Reflections are often so deceiving.  My perception of self is inaccurate and obscure. When composing my life story my handwriting is illegible. My history makes no sense. Our view is full of lies and void of truth. When looking in the mirror we see who we are in this life, instead of in the next. I am not who I will one day be in Heaven. But I desire to bring the two to a clashing point. Where Heaven meets earth. Where I'm not me. Where I am like you.  The problem is that when I cannot see God, I only see me. When I only see me, I perceive God through who I am or am not. When my perception of God is inaccurate,  my perception of self cannot be correct. We must begin to rest assured in the truth of Who God is. He is Maker, Protector, Deliverer, Redeemer, Provider, Knowledge, Wisdom, Love, Judge, Justice, Healer, Friend, Romancer, Chaser, Above all, King, Hidden, Revealed, All in one, One in all, I am, Brother, Hugger, Tear catcher, Fixer, Listener, Speaker, and Truth. If He is everything, then I am nothing. But, in Him I am something. I refuse to accept who I am in the mirror. I will be who I am known as in Heaven. No more lies. Only truth. Who are you going to see?

The tangibility of God has left me forever astounded. Regardless of how I feel He is the author of every single breath that I partake in.. And if I so choose, every breath can be breathed of Him. He wants to be our satisfaction, our oxygen. He doesn't need us and His identity is not made legitimate by our desperation for Him. If only we could comprehend that we are not the makers or breakers of God.
God does not need me. And that is what makes His love so true, so full, and so complete. To not be needed and yet still wanted is astonishing. So often we love those who we need and when their ability to satisfy us ceases, our love for them dies as well. I am so hungry and yet left desperately not hungry enough. Can one ever be full of God? There is no end to Him. There is always more. He is a never ending fountain. In my first three weeks of school I am learning just how tangible He really is. He wants me to carry on in conversation with Him, He wants to help us figure out our flat tires and homework. He's for us, not against us. We do not seek Him in vain. Every second becomes joy when we draw closer. And it is in drawing closer to Him that we start to look like Him, talk like Him, and act like Him. I want to look like Jesus. I'm surely not there yet, but our DNA has to be changed from the inside out. Look like Jesus. Look like Jesus.

Tonight, I stand in awe of the pure love of a Father. I remember as a young child, riding my bike through my neighborhood and turning a corner much sharper than what my young eyes could foretell.  Naturally,  I tore the flesh at my knee and raced home as quickly as my panicked legs could travel. My vision clouded from tears, I cried out for my daddy upon my front door entry, and he carried me up the stairs. I was placed on the bathroom counter, where my doctor completed the surgery of Neosporin and a bandaid.  My dad can fix anything.

I can only wonder if this is the very image of myself and my Heavenly Father, and how He ever so tenderly fixes all of my bumps and bruises. Perhaps for some, He rarely gets offered the role of Daddy Doctor.. Because our humanity is much too strong to ever go running in tears towards the best fixer upper. But, I am so thankful and hope to forever remain ready to be picked up, brushed off, made steady, and loved on. Because my Dad can fix anything.

Anew

As my chapter in Bamako has ended, I have decided (with the nudging of a dear friend) to continue my "Now Starts Mali" blog with some minor changes, of course. I am embracing new seasons, new experiences, and new adventures. So much is to come, and I simply want to be able to share all that the Lord is doing in my life. So here's to travel, people, culture, and the journey ahead.

Ne be taara.

As my time here in Mali is coming to an end, I am so thankful to have been privileged to serve the Lord these past nine months from the continent of Africa. While I thought that I would be bringing something to this country, this country gave more to me than what I could have ever given to it. I have been able to study a new language, culture, and people.. And with that has come the opportunity to learn many life lessons that I shall carry with me for the rest of my life. I have learned what it takes to “live” in a foreign country, and through the struggle of learning the Lord has taught me who I truly am in Him, not who I am in the world that surrounds me.  The Lord has taught me what it means to let Him define me, rather than my circumstance.  I am going to miss each of the little faces that have helped me paint during the week, and all of the babies at the orphanage that I have grown so attached to, as well as the missionary team here.

