Mali

Mali is a huge, landlocked country in western Africa, one third of which is engulfed by the Sahara Desert. The rest is in the Sahel, an arid belt of grasslands stretching across the continent. Temperatures may reach 125-135 degrees in May, at the peak of the hot season. After gaining independence from France in 1960 the church has seen rapid growth among the country's 13 million people mainly in the southern part of the country. The people groups in the North are Muslim with strong influences of animism. United World Mission is an active partner, along with other agencies, to reach some of the largest people groups in Mali. These are the Bozo, Fulbe (Fula), Malinke, Soninke and Tuareg.

United World Mission is actively working to field additional personal into this country as well as developing needed partnerships to complete field projects.

Mark & Marcie

Child: Dylan

I (Mark) served with Campus Crusade in Mali from 1992-1998 before returning to the US to study at Columbia International University. While there, I met Marcie who had served with the Commission for 2 years in Ryazan, Russia. We married on May 26, 2001. In May 2002, Marcie completed her M.A. in Intercultural Studies. I finished his M.Div. in Christian Education in December 2002.

We are serving among the Malinke of Mali. We chose Mali after spending a week in Kayes in October of 2002. While there, we saw what God is doing and began to sense how we might fit into His work among the Malinke. Spread over an area larger than Pennsylvania, 16 small Malinke congregations meet each week for worship. The pastors have little training, and the church is ill-equipped to spread the gospel. These congregations, however, have tremendous potential as a source of laborers for a vast harvest field.

Marcie and I want to come alongside them to help equip leaders and to mobilize Malinke church planters. We want to help ignite the flame that will allow the Malinke church to spread the light of Christ throughout West Africa.

Kristy

From my earliest memories I can remember my family going to church together every Sunday. But, it wasn't until I was 12 that following Christ became real to me.  As time went on, I became more and more convicted of my sin. After a bit of time, I finally decided to trust in Christ. Soon after, I professed faith in Christ in front of the church and was baptized.

After working in Senegal among the Malinke for 14 years, I felt God was directing me to work in Mali, in order to work with the Malinke churches there. What excites me the most about working with United World Mission in Mali is the possibility of seeing Malinke women come to a place of real maturity in their faith and walk with Jesus!

My vision is to see the Malinke church in Mali reach the Malinke of Senegal and Mali!