The Reeds in Mali: Getting a Lay of the Land

Ok, thirty-six hours after leaving our house, we arrive in Bamako, Mali. Our main purpose for being here is to attend a week of meetings with the CRWRC West Africa Ministry Team. Renita and I are both working as volunteers with the CRWRC Service link program, thanks to the support of so many of you. Because we both need to be here, and because flights are infrequent out of Monrovia, we get to bring along Hannah and Noah and we will be here almost two weeks. So there will be some vacation-like days here.

We arrived Friday the 25th of august-- the meetings begin Monday the 28th. So our hosts, the Crickmores and the Bosches, decided to take us on a day trip to some of the sites a few miles out of Bamako. It was a day we will not forget. Here are just a few images.

Our Saturday trip begins. The road was good, and the views got better with every mile.

The rainy season creates temporary waterfalls along the sandstone cliffs. The rest of the year, this is brown and dry.

Heading into the bush. Here, negotiating around young gent with a cart and donkey.

Peace n' love from Yers Trooly, somewhere in Mali.

Very beautiful a natural sandstone bridge. Nice to look and take pict... Wha?? We are climbing that?!?

Just one of the inspiring formations in the area.

Time for some upward treading.

Under the natural bridge. We made it-- or so we thought. We have a bit more climbing to do. There is a slightly better view...

Mali from the top of the natural bridge. This is the easy side of His promise of "abundant life." We'll take it.

The group back on the road again...

...to another hidden treasure-- a crystal rainy season pool...

...complete with waterfall...

...which the Reeds grokked. The lower right shot is Hannah jumping from a thirty feet cliff into the pool. Later, even Noah made the plunge.

Our daughter. Her approach to life.