Dear Prayer Partners,

Jeff and I returned from our nearly 11 day trip into the area of Cote d’Ivoire that is still under rebel rule. A peace accord has been signed as of this summer with good changes as a result. But, as we understand the situation, a complete changeover to government control still awaits the upcoming elections in October.

We returned on Monday, completely exhausted from our days of travel and ministry in the bush!

Praise God!

~We had a safe trip. Only one flat tire.

~We had no negative encounters with the rebel troops.

~We were able to encourage our churches, pastors and pastor’s wives.

~We slept very well on terrible beds and had much good African food to eat.

~Sunday morning, in an open air evangelistic event in a village, in front of the elder of the village’s house, Jeff preached. Forty people stepped forward into the center of the circle before all their friends and relatives to pray to surrender their lives to Christ!

A Few Prayer Needs:

~Jeff came down with malaria during the trip, which we treated, but he was unable to rest, which is a requirement for regaining good health after malaria. Today, Friday, he began to feel ill once again and I believe it is a malaria relapse. In the morning he will go for a blood test to verify what is happening and to receive the proper medications.

~We’re still tired!

~My lap top computer decided to go for a swim—I was using it just before sleeping while we were staying in a very bush African hotel, one in which the water wasn’t working and to get the sink in the bathroom to drain you had to hold it up against the wall—and when the water did decide to come back on someone had left something open and several rooms were flooded, including ours.

We were awakened at 4:00 am by someone pounding on our door alerting us to rising water. I’d left the lap top on the floor next to the bed. Did you know that computers and water don’t get along very well? Therefore, if you sent me a message just before or since Thanksgiving and I’ve not responded, send it again to Jeff’s e-mail address: jeffsingerman@usa.net so I can get back to you!

Our Christian brothers and sisters have suffered many atrocities and experienced many horrors during the war that we had no knowledge of. One pastor said, “I used to preach about living by faith, but now I’ve experienced it.” I have stories to share with you that were shared with us that will make you cry and make you rejoice. Those will be coming in the near future. Wherever war is we need to remember to lift up our brothers and sisters in Christ who live in those regions, to the Lord. I failed to do so during this 5 year Cote d’Ivoire conflict. Maybe my prayers would have eased the suffering of their lives.

Yours in Christ,

Barbara and Jeff