 16 people and they still didn't have electricity or running water, but the walls were made of cement and the door closed and locked. The trip was a blessing for all involved, the Karambega family, the team from Rolla, and for us.

Rob, the team leader for the Rolla group, returned to the US feeling unsettled. He prayed along with his wife and others, that God would show him what God wanted from him as a result of the trip. After awhile it became clear to him that God was wanting him to adopt a little girl from Ivory Coast. Rob's wife Heather was supportive when he told her what he was feeling and together they made the decision to add an Ivoirian girl to their family which already held three beautiful little girls. Rob and and Heather contacted me about this decision in the spring of 2007 and I was preparing to contact an Ivoirian orphanage for them.

Then Kayatou got sick and I promised to help her if only her father would let her live. I remember praying that evening outside of the local hospital that God would show us what to do to relieve Harouna's burden. Then He answered, because He knew this was coming and had put the help into place before we even knew that we needed it.

To make a long story short, Rob and Heather agreed, after more thought and prayer, to add Kayatou to their family. The decision to adopt a child is a huge decision, let alone a child from another country and language and this one is sick with a chronic disease that will need to be cared for for the rest of her life. I'm still amazed at their willingness to answers God's call and welcome this child into their home to love as their own. Harouna and Miriam were overwhelmed at the idea of someone loving their daughter as they loved her and agreeing to care for her. They felt hope again and were thrilled at the idea of the possibilities that now would be available to Kayatou.

Last winter, we began the long process of international adoption. I, personally, had no idea how complicated the situation could be. Paperwork and translation and fees and waiting periods, dragged on and on. The Ivory Coast side was basically easy but the US side was very thorough, which is a good thing for many reasons, but everyday that Kayatou didn't have the medical help she needed was another day that endangered her health.

Finally by the end of 2008, all of the paperwork was done, the approval for adoption on both sides was granted and we were simply waiting for the clearance from immigration as the final step in the US adoption process. The letter from immigration arrived a few weeks ago, but unfortunately the news wasn't what we were hoping for. According to US law, Kayatou isn't available for adoption because she is from a two parent family. In spite of the fact that her parents can't care for her and in spite of the fact that Rob and Heather are willing to, according to immigration, only children who

A) Have been unconditionally abandoned by their parents
or
B) Have lost both parents
or
C) Has become separated or lost from the parents
or
D) Lives in a one parent family where the remaining parent is unable to care for the child

are able to be adopted internationally. There are no exceptions.

So, if Harouna and Miriam would have just walked away that day when Kayatou was in a diabetic coma, she would be available for adoption. Instead they stayed and did the best with what they had, hoping that God would provide help for them from somewhere.

WE STILL BELIEVE HE HAS.

We just have to find a way around the immigration adoption law, and that's where you come in. Rob and Heather have until Jan 23rd to appeal the decision from immigration. They have contacted an immigration lawyer but still have no word on any sort of plan of action. Others have contacted our state's Representative, JoAnn Emmerson, and asked for her help in the matter. Any ideas you have as to how we might be able to move ahead would be very welcome, but even more than that, we covet your prayers.

Kayatou is a delightful little girl. She's been coming to our house two or three times a week,for over a year now, spending the day with us and getting used to life in an American family. We've grown to adore her and have been full of hope for her future with Rob and Heather and their family. That hope has not been abandoned but we're discouraged to have come this far and found what appears to be a brick wall in our way.

Harouna even said the other day, that if he could sell some rice after the harvest, he'd like to help the family in the US pay for an attorney so that his daughter could have the hope of a future. I couldn't help but think of the story of the widow's mite when he mentioned that and was reminded that we serve a God who does the impossible and who always has a plan. We covet your prayers in this situation so that Kayatou can come home and grow up a very loved little girl with two sets of parents. One, in Africa, who loved her enough to give her away and another, in America, who loved her enough to take her in.

We'll keep you posted.

Joyeux Noël

Tabaski Time!

Did you know that yesterday was New Year's Day in Ivory Coast? The Muslim holy day called ''Tabaski'' has come once again. Though it goes by other names in other Muslim countries , Tabaski marks the end of the hajj, or annual pilgrimage to Mecca. It's a commemoratioin of Abraham's sacrifice of--according to them--his son Ishmael.

Tabaski begins with a huge common prayer service at 9am. All the mosques are filled to capacity and even overflow into the courtyard, street, alleys, and parking lots. I typically go watch the mass prayer service up town. I take pictures for friends and then give them as souvenirs later (roaming photographers charge $1 per pose). I'm also there to pray with them and for them. This year, as you can see in the accompanying ''aeriel'' photo, I was able to take video and pictures from the roof of a new apartment building.

Let me tell you how impressive it is to watch several thousand people simultaneously put their faith in everything BUT Jesus Christ. They pray for God's forgiveness of old sins as they begin the new year. But they don't know that the blood of Jesus was spilt in order to wash us white as snow. They humbly repeat praises to Allah and prostrate themselves through submission and ritual. But they don't realize that by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ they can be saved, they and their entire household.

Juli and I went visiting in the afternoon as is customary. We drop in on our Muslim friends, bringing them cake and soda to top off the huge feast of roasted ram long since gobbled up by the extended family. Muslim blessings are exchanged, the bonds of friendship reinforced. And we pray that these good people one day know the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

One sixth of mankind (the world's 1.3 billion Muslims) celebrated Tabaski yesterday. That means it is time once again for us to be on our knees in prayer for them. Thank you for doing so.
Thank you for caring.

Halloween, and other Scary dates on the Calendar

October 31st: Our kids really like Halloween and always have. We host the team Halloween party, which Juli and the kids tend to do-up very nicely. The kids trick-or-treat by going around the house and coming up to all the entrances of our (big) house where an adult is waiting with candy. We even post someone in the laundry room. We usually conclude by watching It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, by our VCR is on the blink, so we sang ''pumpkin carols'' and kept eating until it was time to put kids in bed.

November 1 was All Saints Day. In Catholic countries like Ivory Coast, it's a state holiday and marks the beginning of a week off from school. It always becomes apparent during these religious holidays how many people at least think of themselves as Catholic.

Since our focus is the Muslim background Djoula we remain concerned with how to help these friends become ''Saints'' themselves and know Christ's salvation. So I kept my Bible storytelling appointment with my group of Djoula guys at 4 o'clock. We talked about the feeding of the 5,000 and Jesus walking on the water. We had four regulars, one visitor, and one guy missing, but an amazingly good discussion.

Nov. 2nd we went to church. The service was nearing FOUR HOURS LONG with no end in sight, so we politely excused ourselves.

And today, November 3rd makes exactly TEN YEARS since we left Rolla, Missouri and headed off to Ivory Coast as a missionary family. Way back then we had a 5 year-old and a 3 year-oldi in tow with our 25 pieces of luggage, and a baby not even three months old in our arms when we stepped off the plane into the warm West African evening.

There's no way to sum up in this blog all our memories of that day or of tomorrow, Nov. 4th, as we celebrate ten years in Africa. But we want you to know how thankful we are to God and to you for all the faithfulness we've seen in that time.

The only thing truly scary is to think where we would be without Christ's great love.

La Famille Jones
Mission Chrétienne
Abengourou, Ivory Coast
www.djoulajoneses.blogspot.com