 Although sad to close this chapter, I am excited for the next one.  Upon my arrival on the 15th of October, I will begin helping my church send out 12 families next year, to 12 different countries. It is certainly true that one does not have to be in another country to be involved in Missions, and I am thrilled to be able to be a part of what God is doing in the lives of those that are soon to be around me.

Thank you, for your support, encouragement, and most importantly your prayers. My experience here would not have been possible without your help.. And you have been the hands and feet of Jesus. I am so thankful to have been able to partner with each and every person that has so graciously assisted me in my journey to Bamako. Continue to pray for the Muslim nation of Mali, and for each of the missionaries that remain here. You guys are awesome, and I look forward to seeing you on the other side!

I stepped outside of our courtyard gate to set up my easel and begin painting. It took me a couple moments to work through the putrid stench of trash, but I was determined to paint outside of our four walls, instead of down the road at a local boutique. It didn’t take long for lots of familiar little brown eyes to be staring, and their bright little faces brought them the motivation that I lacked. Some teenage girls that live nearby kept coming and asking if I was okay in the sun, to which I jokingly replied that I wanted to be black like them. After only a few moments of sitting, a herd of cows decided that it was time to pass by.. And I must say, there is nothing quite as alarming as Misi Belibeli ba. You learn to love the little “Surprises” that Africa always has to give. While trying to keep my cool around the gigantic beasts, a young man came and sat down beside me. Alu is from Gambia, and surprisingly enough he spoke English. We carried on conversation for the entire time that I was painting, so it only seemed right that he receive the painting when I finished. The cool part about giving it to him was that because he spoke English, I got to explain that El Roi means The God who see’s me. I‘m so thankful for privileges that continue to arise. Why worry about tomorrow, when we can eat to our content on the promises today?

Kalenden.

This week, we will be taking an intensive course on the details of Islam. Mr. Faouzi, a former Muslim himself who is now an AG missionary, will be our teacher and helping hand as we learn all that we can on the religion of the culture that we are currently living in. Words cannot begin to express how excited I am for the week ahead. The following set of seven will be another course on Transforming Culture/Contextualized ministry. It'll be really neat to see how the two tie together. Keep each of us Safer's in your heart's and prayer's as we learn how to better understand and communicate to the Muslims around us. Ala Ka Du Ba Ye.

I honestly do not know where to begin this post. So, I am beginning. My trip to Ghana and visiting with my family was more refreshing than what words could ever express. I suppose that I shall start by hitting some of the major highlights. Forgive me for being so informal.

- I woke up at 4am to prepare myself for the journey ahead. My flight to Ghana was suppose to leave at 9am, placing myself in the airport at about 6:30.  I was to first fly to Togo, and then from Togo to Accra. We boarded the plane on schedule, and took off. I was asleep before we even left the runway. However, I awoke to the plane landing and the pilot explaining that there was a problem with the tires and breaks, but that they thought it would be easily fixed and we could be on our way. Well.. About four hours later, we finally took flight. Because of this, I missed my flight from Togo to Accra. Mind you, few speak English and I have no clue what I am doing, or where I am going. When we got to Togo, they said that they would be putting us in a hotel for the night and then would fly us to Ghana the next day. To which I replied with a big “No Sir!” After using multiple people’s cell phones, learning by force how to get my Visa in an airport, and finding my luggage, I found myself sitting in a waiting area for nearly three hours while the Pastor that we were staying with in Ghana drove to come and pick me up. (So thankful that where he lived was within driving distance.) I found a rather uncomfortable seat and decided to read. There was a small family sitting fairly close to where I was and when I looked up and saw their baby girl, I couldn’t help but smile. As soon as I grinned they were up to come and sit where I was sitting, and placed their baby in my arms.  I spent forever holding and loving on little Gloria.. While communicating in Frenglish to her mother and aunts and uncles. As it turned out, I ended up being proposed to, to which I swiftly declined. :P  After sitting for what felt like an eternity, a Pastor showed up with my name on a piece of paper, and said that I was to come with him and that he would be taking me to the Ghana border. I’ve honestly never been so happy to go somewhere with a stranger in my entire life. Relief started to flood every ounce of me, and I couldn’t help but laugh and cry. We took about a thirty minute taxi ride to the border, where I filled out more and more paper work. I suppose for most people, their first view of a country is the airport.. No one ever really knows where the actual lines of a country end and begin. But, I was able to walk across the border into Ghana. My first experience of that charming place was the people, the smells, the sounds.. It was one of the most surreal feelings that I have ever experienced, and it was proof that regardless of my strenuous day, God turned something awful into one of the most incredible experiences of my entire life.  We took one more taxi ride and stood outside of a petite gas station, and when my parents finally rolled up, I ran as fast as I could into their arms with tears, laughter, joy, and relief. It was a beautiful reunion indeed. I’m so thankful for the Lord’s continual provision in our lives.

-The week in Ghana was filled with my dad preaching, my mother teaching, my brother and I doing human video, him teaching a class on worship, myself teaching a human video where the teens actually got to perform it with us, and Caymen Grant experiencing his first missions trip, and then begging to stay another night. Demon’s were cast out, people were delivered, Ghana was prophesied over, we met the King in Keta, we experienced being alone in a foreign country with a flat tire and no cell phone, we spent hours together, learned together, grew together, ate Fufu together, and then flew back to Mali together. We had a lovely week here, and I was truly sad to have to say goodbye to my family today. But, I can really only rejoice for the time that I got to spend with them. I’m so, so grateful for the parents and siblings that the Lord has blessed with me. Perfection could not have been expressed more clearly.

And so, I am back in my Bamako. I am striving to head full force into my next few months here. The Lord does not desire mediocrity for his people, He desires greatness. Again, forgive me for being so informal, in some ways long, in other ways short. But I just really don’t have words for all that the Lord has done. His goodness is everlasting.

Sanji

Today, I felt incredibly privileged to have had the experiences that I did. Myself along with others had the amazing opportunity to meet Tim, Mohammed, and George from Georgia. (Not really, but that is what he titles himself.) These men are from Seirra Leone , and have been working their craft of tie-dye and batik material since they were children. These special types of fabric originated in Sierra Leone, so you can therefor rest assure that what they make is the very best in quality. We traveled to the small village where they work every day, which we later learned was the very first village in Bamako. Over the next few months we will be spending time each week learning under these men as they teach us the tricks of their trade. I am so beyond thrilled to begin learning and creating my own designs on fabric. It truly is nothing like I have ever seen before and my creative fingers are excited for the task ahead. We will be working with them, as well as doing our best to share the love of an awesome God. I was surprised at how comfortable I felt with the people and environment around me, and plan to do my best to communicate Jesus to the people of this village. I am in love and terribly excited for this opportunity. Yesu kera an kisibaa ye.

Now that we Safer’s have been here for a few months, we are each looking for our “niche”  where we feel we want to spend the majority of our time in ministry.  Quite honestly, I was having a rather difficult time discovering this, and feeling like I had purpose in anything that I was doing.. But, through lots and lots of prayer and confirmation, I feel like I have indeed found that special place.

This morning, I packed all of my painting mediums into a cardboard box and headed out the door. I walked to a small boutique in our neighborhood, and asked if I could sit outside and paint. Given the go, I positioned my canvas and pulled out my brushes. It did not take long to have small groups of people stopping and watching for short periods of time. Two little girls, Fatimata and Mari, had been sitting closely for quite a while, so I decided to direct my painting towards what would be likeable, and understandable to a child. Well, by the time I had finished, my little friends were nowhere to be found and shockingly there were no other kids around. To my surprise, there were seven to ten grown men standing and watching intently.  One of them began to express that he liked it, so I handed it to him. He seemed rather elated, and all the others took turns holding and looking.  

I was quite shocked that something that had been created for the eye of a child, was found pleasing to the eye of an adult. God does indeed use the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. He is so faithful to speak to us when we are finally ready to hear.. And He has so much purpose even in things that seem insignificant. I hope to be able to continue going out and painting weekly. My goal is to put subliminal messages about the Lord inside of my paintings, so that parts of Him can be carried unknowingly into the homes of Muslims. 

If anybody would like to donate any painting mediums, that would be so thoroughly appreciated, as I can only go out for as long as my supplies last. For more info, my email is: arielivey1993@yahoo.com . Thankyou so much for every prayer that is lifted for Mali, you are helping make a difference.